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Eriba stuff ......FOR THE NEXT 5 CATEGORIES PLEASE BE PRECISE BY GIVING FULL DETAILS OF THE TYPE OF ERIBA/TOW CAR/AWNING YOU HAVE TO HELP US ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. � Anything Eriba-related �

Tow bars and other questions

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Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:03 pm
by Flowerpotfairy (deleted)

Hello Eribafolk,
Just returned from a holiday (on an aeroplane...is it allowed?!) and back in my little Doris having a cuppa. Found myself a lonely signed in member on the Forum at 4.00am driving home (passenger I hasten to add!) from the airport. I've missed you!
Could I ask if anyone knows of a reputable place to have a tow bar fitted in the south Nottingham area? We are taking Doris on our maiden voyage next week to Devon. Probably need a practice at parking, making everything work and putting up the awning beforehand. Feeling a little nervous!
Also, any tips about ingenious ways of putting a morning cup of tea down safely when in bed? I might make a little shelf which just rests on the shelves above the side windows.
FPF

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:54 pm
by Randa france •

| 13.261 Posts

Hi there. Nice to have you back with us

Tow Bar Fitting
There should be at least one tow bar fitting specialist near to where you live. If possible, find someone who does nothing else but fit tow bars. They will probably do a far better job than a local garage.
We've used the same tow bar specialist in our part of the world for many years and they have never let us down.
You should be able to find one by just Googling (or similar search engine) tow bar fitting, South Nottingham.

The questions they'll need to know are:-
a) Does Doris come with a single (13 pin) electric plug in or 2qty 7 pin plug ins, one black plug and one grey plug?
b) Do you want a swan neck tow ball fitted

or an ALKO tow ball fitted http://www.al-ko.co.uk/pages/towball.html

Here's a discussion that took place some time ago :- Mirrors and towball

Randa

Shelf for a cuppa. I'll leave that for someone else

1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match

Last edited Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:42 pm | Scroll up

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:03 am
by Flowerpotfairy (deleted)

Thank you Rand for the sound advice. I shall Google tomorrow.

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:03 am
by Flowerpotfairy (deleted)

*Randa!

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:20 am
by MCINND (deleted)

I though you were a SA gold coin.

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:44 am
by Aaron Calder •

| 3.834 Posts

Quote: MCINND wrote in post #5
I though you were a SA gold coin.

He can be a bit precious.

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet

Last edited Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:43 pm | Scroll up

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:58 am
by Randa france •

| 13.261 Posts

Quote: Aaron Calder wrote in post #6
Quote: MCINND wrote in post #5
I though you were a SA gold coin.
He can be a bit precious.

Aw shucks.....I didn't know you cared

Rand

1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match

Last edited Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:43 pm | Scroll up

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:22 am
by victoriana (deleted)

Oh big plane . where did you go . And was it nice.
No more flying only lots of driving around England and beyond.
Hopefully towbar man for me is back of holiday next week. Been gone for 3 weeks. Have booked an alko towball with double electrics.

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RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:01 am
by Pepé Le Pew •

| 2.752 Posts

Quote: Flowerpotfairy wrote in post #1
Could I ask if anyone knows of a reputable place to have a tow bar fitted in the south Nottingham area?

If I were you the first thing I'd do is call PF Jones and ask them for their advice. They do (or will arrange) nationwide fitting, and are a very well-respected outfit.

The other thing I'd do is have the towbar - with whichever type of ball suits the vehicle and hitch requirements best - fitted with 13 pin single electrics rather than 12N 12S double. If your van has 13 pin electrics this is a no-brainer anyway; if it has the older double plug the newer 13 pin system is backwards compatible with it by using an easily-available adaptor.

13 pin electrics are better and more reliable.

If you do have a double plug on the van and go for double on the vehicle you might regret it later if you decide to get a different van with a 13 pin connection.

You can go from double on the vehicle to 13 pin on the van, but it isn't the best way to do it.

If you're starting with a blank sheet of paper, try and future-proof the car electrics as much as possible and funds allow.

The other thing is that while detachable towballs are an elegant solution from an aesthetic point of view, they are rather more expensive than fixed ones. A fixed one will deter (and offer a bit of protection from) those infuriating drivers who park by feel, and you'll only crack your shins on it once.

Some will argue that if your car is rear-ended while you've got a towing hitch attached the shock will be transmitted to the body and may damage the structure where you can't see it.

My own view, for what it's worth, is that if you're rear-ended that hard your towball will be the least of your worries.

.

Aaron Calder and like this post!

Last edited Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:32 am | Scroll up

#10

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:51 am
by Deeps (deleted)

Quote: Pep� Le Pew wrote in post #9

My own view, for what it's worth, is that if you're rear-ended that hard your towball will be the least of your worries.

Hear, hear, although I will add that imho it always pays to contact ones insurance provider to ascertain whether the company places any restrictions on tow balls remaining fitted when not actually in use.
This is based on my own experience where my insurance provider will/could, in the instance of a rear-end shunt (into the back of my vehicle), place some financial responsibity onto me if it can be shown by the other party that the damage to their vehicle was exacerbated by the tow ball on my car which, being removeable, should have been removed. The reasoning of course is that by leaving it fitted one is negating the shock absorbing capabilities of the rear bumper that is provided.

2013 Triton 430, VW Touran TDI BM

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#11

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:54 am
by Aaron Calder •

| 3.834 Posts

Spot-on advice (as ever), young Pete, which I wholeheartedly endorse.

13 pin it has to be.

Forum Administrator
2003 Triton 420 and Audi A4 2.0Tfsi S-line SE Cabriolet

Last edited Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:43 pm | Scroll up

#12

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 11:51 am
by Randa france •

| 13.261 Posts

Zitat
Quote Deeps:- I will add that imho it always pays to contact ones insurance

Yes, many insurance companies need to know as they consider it a modification. They should also be informed that you will be towing a caravan on occasions. They've never charged us for the addition however
Randa

1999 Eriba Troll 530 pushing a VW Touran 2L TDi Match

Last edited Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:43 pm | Scroll up

#13

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:10 pm
by Julesx (deleted)

Apologies for hijacking the thread - but is relevant to the topic!

I have yet to buy my Pan but as it will be an 80's model I guess it will probably come with the older electric tow bar sockets and from what you say using an adapter to 13 pin is common and doable - so I would go for 13 pin on my car.

Dumb question coming up! Being new to all this - how are the electrics fitted so that they work in conjunction with the vehicle? On a modern I guess there is a factory fitted wiring loom extension hanging around the rear of the vehicle somewhere to which the new tow bar wires would clip into? BUT with and older car (in my car a 1971 VW T2 camper) would this require splicing into the wire/lighting circuits?
Thanks!

#14

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:55 pm
by Pepé Le Pew •

| 2.752 Posts

Quote: Julesx wrote in post #13
Dumb question coming up! Being new to all this - how are the electrics fitted so that they work in conjunction with the vehicle? On a modern I guess there is a factory fitted wiring loom extension hanging around the rear of the vehicle somewhere to which the new tow bar wires would clip into? BUT with and older car (in my car a 1971 VW T2 camper) would this require splicing into the wire/lighting circuits?

I'd spend a few minutes on the phone to PF Jones. Towbars is what they do, and they'll know the answers to all your questions.

.

#15

RE: Tow bars and other questions

in Anything Eriba-related Mon Aug 17, 2015 1:01 pm
by Ray Lawrence •

| 671 Posts

Julsx, the running lights are easily spliced in to the existing wiring loom at the back of the tow car but if you want to charge your leisure battery and power your fridge whilst on the move then a couple of heavy duty cabled are required to go back to the main fuse box/battery. You may be lucky with your camper if it is rear engined as the battery may well be at the rear anyway. Otherwise there is a lot of internal trim that needs to be removed to run through to the front.

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