Author Topic: Wiring up a towbar properly (Read 3652 times)

Cunning Plan · « **on:** October 13, 2008, 10:37:00 am »

I am just about to put a towbar on the daily driver so I can trailer my bus to my parent's house with a hoooge garage..

I bought a good Ford one from a scrappy for £25 with electrics! So was quite happy with that.

Ive wired in a towbar before and I simply used scotch locks to piggy-back the power from the rear lights.

What is the proper way of wiring it in? Where should I take the feed from and how should I wire it instead of scotch locks as I know most people hate them and refer to them as only just better than twisting 2 wires around eachother!

Roadkill · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2008, 11:17:28 am »

Twisting wires around each other is O.K . . . . as long as you wrap a bit of sellotape around it afterwards.

Titsy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2008, 11:35:03 am »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

scotch locks

Noooooooooo....

Quoting: Cunning Plan

What is the proper way of wiring it in?

Soldering iron for the win...

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2008, 12:37:27 pm »

Okay..

Next Problem, I didnt see the car it came from so i dont know what it was using to attach the bar to the chassie rails.

After looking at them, it seems like bolt holes with like a clip on one side???

Do you think that I could get away with a long bolt, decent washers and a nylon-threaded nut x4??

Roadkill · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2008, 01:13:10 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

long bolt, decent washers

Make sure you're using high-tensile bolts (not set-screws).

Bolts will have a "shoulder" (a smooth bit between head and thread) whereas set-screws are threaded right the way along. If there's a side-ways load (which there will be) on the threaded area this can result in shearing - hence the bolt with a shoulder.

Always use 8.8 grade or above, the biggest dia you can get away with.

Nyloks are fine.

If you're stuck finding decent washers I have a stash of industrial thickness M10, M12 and M16 at home.

Decent washers will make all the difference.

See what Pollards have got.

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2008, 01:21:08 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

Make sure you're using high-tensile bolts (not set-screws).

Bolts will have a "shoulder" (a smooth bit between head and thread) whereas set-screws are threaded right the way along. If there's a side-ways load (which there will be) on the threaded area this can result in shearing - hence the bolt with a shoulder.

Always use 8.8 grade or above, the biggest dia you can get away with.

Nyloks are fine.

If you're stuck finding decent washers I have a stash of industrial thickness M10, M12 and M16 at home.

Decent washers will make all the difference.

See what Pollards have got

Awesome post, exactly what I needed to know.. Funny enough I went to Pollards at lunch to get the bolts which were the H.T ones although I didnt know to use the "shoulder" version. As it is, the bolts I got are too small so Ill go back and get longer H.T ones with the shoulders and some uber washers and nyloks

Tanks Rk.

philoldsmobile · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2008, 05:10:49 pm »

people moan about scotch locks, but have a towbar professionaly fitted, and thats what they use.. they are easy to get wrong though..

most problems come when people trap the wire, cutting through it. i've done it myself!!

i seem to recall M12 bolts being the norm for towbars. the ball to towbar bolts will be 15/16 AF

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2008, 07:26:35 pm »

Quoting: philoldsmobile

people moan about scotch locks, but have a towbar professionaly fitted, and thats what they use.. they are easy to get wrong though..

most problems come when people trap the wire, cutting through it. i've done it myself!!

i seem to recall M12 bolts being the norm for towbars. the ball to towbar bolts will be 15/16 AF

Good point PO. I used scotch locks on the last towy I installed and it worked fine... May just go again with them

Titsy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2008, 07:56:16 pm »

Quoting: philoldsmobile

people moan about scotch locks, but have a towbar professionaly fitted, and thats what they use.. they are easy to get wrong though..

most problems come when people trap the wire, cutting through it. i've done it myself!!

I seem to remember wasting ALOT of time when we were wiring the BBQ because you had buggered the towbar install using scotch locks...

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2008, 08:52:22 pm »

Quoting: Titsy

I seem to remember wasting ALOT of time when we were wiring the BBQ because you had buggered the towbar install using scotch locks.

LOL LOL, LOL...... lol... Ok who to believe?

Do I scotch or have a scotch myself

Titsy · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2008, 09:03:54 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

or have a scotch myself

I'll have one while you're there...

EDGE · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2008, 10:48:04 pm »

nowt wrong with scorch locks !

Titsy · « **Reply #12 on:** October 13, 2008, 10:59:45 pm »

Quoting: EDGE

nowt wrong with scorch locks !

Wash your mouth out boy....

EDGE · « **Reply #13 on:** October 13, 2008, 11:27:11 pm »

Quoting: Titsy

Quoting: EDGE
nowt wrong with scorch locks !

Wash your mouth out boy....

that was not a spelling mistake

Main Entry:
1scorch
Pronunciation:
\ˈskȯrch\
Function:
verb
Etymology:
Middle English; probably akin to Middle English scorcnen to become singed, scorklen to parch
Date:
14th century
transitive verb
1: to burn a surface of so as to change its color and texture
2 a: to dry or shrivel with or as if with intense heat :

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2008, 12:27:30 pm »

Does anyone know where in Milton Keynes is good for H.T Bolts and Nuts? Ive been to pollards but the ones they have are too short

Going to try Wouburn Fixings after work but anyother good places to try?

Roadkill · « **Reply #15 on:** October 14, 2008, 01:08:17 pm »

There was a place in Bradwell Abbey a few years back . . . . I'll inquire . . . .

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #16 on:** October 14, 2008, 01:58:15 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

There was a place in Bradwell Abbey a few years back . . . . I'll inquire . . . .

The guy at Pollards was talking about that, but im not sure where he meant..

Roadkill · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2008, 02:13:33 pm »

The place I used was Metclaffes.

It's now called A.T Toolcentre . . . www.at-toolcentre.co.uk

19 Alston Drive, Bradwell Abbey, MK13 9HA

01908 310707

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #18 on:** October 14, 2008, 04:17:14 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

The place I used was Metclaffes.

It's now called A.T Toolcentre . . . www.at-toolcentre.co.uk

19 Alston Drive, Bradwell Abbey, MK13 9HA

01908 310707

I want Roadkill babies

FUBAR · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2008, 04:21:37 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

I want Roadkill babies

Uh-oh... be afraid Dean... be very afraid

Roadkill · « **Reply #20 on:** October 14, 2008, 04:49:03 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

I want Roadkill babies

PLEASE.

Find some genuine "roadkill" on the A5 tonight and get yer rocks off that way.

art b · « **Reply #21 on:** October 14, 2008, 09:03:37 pm »

larger branches of b&q have stocks of loose bolts and nuts in stock....

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #22 on:** October 15, 2008, 07:13:08 am »

Quoting: art b

larger branches of b&q have stocks of loose bolts and nuts in stock...

Okay ill remember that if I cant get it from RK's place

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #23 on:** October 20, 2008, 12:28:39 pm »

Well its all done. I got the bolts from some helpful guys at Woburn Fixings.

Was a bit of a bitch to get to the nearside as the exhaust and heat shilding was in the way. But theres some beasts of high-tenstile bolts in there now.

A neat lil bit of wiring.

Ran the wire through a plastic bung in the spare wheel well.

Then wired it to the left light using scotch locks and 2 feeds taken from the right for the tail and indicator light. The connection between the towbar and the extended wires you will be pleased to hear was soldered. Maplins have a good offer at the moment for a 30w iron for 3 quid

So tanks for helps guys..

I look forward to towing my bus this weekend

By the way, when I was wiring I saw this stuff:

What is it? The rippled effect sealent stuff?

Roadkill · « **Reply #24 on:** October 20, 2008, 02:25:33 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

What is it?

Various sealants are used at the bare-material assembly stage.

Some for noise/vibration reduction others for rust prevention.

That's quite normal.