Aftermarket Towbars
Members
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Cornwall / Suffolk UK
My Ride: 535d Sport Tourer - E34 M5 Race Car
I have an E61 535d M Sport with Witter detatchable fitted.
When I had mine installed, Witter did not have a bumper cutting guide for the M Sport bumper - there are apparently so many differeing styles of rear bumper/valance that they struggle to keep up.
No apologies for my dirty car - it's the workhorse !
They could have done a slightly better job, but it was the first one they ever did & all works fine.
When I had mine installed, Witter did not have a bumper cutting guide for the M Sport bumper - there are apparently so many differeing styles of rear bumper/valance that they struggle to keep up.
No apologies for my dirty car - it's the workhorse !
They could have done a slightly better job, but it was the first one they ever did & all works fine.
Members
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Buckinghamshire UK
>They could have done a slightly better job, but it was the first one they ever did & all works fine.
That looks a pretty neat job to me, not having the M-kit my towbar tucks under the higher valence with no cut but I could live with that. As you say having an E60 AND needing to tow is always going to be a bit of a compromise.
>Could be bullsh't, but the guy at Bankfarm turned down my ?400 anyway.
Tow bar fitting does seem to attract all sorts of BS along the way. One guy turned down fitting on my last E39 because he reckoned (and I jest you not) "BMW have fitted a carbon fibre wiring loom and they were unable to tap into it for the towbar circuit" Jeez..I know BMW are smart but I reckon even they couldn't make a wiring loom out of carbon fibre.
That looks a pretty neat job to me, not having the M-kit my towbar tucks under the higher valence with no cut but I could live with that. As you say having an E60 AND needing to tow is always going to be a bit of a compromise.
>Could be bullsh't, but the guy at Bankfarm turned down my ?400 anyway.
Tow bar fitting does seem to attract all sorts of BS along the way. One guy turned down fitting on my last E39 because he reckoned (and I jest you not) "BMW have fitted a carbon fibre wiring loom and they were unable to tap into it for the towbar circuit" Jeez..I know BMW are smart but I reckon even they couldn't make a wiring loom out of carbon fibre.
Members
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: FK4 UK
My Ride: 05 530D Sport E61
Ive also fitted a witter detachable on my E61 sport, I picked up a brand new one on ebay for ?100. It is an absolute doddle to fit, including removing and refitting the rear bumper it took me well under a couple of hours.
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: UK - South Wales
My Ride: 525i SE Black Saphire, Black Dakota Leather, 116 type alloys
TACTRAS - I'd be interested to see some pics of your towbar install to see how the "real McCoy" looks. (Also add some details of your car to your signature so that I know what colour model etc to look out for when I'm out and about. (Rydale Newport and Rydale Cardiff are about equal distances from where I live).
Juliann - looks like a pretty neat install to me. No different as far as I can see from the one I have now, but the standard SE bumper hides it better.
I'll try and take a picture of mine and post it sometime this weekend if it stops raining for long enough!
Juliann - looks like a pretty neat install to me. No different as far as I can see from the one I have now, but the standard SE bumper hides it better.
I'll try and take a picture of mine and post it sometime this weekend if it stops raining for long enough!
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: UK - South Wales
My Ride: 525i SE Black Saphire, Black Dakota Leather, 116 type alloys
Originally Posted by Rossman_999' post='284878' date='May 19 2006, 08:12 PM
Ive also fitted a witter detachable on my E61 sport, I picked up a brand new one on ebay for ?100. It is an absolute doddle to fit, including removing and refitting the rear bumper it took me well under a couple of hours.
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: South Wales, UK
My Ride: (June '05) E60 530d Sport, Silver Grey, Blk leather, Auto, BT, Comms package, 6-disk multichanger,.......£1302 for a dealer fitted towbar.........
Originally Posted by Kev525' post='284879' date='May 19 2006, 08:14 PM
TACTRAS - I'd be interested to see some pics of your towbar install to see how the "real McCoy" looks. (Also add some details of your car to your signature so that I know what colour model etc to look out for when I'm out and about. (Rydale Newport and Rydale Cardiff are about equal distances from where I live).
Juliann - looks like a pretty neat install to me. No different as far as I can see from the one I have now, but the standard SE bumper hides it better.
I'll try and take a picture of mine and post it sometime this weekend if it stops raining for long enough!
Juliann - looks like a pretty neat install to me. No different as far as I can see from the one I have now, but the standard SE bumper hides it better.
I'll try and take a picture of mine and post it sometime this weekend if it stops raining for long enough!
Hi Kev525,
Will try to update my info this weekend, pictures of the towbar as well.
But as you mention, it's not raining right now, so I think I'm going to be sentenced to a few hours hard labour in the garden to start with.
Start praying for rain again....
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: UK - South Wales
My Ride: 525i SE Black Saphire, Black Dakota Leather, 116 type alloys
So it turned out to be a half decent day today after all - rain pretty much held off and a few sunny spells too!
After I'd repaired the roof on the garden shed (wind the other night ripped it off), I managed to find time to take some pictures of the towbar with and without the towball attached. As you can see from the pictures below, when it's off it's almost invisible on the standard SE bumper (well compared to the fixed version I had before I upgraded to the detachable option it is - see pics in My Gallery from signature link for what it looked like with the permanent fixture).
Without towball
With towball attached
Removed again
and back on
gone again
This is the detachable towball, securing lever and the storage bag it came with from Towsure.
After I'd repaired the roof on the garden shed (wind the other night ripped it off), I managed to find time to take some pictures of the towbar with and without the towball attached. As you can see from the pictures below, when it's off it's almost invisible on the standard SE bumper (well compared to the fixed version I had before I upgraded to the detachable option it is - see pics in My Gallery from signature link for what it looked like with the permanent fixture).
Without towball
With towball attached
Removed again
and back on
gone again
This is the detachable towball, securing lever and the storage bag it came with from Towsure.
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: South Wales, UK
My Ride: (June '05) E60 530d Sport, Silver Grey, Blk leather, Auto, BT, Comms package, 6-disk multichanger,.......£1302 for a dealer fitted towbar.........
Originally Posted by Kev525' post='285394' date='May 20 2006, 09:40 PM
So it turned out to be a half decent day today after all - rain pretty much held off and a few sunny spells too!
After I'd repaired the roof on the garden shed (wind the other night ripped it off), I managed to find time to take some pictures of the towbar with and without the towball attached. As you can see from the pictures below, when it's off it's almost invisible on the standard SE bumper (well compared to the fixed version I had before I upgraded to the detachable option it is - see pics in My Gallery from signature link for what it looked like with the permanent fixture).
Without towball
Attachment 19202
With towball attached
Attachment 19203
Removed again
Attachment 19204
and back on
Attachment 19205
gone again
Attachment 19206
This is the detachable towball, securing lever and the storage bag it came with from Towsure.
Attachment 19207
After I'd repaired the roof on the garden shed (wind the other night ripped it off), I managed to find time to take some pictures of the towbar with and without the towball attached. As you can see from the pictures below, when it's off it's almost invisible on the standard SE bumper (well compared to the fixed version I had before I upgraded to the detachable option it is - see pics in My Gallery from signature link for what it looked like with the permanent fixture).
Without towball
Attachment 19202
With towball attached
Attachment 19203
Removed again
Attachment 19204
and back on
Attachment 19205
gone again
Attachment 19206
This is the detachable towball, securing lever and the storage bag it came with from Towsure.
Attachment 19207
Sorry for the delay in posting the pictures. Had a few meetings called at short notice in Grenoble last week, and then been away with the wife and kids with our caravan since Bank holiday weekend. Just back from a great week in Dorset, so a golden opportunity to take some pics of the towbar as it's removed for a few weeks.
Members
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: FK4 UK
My Ride: 05 530D Sport E61
Originally Posted by Kev525' post='284885' date='May 19 2006, 08:18 PM
Did you get the Smart bypass relay wiring kit from Towsure? If so, that's the one I bought and I agree the instructions were a little confusing, but once figured out were a piece of cake to connect up. (Bit surprised at the price though, as I only paid about ?40 if I remember correctly - but that was for the single socket and not the twin kit).
It was the "Towbar Plug in Wiring BMW 5 Ser E60 Sal E61 Est 07/03>" I was not offered the smart bypass relay. Im glad you found the instructions poor as well.
Why oh Why do manafactures insist in producing instructions without words.
Members
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: South Wales, UK
My Ride: (June '05) E60 530d Sport, Silver Grey, Blk leather, Auto, BT, Comms package, 6-disk multichanger,.......£1302 for a dealer fitted towbar.........
Originally Posted by Rossman_999' post='284878' date='May 19 2006, 08:12 PM
Ive also fitted a witter detachable on my E61 sport, I picked up a brand new one on ebay for ?100. It is an absolute doddle to fit, including removing and refitting the rear bumper it took me well under a couple of hours.
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
I had to buy the wiring kit from Towsure (C?120) only 5 wires to connect but the worst instructions I have ever seen. It took me almost 2 hours trying to figgure them out, but the next time I recon I could do it in 15 minutes.
The witter detachable is not the neatest option and with hindsight I would have rather gone for a more concealed option. I suspect the BMW bar are not made by BMW as one of the installers was fitting a bar that needed the genuine bumper insets. (They were quoting a figure of circa ?600 ex bumper inserts.)
FYI, the BMW towbar I have fitted is actually made by a company called 'Westfalia'. I believe VW also fit them as original equipment.
