TOW BAR

[Brogeur]

Hi all,

I have a 2017 Octavia Estate, and I'd like to add a tow bar suitable for towing a caravan.
 

Can anyone recommend one for me?

 

Note: I have a rear reverse cam (standard) with parking sensors.

Thanks in advance

N

[rickystyx]

just booked mine in for the same and was recommended a removable towball and the dedicated wiring loom - it needs the coding done as well

[Brogeur]

1 minute ago, rickystyx said:

just booked mine in for the same and was recommended a removable towball and the dedicated wiring loom - it needs the coding done as well

 

Do you know what make/model of tow bar you're getting?

[rickystyx]

There was a couple of options but I think it was the PCT detachable tow bar I went for

[Llwyngwernog]

Westphalia was the brand recommended by my dealer

[greg_s]

I’d recommend the concealed Westfalia tow bar. I ordered through pfjones.co.uk don’t bother with the dedicated wiring unless you have the tow bar prep as you need to dismantle a lot to fit the loom to the fuse box otherwise.  If doing yourself with a generic wiring or have towbar prep it can be done in an afternoon.

[Brogeur]

Westafalia was the one I was looking at weirdly. Glad I’m on the right track.

 

could you let me know what ‘tow bar prep’ is? 

 

[wg100]

On 17/08/2019 at 09:23, greg_s said:

I’d recommend the concealed Westfalia tow bar. I ordered through pfjones.co.uk don’t bother with the dedicated wiring unless you have the tow bar prep as you need to dismantle a lot to fit the loom to the fuse box otherwise.  If doing yourself with a generic wiring or have towbar prep it can be done in an afternoon.

 

If you have parking sensors and reversing camera, definitely get a dedicated loom. DO NOT just splice into lighting loom. 

With dedicated wiring, you’ll have a towbar module added to the car which will communicate with the parking sensors and disable them when towbar electrics are connected. You’ll also have the ability to use your reversing camera to look down on the towball to help connect the trailer.

 

Probably looking in the region of £600.

Edited 18 August, 2019 by wg100

[wg100]

1 hour ago, Brogeur said:

Westafalia was the one I was looking at weirdly. Glad I’m on the right track.

 

could you let me know what ‘tow bar prep’ is? 

 

Tow bar prep is where the car has the towbar module already installed in the boot area of the car and it’s essentially plug and play when the towbar is installed. It’s also cheaper than a full wiring loom.

 

Have a look at the car data sticker, either in your handbook or under the carpet in the boot next to the spare wheel. 1D0 is no towbar prep, 1D7 is towbar prep.

[Mee]

I’ve very recently, last week in fact, had a towbar fitted.

 

i opted for a witter towbar with Westfalia electrics, all in cost me £537, I’m more than happy that the electrics were connected properly to the cabin as certain things change when the electrics are hooked up, the reverse sensor screen stopping operation and showing a picture of a trailer hooked up for example 

[greg_s]

10 hours ago, wg100 said:

 

If you have parking sensors and reversing camera, definitely get a dedicated loom. DO NOT just splice into lighting loom. 

With dedicated wiring, you’ll have a towbar module added to the car which will communicate with the parking sensors and disable them when towbar electrics are connected. You’ll also have the ability to use your reversing camera to look down on the towball to help connect the trailer.

 

Probably looking in the region of £600.

 

The benefit of the dedicAted loom is you get the visible indication on the dash for the trailer indicators in addition to the vehicle ones, disabling the rear park sensors (if you opt for a generic can bus kit you’d need to manually disable or tolerate the beeps when reversing), not sure on camera as I don’t have one.

 

as for fitting if the towbar prep is done which is the wiring loom from the fuse board and Ecu connectors to the boot an oe spec kit makes sense (£120 ish) vs. Generic canbus around £50.  If you have the oe and need the loom too about 155.

 

fitting is more involved, I opted for the dedicated kit and installed the extra loom aswell which meant taking the back seats out, side trims along the carpet on one side as well as most of the boot. If it is the generic or has towbar prep just the boot needs to be dismantled to fit.

[JohnnyType2]

did it myself last year westy detachable towbar and electrics from PFjones was the best quality/value option. 4 hours to fit

 

towbar detached and hidden and fits nicely in the spare wheel jack holder