gar074
Prominent member
Has anyone investigated fitting a towbar on a Cross? I imagine that it will probably involve cutting a hole in the skid plate, which would stand out like a sore thumb 
Technical Tow bar on a Cross?
- Thread starter gar074
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Technical Tow bar on a Cross?
gar074
Prominent member
Ouch!! Did they show you any pics of what it would look like?
Just seen a new 4x4 panda in Penistone with a toe bar on! It doesn't come through the bumper but from under the car on a swan neck ! So will fit the cross no problem!
The westfalia detachable is like that....
gar074
Prominent member
... and a quick google search tells me that it's available for £224 inc VAT, which is better than I'd expected tbh.
I don't need the electrics, as the towbar is only for holding my bike rack, and towing the wheelie bin down the drive once a week on bin-days!
Edit: I've just read the fitting instructions. Apparently it does require a "non-visible" cut in the bumper, which seems to involve cutting a section from the horizontal inner lip, so it shouldn't be visible from the rear unless you're crawling underneath the car, or driving down a very steep slope (using hill descent, naturally
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Yes, I believe the people that fitted mine made a cut to the skid plate which is not visible unless u lie on your back under the car LoL
philboo
Member
I hope those help. I had just the same concerns on my 4x4 (non cross) but you can't see the cut. If you look at those photos you can see a normal view and a much lower view. If you zoom the lower view you can see the cut out. Plus I've done the rear shots. It is very neat and I don't think you'd be disappointed.
Mine looks the same (right down to the colour!)
gar074
Prominent member
Is yours a Westfalia too, Philboo?
philboo
Member
Yes, with the 13 pin electrical connector. Very well made, but it cost a small fortune so you'd hope so. I get the impression that these are what the manufacture actually fits as the instructions are so comprehensive. The guy that fitted mine also did it without drilling a single hole and just used existing grommets.
gar074
Prominent member
As I wouldn't need the electrical connection for my intended uses, is it a do-able DIY job to fit the bar itself?
philboo
Member
I didn't fit it but did work with the guy removing the bumper, cutting it out etc as I wanted it to be spot on. I think you could do it yourself if you had someone to help with the bumper removal and refitting and also holding the huge replacement metal cross section you swap from behind the bumper, that was a bit of a shock.
I don't need the electrics, as the towbar is only for holding my bike rack, and towing the wheelie bin down the drive once a week on bin-days!
If I were you I'd go for the electrics, as you'll remove 90% of the usefulness were you to have an occasional need to tow a trailer. You don't need the full £200 Panda electrics fitting kit and mine is hooked into the existing loom with no problems. My car even has the reversing sensors fitted and my fixed bar sits right in front of the middle sensor. Fortunately it's smart enough to know that this is an anomaly and still works perfectly with the other 2. Best £300 I spent on the car and it works so well with my 6'x4' Ifor Williams trailer
gar074
Prominent member
Good advice, R1NGA.
It's the ability to tow the wheelie bin that will be most useful, as otherwise I have to lug it half a mile down an unmade drive each week, and half a mile back.
Hopefully our new Panda will be quieter than our old D reg Panda 4x4 was. That made such a racket that you couldn't hear the sound of the bin being towed behind - so much so that my wife once hooked up the bin on her way to go shopping, and forgot to drop it off at the end of the drive. She only realised that it was still attached when she got to the supermarket - 6 miles away - and then she had to tow it all the way back again.
You can imagine the reaction of the other shoppers, and god knows how it must have looked to anyone following behind her. Luckily the old bill didn't see her, as I don't think they'd have seen the funny side. It's amazing that it didn't fall off, as it was only held on loosely by the bin handle, and could easily have tipped over on a tight bend. Lucky she's a slow driver.
We still wet ourselves laughing at the memory of that. Happy days (daze?)
It's the ability to tow the wheelie bin that will be most useful, as otherwise I have to lug it half a mile down an unmade drive each week, and half a mile back.
Hopefully our new Panda will be quieter than our old D reg Panda 4x4 was. That made such a racket that you couldn't hear the sound of the bin being towed behind - so much so that my wife once hooked up the bin on her way to go shopping, and forgot to drop it off at the end of the drive. She only realised that it was still attached when she got to the supermarket - 6 miles away - and then she had to tow it all the way back again.
You can imagine the reaction of the other shoppers, and god knows how it must have looked to anyone following behind her. Luckily the old bill didn't see her, as I don't think they'd have seen the funny side. It's amazing that it didn't fall off, as it was only held on loosely by the bin handle, and could easily have tipped over on a tight bend. Lucky she's a slow driver.
We still wet ourselves laughing at the memory of that. Happy days (daze?)
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