Towbar Information

[ftaffy]

Hey Prank,

Thanks it does. Were does the tongue sit in regards to the bumper, does it come out and run below or is straight out of it?

cheers,
Taffy

[Guest001]

I was going to go with this one as mine has rear sensors

Passat Wagon (B7) includes Alltrack | Towbars Australia


Or alternatively this one as I am in Brisbane

Tow Bars :: VW :: Passat

[Guest001]

Hey Guys,
Looking at options to install a tow bar onto my 2014 Passat B7 that i am getting

Dealer quote: Towbar pack: $737, Electrics: $552 Labour: $660
Or course i can get the pack and electrics for ~$1300 and just install myself.

3 options from Towbars Australia - Which as a "universal European ECU Relaying wiring loom kit" - anyone used this? Does not give me the warm and fuzzy feeling with that description on a modern car.

Medium Duty: $
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20360[/ATTACH]
Heavy duty: 839.95
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20359[/ATTACH]
Euro: $894.70
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20361[/ATTACH]

Euro Car Upgrades - Comes with a wiring kit that others on here have used.
Westfalia Euro style: $1048, free Dec postage offer.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]20362[/ATTACH]

I am leaning towards Euro Car Upgrades option as its been used by guys in this thread but wanted to see if anyone had used any others?
Any pictures of how the medium/heavy duty options look? Guessing these will result in either a visible cut or hang below as per the look of the R36 earlier in this thread.

Thanks,
Taffy

Just remember that installing a Towbar that is rated higher than the cars limits does NOT allow you to exceed those limits

EG Car 1200kg & 90kg ball weight Towbar 1500kg & 120kg ball Limits are what the car has


Likewise if the towbar is rated less than the car,

Car 1200kg & 90kg ball Towbar 1000kg and 75 kg ball Limits are what the towbar has

Theoretical but thats how it works

The ADR rule say that towing limits are the manufacturers recommended vehicle limit or the rated limit of the towbar

WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER

[PranK]

Hey Prank,

Thanks it does. Were does the tongue sit in regards to the bumper, does it come out and run below or is straight out of it?

cheers,
Taffy

Hey Taffy,

The rear bar has to be cut as the tongue socket (for lack of a better word) goes through. Its really easy to remove the tongue and have just the socket (whatever its called) sitting a little proud of the bar.

See some pics here; http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...ghlight=towbar

If you want I can take some pics when I get home in the day light.

Christian

[ftaffy]

Hey Euro Cars,

Is your wiring loom take off the lights or integrated with the ECU for the braking adjustment?

Prank, thanks for the link. Looks good. Installation sounds like a PITA...

Thanks,
Taffy

[limiteded]

Wiring & permanent positive

In reference to a b7 alltrack, and the genuine towbar/ wiring and control unit from VW aust

I went to test my genuine vw towbar/wiring harness for the presence of a permanent positive(terminal 30), for a brake controller on another trailer.
The permanent positive was not existant, not from the euro 13 pin plug - pin 9.

Because i have the current flow diagrams avaliable from erwin, i was able to know what to look for. After a fair bit of investigation including vcds diagnostics and testing, i figured i had to pull the trim apart and have a look at what was wired into the trailer control unit(j345), which is behind the luggage area left side trim piece, on the wheel arch.
Note i advise to use the manuals so that u know where and how to remove this side trim as alot of other trim/parts are required to be removed.

it turns out that the genuine wiring harness from the 13 pin europlug, to the j345, is wired for everything except the permanent positive-pin9, another earth connection- pin 11, and a charge line - pin 10. Ie these wires are not connected to the j345 or ground, at the control unit location on the wheel arch.
these 3 wires are terminated into a separate 3pin plug, which is left floating next to the control unit. The VW instructions state u have to buy a westfalia wiring harness ( 300 025 300 113), and route it to the front of the vehicle to the fuse box SC.

anyway because i have all the VW wiring terminals, crimpers, tools and knowledge, i was able to take the pin 9 wire, cut it at this floating 3 pin plug, and crimp a new terminal on it suitable for the j345 16 way connector, and insert the permanent positive wire into the correct terminal of the j345, and get my permanent positive. In the vcds coding you can select whether you want this pin always active, only active if a trailer is connected, or not active at all. Std coding is always active. I think that the j345 will auto turn it off if the battery volts are to low.

i also bonded the earth cable, and connected a wire to that charge line mentioned, and have run the wire to the front of the vehicle inthe passenger footwell, since i had all the trim removed, i thought why not. When i decide its necessary i may finish it and connect it somewhere.

also be aware that the 13pineuro to 7 pin flat aust/nz converter from vw aust is not wired for the permanent positive to pin 2 of the flat. It needs to be modified to get this. But ive made my own ones up also with the 12pin flat connector.

[Euro Car Upgrades]

good on your Limiteded.
There is a new website being launched by us as a forum sponsor purely for tow bars and their installation.
If you need any help, go to the booking form.
Welcome to Australia Tow Bars store! - Australia Tow Bars store
You seem like you know what you are doing anyway. But there will be a lot of people without the access to ELSA or Coding Information.