Sorry to bring towbars up again. I have a removable Westfalia bar fitted with a 13 pin socket. I use it for a bike rack and know very little about towing. When I came to use the bar last weekend the socket was full of very wet road muck with at least three of the pin holes blocked. The socket cover still seems to spring back into place but the muck is obviously getting in somehow. Advice from those with more experience of towbars than me please?

1) What is the best way of cleaning it/getting the moisture out to stop it corroding but keeping it electrically sound?

2) How do I prevent this happening again?

Cheers,

Tim

Haven't noticed that with mine!

Do you have the bumper cutout with the cover, or just a hole in the bumper?

I suggest giving the whole socket a good blast with a tin of WD40 (other products are available) then spread some clear silicone grease (Maplins?) into the little holes. This will be displaced when you push the plug in, but isn't isolating so it doesn't matter how much is left inside.

After cleaning all the mud out (try a toothbrush), give a good squirt of WD 40 into all the pin holes - this will flush out any remaining debris and give a protective coat to keep out moisture. When not using socket, use a proper plastic socket cover (available from Halfords). Worked for me in over 35 years of towing.

After cleaning all the mud out (try a toothbrush), give a good squirt of WD 40 into all the pin holes - this will flush out any remaining debris and give a protective coat to keep out moisture. When not using socket, use a proper plastic socket cover (available from Halfords). Worked for me in over 35 years of towing.

It's a 13 pin socket, so I haven't seen any covers for them .....yet.

Mine swings up right behind the bumper, so I'm getting the impression the OP doesn't have the Skoda/Westphalia towbar.

Had a cover on my 13 pin socket (fitted from new by VW commercial dealer). Try this cover (states OK for N S & 13 pin).

https://www.towsure.com/product/7Pin_Socket_Cover

I do have the proper Skoda/Westfalia bar and a bumper cutout with cover. The socket folds up out of the way and the bumper cover is always clipped back on so I was a bit surprised and disappointed to find it so full of muck!

I'll look for silicon grease and get one of those socket covers to try.

Many thanks for the replies - this forum is full of such good advice and so willingly shared!

I'd better check mine - my car has been off roading quite a bit since I last used it. I'm towing on Saturday from near Didcot to Shepton Mallet, so watch out

There may be something wrong with the spring. On my 13 pin you really have to pull the cap quite hard to reveal the pins.

Yes, mine is quite strong.

It's not Yeti, I know, (and not 13 pin socket) but still - fitted new socket to My Mitsubishi L300 and bought this rubber cover:

As You can see (muddy cover, clean socket) - it works...

My socket cover seems to snap back well enough and is reasonably hard to open.

I've been to Maplin and got hold of their silicon grease but it states on the packet that it has "high electrical insulation" and "high surface resisitivitty". Before I slap it all over the socket is this the correct stuff? I obviously don't want to isolate the pins from the socket but at the same time I don't want to short between the pins! Can't get my brain round whether I need insulating grease or conducting!!

Hirundo - I like the look of that! Think its what Truthseeker was suggesting above but the pics certainly show that it does the job!! Cheers!!

The 13pin socket on mine is OK, as was the one on my previous Roomster. A visit to your dealer is called for as it should be weather proof. However, I'd doubt it would survive dry if immersed.

The advice about silicon grease and WD40 is good but shouldn't be necessary.

Fred

This is my first time on this forum and hope my response will be of help, especally as I have had problems with both the towbar electrics and the dealer! I have the 13 pin socket fitted to mine, the socket has been installed upside down and this leaves the drain hole at the top and open for water to get in and obviously not able drain out. You might check that on yours? I have problems with the air con. Too.

Thanks for that, I'll go out and check in a bit. I guess that, as the socket folds up into the bumper, positioning of the drain hole is critical as it will be in a different place when down or folded?! Cheers, Tim