If you can undo a bolt, you can fit a tow bar. It is simple. The time taken to fit, is mostly taken up with removing and refitting the rear bumper, but even that is quite simple. Make sure you buy a dedicated wiring kit, piece of cake to fit.

I fitted my own a few weeks ago. Took 3 hours, start to finish and everything worked first time.

I had a detachable towbar fitted to my SC for £550 including VAT and with Westfalia electrics. Haven;lt used it yet but seems pretty good! Got to take a few bikes over to Czech at the end of August.

Did look very easy to fit though to be honest.

cheers Alex

2018 Skoda Kodiaq vRS
2009 Caterham Supersport Race car
2007 M5 Touring
2005 Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged
2004 SL55 AMG

Thanks for all the advice guys

Much appreciated

Cheers
Dave Current : 4.2 S/C, now Sold
Previous : V70 Volvo, S40 Volvo ( a very reliable old banger ), E39 M5, Carlton Diplomat and the list goes on

Life Sucks but ya just have to do the best you can with what you have !

Full Fat Ray wrote:

I think it is only the later (post 2010) vehicles which need coding. Mines a 2006, and when I recently fitted a towbar and 13 pin kit for towing our tin tent, without having to have anything coded the car knows when the tin tent is on the back, and the engine and gearbox mapping is altered (clever ba rds, these chinese!!)

Hi all,

Trying to find out whether I can install the Westfalia detachable (or multi-position / farmers) tow bar to my 2011 FF, and crucially, whether or not the coding (which I believe should be done to keep things kosher) is a DIY job, or one for a specialist installer?
Will be looking to buy all the kit (incl. 13-pin dedicated wiring) from PF Jones in the next week or so, but was hoping to avoid additional expense and just fit it myself.

Appreciate any replies.

Scub

P.S. Is it easy enough to remove the receiver on the detachable for greater ground clearance when taking the car off road?

Just on your PS, removing the receiver involves removing one bolt (24mm from memory). It has a spring clip through it to be removed with pliers. The bolt is at quite high torque to stop the stem of the receiver from moving about when the trailer goes over bumps, so I found I needed quite a big bar on the socket plus a ring spanner on the other end of the bolt to stop it turning. Not every socket will grip as there is a reasonable amount of bolt beyond the nut. I found it desirable to copper grease the nut and the stem of the receiver to stop them seizing in place.

I have never found it worth removing the receiver for off road driving, the difference in departure angle must be minimal, it's not like say the P38 where the towbar stuck out quite a way and would catch the ground regularly. I do think it worth removing the hook though, (a) as it will make more difference to departure angle and (b) because it needs to be kept clean and lubricated or it seizes up. If you do get earth etc into the receiver then clean it out thoroughly as it will prevent the hook seating properly and safely. I was surprised how little dirt in the receiver was required to cause a problem. Only Range Rovers since 1988

CS, thanks for your reply.
Update on the coding: I scored a winner when, on a previous visit to local the dealer, I traded the Manager's offer of a full valet for the promise to code the tow bar for me after I install it!
Typical though, I've still not got around to ordering it.

you are not far from me I fitted it my self if you need any advise or want to have a look they are super easy to fit took me 2- 3 hours tops.

I got the Witter (farm one) since detachable are in my book a pain in the arse (ive had one on my 530D and never detached it), I also either tow my car trailer or a horse box and don't like the detachable I see it as a week link.

I got electric from PJ jones since RR wanted £400 for them and it was plug and play no problems with there kit. The MOT Track days Test Dummy

2007 Vogue SE TDV8

In the end, I fitted my towbar myself last month (sorry, I didn't take any photos )

I bought all the bits from PF Jones and opted for the the cheaper, flange-style (farmers) kit because of two reasons:

1. The more expensive detachable swan neck type was on back order with Westfalia, with delivery time unknown.
2. I tow very infrequently, so the farmers hitch lives most of the time in its dedicated storage bag in the boot, and the armature looks much more discrete without the bulging swan-neck receiver poking out.

The wiring was easy (plug & play), and I'll get the coding done at the next service interval.
Note that, for post 2009 models, the instructions that come with the kit make you think the job is more simple than it is! When you take the rear bumper off, you also need to remove the rear crash bar before removing the factory towing eye brackets ...which is a pig of a job due to limited access in the under-floor compartments on either side!
However, having a good socket set helps no end.

The only thing that I think will take some getting used to is the amount of play in the tow bar flange/receiver. It's more sloppy than I had expected (in spite of advice), and it causes quite a knocking noise whenever the trailer goes over a bump. If anyone has a solution or recommendation to reduce the effect of this, then I'll be keen to hear about it!


Regards,

I had the same issue with the towbar clunking in the receiver going over bumps. It's just a case of tightening the bolt more so the sides of the receiver grip the bar. A long bar on the socket helps to achieve the necessary tightening. Only Range Rovers since 1988

hmm. It's a pin and R-clip (not a bolt) that holds the bar into the receiver. I maybe forgot to mention it's a Westfalia, not a Witter tow bar.

The manual says not to substitute the pin for a 'regular' bolt (or words to that effect), and this I assume is because the pin is shear tested and rated for the application. So I wouldn't be keen to go against that guidance.

However, it's got me thinking about perhaps using some thin shims of metal to reduce the free play ...i think the normal panacea of liberal application of gaffer tape would not prove effective on this occasion and only make it hard/impossible to slide the bar in and out again ...so that one's out.

I'm pretty sure the bar and pin must be sufficiently rated to these occasional shock loads which arise due to the (limited amount of) free play, but I don't think it can be too healthy having the knocks transmitted through the mountings!?

I think I'll get on the phone to PF Jones for some expert advice.

Cheers

OK, I've seen a Youtube video of the kit you have "Westfalia towbar on range rover 322" or similar and it says that the movement is just a 'feature' of that towbar. I have the LR accessory version which is held in by a bolt which takes a 24mm socket I think and there is also an R clip through it as a secondary security measure. I had assumed yours would be like that, sorry for the confusion. I wonder whether the LR accessory bolt would work on your towbar, and I suppose that is what your expert advice will tell you... Only Range Rovers since 1988

folks on here have used shims to stop the knocking, it needs some free play to make it removable, if it was an interference fit it would not come out easily......

have a search on here I'm sure there are a few threads on it. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Sorry for tagging into this, but a question about the coding.

Recently had an issue where the caravan fell off the tow bar, only damaged caused was the 13pin socket.

As van need that day, I purchased a new socket and rewired, different coloured wires on land rover loom, all works apart from the reversing lights on the van.

Checked van with mates car all works.

rechecked all the connections still no reversing lights

Yet I get a voltage from the pin.

Have priced up a new dedicated loom with Dan, but before I part with £112. Just wanted your advice please

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Update it was the fuse , didn't realise the reversing lights had a fuse for the trailer, every day is a school day Three things in a blokes life his dog,his car and a Cornish pasty,nothing else matters.

2010 Range Rover Vogue SE Santorini Black, Arabica Aniline seats

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1973 Mini 1000
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1991 Jaguar Soveriegn
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2003 Honda CRV
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2003 Range Rover HSE Epson Green with Sand trim.