Fitting a towbar to car

[AlanG]

Bit like the title says really.

I am looking at getting a towbar fitted to my Zafira B (2010) and don't have the slightest idea where to start, what to look for, what to not do and any legal things i need to do.

I am getting to the stage where i need to tow a trailer for certain things and i sold my van ages ago which could carry most things.

I would like to try and get away without having to cut my bumper up so that might narrow down my options on kits? Do i do it myself or get a garage to do it?

Any ideas/experience guys?

[Graeme C.]

If you're in the UK, you have to have an approved one fitted, specialists could advise on what sort & the legalities. You may just have to google tow bar fitters!

[boatman]

HI AL well out of three towbars ive had fitted were witter towbar the best so im told an they was fitted by a company called INDISPENSHION an very good as i had a ton or so of carvan on the back an never had any trouble
chris

[Steven000]

I did it myself on my dacia logan II, bought the set online. (2013-14)
The thing I recommend is to buy a set that has plug-in-connectors for the lights in the back, you don't want to waste a lot of time soldering all the connections.
When you use the direction indicator with a trailer hooked on it would flash faster, therefor the electric set should come with a circuit that regulates things like that.
Also there is the amount of pins for the trailer-electric-connector, like 7 pins for a regular trailer and 13 for caravan etc...

I remember I had to search for a red cable in the chassis of the car to hook up the connection for the trailer fog-light (one of the 7 pins)
And afterwards I went to the vehicle-inspection, they made sure it was well connected to the car, I was back on the road after 5 minutes.
Cheers Steven

[boatman]

WELL Al as i said ive had three witter tow bars fitted no probs but jen reminded me of a cheap chappie i went to a long time ago when i had my very first tow bar fitted an its right what they say you only get what you pay for as this chappie had a young lad fittin the eletrics an well never seen such a cock up in my life as when i inspected it well there was snap connectors every meter or so to jion up wires as i think this bloke was trying to use up all his spare bits of wireing an well needless to say i hit the roof as i told him my car is now a fire risk an all the wires should be one complete wire all the way through not jionts an snap connecters an i stood there an watched them pull all the wirein out an do it properly took a fair while but i was not payin up till it was done an he was not a happy chappie an treid to charge more for all the extra work but i said to him if you had done it properly you wont be doin extra work would you an then i went eleswhere to have it all checked out an have some bits still put right cant trust some people can you
chris

[AlanG]

Cheers guys. Food for thought. Still not sure whether to fit one myself or get a garage to do it. Price is going to be a big factor

[Allen Dewire]

Evening Alan.

Just saw this and wondered if you had some automobile repair chain of stores like we have here in Germany. They usually have deals on tow hitch installations for a reasonable price. Here, they go for around € 300 depending on the car. The nice thing is that they also have a guarantee in case there's a problem with it. That's includes the wiring....Saves you the headache of doing it yourself too.............

Prost
Allen

[Tim Marlow]

Personally I’d get a reliable fitting company to do it. You can then be assured it meets current regulations and is properly fitted. It’s your money, and your choice, but unless fitting is extortionate, and you are very used to doing car mechanics, it will save you a load of hassle and scraped knuckles.
Mind you, when I was younger I’d have done it myself, but cars (and myself) were simpler then. I couldn’t stand the cold when I fitting it now either.....

[boatman]

Personally I’d get a reliable fitting company to do it. You can then be assured it meets current regulations and is properly fitted. It’s your money, and your choice, but unless fitting is extortionate, and you are very used to doing car mechanics, it will save you a load of hassle and scraped knuckles.
Mind you, when I was younger I’d have done it myself, but cars (and myself) were simpler then. I couldn’t stand the cold when I fitting it now either.....

MY Thoughts exsacly Tim an with a reliable fitting company you get a yr guarantee an to get to the car wireing now is a nightmare as our car is a year 13 7yrs old an id love to fit some drivein lights on it an had a quick look at the wirein loom an the wireing is done up an strecked so tight its nr impossible to connect other wireing in unless you know what you are doin
but as Tim says Al up to you
chris