W211 Towbar Electrics Question

[tpt]

I'm getting a towbar fitted to my 05 w211 estate. I see from the MB dvd rom wiring diagrams that there is a plug in unit to handle the electrics corectly. My towbar fitter says I dont need this, he will take the electric source from one of the rear lights.

Who is right? Has anyone out there had any experience of fitting a towbar to this model? if so , what did you do?

cheers

tpt

 

[tpt]

The DVD thing was WIS - any suggestions people?

 

[jberks]

if it were me, I'd want the module. If he gets it wrong or doesn't understand the system (what are the chances of a towbar fitter understanding SAM based electronics?) you're left with endless problems and expense. Depending on how expensive a proper module is and how much you trust their knowledge I'd go with the proper module.

Additionally - read this
http://www.touringandtenting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19460
You can get after-market canbus interface kits but don't let him run wires to the lights.

 

[alancee]

let the fitter do it the module is probably 120 pound ,scotch locks to the left rear light,i have done three the wire diagram is on the net its no problem really,p.o.p,if the bar is used one make sure you have the chassis interior strengtheners,thats why you have to remove the bumper to slide them inside,easier two man to hold bumper and refit squarely

 

[alancee]

modules are for pussies

 

[piestore]

tow bar

Hi
The module will work ok on your model it basicly takes a feed of the lights without drawing current so it doesnt upset the bulb failure system, what it wont do is turn the parktronic off (if fitted) and rear fog light when the trailer is attached.

Just for information most of the new models have trailer anti snake controled by ESP for this to be active you must have a MB trailer recognition module all the other retro fit modules only operate the lights without upsetting the vehicle

 

[jberks]

let the fitter do it the module is probably 120 pound ,scotch locks to the left rear light,i have done three the wire diagram is on the net its no problem really,p.o.p,if the bar is used one make sure you have the chassis interior strengtheners,thats why you have to remove the bumper to slide them inside,easier two man to hold bumper and refit squarely

How does this work? You are not suggesting that the trailer wiring is scotchlocked directly into the cars electrics are you? It worked fine on my old Fords I'll grant you but they didn't have SAMs all over the place, and no LED/HID rear lights either.
Presumably there is still some kind of relay box in the middle?

 

[alancee]

How does this work? You are not suggesting that the trailer wiring is scotchlocked directly into the cars electrics are you? It worked fine on my old Fords I'll grant you but they didn't have SAMs all over the place, and no LED/HID rear lights either.
Presumably there is still some kind of relay box in the middle?

its works on my e240 avantgarde ,nov 2000,it worked on e280 avantgarde 1997 ,it worked on e300 124 series ,ok probably wont work on a new one because main dealer want the money and put in a 10p something to stop you useing your brains,but if you can afford a new one you can afford main dealer,thats how they think,i have said before the days of doing anything to a merc yourself are nearly finished,in the future they will put a dealer only key bolt on the sump,wait and see

 

[jberks]

ok - I can see it could work up to a 210. Electrics are still fairly conventional on that model. I'm sure it would have been fine on my 2000 E240 too, provided it went via some gizmo to avoid the warning lights coming on.
but .....
TPT has an 05 211 so whether we like it or not, the correct advice is still to get a module and tell his fitter under no circumstances to go anywhere near it with a scotchlok!. I'd be very scared if anyone suggested wiring straight into anything on my 211. Not only are they touchy but my experience is that electronics on 211s, especially 2002/3 ones can be both fragile and damned expensive.

 

[type49]

The MB one is wired into rear SAM. Rear SAM is then coded. This will then also have an anti-snaking system built into ESP & activated when the towbar electrics are in use. It will also illiminate any chances of a bulb failure warning light coming on due to wrong resistances in to loom with the extra trailer/caravan bulbs. Yes the Merc one is more expensive but it has more features.

 

[alancee]

there we have it ,i bow to wiser people ,and there we have it again ,mb will not have you do a p.o.p job,what does the future hold,only for footballers and lottery winners ? its not like it was

 

[alancee]

who needs an anti snake load of whatever anyway ,load your trailing load correctly ,common sense,im 52 been towing cars etc since 17,it snakes if your load is behind the trailing axle,1cwt on the bar approx ,mb now catering for idiots or is that what they think?

 

[type49]

There are a lot of idiots out there
Saying that, I have never towed a caravan so if I did, I would probably load it all wrong & then wish I had an anti-snake system on the car
It works by braking each wheel side to side & counter-acts the snaking, very clever stuff!!

 

[tpt]

I bought the MB wiring kit

I bought the MB wiring kit, it plugs straight into the rear SAM and connects to the internal network gubbins - I also bought a bosal towbar and ball - I just have to fit it now - will let you know how I get on...

Millers Diesel Sport plus anyone? My new wonder find - thoughts? see my other thread.. TPT

 

[ourtomtom]

its works on my e240 avantgarde ,nov 2000,it worked on e280 avantgarde 1997 ,it worked on e300 124 series ,ok probably wont work on a new one because main dealer want the money and put in a 10p something to stop you useing your brains,but if you can afford a new one you can afford main dealer,thats how they think,i have said before the days of doing anything to a merc yourself are nearly finished,in the future they will put a dealer only key bolt on the sump,wait and see

I thought they already had one

 

[Craiglxviii]

modules are for pussies

I have to say this.

Modules are for keeping the car as-designed by the really experienced design team who spent around €200 million in developing the car to perform as they want it to under all the conditions they have design standards for. They are there to keep the occupants safe, or as safe as possible under whatever conditions may be met. It is my direct experience that this overrides all aspects of making additional profit as one lawsuit would wipe that profit out. OEMs have gone a long way from the Ford Pinto.

Having a bodge job done is dangerous not only for the occupants of the car but also for everyone else around them on the road. You might be the best, most wizzo driver out there but there will be 10,000 others without your skills or experience attempting to do the same thing and ending up jackknifed on the M62 in heavy fog and rain at 0300hrs because they didn't know how to load a trailer and how to counteract it wobbling.

 

[ajlsl600]

its works on my e240 avantgarde ,nov 2000,it worked on e280 avantgarde 1997 ,it worked on e300 124 series ,ok probably wont work on a new one because main dealer want the money and put in a 10p something to stop you useing your brains,but if you can afford a new one you can afford main dealer,thats how they think,i have said before the days of doing anything to a merc yourself are nearly finished,in the future they will put a dealer only key bolt on the sump,wait and see

they wont do that pal... they have done away with the plug altogether some bean counter has worked out that they save 20 cents on threading and a bolt and the owner has to give 30 for a pump to suck out the oil ,or go to the stealer . those benz guys are A/H,s ,but they are as cute as a bitch fox on how to grab a shilling . the sales guys are pretty good as well you never get told any of this when yr handing over the purchase money.

 

[Craiglxviii]

they wont do that pal... they have done away with the plug altogether some bean counter has worked out that they save 20 cents on threading and a bolt and the owner has to give 30 for a pump to suck out the oil ,or go to the stealer . those benz guys are A/H,s ,but they are as cute as a bitch fox on how to grab a shilling . the sales guys are pretty good as well you never get told any of this when yr handing over the purchase money.

Not quite. What actually happens is that the €0.02 on threading and €2 on electrical connectors, and all other cost reductions adopted saved all add up over the production run to roughly enough money to develop the next model. If it were different they would just change the body metal and keep the underlying technology the same.

To give you a very rough idea, Ford USA pay around ~$10 million to develop a new headlamp design on its own.

 

[ajlsl600]

Not quite. What actually happens is that the €0.02 on threading and €2 on electrical connectors, and all other cost reductions adopted saved all add up over the production run to roughly enough money to develop the next model. If it were different they would just change the body metal and keep the underlying technology the same.

To give you a very rough idea, Ford USA pay around ~$10 million to develop a new headlamp design on its own.

they must be working for the federal government as well as ford .........as for the idiots that dont know how to tow .yr right , i think it a good idea to require a permit/ take a few lessons , to tow over 500kg and more than a single axle.

 

[Craiglxviii]

they must be working for the federal government as well as ford .........as for the idiots that dont know how to tow .yr right , i think it a good idea to require a permit/ take a few lessons , to tow over 500kg and more than a single axle.

Honestly though, developing a car from third principles is a really serious financial undertaking nowadays and even more so from second principles (moving on from an existing design)- that's where the €200m figure approximates from.