Alfa Romeo Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Fitting towbar electrics

Tags
electrics fitting towbar
Jump to Latest
21 - 40 of 103 Posts
Discussion starter · #21 ·
The pictures now work, sort of. The first one is there with the text, but the rest are only visible when their links are clicked. I've PMd for help. At least I certainly did send a message but am showing as not having sent any. So frustrating. I've spent hours on this. :rant:
 
#22 ·
Yeah the forum image handling is *very* clunky compared to other forums I use, I used to use images from the web but they stopped IMG code now I think apart from pics forum?

Your best to put your article on the internet somewhere and not add the content to alfaowner if you want proper inline images was my experience!
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Thus it gets weirder. Yesterday all the rest of them came up in separate windows when clicked on, now I'm getting the same as you.

I've emailed the administrator but no reply yet. Can't seem to work out how to PM, but the email, if that's not a PM, hopefully will elicit a solution. I'm not giving up on this. Yet.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
Well, at last I've succeeded in embedding all the photos. To do this it's absolutely essential to go to advanced editing from the outset and to go to the foot of the page (where I'd not looked...why would you!) and click on Attach Files to open a management window. From there you can browse for the files, upload them (maximum 6), then, returning to the edit window, drop them in amongst the text by clicking on the attachments icon and selecting the uploaded file.

Previously I had started with the attachments icon, which had opened the management window, then returned to the attachments icon and in went the link.

In both case the edited reply window looked the same, but only proceding in the sequence as first described, resulted in success. The second sequence just resulted in dead attachments.

Hope it was worthwhile fellow G Alfistis. At least I'm older and wiser!
 
#27 ·
Whiskeymac - thanks for rectifying the images - makes it a lot clearer. I'm about to order the bits and bobs, I had planned on installing a Alfa specific electrics kit, but have reconsidered having read your tutorial. The Alfa electricsrequire running a cable through the inside of the car to the battery, as well as making several more holes (which I'm not that keen to do!) Mine'll be for a bike rack only, so no need for power to a fridge so 7-pin should be fine.

Did PF Jones just supply you with a universal/standard relay? Did this come with any wiring instructions?

Finally, any chance you could edit the wiring section of your post where you describe which connections to make on the relay. It's quite hard to follow which words go under the different headings. Any chance of adding tabs / spaces so everything lines up or alternatively inserting a table as an image?

Thanks again for the informative post - it'll no doubt make the job far easier to do! :thumbs:
 
Discussion starter · #28 · (Edited)
Hi thebokke,

PF Jones asked me what cable connector I wanted and suggested that they supply the corresponding bypass relay.

I see what you mean about the wiring connection lists. I've just re-edited them and as soon as I saved them they returned to the ghastly mess, with all but one space removed. Do you know (or does anyone know) how to get tabs to work? Nothing happens from my keyboard when editing, and, if I press tab now, the curser flies off somewhere else outside the reply box!
 
#31 ·
This write up nearly had me fitting my own. Then I found that the tow bar place near me, which I went to on recommendation, will get the detachable tow bar, and the electrics, and do it all for £410. That's with a fold up socket too so it's completely hidden, and He's going to leave me a permenant live in the boot for when i put my amp in. Robert's your fathers brother!

Thanks :)
 
Discussion starter · #32 · (Edited)
That's good. Well done.

The one I fitted also has a fold up socket.

A permanent live is tapped for the bypass relay so it would be easy to take a second tap for an amp. It's a whacking great wire so would easily take the load.

Personally I rate the audio as supplied to be as good as the Bose I had in my 147, and certainly all I would ever want, unless I want to ensure deafness in my later years. Also I rate carrying space much higher than massive audio volume gain.
 
#33 ·
Yeh, that's what he'd said to me, he's just going to leave me a length rolled up in the boot taped up so It saves me a job :)

Though i'm still going to have to run a cable to the boot anyway for the audio.
I've done a few sub installs now and all bar one has used the ration step down voltage converters that also deal with the remote swtich on, so I'm confident I'll be ok. This will be the newest car i've ever fitted one to though. And i'm going to be asking people if they know how to remove the headunit next... I can feel a new thread coming on...
 
#34 ·
I've just followed Whiskeymacs excellent guide for fitting a Westfalia towbar. A top tip if you're doing the same is to copy the a4 templates provided in the Westfalia kit, photocopy them onto clear acetate sheets and use this for your template. This makes marking up the drilling points a doddle, no need to transfer measurements from a fairly complicated drawing. The drilling takes a bit of time but using increasingly larger drill bits makes it fairly straightforward.

You also need to do a bumper cut on a curved part of the bumper which makes transferring measurements quite tricky. A good tip is to use several pieces of masking tape on the bumper to 'draw' the shape of the cutout which can then be easily adjusted to get the correct shape. Once you're happy a fret saw or jigsaw can be used for good results.

So the mechanical part is very easy following Whiskeymacs guide.

I've hit a bit of a hurdle with the electrics though - the fat red 12v cable referred to in the guide can't be located on my Giulietta. I have some large black cables in the loom but not quite sure how to test which one is the 12v non-switched live feed (to operate emergency flashers without the ignition on). (Whiskeymac - sent you a PM regarding this)

If anyone can advise on how to test which is the 12v non-switched feed is in the loom I'd be grateful :thumbs:

Connecting the relay to the rest of the wiring loom is very easy following the guide. I've prepared all the cables and once I find which the 12v power supply is it'll take 5 mins to complete.

Cheers whiskeymac for this very comprehensive guide:thumbs:
 
#37 ·
Hi guys
Thanks for all your info whiskymac. This is fantastic help for me. I have just purchased micsanderson's westfelia towbar as he is changing his car.
The slight problem i have though is that I have no fitting templates. I know this is a little cheeky but I don't suppose anyone has a copy of the templates that they would be able to scan and email to me please.
Thanks in advance.
Darren.
 
#38 ·
Darren, fitting instructions can be downloaded off the westfalia automotive website. Attached a copy for you here. If you print the guides in the back at 100% and take it to staples they'll photocopy it onto acetate which then makes perfect templates which you can see through.

Good luck.

Just tried to attach the PDF but its too big. Search for Alfa Giulietta on this page and you'll find it.
WESTFALIA-Automotive GmbH | Anhängekupplung - Elektrosatz - Fahrradträger | Home
 
#39 ·
thebokke said:
Darren, fitting instructions can be downloaded off the westfalia automotive website. Attached a copy for you here. If you print the guides in the back at 100% and take it to staples they'll photocopy it onto acetate which then makes perfect templates which you can see through.

Good luck.

Just tried to attach the PDF but its too big. Search for Alfa Giulietta on this page and you'll find it.
WESTFALIA-Automotive GmbH*|*Anhängekupplung - Elektrosatz - Fahrradträger*|*Home
Click to expand...
superb, thank you very much. :D
 
21 - 40 of 103 Posts
About this Discussion
102 Replies
21 Participants
Last post:
haakon
Alfa Romeo Forum
posts
7.3M
members
228K
Since
2001
The friendly Alfa Romeo Club - If you are looking to buy or you are already an Alfa Romeo owner, join alfaowner.com today to get the most from your ownership
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Alfa 147, 156 & GT Alfa 159, Brera & Spider General Alfa Discussion Alfa GTV & 916 Spider Introduce Yourself