Technical Any experience fitting a Tow Bar to a Fiat Bravo II? Any help advice ap

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Technical Any experience fitting a Tow Bar to a Fiat Bravo II? Any help advice ap

jonathan3

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Any experience fitting a Tow Bar and electrics to a Fiat Bravo II? Any help advice appreciated please!

Been looking online for a Tow bar and Possibly 7 pin electrics, as we just want to tow a trailer tent!

I'm aware it has to be the swan neck type, because of parking sensors the other concern was or not to get dedicated electrics specific to the car or a universal one with by-pass relay?

What do you think guys?
 
Hi,
I fitted mine some time ago, although my bravo doesn't have the sensors on the back. Real easy fit, but involves removing the rear bumper to gain access. I did buy the relay separately and added when I put the electrics on
 
Keep on trying to respond, try again.

I agree its an easy fit but two points to beware of. 1 The mounting bracket / combe on the car is very brtittle. A second person to remove the bumper is strongly advised so the tabs can be eased off at both sides at the same time. I broke a lot of these off, but it went back Ok. There are only about 6 bolts and 4 self tappers to undo to get the bumper off.

Second the wiring on the rear fogs and reverse light is not long enough to allow the bumper to lay off the car so again an assistant and a blanket to rest it on are both good ideas while you get the wiring off. Bulb holders twist and then pull out.

The hardest part is digging the undersealing off the bolts that hold the bumper beam /towbar on. Allow an hour at least!

My bar is a prestige removable and appears to be a Thule one. Its great quality and was only £145 from Hedleys Towing in Durham. I recommend them as good suppliers.

You do need to cut the underside of the bumper to get access to the folding socket but its flexible PVC and easily cut with a stanley knife. The cut does not show and the bar is totally invisible when off the car. The removable bit is lockable too.
 
Funny that! :) Same place I got my tow bar from, it's on now! Got most of the electrics in too! Got a 7 way bypass relay not a dedicated kit. I have both the indicators working on the trailer part of the connection and the buzzer working to indicate this, but having problems with brake lights, not sure at moment, if bad connection? Or wrong connection? Going to test later on with a friend to see where the problem is? Shouldn't be long till we get this fully working?!
I hope I'm not missing any information about any connectors that might not go through the relay which is another concern of mine? I'm sure they all do, minus a reversing line for trailer, as I don't need this and have just a single 7 pin trailer socket fitted! Nearly there! :)
 
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DSC_0470.JPGAll finished today! Hurrah! (y)

I got a PCT FT6085 Tow bar in the end as they tried to dispatch the previous one I ordered and found it was damaged! This one is slightly more expensive, but they done the replacement tow bar at the same price, I'm happy because I did not need to make one cut to my bumper as it's vertically detachable, I can also confirm the 7-way by pass relay works well and no warning lights or can bus problems! So any one looking at this thread later doe's not need to worry about a dedicated/specific kit for towing electrics, why have another £80-£100 added to the expense, further more in another thread, I was looking at in the forum one guy suggested running the power line from the Battery/Fuse box along the brake lines the guy was right this is probably the most practical way of doing this, although I reversed on to ramps to get better access or this will possibly be improbable to do without raising the car somewhat?!

Also I did notice one flaw with my Bravo while it's back end was up on the ramps, when I was testing the brake lights they were sometimes on without touching the brake pedal! Where I have been driving down steep hills previously my brake lights would have been on, regardless of pressing the pedal!! Above the brake pedal is a white switch, which is meant to be pressed when the pedal is released! There was a piece of sticky sided foam pad in between the contact point, but obviously worn or slight play in the pedal? If you have a Bravo or maybe other models? Please check this! As your brakes lights might be going on when you don't want them to? ;)
 
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Remember the brakes and the brake lights are part of the ABS EBD EBA Hill holder and cruise control circuits so its pretty important not to upset the wiring. Any maladjustment of the foot-brake switch needs to be sorted quickly to avoid compromising anything.

I had a problem with my brake lights after wiring in the 7 way relay and found it was because I had mis-connected at the harness. A lot of thin wires of nearly identical colour and old age / poor eye sight are blamed rather than stupidity on my part........
 
Hedleys Towbars Durham the same place the other Guy got he's! :) I used E bay though here's the link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PCT-Towbar-BRAVO-2007-Detach-FT6085-/302007432294?hash=item46510bb466:g:c3MAAOSwDk5UAI2u for the vertical detachable one I got! You can get a fixed one which is cheaper! This is the relay they supplied also when I talked to them over the phone: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-WAY-TOWBAR-ELECTRIC-BYPASS-/302005280831?hash=item4650eae03f Could not find the other parts they supplied to me like the trailer socket and the buzzer though! Ring them up they are really helpful! :)
 
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I fixed the play with the brake pedal switch, glued a thin piece of plastic to solve the problem! Had a similar problem with play with my other car the Panda when I replaced a snapped clutch pedal and literately had to bend the metal contact plate under the switch into position, found this too hard on the Bravo to do though!

The Relay wiring and diagram seem simple, but can throw you! As I found interpreting the buzzer connections, they never go on the trailer side of the connection, but I did by mistake, but realized in time! So your not the only one to make a silly mistake! ;)
 
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