Just got a new Smax and need a tow bar, anyone have any knowledge on which to avoid? rather like the witter detachable... any comments?
It has parking sensors BTW
Also on the electrics, the caravan is on 2 plugs, would it be a good idea to go 13 pin on the car and modify the caravan (or use adapter), occasionally tow a 7 pinned box trailer so would need an adapter.
Dont forsee swapping the caravan, and wonder if there is still an advantage of 2 plugs... to disconnect fridge while engine not running etc?
Quote: Originally posted by richard615 on 06/2/2010
Just got a new Smax and need a tow bar, anyone have any knowledge on which to avoid? rather like the witter detachable... any comments?
It has parking sensors BTW
Also on the electrics, the caravan is on 2 plugs, would it be a good idea to go 13 pin on the car and modify the caravan (or use adapter), occasionally tow a 7 pinned box trailer so would need an adapter.
Dont forsee swapping the caravan, and wonder if there is still an advantage of 2 plugs... to disconnect fridge while engine not running etc?
Hi,
I ended up with a Witter swan neck (fixed) fitted by a Ford dealer....costing about £430. The swan neck fits very neatly around the bumper, personally I would not bother with a detachable.
I did the rounds of my local fitters but at that time (over two years ago) they could not cope with the Canbus multiplexed electrics. (The old days of finding a wire, connecting it in witha scotchlok and checking with a lighting board are now apparently behind us!)
You have no choice but to have a 13 pin plug on the car, the question is, what about the van. We used an adapter for the first few outings but when the van was in next for a service the dealer changed it over to a single plug. I think that cost us £30.
Hope this helps...and by the way, the S-Max is a brilliant tow car-good choice!
I have a galaxy and the Ford (well VW really) factory fit detachable bar is a westfalia and is great, the electric sockets just fold out of the way and you would not know it has a towbar(in fact we didi not notice it when we bought it). Have a look at the towequipe site on ebay, they have loads of different makes and styles for sale, as well as the dedicated wiring kits. With modern cars you stand a chance of messing up the reverse parking sensors if you use a traditional bar. Dedicated kits also have the advantage of built in fog light cut offs and also reverse parking sensor cutoffs when the van is attached, you may have to make do with a 13pins setup however. If you google westfalia towbars they have all the instructions for towbar fitting and dedicated wiring (as do towsure) That would give you an idea of what is involved. For the galaxy it is fairly straight forward and the wiring kit pretty much just plugs in.
The Witter detachable is fine for what you require. If you wish to use the 'flip up' socket feature, you will need to fit 13 pin electrics. However twin electrics will sit just underneath the bumper line
Just to make you aware the Westfalia towbar is the Ford original equipment for this vehicle, you can also fit the Westfalia fixed swan neck without interference from the parking sensors.
Whichever towbar and elctrics set-up you choose, I would reccomend a dedicated wiring kit that works with the cars can-bus system.
Richard615:
I've just (December) fitted a Witter detachable flange bar and 13-pin electrics to my S-Max - it works well! We towed across from Solihull area to Milestone, near Newark, as a test run plus New Year getaway, and had no bother. The bar is pretty easy to DIY-fit, as long as the bumper fixings will unscrew, although the wiring is a bit fiddly round the rear fusebox, and I still haven't fitted the frig wiring, as I haven't found a way through from the battery to the back end (any help available?). However, it was so co-o-o-ld in the New Year it didn't matter!
I chose the flange fitting so I could fix a bike rack, and I had a spare towball lying around.
Got the bar and wiring from P F Jones, whose prices are the best, and their service is excellent.
Powerjohn, on my old galaxy (vw type) I powered the wireing relay and fridge/ charging line from the rear car power socket (similar to cig lighter) without problems, I see the Smax also has one so will try it if the wire looks thick enough.
Quote: Originally posted by richard615 on 07/2/2010
Thanks for the replies.
Powerjohn, on my old galaxy (vw type) I powered the wireing relay and fridge/ charging line from the rear car power socket (similar to cig lighter) without problems, I see the Smax also has one so will try it if the wire looks thick enough.
The factory fit on my galaxy is powered in exactly the same way, using a piggy back connector from on the dedicated wiring.
fitted ai towbar looks good fits well "but" fitted sockets on angle mounting plate (also from ai towbar)to clear sensers vision, the ball no problem,
stick with 12n 12s put 12s live supply to battery if you dont now what your doing "fused"
bob
We have the Witter detachable with twin electrics fitted by an excellent local mobile fitter last year. Been very pleased with the whole set-up. Cost us about £250 I think.
Quote: Originally posted by MickeyM on 07/2/2010
If you want to attach a bike rack to the rear, you can only use the flange type towbars. (Just in case you were thinking of this)
Depends on the carrier- we had a swan-neck on the last car and successfully used a Thule bike carrier with no problems whatever; just clamps onto the ball.
Quote: Originally posted by BensonBunny on 15/2/2010
We have the Witter detachable with twin electrics fitted by an excellent local mobile fitter last year. Been very pleased with the whole set-up. Cost us about £250 I think.
Where?! That's about half the price we're being quoted!
We got our S-max in March, we also have parking sensors. We fitted a witter fixed flange towbar with alko towball and 13pin electrics. Cost us £275....One company told us we had to have a swan neck because we had sensors,this is not the case, sensors work fine.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: S Max towbar and electrics
