Towbar removal

[oodoom]

Hi

 

My Superb came with a tow bar when I bought it, and I want rid - it clouts the sloping kerb whenever I drive off from my drive and I will never have a need to tow anything.

 

Apparently its not just as simple as unbolting it and disconnecting some wires - it needs to be 'uncoded' using VCDS. Is this correct, and if so does anyone have any experience of doing this?

 

thanks

 

Adam

 

 

[chimaera]

On the mechanical side, you will need to source a replacement rear bumper bar to be fitted once you remove the towbar.

 

Electrically it depends on what electrics kit has been fitted.

 

If it's Skoda OE or an equivalent, then you will need access to VCDS to change the coding on the engine, ABS, CAN and BCM control modules to indicate that the towing system is no longer fitted. Removing the physical wiring is not trivial either: the wiring harness runs the full length of the car from the boot to under the dashboard along the driver's side sill. You will need to remove all of the lower trim panels to do this, and rearrange some pins on the brown plug connection to the BCM. In the boot, all of the liner panels need to be removed to take out the wiring at that point. Leaving the wiring connected and recoding the other modules will result in problems as well since the towing electrics will be detected but the car won't know what to do with them.

 

If it's a cheap bypass type wiring kit you may just be able to remove it without recoding anything. How much dismantling to get the wiring out is anyone's guess on that.

 

Checking the fuse panel may shed some light: if fuses 8, 9, 43, 44, 45 are fitted it's almost certainly the proper wiring kit. A VCDS autoscan would also help as it will show if the CAN gateway is coded for module 69 (the trailer controller).

 

A quick way to solve the problem would be to replace the towbar with a detachable style one and sell the original fixed one. Cost might not be crazy either and it's only about an hour or two's work to swap them over.

[lowedb]

I would have thought you could leave the control module connected inside the car, but remove  the wiring part that goes down to the electric socket. One thing you will need though is a crash beam to put back where you remove the towbar.

[chimaera]

3 hours ago, lowedb said:

I would have thought you could leave the control module connected inside the car, but remove  the wiring part that goes down to the electric socket. One thing you will need though is a crash beam to put back where you remove the towbar.

If the module is left fully functional, that's an option but you'll need to source the rubber bung to cover the hole in the bodywork.

 

Also the leftover cabling doesn't fit very well beside the spare wheel.

[HughGabriel]

If I were you I’d be moving the trailer socket to behind the boot trim, where the trailer control module is positioned but leaving it wired in. 

 

If you need one I have the crash beam from when I fitted my towbar. 

[oodoom]

13 hours ago, HughGabriel said:

If I were you I’d be moving the trailer socket to behind the boot trim, where the trailer control module is positioned but leaving it wired in. 

 

If you need one I have the crash beam from when I fitted my towbar. 

That's not a bad idea at all. Would save me the hassle of undoing the electronic side of it.

 

How much do you want for the crash beam?

[oodoom]

Thanks to you all for the advice. Much appreciated

[HughGabriel]

34 minutes ago, oodoom said:

That's not a bad idea at all. Would save me the hassle of undoing the electronic side of it.

 

How much do you want for the crash beam?

It’s on eBay at £45 with no interest despite being the cheapest. £30 posted any good? 

 

Will have a rummage see if I saved the grommet as well.