I Know I'm Reasonably Handy With Wiring...

[Mr Nick]

But I may have to seek some professional help with this job.

I've bought myself a towbar for my Giulietta and opted for the dedicated wiring kit for it as I'd believed, perhaps wrongly with hindsight, that it would be relatively plug & play and I wouldn't be clipping horrible scotch locks all over the loom. The physical towbar itself looks easy enough to install so I'm OK with that side.

However, this arrived today:


There's maybe just a little more than I'd expected, even with it being the 13 pin setup. I've had a quick read over the assorted pictures in the 2 fitting instructions (there's the main plug wiring and also an extension that has to go right to the battery) and it's not jumping out as being that straightforward. I'll have a better look at it all & see whether I'm going to try or just find a proper fitter to tackle it.

[hotbulb]

If it's anything like my old Punto, all the electrics seem to run through a "body computer" which does things like monitoring bulb condition .... I suspect it's something like the Canbus system used by BMW etc (if not as sophisticated). The Punto throws wobblies if I try to replace the sidelight bulbs with LEDs, for example, but left to its own devices is absolutely fine.
Unless you're fully confident, and the instructions are clearer than most, I'd be inclined to seek a professional!

[Joe Rocket]

I fitted my own tow bar on my Nissan. It came with one simple instruction leaflet, 7 pin colour coded, prewired male and female connectors. Only had to scotch lock the wires at the back of the car. Simple.....? No. One of the connectors was shown from pin side instead of wire side and brake light wire fused out winkers! Trip to dealer to get the fuse replaced which was hidden away somewhere in the engine compartment and not the fuse box.

Mr Nick, there doesn't seem to be an extention long enough to go to the battery unless it's in the boot!

But then, what do I know...........? 

 

[endintears]

Scotch locks - the devils work...

[mr_diver]

Scotch locks, for those who don't like the smell of melting flux.    (and burnt fingers)

You've just reminded me I need more gas for my soldering iron.

[StromGeeza]

 I fitted tow bar and associated electrics to my Freelander when I had it. So long as you properly understand the instructions by reading them repeatedly, matching up the diagrams with the physical parts you should be OK.
Of course that means the instructions have to be totally trustworthy...
I would Scotchlock initially so you can verify all is OK, then you can revisit the connections and use an alternative connection of your choosing.
I left the Scotchlocks and never had problems, but it's not such a harsh environment for most electricals in a car compared to on a bike.
Have fun!

[TLPower]

Scotch locks should be added to the list of things never mentioned. Religion, politics, children and scotch locks sounds about right.

[tallpaul]

Agreed TLP. Hateful things, Scotchloks.

[Mr Nick]

I've enlarged the little A5 destruction booklets up to A4 today and I'm really tending towards getting someone else to blame for making a mess of this... There's a Westfalia agent a few miles away who's going to come back to me with a price for just fitting the electrics once he's had a chance to check the specific setup out.
What's making me cautious is there's a few bits in the booklets that aren't clear and relate to things that seem to be in some big Westfalia installers book. Little symbols that aren't entirely apparent what it's asking you to do: for example, something that looks like an electrical probe that doesn't really hint at what it is you're looking for...
It all being LED units at the rear is also putting me off as they're a smidge more expensive to replace when they let the smoke out than bulbs!

And there's plenty wire in both bundles to get to the battery - the right one is purely for that purpose.

[Mr Nick]

Quick update:
Took the chance yesterday when it wasn't raining here (just gales..) to fit the towbar itself - fairly straightforward & all done in under 2 hours. I've booked the car in to the caravan place to get him to fit the wiring & that's next Tuesday which leaves me just over a week to sort out a trailer to get the SP3 to Ingliston show by closing time on 6th March as she's going on the Guzzi club stand.
All this just in case the weather is crap & I don't fancy riding her over on the Friday, cleaning her up, getting home somehow, then back to the show to pick her up Sunday again & ride home in the dark...

Obligatory picture of the bar before refitting the bumper:


Quite unobtrusive once it's all together:

[Mr Nick]

And I'm glad I posted that as I've just found where my 13mm deep impact socket went since I couldn't find it when I finished yesterday: it's on the bottom left nut in the pic - I've just been out to the car & it was still there tonight despite being out in the car a couple of times since then.. 

[TLPower]

Excellent work Mr Nick. Do I spy Uniroyal Rainsport3's?

[Mr Nick]

You do indeed. Had quite a few of them now - always worth having a good rain tyre in this country...

[TLPower]

Yep, I have them on the T5. 

[Mr Nick]

I find them very capable in both dry & wet and seem to suit the G really well. They're only on the back for now as the Conti TS860 winters are on the fronts for a wee while.