After getting a quote of £640 (+VAT) for the purchase and fitting of the Detachable Thule Towbar to my 1.9 Roomster 3, (from my local Skoda dealer), I am considering fitting it myself. How easily can this be done? I would say i am a fairly technically minded competant diyer and am consider the DIY route as prices for parts alone are around £200 - £250 all in.

To fit it, as i understand it the bumper is removed, the cut out is made to the bumper in the appropriately marked position, then the towbar frame is attached. Then the interior trim around the boot area is then removed to allow the wiring of the towbar. My man concern is with the wiring of the electrics. If I buy the correct Thule wiring, can anyone advise if this can this be plugged into the appropriate sockets in the rear lighting clusters or is it necessary to run the wiring under the trim all the way to the dash. Also does wiring in towbar electric require a trip to Skoda to get the cars electronics to register its connection.

Any advice much appreciated...

Hi branwell,

I've fitted Westfalia detachable towbars to Roomsters before - I expect that the Thule system will be very similar.

The mechanical bit of it is all pretty straightforward with no major pitfalls to watch out for. If you've got reversing sensors fitted their cables can get in the way a bit.

Once you get the bumper cover off you'll see that the cut-out for the new frame and cover is already marked on the inside of the bumper - makes cutting a bit less stressfull. I used Sikkaflex adhesive to secure the frame and it has remained intact for over three years so far.

Be aware that after you have fitted and removed the cover several times you may notice some small stress cracks in the paintwork of the cover. I did use flexible/plastic primer but seeing the amount of flex required to pop the cover out of the frame it isn't really surprising that some cracks appear. Don't despair though because this is all very low down and points towards the ground so it is not easily visible (even to someone with my level of OCD! )

The positioning of the trailer socket needs some thought before securing it. The hinged flap that protects the pins fouled on the inside of the bumper on mine and I couldn't get the trailer plug into the socket fully. Rotate the socket sufficiently so the flap will open correctly - I only found this out once the bumper had been refitted

Electrically you will need to remove both rear light clusters (two torx screw each side) Don't allow the existing cable and socket to drop down inside the vehicle or you'll be fishing for it for ages.

No interior trim needs to be removed from the sides of the car, just loosen the fixings and there is enough room to feed the new cables up to the lights. Drivers side is a bit more of a struggle but it is all do-able with a bit of patience. There may be an additional earth connector that needs a convenient fixing on the body (thought they may have picked up an existing earth in the loom ??)

Once all fitted you will of course have to perform black magic on the cars brain to tell it that it now has a towbar fitted. This does mean a trip to the stealers or to someone with a degree in the occult - err VCDS so that you get all the right bells and whistles on your dashboard.

Overall a worthwhile mod - much neater that some of the fixed bars that you occasionally see on Roomsters.

Good luck

Pete

Also have fitted a swan-neck. Get a vehicle-specific wiring kit and it's straightforward. Just th bumper -cutting is a bit scary!

Stuart

Many thanks for the advice, i knew i would get the answer here. It is as relief to find that the interior trim doesn't need to be tampered with too much. Out of interest can you recommend a source for the dedicated wiring kit? and does this wiring kit effectively require plug and socket type connections rather than any cutting of wires?

The wiring was included as part of the Westfalia kit.

Every connection was a plug and socket apart from the one eyelet (earth) connection which was attached to the body under an existing screw head.

You can remove the whole thing in minutes with no reconnecting of cut wires at all.

tuscan30, many thanks for your help. Where did you buy the Westfalia kit from?

I got it offline but it's almost three years ago so I can't remember off the top of my head where it came from.

I'd check the receipt but I'm offshore for the next ten days - I'll google it later on tonight and get back to you if I recognise anything.

Sorry, I can't recognise any of the sites showing on Google - but they have probably been updated since I bought mine.

I can't see any bars that come with wiring included. Seems the current idea is to offer you the choice of a universal 7-pin socket at about twenty quid or the dedicated (plug and play) one at over a hundred quid - all on top of the actual towbar hardware at £180.

The pfjones site has some informative pdf instructions and a video which should help to make a decision. But when I checked the fitting instructions for the dedicated wiring kit it now includes a box of electronics which wasn't included with my bar. There's cabling shown which you run forward to the dashboad/fusebox area - I've no idea what that is all about (possibly something to do with disabling reverse sensors when you have a trailer hooked up? but that's only a guess) Sorry I can't be more help at the moment.

http://www.pfjones.c...le-tow-bar.html

Pete

Hi Guys,  I am planning to fit a towbar to my Roomster. Doing some research. Found your discussion very helpful  Many Thanks for sharing your comments.

 

Does your towball, sit tucked under the bumper?

 

Do any of you have a photo of the towbar you've fitted? I am trying to work out if the flange plate of the towbar,  is likely to extend beyond the bumper, sufficient to allow a cycle carrier frame to be fitted above it.

 

I typically fit a towbar on all my cars, and use a towbar fitted cycle carrier.  I have used this model which uses a plate to mount the detachable cycle carrier frame.  Between the family we have 3x cars + van,  and can fit the same carrier to any car. Would love to do same on the Roomster.

 

I'm a bit concerned that there will not be enough clearance, on a Roomster bumper,  to fit the cycle carrier frame.

 

http://www.towsure.com/product/Clipper_2_Bike_Towbar_Mounted_Cycle_Carrier

http://www.towsure.com/product/3_Inch_Drop_Plate

 

The plate fits between the towball and towbar flange.  The top half of the plate sits above the towball.  The cycle carrier frame just slides onto the plate.  It feels bomb proof. And you can still use the towball for a trailer. I hate following someone with one of those strap-on bike carriers,  thinking the whole thing's going to bounce off at the next bump.

 

Thanks again for your helpful comments.

best regards, Bill

Hi,

 

I just found what I was after  :-)

Thanks to Goggle Images - I stumbled across this Briskoda thread  which shows that it is possible.

It s even using the exact same bike carrier.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/91857-mountain-bikes-in-the-roomster/#entry1225736

And just found more pics of the towbar,  many thanks to Stephen !!!

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/92510-mount-tow-bar/#entry1220281