Towbar fitting and electrics

axamax · Post by **axamax** » 11 Oct 2002, 07:12

Hi, only just bought a 1988 BX14RE. I am about to fit a towbar from a breakers yard donor car. Does anyone know if there are any pitfalls to watch out for? I've heard about a "split-charge relay", while I more or less understand it's purpose; where would I be likely to find it on the breakers car? What colour codes are used on the relevant wiring on a Citroen. I am still waiting for the previous owner to find the Haynes!
Ta!!
philip.coffey@ntlworld.com

lozian · Post by **lozian** » 11 Oct 2002, 11:45

Hi Philip,
Not aquaint with the wiring colours of the BX, but these sites might help as regards wiring of the sockets and relays. You need a 'split charge' relay if you require to feed a fridge when you are on the move, and a 'split charge' relay to charge the caravan on board battery, also when you are on the move. The idea of 'split charge' relays, is to ensure that the car battery is not drained by the items in the caravan.
Try http://www.rccc.co.uk/towbar_electrics.htm
and http://www.garysbeachbuggy.co.uk/split_ ... iringl.htm
Suggest you buy new relays, since they are not expensive, and this will avoid any problems created by 2nd hand ones, which may have been lying unused for some time and would be unreliable.
Have fun.
Lozian.
Edited by - lozian on 11 Oct 2002 06:48:43

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Oct 2002, 13:49

Wiring a towbar on a BX is a bugger because all the damn wires are the same colour!! Still, fitting the bar is only a 15minute job as it's only 4 bolts.
Split charge relay is as Lozian suggested so that you only get power to the 12S (they grey one) socket when the engine is running. This stops the fridge (which takes around 8 amps!) flattening the car battery. If you're not an imbecile and don't leave the van connected to the car for ages with the engine off, it's not required!
Having said that, you're not seriously considering towing a caravan with a BX 14 are you????!!!
Richard

axamax · Post by **axamax** » 11 Oct 2002, 15:22

Thanks for your help. I will mainly be towing a small camping trailer, or possibly a trailer tent. Are the bolt holes for the mounting provided, or do they need drilling?
Ta!!
philip.coffey@ntlworld.com

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Oct 2002, 16:11

IRRC (but don't quote!) you will find 2 holes already there, 2 new ones are required - they just bolt onto the towing lugs that drop down from the boot floor. If you're not towing a van you'll only need the black 12N lighting socket, so you won't need a split charge relay, or any wiring to the front of the car.
Richard

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 11 Oct 2002, 23:57

Hi Philip - It's eleven years ago that I fitted a towbar to a BX but if I recall correctly, the side members needed drilling or maybe holes enlarged. You'll find the BX wiring is in molded strips. Try cutting along the length of the strip, then use blue piggy-back connectors. Plugs and sockets and 7 core is so cheap that its not worth trying to salvage it from the doner vehicle.

pwatson · Post by **pwatson** » 12 Oct 2002, 02:02

And I towed a caravan to Greece and back, (2 adults, 2 kids) with a Renault 5 (1300cc GTL) So you can do it as long as the van is the right weight for the car!! Whether I would recommend it or not is another matter!!!
PhilW
Phil

axamax · Post by **axamax** » 12 Oct 2002, 06:58

Thanks a lot everyone. I hope to fit the towbar in the next week or so. One possible problem I noticed at the breakers, was access to the spare wheel looked like it would be very tight. I took the end of the ribbon cable with the towbar wiring to help with locating the right colours. It took two-and-a-half hours to get the old one off!!
philip.coffey@ntlworld.com

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 12 Oct 2002, 08:05

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
It took two-and-a-half hours to get the old one off!!
philip.coffey@ntlworld.com
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Now you know why Haynes takes the easy option
"Refitting is the reversal of removal" which is a bit hard in a case when you have to do one & didn't do the other<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
Alan S <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>