Westfalia Detachable Tow Bar Fitter South West

[Mavis628]

If you have a single axle caravan it will sit a bit nose down, but if you have lowered by 40-50mm at the back wheel that is not a huge amount over the length of your caravan to centre axle. you will just need to keep an eye on the nose weight of your caravan when you are loaded up and hitched to stay below the max vertical load of the Westie towbar (100 kg I think).
I am lowered and although I've not had the caravan on the back yet it is fine pulling my twin axle trailer with no issue being slightly down at the front.
One think to watch though would be the combined nose weight of the caravan and the weight of everything you load in the van when you go away (including people. You might start getting close to rubbing your wheel arches if you are to low with big wheels fitted.

That’s a great help thanks we have a single axel 4 birth, will just get the mrs to leave the kitchen sink at home

 

[Pauly]

Dolphin towbars saying of your van is factory camper or combi they already have the bumper support ?

But not the foam pads, without them you end up with a 10mm gap between the bumper support and the bumper and the bumper has to come off to fit them

 

[Mavis628]

But not the foam pads, without them you end up with a 10mm gap between the bumper support and the bumper and the bumper has to come off to fit them

This is what the geezer said from dolphin towbars has said regarding plastic support and foam, I’m a little bit baffled



Hi .

To supply and fit a Westfalia removable towbar with a dedicated 13 pin wiring kit inc coding inc vat is £510.00 .

If the van needs the plastic strip bumper support it adds £24.00 there are no foam supports needed , the foam used be instead of the strip , not as well as the strip and is no longer offered as the strip is a lot better . This strip will not be needed if the van has rear seats or is a factory camper .

It takes about 3 hours to do the job and we need 2 - 3 days notice . If you want to book please phone 01202 733130 during opening hours .

Regards Stuart

www.dolphintowbars.co.uk
01202 733130

Dolphin Towbars is a trading name of Dolphin Towbars and Trailers Limited registered in England & Wales - Number 8384027 - Registered Office 16H Chalwyn Industrial Estate , Old Wareham Road , Parkstone .Poole . BH12 4PE

On 2019-02-06 18:02, Justkeepers@hotmail.co.uk wrote:
My Contact Form
February 6th, 2019, 18:02
--------------------------------------------------------------
Name:: Steve Phillips
Telephone:: 07964052775
Email address: Justkeepers@hotmail.co.uk
Your message:: Hi
I’m after detachable Westfalia with full function 13 pin vehicle
specific electrics and coding done.
I would also like the plastic rail and foam inserts (for additional
under bumper support) May have that on my T6 if not I would like it
added
how long would you need it to fit ?
Could you quote me for the above and how long until you can fit my van
in? I’ve beem given your company from a fellow T6 forum member who has
had the same fitted to his T6
My van has barn doors the spare wheel is at the back underneath
Regards
Steve
How did you hear about Dolphin Towbars & Trailers?: Google search
--------------------------------------------------------------
IP address: 213.205.194.6
Host: 213.205.194.6
Screen resolution: 375x667

 

[Newf]

Westfalia instructions show that they centre tow ball to ground height can be between 350 to 420 mm (70 mm variation).




Here is the foam inserts Pauly is talking about and fitting position, that I found online.



My understanding is that the plastic rail fitted the gap between the van threshold and the towbar bracket and strengthens the area under the threshold of the bumper as the old crash barrier is removed and discarded (as mentioned earlier in thread you may well already have this rail dependent on van variant). The foam strips sit on top of the tow bar bracket and help prevent downward flexing of the bumper because the towbar bracket is lower than the old crash barrier that gets removed. I've read various reports of cracked bumpers due to flexing due to this increased space under the bumper. The Westfalia fitting instructions have some good pictures of the rail but not the foam inserts.
I definitely had the rail and the foam inserts fitted last month.

 

[Mavis628]

Westfalia instructions show that they centre tow ball to ground height can be between 350 to 420 mm (70 mm variation).


View attachment 36520

Here is the foam inserts Pauly is talking about and fitting position, that I found online.

View attachment 36523

My understanding is that the plastic rail fitted the gap between the van threshold and the towbar bracket and strengthens the area under the threshold of the bumper as the old crash barrier is removed and discarded (as mentioned earlier in thread you may well already have this rail dependent on van variant). The foam strips sit on top of the tow bar bracket and help prevent downward flexing of the bumper because the towbar bracket is lower than the old crash barrier that gets removed. I've read various reports of cracked bumpers due to flexing due to this increased space under the bumper. The Westfalia fitting instructions have some good pictures of the rail but not the foam inserts.
I definitely had the rail and the foam inserts fitted last month.

That’s great info tanks I will make sure I get to the bottom of this with the fitter

 

[Newf]

For the sake of £30-40 I just went for them, cheaper in the long run than a replacement bumper.

 

[Deleted Member]

I've had no issues with my Westfalia fitted by Dolphin, but I don't tow a caravan, just my Thule bike/box rack thing.

I seem to remember Stuart telling me something about not needing the foam inserts or support brackets at the time it was ordered.

Obviously if you have a part number and he's taking the bumper off it would make sense to get it fitted at the same time.

I climb in and out of the back of the van frequently and haven't had any issues with my bumper yet.

There's not much on the estate to do, I took my mountain bike and rode down to Tower Park and sat drinking coffee in McDonald's and messing about on my laptop for a few hours.

*two different sets of scrotes were looking my bike up and down, twice I had to get up and make them aware it was my bike and that I was watching them like a hawk so take a lock and keep it in view*

 

[Mavis628]

I've had no issues with my Westfalia fitted by Dolphin, but I don't tow a caravan, just my Thule bike/box rack thing.

I seem to remember Stuart telling me something about not needing the foam inserts or support brackets at the time it was ordered.

Obviously if you have a part number and he's taking the bumper off it would make sense to get it fitted at the same time.

I climb in and out of the back of the van frequently and haven't had any issues with my bumper yet.

There's not much on the estate to do, I took my mountain bike and rode down to Tower Park and sat drinking coffee in McDonald's and messing about on my laptop for a few hours.

*two different sets of scrotes were looking my bike up and down, twice I had to get up and make them aware it was my bike and that I was watching them like a hawk so take a lock and keep it in view*

I will give him a call thanks for info

 

[Mavis628]

Anyone fitted had a sitter tow bar fitted there cheaper I think just wondered what the westfalia does that witter doesn’t for more money

 

[Deleted Member]

Westfalia is OEM spec, but Witter are decent too.

 

[Mavis628]

Westfalia is OEM spec, but Witter are decent too.

Does one do anything different than the other ?

 

[Deleted Member]

Ask Stuart, I'd assume he fits both brands?

 

[Mavis628]

I have found this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Is it worth buying and paying someone to fit it of os this completes wrong for my van

Westfalia 306476900113 Tow Bar and Wiring Kit