How To Wire Towbar Electrics | Mk7 Ford Transit Van Camper Conversion | Tow Bar Wiring Guide | 011
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- How To Wire In Towbar Electrics | Mk7 Ford Transit Van Camper Conversion | Tow Bar Wiring Guide | 011
In this Ford Transit Camper Conversion episode, I install the towbar electrical socket wiring my Mark 7 Transit Minibus.
There's a more detailed written version on our blog which you can find here: www.spannerras...
More modern vehicles use a CANBUS, Car Area Network Bus, system. This means that it uses signal wires to relays to turn the lights on and off, rather than sending the power directly to them from the switch. You need to use a towbar electrics bypass relay to wire into these. This van is old school so I didn’t need to use one of these.
In an ideal world you would use the vehicle specific trailer wiring that the manufacturer provides. There should be connections already in the wiring loom to connect it. These are usually quite expensive, and I couldn’t find the connectors in the loom anyway.
Next best is to use the vehicle wiring diagram to get the wire colours to connect. I was surprised to find a lot of conflicting and different information about the wire colours. I expected that a Transit would be pretty standard over many years, but this doesn’t seem to be the case.
The belt and braces way, which I do in this video, is to work out the colours of the wires from the connector to the rear light cluster. This works with most vehicles that have the older type of wiring.
Here's what I used in this video:
7 Pin Electric Towbar Wiring Kit: ebay.us/Vvw5Us
7 Core 0.5mm 11amp cable: ebay.us/iiY83F
Loom Tape: ebay.us/7YMbiE
Solder Sleeve Connectors: ebay.us/O2LuVn
12v Test Probe: ebay.us/zMQFO5
Right-hand rear light cluster wiring
Red - Foglight
Black/Green - Earth
Purple/White - Brake Light
Yellow/Grey - Tail Light
Green/Orange - R/H Indicator
Green/Brown - Reverse Light
Left-hand rear light cluster wires used
Blue/Brown - Tail Light
Grey/Orange - R/H Indicator
I worked out which wire was which fairly easily, I used solder seal sleeves where I could, which I find really good to connect one wire to another. Apart from when it is windy :) I only used Scotch Locks where I had to tap into another wire. I am not that keen on using these, but they do work well.
Once I had tested that it all works I covered everything with Loom Tape to stop the wires from straining and to keep everything neat. I did find it a little tight to fit the cluster back in with the extra bulk above the connector, but it went in OK with a little persuasion.
I was really pleased when I completed the job. Probably never tow a thing with it, but at least I know it works.
For more helpful how-to guides and restoration project logs, visit our blog: www.spannerras...
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Thanks for this post. Super helpful
Glad it was useful for you, cheers!
Just bought a tow bar for my 2011 transit this video will help a lot thanks for uploading much appreciated
Glad it's useful for you, best of luck getting it fitted. Cheers!
Nice one!!! Fitted my tow bar at the weekend and going to do the electrics tonight
Great, hope it all goes well.
That is a brilliant description of towbar wiring . Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
I’m hoping the Mk6 is the same. Your description was fantastic and easy to follow
I think you should be OK, the Mk7 and 6s are pretty similar, especially under the skin. You should be able to work the wiring coloursfrom the cluster if they are different. A little patience and it's surprising what you can work out with a 12v test light.
Such a great video, simply explained, nice and relaxed pace, easy to follow. I really appreciate you taking the time to make this.
Glad it was helpful!
Great stuff love discovering smaller channels
Awesome! Thank you!
At last, common sense, easy to follow, well explained tutorial...... Just saved about 300 quid...... Subscribed..
Great. I am really pleased this has helped you. Thanks for the sub.
This is really helpful for me. Thanks for the video.
Glad it was helpful!
Clear and easy to follow. Thanks for the effort in producing the video. 👍🏻
Cheers Scott, I hope it helped you out. 😃
Very helpful, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this, a job i have to do next week. Amazing how the tow ball bolts oxidise in short order.
Glad it helped. Hope it goes really well for you.
Fantastic video
Thanks! 😃
Brilliant mate job am doing this afternoon much help
It should go really smoothly for you. Pleased if any of our video helped.
Nice tutorial
Glad you think so!
The socket your looking for on mk6 is behind panel on rear passenger side of van .between arch and rear light
Mine is a Mk 7 I didn't see a likely looking connector when I was removing the lights. I have really struggled to get a wiring diagram that matches my van. There are a number on line but they all seem different.
@@SPANNERRASH ah soz thought that was a mk6 , great vid
Thank you👍👍
Cheers Tony!
very useful mate
Glad it helped.
Very helpful You a Diamond
Thanks for the feedback.
Thank you very helpful ✌🏾
Glad it was helpful!
Good job!!
Thanks Mulliedog1, we keep on keepin' on! :)
Geddon bey great video
Thank you Harry! Hope it's helpful for you
Useful information
But I’ll be soldering the joins. 😊
Each to their own pal! Solderings good😃
Nothing wrong with scotch locks if they are installed properly they are a perfectly recognised automotive connection.
They just seem a little brutal! :)
Thanks very much for the help. I am trying this tomorrow on my MK7 2012 and hoping when I have a look the cable colours are the same. I am fitting a bypass relay.
Cheers, mines a Mk7 2010 model and I didn't seem to need a bypass relay. Yours may well be different though. You should be able to work it out from your rear light cluster even if the wires are different. Good luck!
Before I go tackle it myself, those wire connectors- can you re-use them? Meaning if I did a piece of wiring wrong can I take the connection off and use it on another cable?
If you mean the scotch locks, I have re-used them in the past, but they really should be replaced.
May seam a silly question but why did you tap into the left and right tail light? Right hand rear light cluster yellow/grey and the left hand rear light cluster light the blue/brown?
I could have taken the feed for the tail lights both from the right hand, but while I was there I thought I might as well run the wire to the correct one on the other side.
I also thought a little about maybe overloading one wire that had one bulb running from it to having 3 bulbs.
Also means less spliced wires in the one cluster socket
Can i use the x2 skinny cables from the right side ( indicator and tail light) and wire the tow to the left side instead of the right ??
It is up to you which side you put the main connections, running the wires to the opposite side. I have done quite a few towbars, and it can vary from vehicle to vehicle which is the best side to go. Good luck.
Does the engine have to be running to check the vehicle female plug?
Any lights that work without the ignition being on will work OK. For some such as the indicators or brake lights the ignition needs to be switched on, but the engine doesn't need to be running.
@@SPANNERRASH thank you.
Followed you vodeo thanks. However I am stuck on where the LH indicator wire attaches after its attached to the light cluster!? Can you help ? 😅
If I am understanding what you have put correctly, that is the wire that routes through to the number one pin on the trailer socket, the one at 12 o'clock. It and the tail light for that side, need to be connected across to meet the wiring that goes to the socket, all of the others can come from the right cluster. I hope this helps.
@@SPANNERRASH thanks for your reply. I'm retty sure I have done that. The beeper also goes to that wire also I think but no luck. I will have to look again.
Where does the wire go to from the left?
I assume you mean the long wires that route across the back. They wire in to the connectors for the left side lights.