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Author Topic: Fitting a tow bar  (Read 957 times)

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elitematt

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Fitting a tow bar
« on: 23 May 2011, 23:44:24 »

Evening all,

has anyone on here ever fitted a tow bar to there Omega ?

I am off camping in August and have bought myself a tent, well when I say tent it is more of a canvas bungalow which is in several large bags when not up, so to accommodate this and all the other camping kit I was thinking of getting a trailer and fitting a tow bar to the Omega.

Just wandering if anyone has fitted one ? can you recommend one ? what sort of money are they ?

I am tempted to buy it and have a crack at fitting it myself, I am fine with having a go at the bar but the electrics side of it scare me a bit.

Cheers

Matt
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Lazydocker

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #1 on: 24 May 2011, 03:15:33 »

I am fitting one to my estate later today. Wittier tow bars (andyc can do a good price on them) come with quite clear instructions  :y

The electrical side is well covered int the electrical section on here :y
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blackviper90210

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #2 on: 24 May 2011, 07:29:13 »

I've had Witter on both my saloon & estate. The saloon, you need to take the rear bumper off to attach it but the estate is much easier!
I drilled out the 6 holes on the boot, 4 on the left 2 on the right and they're all marked out ready. Indentations on the floor pan, can't miss them. Following the destruction guide that Witter give you, I fitted the bar no problem.
Electrics though, like you, not totally happy with doing so got my local mechanic to sort that out and torque all the bolts up...sorted!  :y
I'm no mechanic whatsoever, but gave it a go and felt chuffed.  :)

HTH  :y
« Last Edit: 24 May 2011, 07:29:55 by blackviper90210 »
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feeutfo

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #3 on: 24 May 2011, 09:12:19 »

Fitted one to a saloon. Easy enough as said, the holes are pre marked. Just drill though and bolt on.

However there are a couple of differamt designs to consider ime. There are two main mounting points for and aft of the petrol tank on the saloon. Which have to be connected structurally by the tow bar gubbins obviously. The swan neck type I had looks far better from outside the car as the tow bar is semi removable via two bolts, but, this design means theres a metal plate that runs along the floor of the boot under the carpet. This makes the boot floor uneven, but also inter fears with fitting an LPG tank along the back seats.

The type on my car now has the structure on the underside of the petrol tank, but it's not removable in any way and allows the fitting of bike racks to the flange bracket etc. Non removable would appear most practicle, for my purposes at least, but it's dam ugly and a shin breaker.

Then there is the vx factory fit removable job. Expensive I guess, and there the mention of uprated springs on some vx listings.  :-/ but I have no experience with this one, or estate models.

Hth.
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Andy B

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #4 on: 24 May 2011, 09:38:37 »

Quote
.... this design means theres a metal plate that runs along the floor of the boot under the carpet. This makes the boot floor uneven,  ......

but this type of bar would original have had a MDF board in the boot floor that helped even things up. I cut an old piece of carpet for mine, it helps!  ;)
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Andy B

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #5 on: 24 May 2011, 09:41:12 »

Quote
... but the electrics side of it scare me a bit.

Cheers

Matt

Have a look through some of the posts from Geoff over the last week or 2 and elsewhere in the forum (use a search in Google) there's loads of info. Most of the wiring you need has already been supplied at a plug/socket in the back of the boot by Vauxhall.  :y
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robson

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #6 on: 24 May 2011, 19:17:35 »

I had a witter fitted and there was no removal of bumper
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robson

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #7 on: 24 May 2011, 19:18:19 »

Sorry that was on a saloon
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Andy H

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #8 on: 24 May 2011, 20:01:50 »

I fitted a Witter to my facelift saloon a few weeks ago.

I didn't remove the bumper and had no problem fitting the bar.
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Lazydocker

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #9 on: 24 May 2011, 20:28:38 »

Well... It's fitted. Easy to follow the instructions but access was a little tight. All done and working though :y
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elitematt

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Re: Fitting a tow bar
« Reply #10 on: 24 May 2011, 20:30:35 »

Thanks for the advice, I am little less concerned about fitting one my self now, I am really after a detachable one which seem a lot more cash for some reason that I cannot understand.

For that reason I was looking at the swan neck, and from what I can see they are essentially a detachable bar without the luxury of a quick release mechanism to take the swan neck off so if you want to remove it you have to get under the car with your socket set and job done.
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