Towbar advise

[transitgeoff]

under the steering colom, the relay, its been unplugged and replaced with a h/d relay, especially for the towbar

[Clayton]

so do i need to unplug it under the steering column?

I'm usless with mechanics on cars!

Its a Ford factory towbar with the proper wiring loom.

[Clayton]

the owners guide says auxiliary relay box (engine compartment below fuse box)

Where is it so I can try and remove fuse AR1 (towing equipment)

[Mig]

Hi Clayton, one of our transits june 2007 mk7 115 swb lx, has a towbar fitted by our service manager, he has wired directly into the tail lights etc with no prblems since june, 7 pin socket pulling ifor williams trailer, all indicators flash at correct speed etc.

cheers mig.

[transitgeoff]

115, s.w.b.

[MrMPuk]

Hi Clayton, one of our transits june 2007 mk7 115 swb lx, has a towbar fitted by our service manager, he has wired directly into the tail lights etc with no prblems since june, 7 pin socket pulling ifor williams trailer, all indicators flash at correct speed etc.

cheers mig.

Invalidated your warranty on the wiring loom then.

[Mig]

According to transit specialist service manager at our dealership, connecting into the loom at the tail lights is acceptable as long as joints are spliced soldered and heat shrunk, we have been doing this on all our transits since 94 and they have all been in for all sorts of warranty work with no complaint about the towbar electrics.

[alan cherry]

For what it,s worth, before I bought my van (mk6 swb transit) I looked into towing weights,as that is what I use it for - private towing race car.
Max quoted trailer weight was 2000kg (can't go over 750 unbraked).
I used to have a Brian james car transporter, and I think that was under 400kg - I bought a new PRG beavertail last year and that weighs considerably more, - but you can tell in the quality (and the price).
No1 Race saloon weighs about 978 kg ready to roll (digital scales at Snetterton scrutineering) and tows like a dream Trailer doesn't push the van at all, no tail wagging the dog, and being a beavertail, width is not a problem - only notice a lack of power on hills. tows safely up to legal limit (60mph on the motorway) and a bit more. Combine van and trailer brakes work well, hopefully taking the whole set up to Germany (Nurburgring) in October- hoefully should cope well with belgian/german motorways.

p.s. i personally wouldn't touch one of those towing dolly thingies (or A frames)-bit of a grey area- seem to remember I think the police are waiting for a test case when someone has a big accident- do it properly


Alan

[Clayton]

Cheers everyone for your help, seems complicated and alot of grey areas?

Clay

[kbsb]

fords van spec of 3500kgs GTW and the v5 technical permissible maximum towing mass of the trailer 1600kgs, are very contradicting,
don't think i ll ever want or need to tow more than 1600kgs so will stick to what it says in the v5, as think that's what VOSA will go by if they flag you down,

Alan surely if you tow the 2000 kgs what you were quoted , even with a empty van your going to be 150+kgs over the 3500 kgs GTW

[alan cherry]

KBSB
I'll check my info, but probably not until monday. I should be ok anyway, as Usual race car only weighs 980kg, and I think the trailer is about 500kg - I'll check chassis plate and work out exact total ( not including spare wheels on tyre rack. Don't know weight of New car for Germany, but I'd guess it was about the same.
Does anyone know of any odd regs re towing through belgium and germany please ?

[yamahawb1200]

hi i have a 2007 260 swb lr 110 lx and got my bar from my mate in glasgow trailer centre its a brink mk6 bar and i wired it up as i have wired all my other vans up through the rear tail lights and no probs , so i was surprised to hear about this can bus that is required ,all the best

[Terry]

Hi
I tow quite a lot but mine is a mk 6 90T125. I noticed no one has mentioned the 10% 'rule' yet.
The police are obliged to allow you a maximum of 10% (of the permissable weight) if you are overweight. Yes it is from experience, we got a tug on the Mwhatever at Maidstone coming back from a race meeting in France & we were overweight but by less than 10% so we were told we shouldn't have bought the 6 crates of beer & we wouldn't have been overweight (stupid ar**holes).
My personal opinion is if you have an outfit that appears well looked after, they won't bother you.

[Terry]

I took this outfit up to Billing on the weekend of the 8/9th.



For the All Granada Rally. My Scorpio was having an engine transplant so I borrowed a car.