Can someone ID this tow-bar ball for me? Need a replacement

[alex_leigh67]

Custo

med Yeti Tow Ball by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

 

It's bent upwards. Not surprising since a combination of parking on a slope and forgetting to fully engage the handbrake had the consequence of me returning to a vehicle some 30 feet from where I'd left it nestling against the wall of the car park! And yes when it goes for a service, I'll get skoda to have a poke about to make sure I haven't bent the subframe! Don't think it hit that hard as it was only a couple of inches away from the wall when I found it in terms of rebound

 

Anyway this was skoda fitted but they outsourced it. I'ms sure they can get me the park and I'm equally sure it'll be expensive. So I'd rather show around. No marks on the casting t help me, so any ideas? Don't think it's a witter having check their website...

 

[eribaMotters]

When you unbolted it did you not see a plate on the bracket. I'd have thought a name would have been visible as it has to be Type Approved.

 

Colin

[alex_leigh67]

I'll have another look but I couldn't see anything. There's a few part numbers we found under an ISO number. Not turning much up on the web. Definitely not a Witter.

[alex_leigh67]

Only thing we can find is Westfalia on the electrics. Looking at their site tho, it's not one of those. Loads on eBay that look like they'll fit but they all come with the mounting hardware. All I want is ^^ bit!

[g6zru]

Can you not find out who they outsourced the work to and approach them direct? 

 

Fred

[Cornishman53]

I recently fitted a Thule towbar to a VW that had the shaft squared off like that.

[alex_leigh67]

There seems to be a few sellers with essentially the same or slightly tweaked design. I'll give the garage a call Monday and see if they can point me in the right direction. And ask them for a quite as the car is due a service. I have a feeling their quote might be a bit lively tho!

[Llanigraham]

Either a Witter or a Thule. Certainly not the approved Westphalia.

You need to find out who fitted it and get confirmation from them.

 

And TBH, if you've managed to bend the hook I suspect there may well be damage elsewhere. Just think about the loads the hook is designed to take.

[ben4012]

My guess is bosal. Had one very similar on a '97polo saloon. Eventually had a flange adaptor welded to a drawing I made.

Edited 25 October, 2014 by ben4012

[Frenchtone]

looks like the westfalia fitted to mine, there is n id plate halfway between thehitch and the mounting bar ie on the box section, its up behind the silver panel!

[Llanigraham]

Flat section doesn't look big enough for a Westfalia:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/280506416374?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

[RickT]

For reference this in all the detail in the Bosal catalogue;

 

http://www.catalogue.bosal.com/pdf/pdf_mi/037141.pdf

[Helgestahill]

Monoflex/Westfalia

http://web.monoflexdata.se/Shop/Home/GetFileData?FileName=317080&FileEnding=PDF

[alex_leigh67]

Thanks all. Sorry been busy working. It's definitely a Westfalia. I checked with the dealer and we found a part number that matched. Pretty much as Helg says above. Can't actually just buy the towbar, they wanted £250 for the whole kit, so now looking for an alternative.

 

In terms of damage, well it's been up on the ramps in the local garage and been prodded about and it all looks straight. No creases in the boot floor pan or anything. It's been serviced by Skoda on Friday and I've asked them to have a look as well.

[countryboy]

http://www.westfalia-automotive.com/uk/stockists/

If Skoda won't help then why not go straight to the manufacturers stockists?

 

Ian

[alex_leigh67]

Skoda did help out in saying it was £250 for a new one! I found one on the web through PF jones at a very competitive price. Should be here next week. Less than half the price of RRP and apparently the same unit. We'll see when it turns up. Anyway my Yeti is getting traded soon for a new one, dealer had a good look at ti and happy to PX it for top money so looks like I dodged a bullet. Thanks for all your help.

[Jaunoff]

I just got a complete towbar with a ball very similar if not identical to yours from DGH system. It was cheap, well made and ideal for a truck, but it was for a Kia Rio, its too heavy. It was made in Poland , sent to Germany , then here (UK), it took over a week. You could find their address on ebay if your interested.

[alex_leigh67]

sorry i didn't get back to you. I found the 'official' one on the 'net for £100 all in!