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Im wanting a towbar on the berlingo van. Fitting the towbar itself looks pretty straightforward, but how involved is the wiring?
Take it to a proper place. £250 should do it. Get a Witter Towbar.
Do it yourself...the wiring is easy if you can follow instructions 🙂 Just use scotchlocks, everyone says they are crap but most of the modern telephone network is connected together using the same idea.
You might want to get a relay to reduce current load on the existing car wiring (definitely if your van has bulb failure warnings etc, this would need a fused positive feed running from battery to rear of car)
The only bit I had to redo was the fog light, as it was negative switched which is quite common apparently. Instructions should explain it.
The wirings pretty easy - the kits usually come with instructions on colour coding on the car loom and they just use scotchclips to connect the towbar socket. If you get stuck they usually have a very knowledgable person on the other end of a helpline.
I'd check out Berlingo wiring - a lot of cars actually have a connector for towbar wiring built into them.
Be careful with the wiring and don't use scotch locks. Solder the connections properly.If it's a newer Berlingo with a can bus you must use an intelligent by-pass type relay. Easy enough job.
Hth
Marko
Never use scotchlocks on a vehicle.
The steel blade part will corrode where it meets the copper wires. They won't last the first winter.
Twisting the wires together and wrapping them in PVC tape would be more reliable.
Never use scotchlocks on a vehicle.
The steel blade part will corrode where it meets the copper wires. They won't last the first winter.
Twisting the wires together and wrapping them in PVC tape would be more reliable
My usual sellotape is out of the question then? 🙂
Thanks all, where do I look for the connector/can bus?
Some cars have the option of a box of electronics to attach the trailer to the car's electronic stability - to help stop snaking and other bad stuff. This costs more but I went for it.
Electrics for our zafira was a plugin module, assumed any modern canbus equipped car would be the same, especially one based on a commercial vehicle. Bit more expensive but easier and safer so well worth it.
You can bypass the fancy electronics - it's cheaper, but doesn't have the stability control stuff and also you have to have a beep when the indicators work, just so you know they're still working. This may or may not drive you absolutely frigging insane on a three thousand mile trip across France...
it was a plug in module on my navara, really easy job.
On my Passat it needed wiring running through the car as well as a canbus re-code.
You don't use scotchlocks and you don't use solder on vehicle wiring. Scotchlocks are rubbish, and soldered joints fail due to vibration.
The proper way to do vehicle wiring is with non-insulated crimps (pre-insulated ones rarely crimp properly), and cable tie everything down as often as you can. Wrap all the wires up in PVC sleeving if they're outside, non-sticky looming tape if they're inside.
Go and buy one of these kits:
[url= http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/terminalsnonins/noninskits.php ]http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/terminalsnonins/noninskits.php[/url]
Or ring them, tell you what you're doing and ask them to send you what you need (ie, a bunch of terminals and a tool to match).
It is a bit more hassle, but it's a lot better than having to get back under the car and work on manky old scotchlocks, or having the lights fail on your trailer.
you don't use solder on vehicle wiring
Oops!
'.... and you don't use solder on vehicle wiring ...'
I think you need to open up a vehicle wiring loom and have a look see. It is not so common these days due to cost, but all the electronics have plenty of soldered components.
Hth
Marko
We're talking about wiring here, not PCBs.
I have occasionally seen a bunch of wires soldered together within a loom, usually all the earth wires, but never soldered terminals.
Non insulated crimps are standard practice throughout the motor manufacturing industry, although for some reason, the LPGA insist on soldered connections for LPG conversions.
As it goes ive already got some of those connectors from just keeping crap cars going over the years, but its all getting a bit hi tec for me now. I wouldn't know a can bus if it took to sharing my toothbrush, and where would i look for the plug connector?
I think ill just have a crack at it and see how I go, thanks all 🙂
For a quiet life try [url= http://www.towequipe.co.uk/products/towbars-and-towbar-wiring-citroen--commer-berlingo-car-specific-wiring-kits/towt013-7pin-specific-towbar-wiring-fits-citroen-berlingo-9608.html ]this[/url]:
More expensive but plug'n'play