Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »


Towing

Image

There is a specific Electrical Harness showing for this vehicle with your build date (others are not compatible), so: TOW BAR WIRING LOOM 13-TRACK, part: 1611864380, £209.23 should be correct.

Comes with a 13 way socket, and Generic Trailer Relay Unit


This is the only toolbar listed for the vehicle with this wiring harness:
1608472480: SWAN’S NECK TOWING BALL, £239.38
And a link back to the specific post on the long thread: viewtopic.php?p=807547#p807547

Searching on the wiring harness part number:

This site quotes:
https://www.tradecarparts.uk/1611864380
That part for £157.35 Inc Vat. (Edit: plus P&P £5.90, or can collect from Newcastle :) )

Searching for the towbar part number gives lots of results more expensive than the dealership price quoted above!

This site (which I have read through the phone's automatic translation!) Suggests they have it for €130.16
https://peugeot.commander-mes-accessoir ... break.html
Which seems very cheap! (£110-ish. Again p&p tbc - and indeed delivery to the UK at all TBC)

Parking the towbar plan for a bit (whilst having many jobs to do, and the grey 308 tows, as would the 406 Coupe when it returns to the road) so put the above links down for future reference :)
Last edited by MattBLancs on 02 Aug 2024, 08:07, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Start button, (eBay, £16.39, ex- Peugeot 208) arrived today - very quick delivery: bought yesterday , arrived today! (Has had a trip in a boat too as seller was Newry: Northern Ireland)
Pretty simple installation (once I had worked out how the gear surround comes off! eBay images of this bit did the trick)
Trim off
Trim off
Attachments
IMG_20240801_185024065_HDR.jpg
IMG_20240801_184936568_HDR.jpg
Last edited by MattBLancs on 01 Aug 2024, 21:44, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

End result
End result
:)
User avatar
Huskyxantia
(Donor 2025)
Posts: 2538
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
x 523

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by Huskyxantia »

Looks good . Was your car factory fitted with a tow bar ? If not were all the bolt holes already on the chassis rail and floor mount areas ? Hence why one was fitted ? It can pull cos its a decent engine so i cant see you having issues , cant see why a badge letter stops some cars having one seems odd. You've done some great jobs in this thread Matt been a good read too.
Husky. :? Thinking outside of the box is better than sitting in a dark one.
:-D
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Huskyxantia wrote: 01 Aug 2024, 20:34 Looks good . Was your car factory fitted with a tow bar ? If not were all the bolt holes already on the chassis rail and floor mount areas ? Hence why one was fitted ? It can pull cos its a decent engine so i cant see you having issues , cant see why a badge letter stops some cars having one seems odd. You've done some great jobs in this thread Matt been a good read too.
Think it's the GT-line bumper that's different, I'm hopeful everything underneath is the same across the 308 SW range. No towbar on it at present, looking at getting one.

I fitted a towbar (but never actually got the electrics finished off) on the C5. On that, all fixing points were ready to go (some had threaded holes under sticky back plastic covers, peel them off and screw in an M10 M12 bolt supplied with towbar kit. Other positions used fixing positions for the bumper under strengthening bar, which is removed and discarded (or rather piled up in the corner for eBay selling eventually!)

The towbar I fitted to the 406 Coupe (originally on the 2.0 petrol coupe then transferred to 2.2 HDi coupe when I got it) again pre existing holes but no plastic covers so pretty crusty! Had to clean each out with a tap before bolts could be screwed in. Four other positions required a special clip nut which for years have been unobtainable separately (and commonly overlooked when a towbar is removed and the buyer of the towbar second hand was then in for a shock when found these nuts missing!) fortunately now available, including via Autodoc. Bumper reinforcement and indeed bumper did not need to be removed for Coupe towbar installation, but did for the C5
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Special nuts (for 406 Coupe towbar)
viewtopic.php?p=761194&hilit=Tow+bar#p761194
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

C5 towbar installation image:
viewtopic.php?p=726091#p726091
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

2.0 Coupe in towing mode:
download/file.php?id=42243&mode=view
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

MattBLancs wrote: 01 Aug 2024, 17:38
This site (which I have read through the phone's automatic translation!) Suggests they have it for €130.16
https://peugeot.commander-mes-accessoir ... break.html
Which seems very cheap! (£110-ish. Again p&p tbc - and indeed delivery to the UK at all TBC)
Don't think they deliver to the UK, my GCSE french was poor and a very long time ago! But don't think England/ UK etc is one of the options here:
Delivery page of the commander mes accessories site above.
Delivery page of the commander mes accessories site above.
Presumably a post Brexit, too much like hard work to sell stuff here??
User avatar
Huskyxantia
(Donor 2025)
Posts: 2538
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
x 523

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by Huskyxantia »

Above, how things have changed ....
Husky. :? Thinking outside of the box is better than sitting in a dark one.
:-D
User avatar
Huskyxantia
(Donor 2025)
Posts: 2538
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
x 523

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by Huskyxantia »

Just jacking your thread for your view on this Matt if thats ok with you, ive used a big cable tie on the steering gaiter boot, but do have new clips coming this weekend.
If this tie isnt good enought then i will change for new clips whe i get them.
Attachments
Look down at the gaitor
Look down at the gaitor
Husky. :? Thinking outside of the box is better than sitting in a dark one.
:-D
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Huskyxantia wrote: 02 Aug 2024, 15:43 Just jacking your thread for your view on this Matt if thats ok with you, ive used a big cable tie on the steering gaiter boot, but do have new clips coming this weekend.
If this tie isnt good enough then i will change for new clips whe i get them.
No problem with the thread jacking at all, opinions from me and hopefully others can confirm (or let me know if I'm talking a load of old cobblers!!)

I've not had much interaction with steering racks beyond outer track rod end replacement, but my understanding is the boot you've changed is a "keep the dirt out" device, unlike say a Citroen ram boot which has some LHM inside it (and so has a drain connection for this to be routed back into the system).

As such, I don't think there is much pressure build up inside the boot, so would expect the big cable tie to hold it together fairly well.

I have seen rack boots with a "link pipe" running from one boot to the other. I guess this is to allow pressure to travel between boots as one "accordion" is squashed down, the opposite"accordion" is being pulled out.

Hopefully I'm on the right lines!

Other thing - if you've got proper clips on the way, I'd likely stick them on when you get chance as at least it's as the designer intended (even though the cable tie may not be any worse!) :)
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 15475
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
x 6624

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by mickthemaverick »

Chipping in on cable ties, I ran my C5 2.2 for 3 years with the boots cable tied and had no issues at all. As long as you make sure you do them tight and you don't use ones that are biodegradable - yes you can get them! - I would say it will be fine!! :)
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
MattBLancs
Donor 2024
Posts: 3619
Joined: 25 Apr 2022, 09:03
x 1729

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

mickthemaverick wrote: 02 Aug 2024, 18:33 Chipping in on cable ties, I ran my C5 2.2 for 3 years with the boots cable tied and had no issues at all. As long as you make sure you do them tight and you don't use ones that are biodegradable - yes you can get them! - I would say it will be fine!! :)
Ah good to know - thanks for confirming.

Are biodegradable cable ties sort of first step to acknowledging whatever has been cable tied is (usually) at best a short term fix! (First step of dealing with being a bodger is admitting you've got a problem! :rofl2: )

To be clear, above in jest - I think there's a good few jobs where cable ties are a good permanent fix. Equally I think there's folks throwing cable ties into very, very unsuitable tasks...
Dual function spring compressor / population reducing device!?!
Dual function spring compressor / population reducing device!?!
:shock:
User avatar
Huskyxantia
(Donor 2025)
Posts: 2538
Joined: 30 Jul 2018, 22:11
x 523

Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by Huskyxantia »

:shock: Is that real :shock:

So my plan is im going to put clips on , there jubilee type so there shiuld be enought room for a small rachet to do the job , where theres a way there a squashed hand between the subframe and steering rack :rofl2:
Husky. :? Thinking outside of the box is better than sitting in a dark one.
:-D