Tow Bar

[Cowimars]

I am looking to get a detachable towbar fitted to my new Roomster. I have been quoted anything between £350 and £650 pounds by local fitters.

One fitter has explained that there will need to be a noticeable cut in the bumpber but that you can buy a bumper cover. Does anybody know the proper name for this part and the part number - i have looked on the inernet but been unable to find it. I am assuming that it is a plastic cover that clips into place in the cut when the tow bar is detached. is it bought in a colour to match the car or is it simply grey or black ?

Edited 18 July, 2012 by Cowimars

[dieselV6]

All detachable towbars will require large cutout and yes, there is a panel you can buy to fit in. For me that makes a detachable towbar completely pointless as the bumper looks are spoilt anyway. Plus paintwork tends to peel around the towbar hatch cover after a while, due to mechanical stresses.

The only way to avoid visible cut is to fit fixed flange towbar, PCT brand is by far the best, if you want to see how bad Westfalia/SIARR towbars are, here are photos:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/235459-roomster-westfalia-flange-towbars-best-to-avoid/#entry2764487

With PCT, there still is a small cut, but it is so low and mostly filled by towbar neck that it is not really noticeable. Plus flange towbar works well as a tailgater repellent...

I have a steel plate attached permanently to the flange, it is a towbar box carrier mount. See photo below

Also, electrics work for the towbar will require lifting panels in the boot and potentially floor carpet, compared to towbar install on my other car, Mk1 Superb, Roomster towbar electrics installation was a really time consuming job, and a lot of trim clips needed to be replaced after just 1 removal.

[Cowimars]

Thanks Diesel - I was going to go for a detachable because i thought it would mean that i wouldnt have to cut my bumper - but as you say - if it goint to need cut anyway then a fixed towbar will probably look better. One question about a fixed towbar - will it effect the parking sensors - i realise i will need to take into account its extra length when reversing but will it effect their operation - will they always beep. Also what happens when i put my bike rack on - will they again always bleep when in reverse or do they shut off after a while - I have never had a car with reversing sensors before so not sure how they work. i guess it doesnt matter really as you only reverse for a 20 seconds at most - so i guess it doesnt matter if they constantly beep when the rack itself is on.

Edited 18 July, 2012 by Cowimars

[dieselV6]

With the PCT flange towbar parking sensors are OK, the towbar is too close to bumper (and between sensors) to notice. As you can see in the picture, I have a metal plate on the flange, and even that is not noticed by the sensors.

When you have bike rack on, yes, the sensors will beep continously whenever reverse is engaged and it is distracting. There are several ways to deal with this, e.g. factory towing socket harness (with correct coding) does switch the buzzer off whenever anything is plugged into towbar socket. But factory harness also assumes that it is always a trailer that is connected and changes the way ESP/stability control works to prevent snaking.

I only ever carry the box, so do not want any ESP changes.

For this reason, I chose a low tech way of putting a small rocker switch on the passenger B pillar, which cuts out the buzzer with a resistor, do not remember the resistor value but you can quiet the sound down to inaudible. There needs to be a resistor, otherwise for open circuit an error code is registered in parking/steering unit.

Note I still get the "rear blocked" view of all 4 sensors on the radio display when the box is on. It's actually a good reminder as the box is not visible through the rear window. Also, even if I forget to switch the buzzer back on, I can still use the sensors looking at the display.

Edited 18 July, 2012 by dieselV6

[Togo]

See http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/229928-roomster-fixed-towbar-on-car-photos-please/

For a picture of a fixed towbar.

[dieselV6]

Just a note, flange towbar is better for cutout than swan neck towbar as the cutout is right at the bottom of bumper cover, and the towbar does not go through the bumper cover. Makes removing and installing bumper cover easier.

[Skipp66]

On my scout I have the rectangle removable panel in the bumper, I just undo the 4 screws and attach the removable toward that I asked for when I got the car .

What will you be towing? I have a trailer which is fine but the roomster has a low nose weight of only 50K so be careful if you are towing anything bigger.

[Cowimars]

I am looking to carry bikes - with the weight of the rack and the 3 bikes i come in just under the 50Kg. I s the removal panel available to buy as an accessory - do you know the part number ?

[Calomax]

When the plate is in place it's barely noticeable. It does have to be painted but mine was ordered from the dealer and fitted and painted. I think it cost me about £40 altogether.

Most of the time when the towbar is on and also with an empty bike rack the reverse sensors work normally but just occasionally it comes on. Naturally when carrying a bike it sounds but it doesn't bother me.

[Cowimars]

Back onto getting a towbar again. Have been told by the installer that a fixed towbar will permanently set of the reversing sensor - which he scientifically proved with a broom ? So looking again at a detachable.

Does anyone have a picture or know the part number for the cover you can buy to fit into the bumper cut for a detacheable towbar.

Does anyone have a fixed towbar fitted to a car with reversing sensors - if so do you have problems , what make of towbar is it ?

Edited 14 February, 2013 by Cowimars

[dieselV6]

I have fixed flange towbars fitted to 2 different cars with reversing sensors, 2007 Superb and 2012 Roomster, and in both cases parking sensors work just fine, even when there is a 150x200mm plate permanently attached to towbar flange. A broom stick is a bad way to test it, towbar sits close to the sensors, but outside their field of view.

[Cowimars]

Thanks DieselV6 - this is proabably a daft question but you dont seem to have a tow ball on your tow bar - you have a box carrier mount - would the addition of a towball be picked up on the sensors ?

[Cowimars]

or maybe your box carrier mount is fitted onto a towball ? - i cant see clearly from the picture ?

[tupray]

I would have a detachable tow bar , have a look at the scout it has a silver cover that fits over the cut out ( four screws and you can get at the tow bar ) these parts look the business , i was told by a skoda dealer you can buy this part , costs approx £140 fitted

[dieselV6]

Thanks DieselV6 - this is proabably a daft question but you dont seem to have a tow ball on your tow bar - you have a box carrier mount - would the addition of a towball be picked up on the sensors ?

No, I had a towball, and even a towball+ guard and sensors did not care.

PCT flange towbars are consistently very good quality, Westfalia in-house are OK, but beware of Westfalia/SIARR which are horrible (I posted photos a while ago, you can see for yourself there)

I like fixed and visible towbar as it seems to deter tailgating quite well.

[Cowimars]

PCT fixed towbar now fitted - parking sensors working perfectly.

can post photos if anyone interested in seeing.

[Turnbup]

PCT fixed towbar now fitted - parking sensors working perfectly.

can post photos if anyone interested in seeing.

Cowimars, I need to invest in a towbar so if you could post a few photos that would be a great help.