Fitting a Towbar to a W163 Advice please

Uncle

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Evening all

Can anyone point me at a schematic of the rear bumper assy for my 2003 ML270 CDI This one has the parking sensors and I need to remove it in order to fit the towbar

Also are there any issues with connecting up the electrics - will I need to program the ecu for the trailer lighting?

Any help, advice, comments or abuse greatly welcomed ;)
 

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i have a similar question as im hoping to get a towbar soon for the 203 and could do with knowing what the wiring up of it entails (not done a car where simply scotchlocking into the rear light wiring would do the trick!)
 
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Uncle

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I have sourced a towbar from PF Jones
http://www.pfjones.co.uk/m-class-1998-2005-detachable-towbar.html
But not sure if I need to spend an extra £100.00 for the dedicated wiring kit?

I had the one fitted to my E220 and cost me nearly £700.00 so trying to save some pennies but don't want to screw up the electrics on the ML
 

turbopete

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im in the same situation. ebay towbar (if the guy selling it gets in contact!) and dont want to mess up the bulb failure warnings when the time comes to fit it and wire it up!
 
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Chris196

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Just fitted a westfalia swan neck to my 06 E350 estate and I got the dedicated wiring kit from PF Jones, have to say it was a lot easier than I thought and could prob do in half a day now, most difficult stuff was getting old bumper off and some of the old rusted nuts for bumper crumple support bars.

Plug and play electrics were £130 but well worth it as only 3 connections,, one for earth and 2 pre-wired connections (with fuses) into SAM module in boot

Have to hunt around a bit for the hidden bolts though, not sure where on ML.

Oh and there was no need to have car coded afterwards all worked exactly as should, not sure about parking sensors as have after market ones but can't see these would be affected

Good luck, see if you can get bumper removal instructions from some kind soul (Malcolm) as well
 

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I have the fitting instruction if required that I can send :D
 

ianstaley

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If you are getting an after market T bar, you should get the wiring with it. Any Westphalia bar should come complete. Mine is a removable one and the wiring is easy. I just fitted a rear wheel carrier and I was really not sure about fitting this, ask Malcolm. But no sweat well easy but a lot of sweat. Any bar will have two stiffening plates that fit to the rear cross member (all pre drilled) on the INSIDE of the joint between chassis and cross member. You need to remove the spare wheel, use a lot of penetrating spray after a few years under there without being used take it's toll it is a sod to move. the bolts go through from the rear forwards and you should have two spacer plates with pipes welded on these need to go inside the cross member to give strength to the tow bar. I bought a complete tow bar from Dronsfields for 90 notes, I now have two tow bars but it saved me a lot of problems to bring back my Honda Goldwing from Holland. I should think that an indy would do the whole job in about 4 hours, it took me 5 days of lying on my back (I am an invalid) so if I can do it so can you. Oh and the wiring for the tow-bar and rear wheel carrier are in the left hand side at the rear looking from the back to the front. so you need to remove the trim on that side to get at it.

Good luck.
 
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turbopete

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I have the fitting instruction if required that I can send :D

Malcolm, any chance you could send me the wiring instructions (and info on any add on parts i might need) for the 203 please?
 

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Malcolm, any chance you could send me the wiring instructions (and info on any add on parts i might need) for the 203 please?

Yes I can,,, PM me the address
 

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turbopete

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PM sent. thanks Malcolm
 

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Its sent Pete :D
 

turbopete

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thanks Malcolm. I wasnt planning to use a 13 pin socket though. im assuming that the N28/1 will be present already and that i just need to work out what wires I need to connect to which pins? or would the dedicated harness be ESSENTIAL?

also, would i need to do anything else, or just wire my socket (whatever i decide to use) to the N28/1 and off I go? (assuming you had the opportunity to have a look at the papers)
 

television

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I never read ½ what I send out or the day would be too short
 

turbopete

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its ok Malcolm. having re-read it again, looks like it needs to be coded in anyhow!

I dont suppose they can be done the 'old' way, can they?
 

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Not these days with cars with CAN buses :(
 
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Uncle

Uncle

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Westfalia detachable tow bar including dedicated wiring harness received from PF Jones :)

Will be fitting this tomorrow, meanwhile I found these videos on you tube hopefully all looks similar to the 270. Obviously the dedicated wiring kit will be different but it seems that direct connection the old way will work fine also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUtq8gvv8jU & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTj1GjgeEMY

Sorry if they already been linked before
 

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Do you still want the bumper info
 

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