Towbar fitting

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skyman

skyman

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Just received my towbar today, i've got everything out the bag, read the instructions, so tommorow is fitting. Hopefully have some pictures for you all.

The scary part is the towbar is held on by 8 bolts and six rivets, but it is a solid piece of engineering the wiring loom looks great couple of plug connectors and a battery positive feed can't wait to get cracking tommorow.

Keep you posted[24]
 
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Ensure you use chromate coated bolts or you will manufacture a very large and somewhat inefficient battery - and corrode your anode!








NEVER attempt a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
A2 1.4 SE TDI replaced with A3 2.0TDI DSG, the transmission of the future - today.
 
[24]
Indeed, Dennis my boy!

Those pix don't look like chromate plated bolts to me.
Speak to me volta!

Could be 'accumulating' problems!
[37]


NEVER attempt a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
A2 1.4 SE TDI replaced with A3 2.0TDI DSG, the transmission of the future - today.
 
Hi skyman,

Looks like youve made a good job!

Do you have the part numbers for the kit and what sort of cost was it from Audi ?

2005 Special.
 
Skyman,
Looks like you have done a bloody good job there, and thanks for taking the piccies,they help a lot.
Did you need any special tools to do the job? ie, what size hole cutter for the great big holes in the chassis and are those pop-rivets a normal size,they look a bit big to me!
I see you have to cut the underside of the bumper. Do you think this causes any problems,ie road crap getting up into that area etc?
By the way it looks like a well engineered bit of kit,almost worth the money!!

Thanks Dorian[24]
 
I'm curious how this set holds up. If maersk is right, in cold weather with salt on the roads the towbar could oxidize it's way out.



Dennis de Held

Amulet Red 1.4 Tdi
 
Come to Castle Combe this year and tow my caravan, about 1400 kioos unladen! You've done a great job, but the electrolysis problem worries me, inspect very regularly.
 
The part numbers are Towbar 8Z0092155 £260, Electrics ZGB8Z0055203 £70, however i did get 10% off these prices because i paid for them in advance and i got two free audi keyrings aswell.

The holes are quite large 39.5mm i just found a washer that was the same size marked around it drilled lots of holes and filed the rest to the mark, perhaps using a hole enlarger would have been a bit quicker (the stepped cone cutter you use for enlarging holes). The pop rivets are huge i couldn't find a pop rivet gun that would take them, so i went to a local aluminium coach builders and they gave me rivets which were the same length and dia. but would fit in my gun, this was because i had drilled the holes before i checked my gun would take them. For anyone fitting one i wouldn't use the rivets supplied use 4.8mm rivets instead but same length and dia, they aren't load bearing it is only to hold the aluminium steadies.

I put some copper slip between the towbar and body, the body was painted and so is the towbar, and i waxoiled all over the mounting once attached to stop water and mud getting to both surfaces, the bolts are aluminium so i have no fears of my anode being affected.

I would say the template you get with the towbar for the bumper cut out is a bit large i reduced it by 5cm and still allows full operation and keeps more bumper for mounting strength underneath. There was a lot of dirt on the inside of the bumper when i took it off so i don't think any more dirt if it gets in there is going to harm it.
 
Never come across aluminium bolts before, nails - yes but never bolts.

1.4 Petrol Special Edition, Ebony Black, grey leather, heated seats, climate, opensky, five spoke alloys for SWMBO (Replaced a 2002 1.4 Petrol SE) Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 iCDTi for me.
 
[24]
Aluminium bolts ok for the body but cathodic reaction wWILL take place between bolts and the tow bar.
Don't fancy towing much with a bar held on with ali bolts though. Not a lot os tensile strength there.
Are they standard fit ot have you chosen them?
Coppaslip is conductive so I hope all paint is intact between the parts.
There is no effective substitute for chromate coating.
Ask Audfi and aerospace engineers.
Still, [37] if you sel it on quick..........................;)

NEVER attempt a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
A2 1.4 SE TDI replaced with A3 2.0TDI DSG, the transmission of the future - today.
 
Can I just ask if you have done anything to protect the cut edge of bumper. Will the paint not flake without maybe applying a coat of nail varnish to the edge or some form of knock-on edging. Dont want to appear to be an expert when it comes to nail varnish! (or pink shell-suits for that matter).


Dolphin Grey 1.4 petrol c/w OpenSky
 
Crikey ! Have just noticed that I have reached the dissy heights of "Learner Driver"
Sorry, I'll go now.

Dolphin Grey 1.4 petrol c/w OpenSky
 
I am mistaken the bolts aren't aluminium, they do infact have a chromate coating, however aluminium bolts are available, i've used them on mountain bikes with steel frames and copperslip with no problems also titatnium frames and steel components, yes you guessed it copperslip, with no probs. Perhaps it would have been better to put a plastic sheet between them instead, but i bet Audi would have put nothing in between them if they fitted it. I am confident that all is well, after all Audi did sell me the towbar, they wouldn't have it as an option if it wasn't suitable to put on your car. In the instructions it doesn't say anything in regard to the different metals being in contact with one another.

The part of the bumper that needs to be cut out is black plastic on my A2 so does not need to be sealed as it is not painted, i agree if it was i would have used laquer to seal it. All i did was use a fine file to smooth it off and a little fine sand paper, the edges are baby smooth.
 
All credit to you. I think you have done a bloody good job. I dont think that I would have attempted such a project. Not that the wife would have trusted me in the first place. Is the tow-bar just for a small trailer or similar?

Dolphin Grey 1.4 petrol c/w OpenSky
 
It is actually for a towball mounted cycle carrier, the car i am replacing the A2 with was a Frontera with a flange towbar and i had a bracket that bolted onto the flange with the towball, this in turn would normally carry the cycle carrier, but i had made my own carrier system from the bracket to carry my kiting buggy, so i could take it to the beach.

Now i bought the A2 with an opensky roof, i couldn't put it on the roof like i did with my mini so the towbar was the best solution, so i could buy a towball mounted cycle carrier and modify it to take my buggy.

Here are some photos of buggy and cars, can't seem to find one with buggy on back of Frontera.

(http://photos.blueyonder.co.uk/album/1192629)
 
I haven´t seen a kite buggy on the back of an A2, either..:)
What kind of buggy do you have? Lynn? Libre?

Bye, Frido.

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[img=left]http://homepage.mac.com/frido/a2pic.gif[/img=left]
A2 1.4 TDI 2003 S-Line, cobalt blue, CC, DIS, SatNav+, TV, Apple iPod
now parents' car: A2 1.2 TDI 2002 silver, CC, DIS
My A2OC pics Homepage
 
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