Towbar installation, Wilts / Hants border.

Towbar installation, Wilts / Hants border.

Author
Discussion

Deerfoot

Original Poster:

4,979 posts

191 months

Saturday 7th July 2012
quotequote all
Gents,

I`m looking at getting a towbar fitted to the family CR-V for bike-rack duties.

Are there any decent places around the Wilts / Hants border?

Ideally I want a detachable swan neck bar.

Thanks in advance.

Panclan

882 posts

245 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
quotequote all
Not in Hants/Wilts, but try http://www.amjautoservices.co.uk/ in Hungerford

Deerfoot

Original Poster:

4,979 posts

191 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
Thanks, I'll check them out.

Watchman

6,391 posts

252 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
I paid a fortune to have one fitted to my wife's ML so I had a go at fitting my own to my Legacy but it took me far longer than it should have. I enjoyed it but if time were limited I would recommend paying someone else.

Deerfoot

Original Poster:

4,979 posts

191 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
^ How much did you get charged for fitting? Mechanically I'd give it a go, electrically I wouldn't touch it.....

ColinM50

2,651 posts

182 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
I've used a mobile fitting service a couple of times that fit it in your drive, very happy with them too. Google can help you find one locally, but here's a starter:

http://towbarsandtowing.rtrk.co.uk/?scid=50870&amp...

Watchman

6,391 posts

252 months

Monday 9th July 2012
quotequote all
Deerfoot said:
^ How much did you get charged for fitting? Mechanically I'd give it a go, electrically I wouldn't touch it.....
Difficult to quantify. Anything for the ML is just bloody expensive, and the quote I had for the Legacy included "spliced in" electrics which are wrong on so many levels.

I fitted plug-in electrics which my 7yo son could have installed but they were more expensive. I suppose the difference in price would have been about £200 to £250 to have it all fitted for me, which is more than I earn in a day but the experience was fun (for me) so it was a choice based on something other than financial demands.

Edited by Watchman on Tuesday 10th July 07:36

Deerfoot

Original Poster:

4,979 posts

191 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Thanks for the update.

Watchman

6,391 posts

252 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
P.S. About those electrics... worth you checking up on the options. Historically in the UK we used 7-pin connectors which were unreliable and provided power to the trailer's rear lights only (and not to a reverse light I think).

That was called 12N.

Then the "white" socket was introduced, called 12S which was in addition to your black 12N socket (which is why you see people with 2 sockets), and added electrics for the interior of a caravan and (I think) reverse lights. It allowed you to power a fridge or other high-power (still 12v) items.

Be careful with powering a fridge though, because you *should* also have something called "split" electrics which basically monitors the status of your car battery and cuts power if the charge falls to a "safe" level where you can still start the car.

Then you have 13-pin electrics which have all the functionality of 12N/12S but you still may need the split electrics in addition (it wires into the same socket). This socket and plug combination is far superior to the 12N/12S system. It does not rely in a friction-fit, instead utilises a 1/4-turn plug and a proper water-tight seal.

It's dead easy to convert a trailer or caravan to use the 13-pin plug (and the plugs are only £5-£10), and you'll find most modern plug-in items will come with 13-pin only now (like my Thule tow-bar mounted bike rack, for example).

Deerfoot

Original Poster:

4,979 posts

191 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Thanks again for the update.

I'll be using bike rack with a light board (Thule probably) so will look out for the new plug.

The mobile fitter linked above looks a decent option so far....