TowBar for Bike Rack?

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Hi Guys,

I know this isnt a hot topic on here but ive had a good search on here and see that a fair few people have gone down the tow bar bike rack option but cant find a answer to my questions.

Ive been seriously into Mountain Biking for about a year and a half now and its starting to annoy me putting the bike in the back everytime especially when ive got a mate with me aswell.

Obviously boot racks are not an option and roof racks are just a pain.

So a tow bar,

Car is a 05 pre face lift Ibiza Fr TDi, the one with the smaller bumpers but if i have to cut the bumper a bit im not to bothered.

I see Bosal Tow bars are a popular choice, would this one be the right one:

Bosal Tow Bar

Id rather not have to fit the electrics so would go for this RACK if it would fit onto that particular tow bar? but is it a MOT or legal requirement to fit the electrics? i know i would be covering the lights and number plate with that particular rack but a boot mounted rack would anyway and i have no where to store the larger euroclassic ones.

Total price for the tow bar and mount is around £160 as i will fit it myself, from reading peoples old posts this seems a bit to cheap?am i missing something?

Thanks for the help

Russ
 

josh263uk

Waiting for the sunshine!
Aug 13, 2007
365
15
Saarland Germany
I have a bosal, but I went for the detachable version.

DSC01530a.jpg


DSC01536.jpg


Reason being is that it looked a bit better then having the ball showing all the time, you could have the one in you link and bolt/unbolt the swan neck each time you use it.

You would need to cut the bumper, but its so small that you cant see it any way.

The electrics are not an MOT requirement (i believe), but if stopped by the Police then they can have you for obsured plates and lights.

Shop around for the best price, some internet companies charge alot for postage. When i was looking I was about to buy, but looked at the postage and they wanted £15 per item [:@], I eventually found the postage for £6 for the lot (tow bar, bike rack, wiring kit and adaptor).

If you go for that rack, and get electrics fitted in the future then you can always get a trailer board and use.

And yes thats the price (unless you need to buy spanners to remove the bumper:whistle:)

Hope that helps
 

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Thanks Josh thats just what i wanted to know.

Thanks for heads up about delivery costs, i see that towequipe site wants to charge me £25 delivery. Very sneaky.

Which site did you order from and what make towbar did you go for?

Thanks
 

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Thanks again Josh that saved me searching more, thats a good site, cheap and they dont charge excessive delivery. They have everything i want so im going to to order from them now. I popped into Westerham Seat this morning and they couldnt tell me if i would need to drill the mount holes of if they are already there?
 

josh263uk

Waiting for the sunshine!
Aug 13, 2007
365
15
Saarland Germany
nice and straight forward.

Reomve lights (a bit tough on some ibiza's), remove all the screws for the rear bumper, then remove the bumper beam (not sure on tech name but its the big black metal bumper looking bar, should be 4 nuts),

this will uncover the holes. slide in towbar mount and use bolts provided (inner arch liners will probably have to be removed)

then reverse but leave out the bumper beam as the towbar has taken its place.

glad i have been some assistance (for a change :D)
 

st10587

i only brake for cake!!!!
Oct 4, 2007
3,669
0
Hindhead
i also have!! got mine from towequipe. dead easy to fit ive done 3 of these now on various vehicles!
 

dErZ

Active Member
Jan 29, 2008
203
0
Surrey
St10587 is my hero :)

I too have that towbar :) great piece of kit..

Just remember when you have it all installed and you have the cables trailing into the boot to have a clothe or something under the cables otherwise it will damage your paintwork on the bumper.. :(
 

st10587

i only brake for cake!!!!
Oct 4, 2007
3,669
0
Hindhead
St10587 is my hero :)

I too have that towbar :) great piece of kit..

Just remember when you have it all installed and you have the cables trailing into the boot to have a clothe or something under the cables otherwise it will damage your paintwork on the bumper.. :(

glad to be of service! ;):D
 

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Thanks everyone, i ordered it all last night. Ally if only you had said sooner i would have had that off you :cry:

The guy on the phone said that i should receive it tomorrow so hopefully ill have it on ready for a ride this weekend.

Sorry to keep asking questions but to get it on as quick as possible i saw in someones pics that they had taken the rear wheels off and had it up on axel stands. Do i really need to to remove the rear wheels to get at the bolts? or can it just be done by removing the rear bumper and arch liners?

Thanks again
 

a11y

2 wheels better...
Jul 18, 2007
298
0
Central Scotland
Dammit! Oh well, serves my right for not wasting more time on the net lol.

Nah, you need the wheels off to create space to get at the bolts holding the arch liner in. Believe me, I tried but ended up taking the wheels off anyway. It's only a 5-min job to take off both anyway (if you have axle stands).
 

st10587

i only brake for cake!!!!
Oct 4, 2007
3,669
0
Hindhead
Thanks everyone, i ordered it all last night. Ally if only you had said sooner i would have had that off you :cry:

The guy on the phone said that i should receive it tomorrow so hopefully ill have it on ready for a ride this weekend.

Sorry to keep asking questions but to get it on as quick as possible i saw in someones pics that they had taken the rear wheels off and had it up on axel stands. Do i really need to to remove the rear wheels to get at the bolts? or can it just be done by removing the rear bumper and arch liners?

Thanks again

Defo wheels off and axel stands required!! its really easy to fit the tow bar, just allow your self about 2 hours and a dry workshop/garage
 

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Cheers, ill have to get the axel stands out then! hopefully get the time early saturday morning to fit it so ill post some pics up when im done.

Thanks
 

st10587

i only brake for cake!!!!
Oct 4, 2007
3,669
0
Hindhead
Cheers, ill have to get the axel stands out then! hopefully get the time early saturday morning to fit it so ill post some pics up when im done.

Thanks

Good luck! if you get stuck post up or PM me as ill be at work..........aka sitting surfing the net :cartman:
 

Russ_20vt

Kitesurfing nut
Feb 4, 2005
468
0
T,Wells. Kent.
Didnt get a chance to fit it this morning, ive only just had the chance to have a look at it as its been at my parents house. Im a bit concerned that its bent on one side, i would have thought they both would have been straight? though it does look to be manufactured at this angle. Anybody able to confirm its supposed to be like this before i strip the car and discover it wont fit.

Left arm
DSC00090-vi.jpg


Right arm, is this supposed to be this angle?
DSC00091-vi.jpg


DSC00093-vi.jpg


Thanks
 
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