Towbars for Heaps

[BorniteIdentity]

I think I’ve found a MK1 Sierra tow bar which I would like to add to a MK1 Sierra. Obviously there is no provision for electrics, so I guess one has to go splicing. 

Can anyone tell me what I’ll need to make it all work? Perhaps you have experience of adding a tow bar to an old nail? 

Vehicle electrics are my least favourite, so I may just find an auto electrician to do it on my behalf - but any guidance would be gratefully appreciated. 

[New POD]

@MikeR is my go to expert with wires. 

[MikeR]

never actually done a tow bar , the one I had  on the 240 I used as a parking sensor ..

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Piece of piss,  just scotchlock the wires to the right hand wires running into the tailight, plus one wire across from the left hand indicator.

Probably not how you SHOULD do it but I never had one catch fire .

[sheffcortinacentre]

That's what the "professionals" do or at least before a plug was fitted in loom.

[Mr Pastry]

32 minutes ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Piece of piss,  just scotchlock the wires to the right hand wires running into the tailight, plus one wire across from the left hand indicator.

Probably not how you SHOULD do it but I never had one catch fire .

You are also supposed to fit a heavy-duty flasher unit which will cope with the extra bulbs on the trailer, these are readily available but you may get away with the standard one.  

[Barry Cade]

My specialist subject now 😆

Yup, scotchlocks..you can use connectors, or solder, but scotchlocks are fine if used properly and its dry..  

Dead easy on an old Sierra. You will need to wire up both tail lights separately,so 2 wires to the other side..

White wire to a good earth.. don't use the tail light earth, find a bolt or stud on the tail panel and clean off the paint.. Sierras were bad enough for disco lights back in the day..

You should fit a tell tale or beeper to let you know the indicators are working.. usually come with the kit.

If its a Ghia ( or Cosseh..😄) with the bulb failure warning, you'll need a bypass box.

 

White- good clean earth.

Black- left tail light

Brown -right tail light

Green- right indicator

Yellow -left indicator

Red- brake lights, either side..

Blue- fog light.. 

 

[wuvvum]

24 minutes ago, Barry Cade said:

You will need to wire up both tail lights separately,so 2 wires to the other side..

I tend to just bring a wire in from one tail light and then use a short bit of wire to jump across to the other tail light terminal on the plug.  (Obvs as a professional I realise you'd never contemplate such a bodge.)

Agree though, wiring up a towbar on an old motor is a piece of piss - none of this 7-way bypass relay bollocks you get with moderns.

[Barry Cade]

3 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I tend to just bring a wire in from one tail light and then use a short bit of wire to jump across to the other tail light terminal on the plug.  (Obvs as a professional I realise you'd never contemplate such a bodge.)

Agree though, wiring up a towbar on an old motor is a piece of piss - none of this 7-way bypass relay bollocks you get with moderns.

If you do that, if 1 fuse goes, you lose both taillights though.. 

Try a modern 13 pin VAG with no trailer prep. You have to remove the body control module from under the dash,run the wires along the whole car then split the big 60 terminal multiplug, then fit tiny pins into the correct position in the plug (s). Then code in the park sensors, cruise control, abs,etc . It's quite a job!

[Angrydicky]

They're not the cheapest, but Watling Engineers in St. Albans do supply and fit if you're so inclined. They've got an amazing back catalogue of obsolete towbars and can make one for pretty much any old crock to order.

[Tommyboy12]

Just to add. If you do have problems with the flasher relay not being man enough the simplest way to sort it is to fit LED indicators to the trailer.

I wired up a Mini with a towbar in about 20 minutes without the use of scotchlocks. If you have basic electrical tools like crimps and strippers its pretty easy to do a better than bodge job.

[BorniteIdentity]

25 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Just to add. If you do have problems with the flasher relay not being man enough the simplest way to sort it is to fit LED indicators to the trailer.

I wired up a Mini with a towbar in about 20 minutes without the use of scotchlocks. If you have basic electrical tools like crimps and strippers its pretty easy to do a better than bodge job.

Cheers man. I've been thinking about getting an LED lightboard for some time now - mainly as the bulbs in my ERDE thing are forever getting wet and blowing and just being shit.  A £30 led board could live indoors and be a lot more useful, so if it doesn't work I'll probably go that way.

Ta!

 

[sierraman]

Above all make sure its bolted to solid metal...

[wuvvum]

I just fitted cheapo eBay LED bulbs to my existing light board - worked out a lot cheaper than buying a new one.

[groovylee]

not sure if they still do it, but wilmonds in hitchin used to fit towbars.

GT towing in hatfield / welwyn definitely still do.

[BorniteIdentity]

Right - got a new towbar on eBay for £40 which I'm happy with! Looks from the pictures like I need a separate tow ball as there doesn't seem to be one in the pictures.  Does anyone have one lying about? A new one seems a bit daft on this old heap.

I will then probably employ an auto electrician to do the wiring so it's done well - rather than my usual tactic of having a go, fucking it up and then going cap in hand to someone who knows what they're doing who can look on smugly! 

[groovylee]

12 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Looks from the pictures like I need a separate tow ball as there doesn't seem to be one in the pictures.  Does anyone have one lying about? A new one seems a bit daft on this old heap.

 

i think i have a spare towball, might even have the bolts. i'll have a look at the weekend when i get home, you can pick it up with the oil when we finally end up being in the same place at the same time lol

 

Lee

[BorniteIdentity]

4 minutes ago, groovylee said:

i think i have a spare towball, might even have the bolts. i'll have a look at the weekend when i get home, you can pick it up with the oil when we finally end up being in the same place at the same time lol

 

Lee

Thanks man.  Be good to trot over for sure.

[Jack D]

15 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

 

They're not the cheapest, but Watling Engineers in St. Albans do supply and fit if you're so inclined. They've got an amazing back catalogue of obsolete towbars and can make one for pretty much any old crock to order.

 

Watling Engineering seem to have a towbar for anything.  I rang them about a year ago after several pints and now I’ve got a towbar for a BMW 840 in the shed.  Only one they’ve ever sold apparently.  Arrived in about 4 days.  How’s that for service! 

[wuvvum]

Now all you need is a BMW 840 to go with it...

[mat_the_cat]

On 10/25/2021 at 11:40 PM, Barry Cade said:

Try a modern 13 pin VAG with no trailer prep. You have to remove the body control module from under the dash,run the wires along the whole car then split the big 60 terminal multiplug, then fit tiny pins into the correct position in the plug (s). Then code in the park sensors, cruise control, abs,etc . It's quite a job!

Getting ready to string out your new job I see   

[Barry Cade]

13 minutes ago, mat_the_cat said:

Getting ready to string out your new job I see   

😆 New job is also my old job.. know what's coming!.