Octavia Towbar Blues

[daft1014]

Hi,

I need a towball on the car. I've been quoted ~$1,800 from my local dealer who tells me that there is 5 hrs labour in the job. I'm surprised there is that much work in it???

I rung two other local Brisbane towball specialists who will fit the hayman reese kit for ~$1000.

I've been reading about the seemingly tricky electrics in this thread and I'm wondering what is peoples collective thoughts on the Hayman Reese kit vs getting it installed from the local dealer.

I suspect the Hayman Reese kit will not be as neat as the kit installed by wfdTamar, but I'm not particularly confident about buying a kit from the UK and finding a local to fit and troubleshoot if needed.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[wfdTamar]

The bar isn't much of an issue - at best you get an installation like mine - virtually undetectable with the tongue removed. At worst it's a conventional type tongue which might leave a bit of steelwork visible (and to knock when you go through a gutter).

What really matters is how they intend doing the electrics - from the cheapo method (bypass) to a fully integrated type (and how well they do that).

Hopefully aftermarket bars have got their act sorted out now. I would get agreement that all the issues mentioned on here are to be working (possibly on paper).

Another option - ask this place and find out what sort of electrics they use and cost ($449 for the bar). The bar looks like a euro type (I've seen it before).

http://ironbull.com.au/skoda-octavia-towbars/129-towbar-skoda-octavia.html

The kit I got turned out to be pretty easy to get a 7-pin setup. The complications arise if you want a proper 12-pin.

[daft1014]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will ask the local guys how they intend to do the electronics. I suspect it's the bypass route.

I'm not sure of the difference between the 7-pin and 12 pin setup. All I need to to rent a trailer for tip runs occasionally. I guess most rental units would use a 7 pin?

Out of interest does your bar scrap gutters when removed?

Also

[wfdTamar]

You just need 7-pin. 12-pin gives you stuff for caravans.

My bar only has about 10mm of stuff below the car when the tongue is not in, so no scrapes. There is a link to photos some posts back (sounds like you've seen them). There's about 6 photo's (click 'Older' at the top) - the last shows what you see when it not being used.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8753947@N06/7470215586/in/photostream/

I think there are some other tow bar posts that talk about the electrics the Hayman Reese uses, but the Ironbull bar being a Euro style bar might look better (pretty sure it has a removable tongue too).

Here's their Superb version. Has a removable tongue but the bit it pops into looks to sit well below the car bottom (maybe not if the skirt is cut up around it) - the tongue (should be calling that the neck) slides in from back to the front of car. Mine goes in vertically so the bit of the bar that receives is up under the car skirt. Bar $449, post $25, electrics $250 (don't know how they ship it for so little). $724 total. Sounds a very good option. I ended up paying $8-900. Fitting the bar is easy just getting off the plastic bumper is a bit fiddly.

Just found some photo's in their Passat bar auction. So you can see it all sits below the skirt, but not a huge amount. I like the way the neck release works.

SKODA Superb 1800kg Towbar. NEW TOW BAR for Skoda Superb sedan & wagon | eBay

VW Passat 2000kg Towbar. NEW TOW BAR for Passat sedan & wagon 2005 to 2012 MY | eBay

From the auction text:
'Dedicated electrical sets sold seperately. PRICE of Electric Kit is $250.00. This is a Skoda dedicated kit (not universal (same as ByPass)). Takes around 60 minutes to fit. It will interact with all functions exactly like an original Skoda Superb wiring kit. GUARANTEED. BEWARE of universal kits on European cars! '

If it really does 60 minutes to fit I'm guessing it plugs into the towbar prep connector in the boot. Very easy. Honestly do it yourself and save a few hundred over the HR bar and get a more modern looking one too.

Oh, and I'm not IronBull Just seen they are at Jacobs Well which is near Southport Qld. and they do fittings. Given you're in Bris I would get that one.

[daft1014]

Thanks.

I was a little concerned about ironbull. I've read some online reviews saying that the product is ok but the communication is poor.

On the main Octavia product listing he says the max ball weight is 100 kg (25 more than the Hayman Reese) but on the detail page it says its 60kg...

I will give them a call today and see what the go is...

Thanks for the assistance.



I will ask him

[daft1014]

So Jeff from Ironbull just left. The reason I went with him was he seemed to have installed a number of units on Skoda's and understood the differences between Skoda and other VAG products.

Here is a pic of the Ironbull product with and without the neck.





The dedicated electric kit documentation is from a UK company Right Connections.

All up it was $900 installed. Just the kit was $689.

I am glad I went with the installation option.

It took him 3 hours and he had all the tools and obviously knew what he was doing. It would have taken me much longer and I would have probably broken something. He travels all over Australia installing towbars.

I will reserve judgement on the quality until I get a chance to tow something.

Thanks for the advice...

[wfdTamar]

That's the company that makes my electrics. They have a couple of Skoda types (I got the 13-pin one that has the extra for caravan power which you probably don't - big deal). So looks good and cost about the same as mine. Only diff is it is a bit more exposed than mine but for a readily available one in Australia (and ADR approved I presume) I'd say it's the best (certainly best bang for buck) available.

A standard 13-pin Euro to 7-pin Aust flat adaptor should work.

Catalogue | Right Connections

[Mysticality]

Just my personal preference... But damn, that is ugly.

I see one of those bars on a Citroen wagon that lives around here, and I reckon it looks ridiculous.

Gimmie one of these, any day.

[daft1014]

Glass houses Mysticality!

Luckily the towbar won't be on 99.9% of the time and I will not see it.

Oh the other thing for those looking into tow bars, my local Hayman Reese dealers had not installed one on a Skoda before and I was a little worried about the electric side. No worries for those who DIY though!

[wfdTamar]

Just priced the 7-pin variant of the bar and electrics I got (so same as the IronBull, but cleaner install) and it's $762 shipped. pfjones.co.uk

I don't think anyone is doing one of those chunky square type bars for the Octavia yet.

[R1 Crasher]

I have been very disappointed with Jeff from Ironbull,very poor communication and even worse at time keeping.
I have had to give up with him and am now looking at alternatives,buyer beware using this guy.

[Guest001]

Just to clarify the towing rules.

The legalities are The maximum legal weight shall be either the plated limit of the towbar OR the manufacturers stated limit

WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER.

Eg have a 1600kg limit towbar and vehicle limit is 1200kg Maximum legal is 1200kg

Have a 1200kg limit towbar and vehicle limit is 1600kg Limit is still 1200kg

No states have a legal towball limit but the vehicle manufacturers limit should be adhered to generally unless as below the bar makers weight is less
So if bar maker says 120kg and the vehicle manufacturer says 100kg Thats it

If however bar maker says its 75 and car maker says 100 It can only be 75 because the weights have to be the lesser of the recommendations

Not a lot of good putting 140kg and finding it on the road when it pulls out of the car body from overstress.

Also if you import a towbar make sure it complies with Australian ADR rules or you may need deep pockets if the proverbial hits the fan due to an accident attributable to an non complying item.

Only trailers (vans) of 2001kg and over need electric brakes and on all wheels, under that overrides are normally used.

Been there done all that.

[donweather]

On the main Octavia product listing he says the max ball weight is 100 kg (25 more than the Hayman Reese) but on the detail page it says its 60kg...

I will give them a call today and see what the go is...

Thanks for the assistance.



I will ask him

Did you get a response on the towball weight?

[Guest001]

Just to clarify the towing rules.

The legalities are The maximum legal weight shall be either the plated limit of the towbar OR the manufacturers stated limit

WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER.

Eg have a 1600kg limit towbar and vehicle limit is 1200kg Maximum legal is 1200kg

Have a 1200kg limit towbar and vehicle limit is 1600kg Limit is still 1200kg

No states have a legal towball limit but the vehicle manufacturers limit should be adhered to generally unless as below the bar makers weight is less
So if bar maker says 120kg and the vehicle manufacturer says 100kg Thats it

If however bar maker says its 75 and car maker says 100 It can only be 75 because the weights have to be the lesser of the recommendations

Not a lot of good putting 140kg and finding it on the road when it pulls out of the car body from overstress.

Also if you import a towbar make sure it complies with Australian ADR rules or you may need deep pockets if the proverbial hits the fan due to an accident attributable to an non complying item.

Only trailers (vans) of 2001kg and over need electric brakes and on all wheels, under that overrides are normally used.

Been there done all that.

Edited this to be more correct Sorry for ambiguities