Which detachable Tow Bar?

[Paul Binding]

Will get back to you via email. Thanks Ian

Thanks Ian

 

[mlh677]

Hi All,
I have been quietly stalking the forum for the last few months, and in addition to enjoying some great banter between established members I have found it an amazingly useful resource already - although it has cost me a small fortune in buying stuff for the van that I did not even know that I needed!

A paid forum membership is definitely on the horizon, most likely followed at some point by a trip to Eclipse; at least once I have finished a shakedown of the van and have got a few miles under the wheels...

Returning to the topic of Towbars I can offer-up a couple of images showing the Tow Trust installation, which will hopefully be useful:-

The electrics are on a swivel so you just rotate the socket. See pictures of them hidden and then out. Not got any pics of the towball fitted but that just looks like any detachable tow ball.
View attachment 110231
View attachment 110232

 

[ei-aprilia]

Westfalia here, fitted by yours truly. The electrics are fixed but fairly unobtrusive.

 

[The Bear78]

It's interesting how all the photos of the "hidden" electrics are at an angle to hide the spare wheel and make it look like a completely flush installation!
They definitely look better but there's so much hanging underneath that it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

 

[Skyliner33]

It's interesting how all the photos of the "hidden" electrics are at an angle to hide the spare wheel and make it look like a completely flush installation!
They definitely look better but there's so much hanging underneath that it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

Not necessarily, if the spare wheel is a 215 and the bracket on the higher setting its not really visible.

 

[mlh677]

It's interesting how all the photos of the "hidden" electrics are at an angle to hide the spare wheel and make it look like a completely flush installation!
They definitely look better but there's so much hanging underneath that it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

Photos from earlier were on my phone from when I had the bumper off, as I never get around to deleting anything - I find it usually helps when I have bits left over at the end of a job...

I have just fished out the following image which should help; the Spare is a 215.

Still deciding whether to treat the Sparesafe to a tin of black Hammerite, but mainly looking forward to the day I can see the van from this angle more regularly after crawling home from my local pub!

 

[Skyliner33]

Photos from earlier were on my phone from when I had the bumper off, as I never get around to deleting anything - I find it usually helps when I have bits left over at the end of a job...

I have just fished out the following image which should help; the Spare is a 215.

Still deciding whether to treat the Sparesafe to a tin of black Hammerite, but mainly looking forward to the day I can see the van from this angle more regularly after crawling home from my local pub!

View attachment 110392

Thats much neater than the Westfalia.

 

[Mick]

If you've got a tailgate, try to check whether or not your chosen combo of towbar and rack will enable you to open the back properly - I've got a Westfalia detachable and Thule Easy Fold and I can't! It kind of annoys me but the inconvenience is outweighed by the ability to stow the folding rack in a relatively small space in the cupboard under the stairs. Somebody on here did suggest that I could use the detachable towball from another Westfalia model as they have the same fittings but different shapes (ie. longer or not so high or both) which is probably correct BUT I raised it with Westfalia who said that you could not 'mix and match' as they would not have been tested together. That's probably a cop out but one that an insurance company would be quick to use if things ever went sideways!

This has just happened to me. I was assured that the Thule 925 will work with a T6 tailgate. Truth is the bike rack, when tilted, is 1" to close to open the door.

I was wondering if I can get a longer necked towbar but this post seems to kibosh it.

 

[Mick]

I have read there is a problem with the rear bumper flex if the relevant extra parts are not fitted. I assume the good ones are aware of this?

I was warned about this form one of the guys on here so I paid the extra £55 for the infill plastic support.. However there is still s little flex on it.

 

[Matchyt30]

What is the average price for the tow trust and the westfalia tow bars with electrics fitted? Cheers

 

[Mick]

What is the average price for the tow trust and the westfalia tow bars with electrics fitted? Cheers

Hi my Westfalia was £600 fitted

 

[Mick]

So now I am confused. When my tow bar electrics are connected my fog light does not work either the van (apparently switched off to prevent glare from a caravan/trailer) or the Thule 925 tow bar. Not even sure it has a fog light now!

This appears to be correct on a 7 pin plug. Can anyone confirm?

 

[JOG]

So now I am confused. When my tow bar electrics are connected my fog light does not work either the van (apparently switched off to prevent glare from a caravan/trailer) or the Thule 925 tow bar. Not even sure it has a fog light now!

This appears to be correct on a 7 pin plug. Can anyone confirm?

Nope! On my 13-pin, the fog light is disabled when towing

 

[mlh677]

Sounds right to me - with electrical connection made on my T6 TowTrust detachable, the trailer foglights illuminate whereas vehicle foglights are always disabled. (It is the same for our other vehicles.)

I guess it could be that the Thule 925 does not have foglight fitted? If you have a multimeter to hand, then I'm pretty sure that rear fog is connected at pin 2 (13-pin socket), but probably best to check first instead of trusting my memory.

I bought a couple of lighting boards a few years back and I could be wrong but I think there may have been a dependency on width of lighting board / load as to whether foglight is a required fitment - though in terms of figuring out definitively if the Thule 925 has a foglight fitted I must confess that I gave up after a quick look at the manual online... not very helpful with regard to this!

 

[CAB]

So, had a Westfalia detachable fitted, was told I needed the extra bit and paid for it (£35 I think).

All fitted, but the bumper flexes to the point that the side is pushed down from the body, and I daren't put any more weight on it.

Is this right? Pics later.

 

[CAB]

So, had a Westfalia detachable fitted, was told I needed the extra bit and paid for it (£35 I think).

All fitted, but the bumper flexes to the point that the side is pushed down from the body, and I daren't put any more weight on it.

Is this right? Pics later.

Meant to quote the following

I have read there is a problem with the rear bumper flex if the relevant extra parts are not fitted. I assume the good ones are aware of this?

I was warned about this form one of the guys on here so I paid the extra £55 for the infill plastic support.. However there is still s little flex on it.

 

[Mick]

Meant to quote the following

Yep mine flex’s a bit. I now avoid standing in the rear plastic as a direct result. I did query it but was told it was normal.

I paid extra for the extra piece as well.

 

[Eclipse Custom Vans]

So, had a Westfalia detachable fitted, was told I needed the extra bit and paid for it (£35 I think).

All fitted, but the bumper flexes to the point that the side is pushed down from the body, and I daren't put any more weight on it.

Is this right? Pics later.

you will need the larger instert and I belive its 8 x knock in inserts also. All details are in the Westfalia instructions

 

[CAB]

you will need the larger instert and I belive its 8 x knock in inserts also. All details are in the Westfalia instructions

They installed those, and did tell me up front that it would be extra if I didn't have the correct plastic bit.

It was the foam inserts I needed which aren't mentioned in the installation instructions! Can't understand why they are not!

What Have You Done To Your Van Today?

7H0807252A towbar bumper support. Installed 2 of these, can now step on the bumper again. Didn't want to take off the bumper, so slid them into place. Had to leave the paper cover on the sticky pads, but I don't think they are going anywhere.

www.t6forum.com

Edit: @Mick - you probably need the bits in my post above - either bumper off to install correctly, or bodge it like me and just slide them in!