General Towbar fitted!
- Thread starter Pandabloke
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General Towbar fitted!
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Neat and tidy - sorry if I missed it but what are you planning on towing?
OP
OP
I'm towing a box trailer for general rubbish removal etc. and a folding camper, 650kg. Well within the 1000kg braked towing weight. I'll be interested to see how she tows the folding camper. 
OP
OP
Towed the box trailer for the first time today. Recovered a friends motorbike with it. Elsie towed fine, no worries.
The only slight inconvenience is that I couldn't see the tail of the trailer to reverse, the tailgate glass is set quite high. Fortunately enough, at six foot one I could just hooch meself up high enough to see, a precarious balancing act, I assure you!
The only slight inconvenience is that I couldn't see the tail of the trailer to reverse, the tailgate glass is set quite high. Fortunately enough, at six foot one I could just hooch meself up high enough to see, a precarious balancing act, I assure you!
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Hi,
Did you go for fixed swan neck?
Is it Ok with the parking sensors?
Did you go for bypass wiring or vehicle specific harness?
Why twin electrics, guess you won't tow a caravan with the twin air and single fine for a trailer?
Just got a quote £329 for a thule fixed swan, single electric, with vehicle specific harness, fully fitted Inc. Vat and lifetime warranty, is that a good price?
Lots of ?
Oh.. And.. Can you measure the centre of the ball to the rear bumper for me? Looking at a cycle carrier that needs 65mm. Fitter saying that they don't have that info so won't know for sure until fitted.
Did you go for fixed swan neck?
Is it Ok with the parking sensors?
Did you go for bypass wiring or vehicle specific harness?
Why twin electrics, guess you won't tow a caravan with the twin air and single fine for a trailer?
Just got a quote £329 for a thule fixed swan, single electric, with vehicle specific harness, fully fitted Inc. Vat and lifetime warranty, is that a good price?
Lots of ?
Oh.. And.. Can you measure the centre of the ball to the rear bumper for me? Looking at a cycle carrier that needs 65mm. Fitter saying that they don't have that info so won't know for sure until fitted.
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My guess would be because it being a folding camping trailer it has a 12v fridge fitted.
Hence the grey socket....a fridge would need the additional socket.
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Yea makes sense, I think if I needed that I'd go for 13 pin as looks neater than 2x7 pin sockets.
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Often they can be more expensive and need an adaptor for an older trailer or caravan though.
A grey socket would be my choice unless the trailer had a compatible plug....
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Just had another quote £225 inc vat., fitting and lifetime warranty for a fixed flange Witter with single electrics. Probably going to go with that.
Going to hang something like this off it: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/buzz_rack_brs_easytilt_3_bike_carrier_no_brp113/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B%7EcC4ure5JbA3
Plus at some point in the future, probably next summer, a camping trailer.
Off to the Black Forest and Bavaria in the 500L soon
Going to hang something like this off it: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/buzz_rack_brs_easytilt_3_bike_carrier_no_brp113/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B%7EcC4ure5JbA3
Plus at some point in the future, probably next summer, a camping trailer.
Off to the Black Forest and Bavaria in the 500L soon
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Pricey but looks a good bit of kit...
OP
OP
Hi, yes I went for the fixed swan neck. It's no problem with the parking sensors, thank goodness, although if the tow ball cover goes askew it occaisionaly triggers the sensors. I had the twin electrics fitted because I have a leisure battery and fridge in the folding camper.
The twin electrics have changed a bit since I fitted them myself on my Mulitpla many years ago. I'm sure I used to have two relay controlled Live feeds on the grey plug, one for the fridge and one for the leisure battery. With this set up I have now, I only have one. At this time I'm not plugging the grey plug in and to be honest I probably wouldn;t bother with them again. You can't really get any noticeable charge in to a leisure battery or cool a fridge on 12v to any degree unless you are driving for several hours. By that I mean more than 4/5 hours consistently.
I had the 13pin on the 2nd Multipla but it was a bugger for fault finding, if I'm honest. Two seperate plugs is much easier to test if you're towing older trailers like I am. Any fault is ALMOST certain to be in the trailer electrics on my old stuff, but I did find one fault in the 13 pin connection and it was very confusing for a little while. I'll stick to the old grey and black plugs (12n/12s I think?)
The twin electrics have changed a bit since I fitted them myself on my Mulitpla many years ago. I'm sure I used to have two relay controlled Live feeds on the grey plug, one for the fridge and one for the leisure battery. With this set up I have now, I only have one. At this time I'm not plugging the grey plug in and to be honest I probably wouldn;t bother with them again. You can't really get any noticeable charge in to a leisure battery or cool a fridge on 12v to any degree unless you are driving for several hours. By that I mean more than 4/5 hours consistently.
I had the 13pin on the 2nd Multipla but it was a bugger for fault finding, if I'm honest. Two seperate plugs is much easier to test if you're towing older trailers like I am. Any fault is ALMOST certain to be in the trailer electrics on my old stuff, but I did find one fault in the 13 pin connection and it was very confusing for a little while. I'll stick to the old grey and black plugs (12n/12s I think?)
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When we used to caravan our fridges were always three way. Mains - Gas - 12V.
We used the 12V for the fridge but only after we had properly cooled the thing down using mains at home first. Then the 12V could maintain the lower temp. quite easily, but as you say not much use starting from scratch really, especially in hot weather.
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The place where I am going to have mine done says they have done a few 500Ls with a Witter flange towbar with single electrics and they have had no problems with the parking sensors but the only guaranteed method is a detachable towbar (this is £345 vs £225 for the flange) due to the possible variation of the vision of even OEM parking sensors. They said they have seen on other cars even the towball cover making the difference.
Despite their reassurance I'm still worried about it as it's a bit of a cockup if the car constantly beeps every time I engage reverse.
Looking at your twin electric one though I'm hoping it will be Ok as a single electric flange isn't going to be any bigger than your twin electric swan...
Hmmm, take the risk or pay the extra £100?
Or.. I could go with the fixed swan neck which they've said is only £15 more than the fixed flange at £240... Sounds like a plan.
Despite their reassurance I'm still worried about it as it's a bit of a cockup if the car constantly beeps every time I engage reverse.
Looking at your twin electric one though I'm hoping it will be Ok as a single electric flange isn't going to be any bigger than your twin electric swan...
Hmmm, take the risk or pay the extra £100?
Or.. I could go with the fixed swan neck which they've said is only £15 more than the fixed flange at £240... Sounds like a plan.
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Hi, yes I went for the fixed swan neck. It's no problem with the parking sensors, thank goodness, although if the tow ball cover goes askew it occaisionaly triggers the sensors. I had the twin electrics fitted because I have a leisure battery and fridge in the folding camper.
The twin electrics have changed a bit since I fitted them myself on my Mulitpla many years ago. I'm sure I used to have two relay controlled Live feeds on the grey plug, one for the fridge and one for the leisure battery. With this set up I have now, I only have one. At this time I'm not plugging the grey plug in and to be honest I probably wouldn;t bother with them again. You can't really get any noticeable charge in to a leisure battery or cool a fridge on 12v to any degree unless you are driving for several hours. By that I mean more than 4/5 hours consistently.
I had the 13pin on the 2nd Multipla but it was a bugger for fault finding, if I'm honest. Two seperate plugs is much easier to test if you're towing older trailers like I am. Any fault is ALMOST certain to be in the trailer electrics on my old stuff, but I did find one fault in the 13 pin connection and it was very confusing for a little while. I'll stick to the old grey and black plugs (12n/12s I think?)
Any chance you could let me know what the gap between the towball and bumper is with yours?
Thanks.
OP
OP
Here you go, reporting from my camping holiday in the New Forest. When looking down from above, the centre of the tow ball is 7cm from the bumper.
That is the exact centre of the ball, not the edge of the ball nearest the bumper. The edge of the ball nearest the bumper is 5cm from the bumper.
Hope this helps. Panda.
That is the exact centre of the ball, not the edge of the ball nearest the bumper. The edge of the ball nearest the bumper is 5cm from the bumper.
Hope this helps. Panda.
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Yea that's really helpful. Thanks.
I will be getting mine done with a fixed swan neck (single electrics) when I get back from holiday.
Bike rack I was looking at needs 65mm clearance from centre of ball to bumper, so if I get the Thule swan neck that should be Ok.
However 5mm clearance means the car is inevitably going to get bumped/scratched when putting the rack on and off so I'll probably buy the more expensive Altera rack which sits on the ball like an egg cup on top and doesn't protrude more than 1cm toward the car (looking at the video it looks like that anyway).
I will be getting mine done with a fixed swan neck (single electrics) when I get back from holiday.
Bike rack I was looking at needs 65mm clearance from centre of ball to bumper, so if I get the Thule swan neck that should be Ok.
However 5mm clearance means the car is inevitably going to get bumped/scratched when putting the rack on and off so I'll probably buy the more expensive Altera rack which sits on the ball like an egg cup on top and doesn't protrude more than 1cm toward the car (looking at the video it looks like that anyway).
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OP
OP
I was trying to pretend this next problem doesn't happen, but as my fury at this piece of **** now holds no bounds and I can defend Fiat and the 500L no more, despite my love affair with the marque. I'm going to tell it how I've found it from now on.
So Be VERY careful what you tow. My TA (doesn't stand for twin air, it means 'totally awful') clutch starts to stink if it has to do any work, when towing, like reversing, balancing the clutch with the folding camper attached (650kg only) that sort of thing. Anything that puts unusual load on the engine when towing, even for a brief moment, has made the clutch smell.
I reversed up a tiny incline with the folding camper at Go Outdoors in Canterbury, for a few seconds and the smell was still lingering when I came out half an hour later.
I then backed it the length of the car park, hoping the car would catch fire. But to no avail. I just left the smell of a scorched skunk, behind me.
If you tow with the 1.4 or the diesels, I'd be keen to know how you get on.
I'd also been keen to know the contact details of any pyromaniacs you may know. I am sure a reasonable deal could be struck......
So Be VERY careful what you tow. My TA (doesn't stand for twin air, it means 'totally awful') clutch starts to stink if it has to do any work, when towing, like reversing, balancing the clutch with the folding camper attached (650kg only) that sort of thing. Anything that puts unusual load on the engine when towing, even for a brief moment, has made the clutch smell.
I reversed up a tiny incline with the folding camper at Go Outdoors in Canterbury, for a few seconds and the smell was still lingering when I came out half an hour later.
I then backed it the length of the car park, hoping the car would catch fire. But to no avail. I just left the smell of a scorched skunk, behind me.
If you tow with the 1.4 or the diesels, I'd be keen to know how you get on.
I'd also been keen to know the contact details of any pyromaniacs you may know. I am sure a reasonable deal could be struck......
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I was trying to pretend this next problem doesn't happen, but as my fury at this piece of **** now holds no bounds and I can defend Fiat and the 500L no more, despite my love affair with the marque. I'm going to tell it how I've found it from now on.
So Be VERY careful what you tow. My TA (doesn't stand for twin air, it means 'totally awful') clutch starts to stink if it has to do any work, when towing, like reversing, balancing the clutch with the folding camper attached (650kg only) that sort of thing. Anything that puts unusual load on the engine when towing, even for a brief moment, has made the clutch smell.
I reversed up a tiny incline with the folding camper at Go Outdoors in Canterbury, for a few seconds and the smell was still lingering when I came out half an hour later.
I then backed it the length of the car park, hoping the car would catch fire. But to no avail. I just left the smell of a scorched skunk, behind me.
If you tow with the 1.4 or the diesels, I'd be keen to know how you get on.
I'd also been keen to know the contact details of any pyromaniacs you may know. I am sure a reasonable deal could be struck......
Would it be fair to say you are not enjoying the whole '500L ownership experience??'
OP
OP
MJG, how did you deduce that from the scant information I have posted, lol!
No, from the moment I had the first problem, I knew I'd made a mistake. She's a wrong 'un this car.
No, from the moment I had the first problem, I knew I'd made a mistake. She's a wrong 'un this car.
