towbar

[goldshy]

2 questions has anyone had a full towbar and electrics fitted to a bongo in the gloucestershire area and how (est ) how much, and two will it do damage to the rear as mine has the full areo kit fitted many thanks.

[dunslair]

Can't help with the local fitting advice, but we have a towbar fitted with the aero body kit. It required a little bit of careful cutting at the tow ball, but you can't see it when you put the plastic cover over your ball... as it were. we got the towbar from BF shop and local mechanic fitted it (about 4 hours labour if I recall, including stripping rear panels to fit electrics etc). The plate on the towbar sits down about 10mm below the line of the body skirt at the back, but you don't notice it and it dives a bit of protecetion to th rear bumper / body kit from grounding.

Hope this helps at least in part.

[wormey]

I've just had a quote from a local towbar fitter, £380.

I can buy the correct tow bar from towsure for £114, the fitter wanted £214.

Looks like I'll be fitting my own, rip off merchants.

Rant over, just thought I'd let you know an Essex price for fitting, must be gold.

[Alacrity]

That is only just over £50.00 an hour (assuming 4 hrs) which doesn't seem steep to me? Less if that figure includes VAT. I have to say it took more than 4 hrs to get mine all fitted, wired & all the twiddly bits tidied up.

[mikexgough]

Tow Trust make a towbar that fits without removing the bumper...... £105 I paid all in inc electrics ..... nice plastic coated finish rather than cheapo matt black "blow over" and fitted in an hour..... I kept Bongo on the ground too and as I had no helper I used a pair of ramps to support the Tow bar at just below the bumper so then I just needed to raise the tow bar up to locate and when all located ......did the bolts up tight.... then fitted the electrics...

[Mattsonics]

Just bought Tow bar from Bongobits (A1 Towing type):

Several issues I am afraid!

Requires 4 holes to be drilled in box section, 3 at 16mm to accept bushes, one at 19mm. I can do this, but seems excessive compared to descriptions of bars fitted by others (however I will be towing heavy things, so possibly worth it).

The 19mm hole however comes vertically through the main cross member (box section) under the trim just inside tail gate - the place it pops up is in line with trim fittings?!?! - anyone come across this - and thus have any ideas!!



Matt

[missfixit70]

I don't remember it being an issue when I fitted mine, but then that was nearly 3 years ago, I guess I may have had to trim the plastic on the underside of the trim? I think I did the holes in the cross members with a spade bit?

[lars]

I fitted an "A1 Towing" towbar to mine, no issues, just mark and drill. The vertical bolt when fitted bolt head up and nut down as it were did not require any trimming to the plastic strip covering it as there was enough clearance. Good value bar at around £80, including electrics, delivered.

[missfixit70]

Obviously make sure you remove the plastic trim before drilling Mattsonics

[mister munkey]

Not sure that 4 hours labour is right.

Mine was done on a sunday morning at a well known NW Bongo shop in almost exactly 90 minutes start to finish, including all drilling & electrics.

[missfixit70]

I'd say mine was at least a cuople of hours just to fit the bar, then probably getting on for 2 hours to sort the wiring out & route the cables, but that was from scratch & with the odd cup of tea & brain fart thrown in. Plus I was waxoiling holes etc as I went.
I'd expect someone with hydraulic ramps etc that does it a bit more often should be able to do it in a much shorter time.

[dave_aber]

the place it pops up is in line with trim fittings?!?! - anyone come across this - and thus have any ideas!!

I have an A1 towbar fitted by JAL. Sounds the same as you have - the bolt on the left hand end of the bar comes through the floor in line with one of the fittings on the rear trim. Just get a hot knife or angle grinder, and cut off the fitting so it's flush and make sure that the bolt is either fitted from above, or the excess is cut off flush, and the trim will fit back on OK.

[Mattsonics]

That's me told!

Ok - will crack on with it!

Actually it wasn't the hole drilling that had wound me up I guess, it was he fact that several bolts and washers were missing from the kit; and that the left plate will require fitting under tension, as the little plate (which sits at 45 degrees to the left box section running up the bongo) is not actually at 45 degrees, like the tow bar plate is. a tow bar has been fitted previously with obviously had much lighter attachment, and i think this may have bent it up and out. Sledgehammer to straighten?

Kirsty - just read other post re BTTP - I think I was also at Newcastle Riverside gig in 90/91?! small world. (And lots of others at that time - most notably The Duchess of York in Leeds though!)

Thanks

Matt