fitting a towbar to a 325i saloon

[M3KUK]

Hi, anyone for a guide to fitting a towbar to my 325i saloon?
Thanks Mike.

[Brianmoooore]

Guide for fitting the BMW bar is in the wiki retrofit guides.
This uses a ready wired loom for the electrics, but I have details for connecting your own 7 pin wiring when you get to it.

[M3KUK]

Hi fitted the tow bar today, would like the wiring details if you have them please. I won't be towing any caravans but should pull my bike trailer ok. Any tips on sealing up the holes in the boot and rear valance?

[M3KUK]

[M3KUK]

All done apart from the wiring!

[Brianmoooore]

That cable going through the rear panel requires a proper grommet!! I usually use a 20mm compression cable gland like these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x-20-mm-Bla ... BYjB1wmKtQ , as I have plenty of them around.
What's on the inside of the rear panel, behind the two bolts above the tow hitch? There would normally be a long length of angle section steel tight against the back panel, and this would normally be bolted through the rear panel as well, near its ends, so I'd expect to see two more bolt heads just inboard of the bumper mounts.
The bracket holding the N socket is cheap and nasty and will rust badly (as it already is). Ebay has these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281308280375? ... EBIDX%3AIT which are a bit expensive, but there are also these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121919215007? ... EBIDX%3AIT at half the price, but you can just cut the second socket holder off.

For the wiring, use a length of seven core long enough to reach about a good foot past the RH rear shock absorber top mount, remove the sheath from the last eighteen inches, fit a ring terminal to the white wire, feed it through the bulkhead, and connect it to the earthing point on the rear sear pan, where the car's brown earth wires are connected.
Disconnect the two plugs from the lamp check module, and remove some of the wrapping tape from the loom either side of it.
Splice the red in the 7 core to the green/red in the E30 loom in front of (before it reaches - towards the front of the car) the lamp module sockets.
Splice the black in the 7 core to the grey/yellow to loom in front of sockets.
Splice the brown in the 7 core to the grey/white in front of sockets.
Splice the blue in the 7 core to the grey/purple anywhere convenient.
Now you have a choice for the legally required indicator warning. The better way is to change the three terminal flasher module underneath the shroud behind the steering wheel for a four terminal trailer warning type, and fit a bulb to the provided place on the cluster, wired to the earthing point behind the glovebox and to the fourth terminal on the new flasher module.
The cheaper option is
to use one of the readily available audible trailer warning modules, which needs to be mounted on the rear parcel shelf, so that it can be heard.
These modules usually have five wires - orange, yellow, black, green and grey.
The black needs to be extended, fitted with a ring terminal, and fitted to the rear seat earthing terminal.
The green joins to the green of the seven core.
The yellow joins to the yellow of the seven core.
The grey will probably need extending, and splices to the blue/black in the E30 loom anywhere convenient.
The orange will probably need extending, and splices to the blue/red in the E30 loom anywhere convenient.
Stagger all your soldered splices along the loom, so you don't get bared off wires alongside each other, insulate them all, then rewrap the loom.

[bimanut]

This is what you should`ve fitted if you needed a towbar

[Brianmoooore]

This is what you should`ve fitted if you needed a towbar

That'a only the steel parts of the BMW kit, though. Still needs to be wired in as above, in the absence of the two BMW looms.

[bimanut]

This is what you should`ve fitted if you needed a towbar

That'a only the steel parts of the BMW kit, though. Still needs to be wired in as above, in the absence of the two BMW looms.

Yes it`s a shame about the loom it got `miss placed/lost in a divorce.
The last time it was fitted i wired it in as you described but without the warning wire

[M3KUK]

Thanks for the info!

[Grzesiek325i]

I got oem Westfalia towbar and wiring is p&p. Its have smart connectors using stock light plugs. Also body is prepared for it.

[Brianmoooore]

I got oem Westfalia towbar and wiring is p&p. Its have smart connectors using stock light plugs. Also body is prepared for it.

Still needs the second loom and bits for the warning light, and isn't really compatible with the six pot 'check' system.