Tow bar fitting!!!!

[TimX5]

[TimX5]

[quote="mikejcb"]
[quote="TimX5"]
[quote="mikejcb"]
Hey Tim did you leave your support bar on ? . Joe you will need electrics mate for your lighting board, I tow my jet ski's, also make sure u put the support bar back, ok you might be just towing a jet ski but the person after you may not, there fore they could KILL so putttt it back on, an Richard good advice go to P F Jones my arxx an what copy there WRONG instruction's thought you would know better
[/quote]

Yeh support bar is on as it should be,  the electric kit from pfjones is a doddle to fit in fact it's idiot proof lol , it is actually a oem kit they supply.
[/quote]

Well done timmy baby your the only one I know who has done it rite, call Gary at P F Jones an tell him I said you should be there boss , actually go bigger an call Andy he's a boss lad an the highest you can get a witter :0) he is a good lads an knows me well, ps Andy call me when you need my Diggers .
[/quote]

The witter fitting instructions don't say anything about the support bar but there is a picture of the electric socket fitted and the support bar is on , instructions could be worded clearer , I may just send a email or even phone them and point this out .

[Joe5ash]

Thanks for the advice
Would it fail the m.o.t I fitted a tow bar to my van without doing the electrics and it passed
I only tow it 3/4 mile on to the beach and that's it but I understand about the next owner thing
Has anyone got any idea on price to get one supplied and fitted?
Pretty sure I can do it myself as did and engine swap last year in my other car
Thanks

[X5Sport]

Various options available depending upon how much you want to spend.

One of the biggest suppliers is PF Jones.  You'll find a range of options with fixed or detachable plus electrics.  See post #5 on this thread about how to fit one to an X5, but note there is an issue with the instructions for the Witter types that could lead you into a dangerous situation as above.

OEM type is a rebadged Westphalia detachable swan neck.

You can fit a Towbar without electrics, but you cannot tow a trailer on a public road without the lights/light board so you might as well do the whole job.  Most bike racks may well need something these days, especially if the tow bar fit type and carrying multiple bikes.  If the lights/number plate are blocked then you have to do something about it.

7-pin is cheaper and the holes for both types may already be in place in the rear panels and plugged with grommets.  The wiring loom is pretty much all in the back so you only need to plug in and make a few connections in the boot.  You should not need to run anything to the front, and the battery is in the boot too 

7-pin electrics are only checked for fit/security, whereas 13-pin versions are function checked as well.  You only need 13-pin for a twin electric equipped caravan.

Richard

[Joe5ash]

Thanks
I do not need to go on road just across a field and down a dirt track, want to do it as cheap as possible
Thanks

[TimX5]

In section 5 of the witter towbar fitting instructions it refers to fitting the electric socket bracket to the existing
crossbar , which indicates that you do not remove the cross bar , still not very clear though for a professional company. 

[mikejcb]

lol Tim bit bigger than mine like, love the rams, if you need a pro operator to show you how to drive it properly let me know  )

[TimX5]

[quote="mikejcb"]
lol Tim bit bigger than mine like, love the rams, if you need a pro operator to show you how to drive it properly let me know  )
[/quote]

I am a pro operator whenever I'm not repairing them or our fleet off tipper trucks lol

[mikejcb]

iv'e had enough of the tippers/grabs, property's easier n safer Timmy, Tim to fit the inserts you need to remove the 3 bolts from the flanges, in this people are removing support bar and NOT refitting, Witter should CLEARLY state that it must NOT be removed, am mot being funny but its not as if it a small prob if you don't it is life threatening, Tim it has not just cost me around £500 in refitting etc.  and loss of earnings, it has damaged my reverse sensors. Do you think Witter should pay me out for my losses ? legally

[chrisn7]

[quote="mikejcb"]
Hey Tim did you leave your support bar on ? . Joe you will need electrics mate for your lighting board, I tow my jet ski's, also make sure u put the support bar back, ok you might be just towing a jet ski but the person after you may not, there fore they could KILL so putttt it back on, an Richard good advice go to P F Jones my arxx an what copy there WRONG instruction's thought you would know better
[/quote]

Can you explain 'Support bar'? My car had a Witter detachable fitted a few months before I bought it, and from the PF Jones site it appears that whole bar is a necessity. Are you referring to the 'Sidearms'?

[TimX5]

The support bar is the black cross bar which is still attached to the car in the picture.

[shadrack]

im sure when i had mine on the support bar was removed, i seem to think leaving it on pushed everything out buy 15-20mm which made the bumper not line up correctly on the wheel arch, also there was no menchion of it on the fitting instructions so i think i left it off

perhaps pf jones need a rethink on the instructions after that chap on here snapping 3 towbars

[TimX5]

In the picture circled in white is a torx  bolt (one at each side) these hold the X member on after the the old bumper support brakets have been removed.
In the picture it shows the new support bars in place and to the lower right circled in red is the new hole you drill in the support bar 12. 5mm for the extra mounting bolt , when the tow bar is fitted a spacer goes between the towbar and support brakets to make up the gap and then all gets bolted up , all bolts and spacers are provided in the kit by witter so whoever fits a witter tow and has 2 spacers left over surely wonders where the should go .
And the bumper fits perfectly as it should , I know this write up doesn't help the fact that witters fitting instructions arnt very clear but I hope it helps.

Tim