How much to have a tow bar supplied and fitted?

I got a bar and ball and separate electrics off ebay for about £100 + £20 and fitted myself in about an hour.

If you spend the extra on model specific electric loom there is usually a connection spur near the rear cluster that you just plug into so you dont have to splice and connect each wire manually.

as its for a bike rack that doesn’t obscure the lights and nuumber plate do i need electrics?

what car model you fitting to? where are the number plates and lights?

Anyway, know, if you arent fitting a lightboard, you dont need electrics. But they’re handy if you fancy pulling a trailer sometime.

New style berlingo multispace

so where does the rack go? Does it mount to the ball?

Ah bollox! gonna need electrics then!!

New car is identical to that btw!!

does the bike rack have it’s own lightboard or will you need to get a strap on one too?

so THIS Plus fitting?

and a light board!! Never used one before

i had a tow ball fitted so i could use a bike rack.
it was a mobile fitter, he charged me £190 including single electrics for the lights and indicators.
it took him a few hours and i wouldn’t have had a clue how to fit it myself. but then all i do to maintain my car myself is put fuel in it, i’m not good with cars 😕 so if you are then maybe you could do it yourself.

as a rough guide for you, supplied and fitted (with electrics) on a Focus sest me back £160.

It might just be the photo, but it looks the the ball would have to be very low for the boot to clear it – this could lead to issues. Phoning a local specialist would answer it in seconds though

yep. And use scotchlocks to splice into the wire syou need.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCOTCHLOK-SCOTCHLOCKS-SCOTCH-LOCKS-BLUE-50-Pack-/320635968665?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Terminals_Cabling_ET&hash=item4aa7649c99#ht_1778wt_1201

dont forget you need one line to come across from the “other side’s” indicator. The rest can come from one cluster.

then get a cheap lightboard from ebay – about £15 – if there isnt one on the rack itself.

the boot will clear fine and if you get one that is designed for the new berlingos it will fit to the chassis fine, usually without having to make any cuts to any bumpers etc.

Make sure there aren’t any parts of the towbar that are close to the wiring for your parking sensors.

Otherwise, if your wife reverses into a tree, the tow bar gets pushed back very slightly, and slices through the cables. Which then costs around £500 to have fixed.

Or so I would imagine.

I had a removable towbard & single electrics fitted to my A6 Saloon for £550 all in including coding for my parking sensors, audi wanted £1200 + vat.

I now use one of these: –

Fits in the boot when out in the bike.

How much more is a bike rack for a tow bar?

I am looking into either getting a tow bar bike carrier or going for a roof rack jobby.

Thing is though I am a bit vain and would like one of those tow bars you could make disappear when you are not using it as it would destroy the look of the back of my car. See, told you I was vain 😉

What car do you have Ho hum?

eh?

Sorry for hijacking your thread racing_ralph.

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member
What car do you have Ho hum?

A BMW E39 saloon sport.

I got a towbar (not detachable) fitted on the last car for £200 and a new detachable (Witter) towbar (you can’t see it out of use) fitted to the current car – plus looms and electrics coded, for £600 (although that was a third – yes really – of what the dealer wanted).

I’ll give you the point about spoiling the look then, although I wouldn’t get too hung up about it – no-one will notice

Removable towbars are about £100 – £150 more than fixed.

retractable ones like this Towbar Vid are VERY expensive.

Scotchlocks = all kinds of problems a year or two later when the exposed wires start to corrode. Solder joints and heat-shrink is the way to go.

As for light boards, well its a legal requirement for a start. Also just think what the first thing to get bent is, if your brake lights are obscured and the car behind stops too late.

Oh and if your number plate is obscured it will flash up an alert on the ANPR system in traffic cars. So you are in for a wee chat with the nice Officer !

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member
I’ll give you the point about spoiling the look then, although I wouldn’t get too hung up about it – no-one will notice

Apart from me 😆

Rob give mobile towbar services a call, done 3 for me now and are always the cheapest, come and do it at your home/work too. 2486325

Cheers Steve. Still ok for tomorrow? If so I have some shifter to give uou for si mander

Ours was £237 (twin electrics) by a towbar specialist (fitted last week), so if any problems they’ll sort you out.
The mobile guy was £215, but didn’t have a garage to fit the towbar: since they have to dismantle the boot to fit the towbar I didn’t want the boot panelling out in the rain.
(edit by mr bunnyhop)