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Subject Topic: poor towbar installation Post Reply Post New Topic
Personeggman14
25/6/2015 at 12:34pm
 Location: None Entered
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Joined: 04/1/2015

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just to give a review of my towbar installation from cdf towbars who are a midlands based company.
i had them fit a detachable witter towbar with twin electrics to my 2010 ford focus hatchback.
The cost was £358 including twin electrics.
Initially i was very happy with the installation but after 2 months from original installation date the relay for the trailer lights failed so i called them out.
sure enough they came out and replaced the relay.
3 days later my alternator began to whistle and 2 days after this it failed completely.
i am an electrician myself and an industrial gas engineer so i thought i would look at the towbar wiring as it was the most recent work the car has had done.
i found the relays not secured to the car just falling around on the ends of the wires, copper wire hanging out the back of snaplock connectors and finally the ryder trailer lights relay and maypole caravan electrics relay which have a combined max load of 45amps wired to a 15 amp feed with no fuse between original car wiring and the relays.
whilst i know i cannot prove that the towbar wiring has caused the alternator failure i am not a believer in coincidence as the car has original ford wiring and has had no problems since i bought it.
I phoned cdf to arrange to have a meeting as their office is not far from my house and on meeting with Nick explained why i was unhappy.
i also have now rewired the towbar relays myself at my expense running feeds from the battery as the relay manufacturers suggest.
Nick from cdf verbally agreed that what had been done had been poor, supplied me some sticky pads to secure the relays and said he would call me as i had suggested i should be refunded an amount of the original cost due to the work being poor, me having to re wire it correctly and my inconvenience.i did not suggest an amount.
He has not yet called me back so i have decided to warn others considering using them not to bother as workmanship was terrible.
I have photo's of the wiring they completed and a complete diary of events which im happy to post as long as it does not break any site rules.
I hope you do not suffer the aggravation i have suffered at the hands of CDF Towbars who may also trade under another name with a black van and a numberplate style logo (TOWRITE I THINK).

thanks for reading

eggman (mark)

-------------
total noobie


Persontango55
25/6/2015 at 1:50pm
 Location: Lichfield
 Outfit: Coachman Amara 450 View tango55's Profile View Profile   Reply to tango55 Reply   Quote tango55 Quote  
Joined: 15/5/2008

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On a year 2010 vehicle there will be a can-bus system installed which is basically a computerised method of constantly sending messages around the vehicle in milli-seconds. Because of the latest technology it is advised to have a 13 pin dedicated wiring loom which if you don't can cause all sorts of problems which leads to the malfunction of other electrical components. You will find that Ford will fit no other than a 13 pin dedicated wiring harness then download the software for the electrics.
I initially had twin electrics fitted to my 2008 Volvo and encountered two breakdowns and the best part of a grand to rectify the problems caused plus the labour and then have a dedicated wiring harness fitted.
Since then all electrical towing problems have been eliminated.


Personeggman14
25/6/2015 at 10:13pm
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Hi,
Had more issues today after reconnecting the tow are electrics on Sunday the battery has died. Unplugged the fuses for the caravan relay and left the car for an hour and it fired up.
I agree about canbus and am now going to get dedicated ford electrics fitted.

-------------
total noobie


Personcheckley1973
26/6/2015 at 7:19am
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport 636 View checkley1973's Profile View Profile   Reply to checkley1973 Reply   Quote checkley1973 Quote  
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You shouldn't use anything but dedicated electives with modern canbus cars, I don't know why installers keep attempting to use universal kits.


Personbilly
26/6/2015 at 9:20am
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400 View billy's Profile View Profile   Reply to billy Reply   Quote billy Quote  
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They do it to be cheap. Folk baulk at £500 for towbar/electrics but on some cars it costs that and more for a proper job that will last the life of the car.


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Personcheckley1973
26/6/2015 at 6:21pm
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Sterling Eccles Sport 636 View checkley1973's Profile View Profile   Reply to checkley1973 Reply   Quote checkley1973 Quote  
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Agreed Billy. My westfalia bar was £500 fitted. I thought a good price for detachable with dedicated wiring loom and reprogramming.


Personneil and lena
26/6/2015 at 6:23pm
 Location:  Dumfries
 Outfit: 2022 CoachmanVIP 2022 Pilote P696GJ View neil and lena's Profile View Profile   Reply to neil and lena Reply   Quote neil and lena Quote  
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Dedicated plug in wiring towbar electrics are best , might be expensive but your unlikely yo get problems .
You no the old saying " Buy cheap - Buy Twice "



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