General Tow Bar for Multijet Panda ?

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General Tow Bar for Multijet Panda ?

BJ20

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Hi all,
Still trying to get the hang of this posting biz - I have just purchased the Multijet and as it replaces a '99 Fiesta Zetec with a tow bar, I need to get a tow bar for a smallish light trailer fitted fairly soon.

My Fiat dealer has no knowledge, the model is a bit new for him to say what the story is with a tow bar. He suggested I try some local tow bar specialists - as I am in Ireland, I do not have the range of specialists that would be available in the UK.

I will check out the options but any advice the forum can give would be appreciated.

Thanks,

BJ20
 
Hi all,

I have the new Panda 4x4 Multijet with a removable, "Brink Logic" tow bar installed. I don't really know what part number it is, but at a close inspection the facility that installed it has cut part of the plastic bumper. I'm just fearing that they had mistaken the Panda 2WD tow bar and put it to. What are the main differences between 2WD and 4WD tow bars? In the catalog, they have different part numers...
 
BJ
Have you tried http://www.towbarsni.co.uk/default.htm in Belfast.
They have Witter tow bars to fit 2WD FT63 and 4WD FT67 for less than £150inc electrics, tow ball, vat and delivery. This is not the cheapest I've seen but still a lot cheaper than buying from the stealers.

Matbard
I have been looking at fitting a tow bar to my 4X4 and it looks like the bumper has to be cut with the 4X4 towbar. I don't know the difference between the 2WD and 4WD towbars, but the rear suspension is very different, as is the silencer.
I spoke to a mechanic from a local dealer who told me that when they fit a tow bar to a 4X4 they have to remove a strenghening bar from the back of the chasis and it does not fit back on again when the tow bar is in place. He strongly recomended I didn't fit a tow bar to my car for this reason. When I quizzed him some more he admitted that the strenghtening bar would go back on if you had more time! This has convinced me to fit my own tow bar.
 
Although not giving details of the towbar itself, my Panda handbook and the supplementary handbook for the 4x4 give details of the towbar fixing points in greater depth than I have ever seen in a handbook before.
 
Thanks everybody for the help - I got a non Fiat tow bar fitted for €300 (about ₤200 Sterling) which included all the electrics etc. It was a darn sight cheaper than what I was being quoted from the Fiat Dealers.

It is a bit tight to the plastic panel that forms the rear bumper sections and needs a bit of care in fitting the ball hitch onto it.

While the rear bumper (Plastic panel) has to come completely off the vehicle, the strengthening bar at the rear of this bumper sits in perfectly with no cutting in the bumper. It is not a fancy tow bar but fits nice and snug.

Going on the recommended towing weight, the diesel weights in at almost 1180 Kgs so at 80 % of that I can almost tow up to half metric ton – not that I would want to, 70% is safer margin.

Regards,

BJ20
 
Hi Lanchester01,

It appears to be a local (Irish) supplier called "McCabes" with a web site shown as miw.ie - not a great web site but it is the same make as the tow bar I had on my Fiesta 1.25 Zetec and I used it for two years with no probs - seems good to me.

I misquoted the weight for the Multijet,it appears to be only 935 Kgs (empty) so at about 70% for towing, a max would be in the range of 650 / 700 Kgs. Still common sense should assist in this matters.

Regards,

BJ20
 
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