Hi Gavin. I'm sure that if the current owner is a member of Eribafolk he/she will not try to hide anything and shouldn't mind if I refer you to this thread :- Eriba Triton needing a lot of welding

As you can see, the Fitzgeralds were left in the right pickle when they bought this from a stranger. Fortunately after a lot of hard work, they now own a really solid classic. I'm afraid you're going to have to punish your back again and crawl underneath. That's the horror story over with a happy but expensive ending.

Eribas are built on a T Pole Chassis like this :- g7p1994-Framework-separated.html and it's the lower perimeter tubular framework that often goes first particularly in the front. Brakes, bearings and towing gear are easily fixable just like a braked towing trailer. Tyre age is important but not expensive to fix.

I know it sounds daft but inside you can normally smell a good Eriba. They have their own unique smell if there's no damp present.

Check the poptop. On a van of that age you'd expect the canvas to look a little shabby but as long as its not becoming detached. Also check that the roof itself is well anchored :- poptop problems

General condition, just pretend your buying a VW Bus without an engine.

Armed with cash normally means that you'll hopefully be bringing it home with you. Have you checked whether the van has an ALKO tow hitch and stabiliser fitted which means that you should only tow it with an extended neck or swan neck tow ball? Also does the van have the traditional 2 x 7 pin wiring or the newer single 13 pin and does your tow car match?

Randa

Quote: Chief wrote in post #3

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As I type this, headleys tow centre have a man on my drive fitting a swan neck tow bar and 7pin electrics to my new (to me) Passat estate 2009 highline 2.0 tdi.

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My understanding is that a standard 7 pin car socket will only provide power to the van's road lighting and won't allow the use of the fridge or charge the caravan battery while towing.

That's what I meant by not being forwards compatible.

If I'm wrong, and I've inadvertently misinformed anyone - Chief in particular - then I apologise. I ought to have been clearer, not least by saying fully forwards compatible.

And I should really have asked Chief whether he was having twin 7 pin (12N and 12S) wiring which will allow everything to work on a 13 pin van (by means of an adaptor) or standard single 7 pin, which I'm still pretty sure won't.

You live and learn.

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This is all very confusing so this link may help clarify matters: towing sockets

So far as I understand it, if you are only towing a trailer then a 7-pin socket is sufficient.

If you want to tow a caravan or a trailer you need either two 7-pin sockets or a 13-pin socket.

You can use a13-pin to 7-pin converter to tow a trailer but you cannot convert a single 7-pin to 13-pin electrics via a plug-in adapter.

I think everyone who has towing experience and has commented above is correct in what they say but it is a little difficult to get it over. Nothing says it better than a diagram or pic.:-

2 x 7pin car electrics adapting to 13 pin caravan socket :- Adaptor

7.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

13pin car to 7pin trailer or caravan (the fridge won't work in the caravan as these are just towing electrics) :- Adaptor

13pin.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

13pin car to 2 x 7pin caravan (the fridge will work) :- Adaptor

13-to-2-7.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

In fact you can buy any of them from this last supplier. The Caravan Shop

Randa

Quote: Aaron Calder wrote in post #11

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This is all very confusing so this link may help clarify matters: towing sockets

So far as I understand it, if you are only towing a trailer then a 7-pin socket is sufficient.

If you want to tow a caravan or a trailer you need either two 7-pin sockets or a 13-pin socket.

You can use a13-pin to 7-pin converter to tow a trailer but you cannot convert a single 7-pin to 13-pin electrics via a plug-in adapter.

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And I wish I could draw like what you can, M. Le Pew.