Holy smoken Tow bars - are these things Gold Plated?

[85turbo]

I just bought my car a few weeks ago, and it is fitted with the BB tow bar.
i was just digging through all the receipts that came with the car, and there was one for $1299 for the tow bar.

I'm sure glad i didn't have to pay for it.
I have not used it yet, so i cant report on how well the harness integrates.

Jason.

[jdd]

dont know if you got a towbar yet. I just got a Hayman reese Job for $400 fitted it myself in an afternoon. Job turned out prety well. Had to cut a large hole in the lower section of the bumper but that was no problem. still got to do the wireing which is the hard part. I have been designing my own interface and should have that built in the next week or so.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...?do=view&g=559

Bernie

I must say the Hayman Reese bar is a neat looking unit.
I believe it's neater than the Dealer (Best Bars) one.
Looking at your picture with the rear bumper removed, does it just bolt on with 4 bolts on either side, or is there more to it than is visible ?
Also, do you need to drill any holes in the body-work or does it utilise existing ones ?

[Autosport]

Yup, I had them fit a bar to my car a few months ago (well late last year now) and they did a great job... only thing I have to take it back to them as the left blinker stays on when ignition is on and trailer plugged in... (two different trailers doing this so not a trailer issue)

[saabman]

dont know if you got a towbar yet. I just got a Hayman reese Job for $400 fitted it myself in an afternoon. Job turned out prety well. Had to cut a large hole in the lower section of the bumper but that was no problem. still got to do the wireing which is the hard part. I have been designing my own interface and should have that built in the next week or so.

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...?do=view&g=559

Bernie

[vanDub]

Are your reverse sensors factory fitted or dealer fitted?

I'd be betting that you have cheap aftermarket sensors fitted by the dealer who charged you the price of the factory fitted ones. Are they set back into the bumper or are they raised?

Passat comes with factory fitted sensors.

After being rear ended I now have new bumper, Tow bar and Electrical harness. In my case I believe the rear sensors not turning off is because the VW supplied 7 pin adaptor needed to connect to the 13 pin round receptacle on the car only utilises the wires needed for lights / indicators and the wires to the remaining 6 terminals on the car need some sort of feedback that they are not getting.

[Maverick]

A smaller hole, as per OEM is cut in the bar.

The sensor is threaded into the retaining ring from inside the bar until the face is flush with the exterior of the bar. The Bosch sensor body is threaded sufficiently for this range of adjustment.

Only the sensor face is visible.

The finished install is as per OEM.

Thanks, I'll check them out but do they work with the VW PD Controller?

How is the ring bonded to the inside of the bar?

[MultiplexMan]

The only way to have flush mounted sensors is to replace the top half of the rear bumper with the bar designed for the oem sensors.

Instead of sandwiching the bar between sensor housing and retaining ring, the ring is bonded to the inside of the bar.

A smaller hole, as per OEM is cut in the bar.

The sensor is threaded into the retaining ring from inside the bar until the face is flush with the exterior of the bar. The Bosch sensor body is threaded sufficiently for this range of adjustment.

Only the sensor face is visible.

The finished install is as per OEM.

Cheers, MM


Apologies for the thread hijack

[Maverick]

Votex has always supplied Cobra PDC kits to my knowledge. So if you want to retro fit flush mount sensors - order Bosch (non VAG retro fit). If you want "cheap looking" sensors - order Votex (Cobra) - VAG retro fit kit/spare part. My GTI had Bosch and my T5 has Cobra. Aesthetically I don't mind either and both styles work equally well.

Mounting style of the sensor does not indicate quality of the sensor.

The only way to have flush mounted sensors is to replace the top half of the rear bumper with the bar designed for the oem sensors. The dealers don't do this and fit a cheap $50 set of reverse sensors that don't integrate into the car, look like crud and charge $790-$890 for the privilege whilst describing them as the same as if they came from the factory.

[MultiplexMan]

There are several styles of trailer harness available.

The VAG harness (between $100-200: there was a price range when I went shopping for the harness as a spare part) interfaces at the rear light cluster - and extends the existing lighting circuit.

There is a VERY long signal wire that interfaces to the PDC (park distance control) module located on the firewall (passenger side footwell from memory). This is only required with vehicles fitted with both front & rear sensors (Multivan, Passat-at time I was doing install). This is explained in the installation instructions supplied with the harness.

My GTI only had rear sensors and did not require the connection of the long signal wire. My PDC module was in the rear and "spliced" into the rear lighting harness.

A second style of harness takes power from the battery and relays the rear light cluster signals - only trace power is taken from the vehicle lighting circuit. Some HR installers offer this harness as an option (around $100 saving over the VAG harness).

Taking your vehicle to a dealership will almost guarrantee you the highest quote (around double for my GTI, and 60% more for my T5). The main difference was in labour quoted as I used VAG parts (harness and hitch). A dealership will not guarrantee you a quality job - refer to posts/experiences of other forum members.

One VW dealership estimated almost double the hours than its sister dealership (same franchise). I was under the impression that dealerships worked off a "standard table" - this is not the case with all items. I have experienced this variation with spare part quotes too.

I would strongly recommend using the VAG harness. There was no physical difference in the hitch receivers.

Cheers, MM



BTW Cobra Germany supply "ParkMaster" modules for Votex. The different part numbers in the Votex catalog give you vehicle specific instructions, a different cardboard box...but the same module. Cobra supply two modules - front and rear specific.

http://www.cobra-alarm.de/

With regard to park sensors, it may be the case the OEM factory fitted sensors are Bosch (or whomever VAG has supply contract with this year).

http://rb-k.bosch.de/en/safety_comfort/driving_comfort/driverassistancesystems/parkingaid/components.html

http://aa.bosch.de/advastaboschaa/Product.jsp?prod_id=324&ccat_id=132&language=en-GB&publication=1

Votex has always supplied Cobra PDC kits to my knowledge. So if you want to retro fit flush mount sensors - order Bosch (non VAG retro fit). If you want "cheap looking" sensors - order Votex (Cobra) - VAG retro fit kit/spare part. My GTI had Bosch and my T5 has Cobra. Aesthetically I don't mind either and both styles work equally well.

Mounting style of the sensor does not indicate quality of the sensor.

Trailer Protection = standard function of alarm module, that is, electrical circuit break detection. Factory loom supports this as the trailer harness becomes an extension of the vehicle harness.

[Maverick]

I've read about one of the marques having released an ESP that detects trailer jack knifing and works to prevent/avoid/fix it. I believe it was Volvo and they were talking about an estate/wagon. It was some time ago and they had definitely brought it to market, ie there are some ESP/VSC/ASC/ESC systems that do have programming to stabilise towed loads.

I'm sure Bosch charge a premium for the pleasure of the programming,

Do you expect them to develop it, test it and market this system and then give it away for free??

and I'd be willing to bet VW do not have it on the Golf.

It does have have this system STANDARD on all cars with ESC.

And if you have the GTI or the GT with the optional alarm then you also have trailer protection, someone unplugs a trailer that is connected when you arm the alarm and the alarm will trigger.

[Maverick]

Don't count on it.

I paid megabucks for the genuine tow bar only to find the parking sensors do NOT turn off when the trailer is connected. The manual says that it does for a FACTORY FITTED towbar which might apply in Europe. Our towbars are DEALER FITTED and made by a kiwi outfit (ie it is not factory fitted and is really an aftermarket towbar approved by VW). Haven't figured out if the other stuff works or not.

Are your reverse sensors factory fitted or dealer fitted?

I'd be betting that you have cheap aftermarket sensors fitted by the dealer who charged you the price of the factory fitted ones. Are they set back into the bumper or are they raised?

[VW Convert]

Don't count on it.

I paid megabucks for the genuine tow bar only to find the parking sensors do NOT turn off when the trailer is connected. The manual says that it does for a FACTORY FITTED towbar which might apply in Europe. Our towbars are DEALER FITTED and made by a kiwi outfit (ie it is not factory fitted and is really an aftermarket towbar approved by VW). Haven't figured out if the other stuff works or not.

I got the genuine dealer fitted towbar, it was a total schemozzle they ended up having to refit it and replace the rear bumper bar because they had totally stuffed it up. I think the price is outrageous and is definitely a case of limited competition = high prices.

BTW, my reverse sensors don't operate when the towbar is in use.

Cheers

George

[vanDub]

As mentioned above, the factory bar kit works properly with the ABS, ASC &c, tells you of bulb-outs and so on, plus it apparently works in with your parking sensors (if fitted) by switching off the reverse sensors when a trailer is hooked up.

Don't count on it.

I paid megabucks for the genuine tow bar only to find the parking sensors do NOT turn off when the trailer is connected. The manual says that it does for a FACTORY FITTED towbar which might apply in Europe. Our towbars are DEALER FITTED and made by a kiwi outfit (ie it is not factory fitted and is really an aftermarket towbar approved by VW). Haven't figured out if the other stuff works or not.

[craigy]

My Hayman Reece bar was $600 fitted at Rallyspeed in Artarmon. The is included the canbus adaptor. The BestBars looks a bit better but $900 in my pocket felt better again.

[LiFers]

- How does ABS/ESC function change if a trailer is attached?
ABS inputs are primarily individual wheel rotation speeds, throttle and brake %, vehicle speed, steering angle, and pitch/yaw.

- Same questions with regard to ASC...etc.

I've read about one of the marques having released an ESP that detects trailer jack knifing and works to prevent/avoid/fix it. I believe it was Volvo and they were talking about an estate/wagon. It was some time ago and they had definitely brought it to market, ie there are some ESP/VSC/ASC/ESC systems that do have programming to stabilise towed loads.

I'm sure Bosch charge a premium for the pleasure of the programming, and I'd be willing to bet VW do not have it on the Golf.