which tow bar!!

[kelluna]

HI everyone
I'm brand new to this forum and to caravan ownership! I bought my first used caravan, a 2 berth swift challenger (approx 1993) and am looking forward to getting away from it all with my Dog!

I now need to get a tow bar fitted, I drive a 2019 Dacia Sandero Stepway. I'm looking at a fixed swan neck but I'm stuck on whether I should get the vehicle specific wiring or the universal wiring?

It seems that on newer cars vehicle specific is recommended but hikes the price up considerably . Any advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks
Kelly

 

[Lappy]

Hi Kelly,
Welcome to the Forum.
As your car is only 2019 then I would have a vehicle specific wiring, then you will have no issues with warranty.
Also as Dacia are part of the Renault Group, you don't want to start having niggles, as Renault are expensive when things go wrong.
Regards,

 

[kelluna]

Thank you, that makes sense! I'll go ahead and get some quotes!

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

I would always go for the vehicle specific kit.

 

[kelluna]

Thanks!

 

[audiorob]

I've always has a Witter towbar fitted by a mobile company at home or at work on various cars over nearly 40 years of towing. You can get fixed or detachable. You will presumably need to consider the plugs. I expect the caravan will have a 12N (black) for the road lights and 12S (grey) for assessories, where the current standard is a 13 pin plug providing all that is needed. The 13 pin is a real step forward presenting much fewer connection issues. Also if you update your van later models have the 13 pin. You can rewire the grey and black into a new 13 pin plug, or use an adapter, or have the car wired with twin sockets.

 

[ProfJohnL]

These days I would always recommend vehicle specific towbar wiring for a number of reasons. Most modern cars have quite complex electrical systems, with many more sensors, and computer controlled functions. Fitting looms without the correct components or specifications can prevent the cars systems integrating the extra wiring properly. And the warranty has already been mentioned.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Dacia will flog you a detachable for £277 (excluding fitting) I assume that would have the manufacturer approved wiring and would include dealer recognised warranty.

https://www.dacia.co.uk/vehicles/sandero-stepway/accessories.html

 

[Woodentop]

Before diving in the deep end the OP should look at the specs and particularly the towing capability and weights.

For example the 1.5L diesel, which is only 95bhp, has a gross train weight of 2328Kg and a GVW of 1538Kg which means a MTPLM of the caravan of 790Kg - and that is without driver or passengers. I haven't even dared look at the noseweight capability!

I suspect a Dacia may not be a good idea.....

 

[Hutch]

Before diving in the deep end the OP should look at the specs and particularly the towing capability and weights.

For example the 1.5L diesel, which is only 95bhp, has a gross train weight of 2328Kg and a GVW of 1538Kg which means a MTPLM of the caravan of 790Kg - and that is without driver or passengers. I haven't even dared look at the noseweight capability!

I suspect a Dacia may not be a good idea.....

I think as normal, Woodentop is talkng sense, I would think the Dacia is way to light for the caravan

 

[Thingy]

I concur, the Dacia is simply not enough vehicle for a challenger, even a two berth. Maybe a folding camper would be a better idea unless you can change the car.

 

[Craigyoung]

Also agree as I have seen a couple today whilst I have been driving about and think they are a bit of a small car

 

[Raywood]

According to the Caravan Talk figures the 1993 Challenger 400 has a MIRO of 855 kg but no MTPLM is given. If that figure is correct the car should not be towing a figure much over 1,000 kg so should be safe enough although I would need confirmation of that figure before going further.

 

[camel]

Getting back to the point when I bought my first Nissan with a long warrenty I asked the dealer to fit the tow bar, simple, correct wiring and tow bar for the vehicle, but in saying that I have also used 'Jims Tow Bars' , fitted on the drive with electrics spot on,

 

[Guzzilazz]

The FOrd dealer from whom I bought the Kuga wouldn't fit a tow bar, and gave me the name of the specialist they used... He did a very good job.

 

[Raywood]

An honest dealer! Most just send the car out to an outside firm and add 10% to the cost.

 

[otherclive]

An honest dealer! Most just send the car out to an outside firm and add 10% to the cost.

Had my first Mondeo supposedly fitted at a Ford dealer. After towing up to Scotland it developed a clunk on the return trip. Every time i pulled forwards or braked there was the clunk. On return I took it to a towbar specialist who told me that the Ford dealer had not inserted the spacer parts that stop the body section "crushing" inwards when the bolts were torqued up. He sorted it out with new fittings but the old ones were loose in the body channel and moved about as the car accelerated or decelerated. So I pumped in some hi expansion foam. Ever since then its been specialists to fit tow bars. But I guess nowadays most dealers also use a specialist as the fitments are a bit more complex than yesteryear

 

[Dustydog]

Is it worth saying there is no such thing as a car manufacturer tow bar. :woohoo: So a main BMW Dealer supplied and fitted tow bar is a Unicorn

 

[CustardAvenger]

Is it worth saying there is no such thing as a car manufacturer tow bar. :woohoo: So a main BMW Dealer supplied and fitted tow bar is a Unicorn

True... I think my towbar was made by Brink based on the design, but it has Volvo written on the keyhole cover and key and the instruction booklet is from Volvo. It also has the cover plate to match the rear bumper trim.

 

[Raywood]

All the four major tow bar manufacturers are part of the same group so I do wonder if there is any real difference between them.

 

[Craigyoung]

I went to an independent towbar fitter in which I got the one done on the Toyota previous to the Ford that we have now both under £300 compared to what the garages would off charged , yeah my reverse beepers go off when in Reverse but I can live with that for few seconds that I may have to reverse with the caravan on the back .

 

[otherclive]

I went to an independent towbar fitter in which I got the one done on the Toyota previous to the Ford that we have now both under £300 compared to what the garages would off charged , yeah my reverse beepers go off when in Reverse but I can live with that for few seconds that I may have to reverse with the caravan on the back .

Did he fit the generic harness as opposed to the OEM harness? Ive always used independents since I had problems with the mechanical fixings when I left it with a Ford dealer, but always asked for OEM harness. So reversing sensors and stop start get inhibited etc.

 

[Craigyoung]

When I got it fitted over 3 years ago I was none the Wiser regarding harnesses and reverse sensors and cameras been cut out because on the Toyota I had a button where I could automatically turn the reversing sensors off .

 

[Raywood]

I went to an independent towbar fitter in which I got the one done on the Toyota previous to the Ford that we have now both under £300 compared to what the garages would off charged , yeah my reverse beepers go off when in Reverse but I can live with that for few seconds that I may have to reverse with the caravan on the back .

The reverse beepers might just be a good safety device to warn others when you reverse.

 

[Guzzilazz]

The issue is not just reversing buzzer - which by the way is not necessarily audible externally, but any other facilities that would help - e.g. the Kuga has trailer sway control, I quite like knowing that's active...