Technical Cross Towbar
- Thread starter Mark Hurst
- Start date
Currently reading:
Technical Cross Towbar
OP
OP
I fitted the Westfalia/Genuine towbar to my Panda Lounge a few months ago. Not difficult to do other than getting the crash bar off the car which needed alot of cursing and pulling. Have you fitted the wiring kit too? I've bought it but not fitted as yet mainly because I need a very expensive stepped drill bit to make the whole for the wiring to reach the towbar itself.
OP
OP
I have the wiring, yes (13-pin). But I didn't fit any of this myself!
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2017
- Messages
- 704
- Points
- 233
I fitted the same wiring kit but I am not a fan of cutting unnecessary holes in bodywork so threaded the wiring (I think from the outside inwards) through one of the three soft rubber "valves" that allow the car to "breathe" when a door is slammed shut. Have a rummage around in the boot and see what I mean. The cable can be sealed around the soft rubber flap still leaving two operational.
Those 'valves' are what lets air out of the car at the back as it comes in through the heating and face vents at the front, so if you've sealed one shut you might have reduced the potential airflow into the car by about 1/3rd?
Some of the wiring kit instructions show as an alternative, making a hole through the large rubber grommet to the nearside of those vents to pass the tow wiring through (where the wires to the rear fog/ reversing light pass through) -- see panel 4 here: https://www.ecs-electronicsuk.co.uk/manual.php?f=FI036DHU.pdf
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2017
- Messages
- 704
- Points
- 233
Not sure that would directly affect heater/vent performance that drastically but point taken. The OEM boot tray and (already fitted) trim probably has more of a choking effect if that is the function of those flaps? It just seemed crazy making further holes through the body.
Not sure where these "rubber valves" are, but blocking one (or all) of them might help to prevent exhaust fumes entering the cabin. I don't normally smell exhaust fumes, but they are quite strong when driving with the back seat folded down.
lunchbeers
Established member
These things are normally on one of the quarter panels where it disappears under the bumper.
If you're smelling exhaust in the car, then it's likely coming from there, as it'll collect in the low pressure areas behind the bumper. I'm guessing you have a leaking exhaust system
If you're smelling exhaust in the car, then it's likely coming from there, as it'll collect in the low pressure areas behind the bumper. I'm guessing you have a leaking exhaust system
The 'valves' - or air exit vents - are behind the back bumper in the centre of the car. If you look inside the boot, in the spare wheel well, you can see them clearly (after removing the boot mat)
There are three super-soft rubber flaps there that easily open outwards as air passes through the car (from the vents at the front), but which seal shut if negative pressure occurs in the car. Blocking them will reduce the amount of air that can get into the car via the heater vents (it needs to have somewhere to get out from to be able to come in)
If you (or someone else) has used the jet from a hose or a pressure washer underneath the back bumper, this can push the rubber flaps inside, to they don't seal correctly, which maybe why you smell the exhaust. (Check these, but also check the exhaust as lunchbeers suggests, as you should never smell it in the car)
Photos: (1) looking up under the bumper, (2), from inside the spare wheel well in the boot (its the plastic 'waffle' grille part between the green paint and the plastic trim in the upper part of the photo), (3) closer up showing the grommet the ECS trailer wiring instructions (in my previous post) suggest to use to pass the cable through, (4), pressing the rubber flap open with a pencil, and (5), these grilles in the plastic trim inside the boot are where air from the cars goes to get round the boot mat to those vents.
Attachments
Last edited:
They are for releasing the airpressure when closing doors and/or tailgate.
gr J
gr J
Yes, they do that too. https://jalopnik.com/heres-what-those-rubber-flaps-are-hidden-behind-your-re-1828016409
Last edited:
