Local to West Meon? Bored? Want to help tonight 7/1/14

[LouD86]

Well, I thought Id post out there for those with some mechanical knowledge!

Trying to fit a towbar to my Scenic II, in a warm dry workshop don't worry. However, coming into some slight difficulties, anyone fancy popping down and giving a hand?

GU32 1JN, the big van sales place?

[Gingerbread Man]

How long had you been slaving away before typing this?

[Spare tyre]

What's the problem your having?

What ya planning on towing

[LouD86]

Slaving since 6, im now home and finished! Had a nightmare, ended up getting the welder out, and sorting a few things. But its in, more solid than it ever needed to be, and now all I have to do is pay someone to do the electrics for me! That I don't fancy playing about with on a french car.

Im towing a caravan, disappearing off to Europe in March with it, so needed to get it all up and working

[Spare tyre]

LouD86 said:

Slaving since 6, im now home and finished! Had a nightmare, ended up getting the welder out, and sorting a few things. But its in, more solid than it ever needed to be, and now all I have to do is pay someone to do the electrics for me! That I don't fancy playing about with on a french car.

Im towing a caravan, disappearing off to Europe in March with it, so needed to get it all up and working

Well done

Don't be silly, I'm sure a French wire will splice the same as any other wire.

If you really are going to pay to get it done, see if you can get a plug in kit. This plugs in between the loom and light cluster. Could be pricey but might e cheaper than an auto electrician.


I guess youll need a towing licence, where did you train?

Keep you eye on the clutch and temperatures on your first couple of test runs
Good luck

[maser_spyder]

Electrics are easy on a French car!

Plug in kit ridiculously easy, but not required. If you can wire a plug, you can do towbar electrics.

I did my Peugeot van, took about ten minutes.

[LouD86]

Spare tyre said:

Well done

Don't be silly, I'm sure a French wire will splice the same as any other wire.

If you really are going to pay to get it done, see if you can get a plug in kit. This plugs in between the loom and light cluster. Could be pricey but might e cheaper than an auto electrician.


I guess youll need a towing licence, where did you train?

Keep you eye on the clutch and temperatures on your first couple of test runs
Good luck

I did my licence in Southampton directing, trained with a local firm. Havent used it for years, but im sure the technique will still be fresh, I was doing it happily on field for years before, it was just being certified that I was competant that I needed.

maser_spyder said:

Electrics are easy on a French car!

Plug in kit ridiculously easy, but not required. If you can wire a plug, you can do towbar electrics.

I did my Peugeot van, took about ten minutes.

I brought the towbar off eBay from someone breaking one, so it came with all the wiring, plus the indicator warning unit, and a control module. Apparently, the electrics are a bit fussy, and need this extra box (something to do with phasing or something I read about) so im being cautious. I know how funny these Scenics are, and how sensitive to wiring they are about. Its not just splicing apparently.

Ill pay a firm to do it, happy to spend £70-£100 to do so, rather it be spot on, than risk frying electrics, and being somewhere in the dark, with no lighting on either unit, not worth the risk in my eyes.

Regards to clutch and cooling, the clutch is a little high, ill see how it copes, and the cooling should be fine, all works perfect at the moment, and fresh coolant and anti freeze a few weeks ago should help keep things in check, I hope :$

[maser_spyder]

If you're getting somebody else to do it, ditch the audible buzzer warning and have a light fitted instead. Much, much nicer to drive with on long journeys.

I didn't realise this until I took my test, the 'warning' for trailer indicators can be either audible OR a light, so you can have a discreet LED on the dashboard that checks your indicators are working instead of an annoying buzzer.

[Spare tyre]

maser_spyder said:

If you're getting somebody else to do it, ditch the audible buzzer warning and have a light fitted instead. Much, much nicer to drive with on long journeys.

I didn't realise this until I took my test, the 'warning' for trailer indicators can be either audible OR a light, so you can have a discreet LED on the dashboard that checks your indicators are working instead of an annoying buzzer.

I didnt know that

My buzzer always seem to attract a tight wrap of electrical tape around it!

Lou, towing wiring is dirt cheap, if possible replace the old stuff

amazed me how cheap it all was

[maser_spyder]

Spare tyre said:

maser_spyder said:

If you're getting somebody else to do it, ditch the audible buzzer warning and have a light fitted instead. Much, much nicer to drive with on long journeys.

I didn't realise this until I took my test, the 'warning' for trailer indicators can be either audible OR a light, so you can have a discreet LED on the dashboard that checks your indicators are working instead of an annoying buzzer.

I didnt know that

My buzzer always seem to attract a tight wrap of electrical tape around it!

Lou, towing wiring is dirt cheap, if possible replace the old stuff

amazed me how cheap it all was

I only know because the first time I towed with my Landcruiser I thought the buzzer was broken. Took a while for me to spot the LED tucked away on the lower dash.

I think the reason most people fit a buzzer is that it can go direct on the light when you wire it up, whereas fitting an LED means running a wire the length of the car as well, extra hassle if you're fitting it on the cheap.

I've got a buzzer on my van (fitted long before I knew about the light alternative) but will change it if I get chance, drives me crazy (even with insulting tape all round it!).

[LouD86]

I know my parents always had buzzers. Do I have to have it??? Or the light?

Ill look into wiring price. Towbar was good at £54

[maser_spyder]

LouD86 said:

I know my parents always had buzzers. Do I have to have it??? Or the light?

Ill look into wiring price. Towbar was good at £54

You have to have a buzzer OR a light. Something to replicate the trailer indicators to confirm they're working.

Like I said above, the standard thing is to fit a buzzer in the light wiring, but they're bloody annoying. LED indicator run to the dash is much better for long journeys but more of a faff to fit, which is why most fitters don't.

Given you should check all the lights on every journey anyway, the buzzer is just annoying and hardly needed. Insist on a light!

[LouD86]

Im a bit sad, i check the lights and condition of my vehicle before any journey. Comes from driving many modified cars, and being used to the police pulling me a lot. I made sure there was nothing for them to find!

[maser_spyder]

LouD86 said:

Im a bit sad, i check the lights and condition of my vehicle before any journey. Comes from driving many modified cars, and being used to the police pulling me a lot. I made sure there was nothing for them to find!

You're not alone, I even have a mirror set up to check the brake lights.

You have to have a light or buzzer for the indicators though, not sure if it's an MOT failure but certainly should be there.

You should technically have wiring that switches off the car fog light when a trailer is plugged in, but this isn't quite so desperate.

[xllifts]

For the electrical side, if you are not 100% happy wiring it give Phil a call at Phil Taylor towbars at Horndean a bell he has done all my vans and cars.
But as said already if you can wire a plug..