Wiring the tow bar

[tonk]

Just bought a new tow bar (thanks Hormygollop). Fit it today and planning on wiring in tomo, any hints or tips specific to the Surf

[phorbiuz]

Make sure you know where all your fuses are - engine bay and drivers footwell. Did mine at the weekend (Towequipe) and I blew the sidelights. Not knowing there was another fusebox inside the car led to one or two cursed remarks and the odd flying spanner!

[Ems and Jim]

Just bought a new tow bar (thanks Hormygollop). Fit it today and planning on wiring in tomo, any hints or tips specific to the Surf

Hi Tonk,

My surf is a 1993 2.4 but I guess the wiring codes are similar / faily obvious.

I linked the towbar electrics behind the lefthand taillamp and the attached document has the towbar electrix colour codes & my Surf equivalents...

Hope it helps U. - Note there are two tail lamp conections show.... u only need one, as either left or right will do both.

[mark g8awo]

If you go to any caravan supplier they do wiring harness complete but here is a small thought for you get a plate made for the electric sockets that will keep them above the tow ball or you will be forever replacing the sockets along with the fog lamp when you off road.

[europa88]

If you go to any caravan supplier they do wiring harness complete but here is a small thought for you get a plate made for the electric sockets that will keep them above the tow ball or you will be forever replacing the sockets along with the fog lamp when you off road.

Good advice I'm just finishing wiring mine and am raising both the 12n and the 12s socket(for a split relay) to approx 50mm above the towball just in front of the bumper.( I used a bumper protecter plate I already had)

Just a thought, the seperate left and right tail lamp connections, are i think in case one fails there is still some illumination. I ran two wires under the finishing strip from one side to the other for indicators and L/h tailamp.
(Very easy)
Cheers
Neil

[Pete]

Hi Tonk,

My surf is a 1993 2.4 but I guess the wiring codes are similar / faily obvious.

I linked the towbar electrics behind the lefthand taillamp and the attached document has the towbar electrix colour codes & my Surf equivalents...

Hope it helps U. - Note there are two tail lamp conections show.... u only need one, as either left or right will do both.

Do the rear panels have to come off to do the wiring? or can it be done by just removing the light clusters?
Pete

[europa88]

You really need to at least pull the panels out from their clips at the back end
to get to the wiring. the long finishing strip that tidies up the carpet/trim needs to come out (just five self tapppers) then you can pull gently but firmly
on the side panels to ease them out!

As i said I didn't need to remove them totally!

Cheers

Neil

[fasteddie]

Cheers for this thread guys, i picked up my towbar this week and took one look at the wiring thinking it was going to be a ba#tard,It was looking like i was gonna have trouble locating a spot to pick the car wiring up, but with your advice i should be able to tackle it a bit more easily!

Out of interest anyone know what the towing limit is with a '93 surf?

[mark g8awo]

There are two main things to think of when towing.

An unbraked trailor must not exceed 750kg gross and that is across the board.


The towing weight is approx 2.2t but do not forget that also includes the trailor so be carfull of what you pick up, Also you should also make sure that you do not exceed nose towing weight of which i think is 90kg. The easiest and cheapest way to check this is with a set of bathroom scales and a cut down broom handle in the towing socket.

[mark lawton]

hi all, had trouble finding out about wiring the aux (white) towbar socket.
I now realise there is a difference if connecting to caravans pre 1999.
This mis match can cause shorts and failures.
A good link on wiring the 12s (also 12n) and euro sockets can be found here.... http://www.caravanninglinks.co.uk/el...iring_code.htm
Got my plugs and relays (relays needed to allow power of caravan charge and fridge without killing your starting battery) from www.towsure.com - great service as always
Hope this helps anyone with similar questions,
cheers mark

[dizzymole]

3rd gen tow hitch wiring

Hi all in muddy surf land, does anyone know which is the best or simplest side to connect up the tow bar wiring to main loom. This is on a 3rd gen. or if there is a socket in loom all tucked up nice n warm behind some sound deadening behind one of the side panels