Towbars and Parking senors

[chris_5090619]

Hi

We are about to have a towbar fitted to a renualt espace IV with parking senors. Ideally when not towing we would like to still rely on the senors!

Can anyone advise us as to whether the senors will still work correctly with a flange ball fitted or can you recommend a detachable towbar, given some of the forum comments about the detachable towball coming loose.

Thanks

 

[gary_5083940]

i have worked for a well know mpv manufacture ,and when a customer wanted parking sensors and a towbar .the only way to get it work properly was to fit the correct towbar supplied by the manufaturer,the reason was reverse sensors are proximity sensors and they sense the towbar behind the ,the correct one had section cut out of them to corrospond to the sensors.if they are after market you can ussually reprogramme them to compensate for the towbar,this is normally just a case of joining a wire (colour dependant on make)revese up to a wall leaving 1 metre then cutting the wire again

 

[chris_5090619]

i have worked for a well know mpv manufacture ,and when a customer wanted parking sensors and a towbar .the only way to get it work properly was to fit the correct towbar supplied by the manufaturer,the reason was reverse sensors are proximity sensors and they sense the towbar behind the ,the correct one had section cut out of them to corrospond to the sensors.if they are after market you can ussually reprogramme them to compensate for the towbar,this is normally just a case of joining a wire (colour dependant on make)revese up to a wall leaving 1 metre then cutting the wire again

Thanks Gary

So if I use a renault towbar kit it is likely not to be detected by the senors?

The senors came as standard on the car

 

[Damian]

Chris, I have a Renault espace,unfortunately, and its fitted with reversing sensors, but the sensors had to be moved about 2 inches outwards from their original position to avoid false triggering

 

[gary_5083940]

Chris, I have a Renault espace,unfortunately, and its fitted with reversing sensors, but the sensors had to be moved about 2 inches outwards from their original position to avoid false triggering

yes thats right ,but yo will need to specify that your car has rev sensors .your best bet is to contact your local dealers parts department to confirm this.if tou intend to fit the tow bar yourself it will be benificial to buy the wiring kit to plug into the cars main loom ,so much easer and tidier

 

[gary_5083940]

yes thats right ,but yo will need to specify that your car has rev sensors .your best bet is to contact your local dealers parts department to confirm this.if tou intend to fit the tow bar yourself it will be benificial to buy the wiring kit to plug into the cars main loom ,so much easer and tidier

sorry i should have posted it on previos thread,computers arnt my strong point

 

[Alistair_5094954]

I've got parking sensors on my 407SW,they don't pose any sort of problem.

You just have to remember to stop immediately the alarm tone goes steady because the distance (about 250mm) is reduced by the tow ball.

 

[sparkes]

I have them on the MG. Only thing I have done is fitted a switch to disable them when the caravan was on the back

 

[Lutz]

The towbar can only be a potential problem for parking sensors if both are about at the same height. The beam angle from the sensors is generally fairly small. Also, some sensors react only to changes in distance and disregard fixed or permanent obstacles. Only the dealer or the manufacturer can give a definitive answer.

 

[sparkes]

I will be fitting front and rear sensors to the discovery later this year. What I intended on doing was mapping the area each sensor uses and positioning them so the towbar is not an issue

 

[LMH]

Can you get parking sensors that run down each side of the car along with sensors at the front and back? (I'm asking on behalf of a friend, it's nothing to do with the fact I'm excellent at parking my car on walls or gate posts).

Lisa

 

[sparkes]

Lisa

Would one of these be better for you?

http://eldridgeparkcarousel.com/bumpercar.jpg

 

[Richard_5040072]

I will be fitting front and rear sensors to the discovery later this year. What I intended on doing was mapping the area each sensor uses and positioning them so the towbar is not an issue

Steve

I had rear sensors fitted to my Disco. a couple of months ago and, because the tow ball is well below the level of the bumper, it hasn't caused any problems.

I have not fitted a cut out switch and so the bleeping can drive you bonkers when carrying out a long reverse with the van.

However, they have stopped me reversing over the top of Minis when parking.

Clarky.

 

[LMH]

Steve

That's excellent, I could really do with one of them, infact it looks like the courtesy car I'm driving at the moment.

When you start the engine up and put your foot down, the engine gives an almighty roar and it sounds like a ferrari but when you pull away, you think you've got the handbrake on. There's no power at all. Very bad for the image.

Lisa.

 

[sparkes]

this may get me a slap at easter but...

Did you try releasing the hand break?

 

[LMH]

Oh Steve, I can't believe you just typed that!!

Of course I did. We have two Fiestas at work as pool cars and they are the same, infact they are diesel so even worse at accelleration. We also have a 'popemobile' excuse spelling). Which is a fiesta with an upwards extension (really cool). (Not)

Lisa

 

[Guest]

What happened to the old fashioned method of using a wife?? You keep reversing and when she starts jumping up and down you know you are either about to hit her or the van. One is painful, the other expensive.

Of course being a posh SOB, I use the modern method of a powermover and move the van to the car. Wife keeps laughing as I go through the turns and twirls?? The van that is, not me.

 

[LMH]

What happened to the old fashioned method of using a wife?? You keep reversing and when she starts jumping up and down you know you are either about to hit her or the van. One is painful, the other expensive.

Of course being a posh SOB, I use the modern method of a powermover and move the van to the car. Wife keeps laughing as I go through the turns and twirls?? The van that is, not me.

Or the old fashioned method of using a husband?

Lisa

 

[Guest]

Or the old fashioned method of using a husband?

Lisa

Now you know perfectly well that in this world there are administrators, and operators. As a 'piece of a rib' women fit the latter better than us blokes and can make more noise???