to witter or not!

[glake]

just changed my trusty V70 for a Shogun. Shogun has no towbar.

I want a witter bar, but is the extra cost worth it?

p.s. does anyone want a metal dog rack for the V70? free to good home!!!

 

[ShadySadie]

I'm guessing that you mean Witter detachable bar.

Why not try http://www.towequipe.co.uk/ choice of top grade detachable bars at a better price than Witter quite often.

 

[glake]

no, not worried about detachable, just not sure if the extra cost for a witter is worth it?

 

[ShadySadie]

Brink and Bosal produce the manufacturers originals for most Euopean manufacturers cars. Why would Witter be any better?

Towequipes various branded ranges are all approved spec.

 

[ShadySadie]

Brink and Bosal produce the manufacturers originals for most Euopean manufacturers cars. Why would Witter be any better?

Towequipes various branded ranges are all approved spec.

ps. Should have said they were very helpfull sorting out a tow bar for my sons car along with dedicated wiring kit. Same brand as supplied by BMW but with newer spec and with the wiring kit it was less than half the price BMW wanted.

 

[Lutz]

Anybody know whether Witter towbars are fitted ex-works by any car manufacturer? That would be a measure of whether they are better or not. I only know of Bosal, Westfalia, AlKo and maybe Brinks as OEM suppliers.

 

[Chrisbee]

Why would they be any better just because they are fitted ex works? It may be they are fitted because they give a bigger profit margin.

Any towbar that is certified will most certainly do the job, unless you're a "badge snob".

 

[xtrailman]

I have used witter for my last three tow cars.

On my last xtrail the bar came loose after 2 years, witter had provided the cheap "spring" washers for the job, the type that you should only used once, don't know the name for them.

But the bar professionally fitted had come loose at both ends of the main beam.

Although i again have a witter fitted, the bar now comes with the nuts with a plastic insert, and once again are galvanised(the last bar was cadmium plated).

But i am not convinced about the way the u bend for the ball is supported, via two 12mm bolts, just does not look substantial to me, a weak link, on a otherwise good bar.

So i will certainly be looking at other makes for my next bar.

 

[Lutz]

Why would they be any better just because they are fitted ex works? It may be they are fitted because they give a bigger profit margin.

Any towbar that is certified will most certainly do the job, unless you're a "badge snob".

If a towbar is fitted ex-works, you can be sure that the car manufacturer has tested and verified the product, too. A towbar can be homologated by the towbar manufacturer according to requirements but still be of poor quality. The requirements don't cover everything.

 

[Chrisbee]

If a towbar is fitted ex-works, you can be sure that the car manufacturer has tested and verified the product, too. A towbar can be homologated by the towbar manufacturer according to requirements but still be of poor quality. The requirements don't cover everything.

Hi Lutz, by poor quality I take it you mean prone to rust? Surely it must be of sufficient quality to do the job it's made for?

 

[Lutz]

If a towbar is fitted ex-works, you can be sure that the car manufacturer has tested and verified the product, too. A towbar can be homologated by the towbar manufacturer according to requirements but still be of poor quality. The requirements don't cover everything.

I don't only mean rust but also how the towbar is attached to the vehicle underbody/chassis frame. The test requirements for towbars only cover the towbar itself and do not take into account potential damage that they may do to the vehicle structure (due to load-spreader reinforcements being too small, for example). We have had towbars that were OK when tested on their own but failed miserably on the car.