Tow bar fitting?!

[Waka]

My E70 has a nice shiny tow bar kit in the boot:


However, I can't see where/how to fit it! Any ideas please?

[X5Sport]

Need better piccies as those are very small, but if it's anything like my X6 there is a panel that has to come off and the socket is above it.  Does it not tell you in the handbook?

Your sig/pic both refer to an E53?

[Graeme]

Hello,

If you lie on a mat looking up at the centre of the underside rear bumper there may be a cover plate that will have to be removed.  Mine is a simple device with two lugs that engage at the rear and two self tapper Phillips type screws at each front corner. There's a Phillips screwdriver in the tool kit.  Taking the cover off should reveal a socket on the bar pointing upwards.  There may be a plastic insert in it to keep it clean. If you look at the towball hitch  you'll see a key hole and round handle. I can't see from your photo if there is already a key in the lock - the keys have small red plastic cylindrical handles.  There should be a spare key in one of the slots next to the bar but they look to be empty on the picture.  If you have the key elsewhere and the device is locked, use a key to unlock it and pull out  the handle and twist it so all the balls on the male end of the towball hitch are pushed in.  Put some grease on the balls and on the V shaped pieces at the base. When unlocked the key should not pull out.  Now firmly push the male part up into the socket.  It should engage with a loud click and the round handle jump round so the green arrow on it lines up with a mark.  If it's in fully lock it and the key should pull out easily.  Store it in one of the slots.  Push and pull the hitch to check it's seated firmly and safely in the towbar. To the nearside of hitch is the 13 pin socket. It swings down on a pivot so pull it down to gain access.  To remove the bar follow each step in reverse order.

If you haven't got the towbar keys then you'll have to contact the dealer or previous owner.

Give the ball a scrub with a scotchbrite pan cleaner so it's clean and dry.  Most Alko type hitches have a stabiliser system and should be used with a dry ball - no grease whatsoever, or the friction pads that are part of the stabiliser won't work.

I hope this helps and all works well...

Graeme

[X5Sport]

The key number should hand written in the fitting guide that should have come with the car, and may be marked on the key slot on the hitch itself.  If it is then have a chat with PF Jones as they supply Westfalia tow bars.  Probably cheaper than BMW!

[Waka]

Thanks very much for the replies 

X5Sport
I only picked it up last weekend, hence my collection of daft questions! I'll update my sig and add some pics soon I promise  O:-)
I even RTFM where it states, as you say, there's a panel on the X6 (like my old E53) to insert the tow bar, the only other bit mentions the electronic tow bar release. The parts are OEM and BMW stamped, hopefully these pics are bigger if you click the link (click again for super-big):
http://i.imgur.com/HflEuhL.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/txlsrOi.jpg

Graeme
thanks for a very thorough reply. I have both keys, this tow bar has never been attached to the car by the looks of it. I have a slight confession...I don't want to use the tow bar for towing, people where I park have a habit of 'parking by braille' so I wanted to attach it for some form of protection!  >:D

Thanks again and I'll get under the car and have another look when it stops hailing, I'm pretty sure there's no removable panel under there though.

W.

[gmc15]

I don't think you have the receiver for the towball on your car. I have just looked at mine and part of the plastic bumper is cut away under the car and the hole where the ball fits is quite obvious, even if it has a cap covering it. There should also be a 13 pin socket there that will be tucked up under the bumper.

Graeme.

[jagr]

You need a better picture of the full rear bumper as your pic doesn't show much.

[shadrack]

take a pic of behind the bumper, my e70 one had a cover and also the 13 pin electrics were totally hidden and folded down, but cant see on them pics

[Waka]

Here's the best picture I can get of the underside of the car - this is taken from just behind the rear offside wheel looking backwards into the bumper 'cavity':
http://i.imgur.com/slAngis.jpg

If there is an attachment for the tow-bar, it's hidden behind a non-removable part of the bumper.

I'm not sure why someone would spec. the tow-bar kit and not have anywhere to attach it!

W.

[X5Sport]

Have you pulled the build spec down from a VIN decoding site?  That will tell you if it was built with one.

I'm wondering if there was an option to have 'Towbar Preparation' done?  I know some manufacturers offer it, but I thought it was only the loom, not the swan neck and no bracket.

Certainly could be a tow bracket from that piccie now I've looked at mine too.  The electrics back plate and loom is there too.

Or the car has been involved in a rear end collision and everything removed and new bumper fitted?  Not all insurers would pay out for a new Towbar.  I had experience of that 25 years ago and had a fight with the insurers after a Volvo hit me behind whilst I was waiting at a roundabout.

[Waka]

Good call, here's the build list, increased towing capacity? The plot thickens!

Order options
No. Description
1CA SELECTION COP RELEVANT VEHICLES

1CB CO2 CONTENT

2NY M LT/ALY DOUBLE SPOKE 333 M/MT

2PA LOCKING WHEEL BOLTS

220 SELF-LEVELING SUSPENSION

226 SPORTS SUSPENSION SETTINGS

230 EU SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT

233 INCREASED TOWING CAPACITY

235 TRAILER-HITCH WITH REMOVABLE HEAD

3MC IND.ROOF RAILS HIGH-GLOSS SHADOW L

302 ALARM SYSTEM

316 AUTOMATIC TAILGATE OPERATION

337 M SPORT PACKAGE

4AD INTERIOR ALUM. LENGTHWISE FINE

4NC ADDITIONAL HEATING/VENTILATION

4UB SEAT EXTENSION 5+2

402 PANORAMA GLASS ROOF

413 LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT NET

423 FLOOR MATS, VELOUR

428 WARNING TRIANGLE

430 INT/EXT RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-DAZZLE

431 INTERIOR RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-D

441 SMOKERS PACKAGE

459 SEAT ADJUSTM., ELECTR. W. MEMORY

464 SKIBAG

481 SPORT SEATS F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

488 LUMBAR SUPPORT DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

494 SEAT HEATING F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

5AC AUTOM. HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS CONTROL

5DA PASSENGER AIRBAG DEACTIVATE

502 HEADLIGHT WASHER SYSTEM

508 PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC)

521 RAIN SENSOR

522 XENON LIGHT

534 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING

544 CRUISE CONTROL WITH BRAKING FUNCTION

563 LIGHTS PACKAGE

6AA BMW TELESERVICES

6AB CONTROL TELESERVICES

6FF DVD SYSTEM FOR REAR-SEAT OCCUPANTS

6FL USB-/AUDIO INTERFACE

601 TV FUNCTION

609 NAVIGATION SYSTEM PROFESSIONAL

610 HEAD UP DISPLAY

612 BMW ASSIST

615 EXTENDED BMW ONLINE INFORMATION

616 BMW ONLINE

620 VOICE INPUT SYSTEM

633 PREP.MOB. PH. BUSINESS BLUET.INTERF.

654 DAB TUNER

676 HIFI LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM

694 PREPARATION FOR CD CHANGER

698 AREA-CODE 2

7M5 M EXTERIOR PARTS

710 M LEATHER STEERING WHEEL

760 INDIVIDUAL HIGH-GLOSS SATIN CHROME

761 INDIVIDUAL SUN PROTECTION GLAZING

775 INDIVIDUAL ROOF-LINING ANTHRACITE

8SC COUNTRY SPEC. RELEASE OF TELESERVICE

8SM VIN, VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE

8S2 CODING OF ALARM SIGNAL

8TH SPEED LIMIT INFO

812 ENGLAND VERSION

840 HIGH SPEED SYNCHRONISATION

863 EUROPE/DEALER DIRECTORY

877 DELETION CROSS-OVER OPERATION

880 ENGLISH / ON-BOARD DOCUMENTATION

925 SHIPPING PROTECTION PACKAGE




Series options
No. Description
853 LANGUAGE VERSION ENGLISH

[Graeme]

That last picture looks like the tow bar is fitted - you can just make out the socket for the tow ball with its V shaped recess on each side of the hole.  But, for some reason, the bumper doesn't have the cut out to allow access to fit the towball into the tow bar.  A trip to a dealer seems to be in order to see what can be done. Increased towing capacity, which is a similar modification to the rear suspension as when 7 seats are fitted (the air suspension is set for the additional weight at the rear), indicates the bar was factory fitted.  Maximum weight on the towball is 70kg.

Hope this helps,

Graeme

[jagr]

[quote="Waka"]
Here's the best picture I can get of the underside of the car - this is taken from just behind the rear offside wheel looking backwards into the bumper 'cavity':
http://i.imgur.com/slAngis.jpg

If there is an attachment for the tow-bar, it's hidden behind a non-removable part of the bumper.

I'm not sure why someone would spec. the tow-bar kit and not have anywhere to attach it!

W.
[/quote]

From that pic you can see the place for the towball to fit in and the electrics.

How is the paint match on the bumper? Could it have been replaced at some point?
How many owners has your X5 had? If only 1 or 2 you could ask them.

[gmc15]

Couple of photo's of my towbar socket.

[X5Sport]

233 & 235 so it's definitely there.  Perhaps a previous owner decided not to bother with having a new bumper cutout done, or the body shop forgot to do it if not done by BMW?

My guess is it has had a contre-temps with something in the past and had a new outer cover, or just as possible a replacement because of the issues that used to plague the E70 when the outer bumper catches gave way and left the assembly loose?  Several members suffered from that a few years back.