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      08-08-2006, 12:38 PM   #1
Chris33
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Tow bar

Has anyone had a genuine BMW tow bar fitted? if you have, can you please post some pictures.
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      08-09-2006, 01:19 PM   #2
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Anyone?
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      08-09-2006, 01:38 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris33
Anyone?
I don't know anyone who has a towbar fitted to their e90/91, Chris.

Most would probably say an e90 & a caravan (or anything else) were never made to play together!

I think there are a few photos on the forum of other e90s with a fitted towbar- do a search.

All the best.

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      08-09-2006, 02:57 PM   #4
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I know what you mean Viv! It's blaspheme to even mention a towbar and BMW in the same sentence.
I was after the OEM BMW Concealed towbar so I can tow my sons trailer & quad bike.
Rumour has it you can not see the towbar when the "neck" is removed, hence the reason I wanted photo's.
I will do a search. Thanks Viv.
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      08-09-2006, 04:23 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris33
Has anyone had a genuine BMW tow bar fitted? if you have, can you please post some pictures.
If you're interested the part number is 82 11 9 413 758 and lists for £56.95 plus fitting. No BMW photo available.

There is a Westfalia towbar available from www.gttowing.co.uk
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      08-12-2006, 05:00 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris33
I know what you mean Viv! It's blaspheme to even mention a towbar and BMW in the same sentence.
I was after the OEM BMW Concealed towbar so I can tow my sons trailer & quad bike.
Rumour has it you can not see the towbar when the "neck" is removed, hence the reason I wanted photo's.
I will do a search. Thanks Viv.
I have the factory fitted towbar (I use it for towing gliders). No pics at the moment, but I'll see what I can do in a few days time.

The towbar itself doen't have any removable parts, it swivels underneath the car and is stored inverted when not deployed. If you look at the back of the car from the same level as the bottom of the edge of the bumper, you can just see the top edge of the ball about half an inch below the bumper line, several inches back under the car and a little right of centre line. Other than that (or looking under the car) there is no indication that the towbar is fitted at all.

The bumper does not have any cut outs (Although according to the literature, the structures behind the bumper are different and not so resillient to slight knocks).

The towbar is deployed by depressing a button inside the right hand side of the boot. Pressing the button for a few seconds releases the towbar which drops down under the car. You then then lift it into position and it latches there (there are green and red lights in the button to indicate locked / unlocked). Check the light is green before connecting the trailer.

Stowing the towbar is the opposite procedure. Press the button for a few seconds, towbar drops down, then you lift it into it's stowed position, check the light is green and go!. BMW provide gloves to save you getting your hands dirty, but in practice, I just use my foot to lift it into position.

BMW also provide an adapter to convert the electical connector to a different format if your trailer requires this. On that subject the electrical connector is part of the swiveling hook assembly, and so is hiden along with the hook itself.

The one thing this system does not have is a plate that protects the bumper if the trailer overruns when hitching up. I keep a spare car mat in the boot and droop it over the bumper when connecting a Glider.

All in all this system is a Glider pilots dream! and is very easy and convenient to use. When a friend came to collect me from another airfield last year in his E46, it took him a couple of minuted to assemble the (factory installed) removable towbar. The equivalent deployment in the E90 takes five seconds!

As for the blasphemy thing - I think our excuses are cool enough to exempt us. Just never use it for a caravan or expect to be shot by the next passing E90POST member
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      08-12-2006, 08:36 AM   #7
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Excellent, thanks for the info.

I wanted the factory fit towbar but when I called the dealer my car had already gone into production so I missed out.

I wonder if the dealer fit towbar is the same as the factory fit? it should be as they want to charge me £1200+ for the pleasure!

Pictures would be great as I could show them to the dealer to confirm I am getting the same set up.
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      08-12-2006, 10:07 AM   #8
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The rain has let up a bit, and I've managed to get a couple of photos. Only with my phone so they're not fantastic, and the car behind was parked a bit close to get a clear view. They show the Towbar stowed (you can just see the head hanging down below bumper level - arrowed). Deployed, half deployed, a shot of the button location and a better shot of of the button.

Also there is an exploded diagram of the system is at:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...12&hg=71&fg=10

The option was about £600 from the factory. I can can see why it would be so expensive to retrofit, but that is still a vast amount of money. Having said that, it is the mutts nuts as towbars go.
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      08-12-2006, 11:39 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by London320d
The rain has let up a bit, and I've managed to get a couple of photos. Only with my phone so they're not fantastic, and the car behind was parked a bit close to get a clear view. They show the Towbar stowed (you can just see the head hanging down below bumper level - arrowed). Deployed, half deployed, a shot of the button location and a better shot of of the button.

Also there is an exploded diagram of the system is at:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...12&hg=71&fg=10

The option was about £600 from the factory. I can can see why it would be so expensive to retrofit, but that is still a vast amount of money. Having said that, it is the mutts nuts as towbars go.
Do you have the towing specs such as tongue weight, towing weight, etc. for this hitch?
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      08-12-2006, 01:31 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoYank
Do you have the towing specs such as tongue weight, towing weight, etc. for this hitch?
Attached are a couple of pages from the UK E90 iDrive manual which list all of the towing specs.

Except for one! The text relating to the hitch also states that the trailer nose weight must be at least 25kg/55lbs.
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      08-12-2006, 01:41 PM   #11
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Many thanks for taking the photo's. It looks a great system.

I will call in to my local dealer Monday to see what they say.
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      04-16-2007, 07:11 PM   #12
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Very useful post, thanks
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      04-17-2007, 02:27 AM   #13
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I used to have a tow bar fitted on my e46 touring. It wasn't the factory or dealer fitted option, both were very expensive. I got mine from Towsure and it was a removable system, used a pin and a R clip. Used to take about 30 seconds to fit and could not be seen when not used. Very useful for the kart and motorbike trailers. I have a towbar on my other car at the moment so won't be putting one on the 335d (although it would make a much better towcar), but something will have to be sorted out when I change that car.

Regards

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      07-02-2007, 05:00 AM   #14
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E90/E91 removable towbar - review.

I've just fitted the Westfalia removable swan-neck towbar and the Brinks car-specific electrics. It's completely invisible when removed (unless you look in the back of the garage!) and fits though the pre-formed hole in the undertray - no cutting needed.
Once installed, fitting or removing the ball takes a few seconds, and the electrics hinges up out of view. The electric kit connects to the CAN-bus so (when there's a lighting board connected) it disables the reversing sensors
and selects a different stability program.
Taking my time, the whole lot took about 4 hours to fit.

Bar £180
Car-specific kit £125
Fitting (if you don't want to DIY) about £130

If you have a very early E90/E91, make sure the studs which hold the bumper bar are long enough. Some need replacing which is "non-DIY".

The most difficult bit of fitting the bar is removing the plastic bumper. You get access to the wiring in the corner above the battery compartment, which is where you put the electronic module.
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      07-02-2007, 05:52 AM   #15
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Hi there,

Can you tell me if your car is an M-Sport E91? We have a 320d M-Sport Touring and want to fit a removable towbar to the car. However, every supplier we have called have informed us that they will need to cut the bottom of the bumper in order to fit the towbar.

Obviously I'm not happy with having to cut the bumper and would like to know if any of you guys have retro-fitted a removeable towbar without having to cut the bumper.

Thanks,
Justin.
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      07-05-2007, 04:58 PM   #16
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Justin, no, mine is NOT the M-sport - I suggest you park next to a non-M-Sport and compare the bumpers - I'm guessing the MS is deeper and will foul the swan-neck. However, the BMW price-list does list the towbar option on the M-Sport models, so there is a way to fit one (one company told me that the Westfalia is the OEM part at the moment).
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      07-08-2007, 07:13 AM   #17
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Thanks for all your info. Going to order the Westfalia towbar. Do you have a link to the towbar you ordered? I am confused at all the different models available - detachable, invisible, swan-neck etc.

Also, Towequipe's website does not make it clear if the swan-neck towbar is detachable.

Justin.

Last edited by trant; 07-08-2007 at 07:31 AM..
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      04-03-2008, 10:18 AM   #18
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E91 Towbar

I have fitted a towbar to a 2007 320d M Sport Estate. Local fitters said there wasn't a kit so I searched and contacted towbarsdirect.co.uk and ordered a Westfalia Kit. I had used these before and they are completly invisible. The electrics swing out of the way and the U shaped attachment slots in when you need it. Cost 215 plus fitting.

I could show you a photo but you can't see anything when the bar is off.

Hope that helps
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      04-03-2008, 10:29 AM   #19
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While you've resurrected an old thread - I ordered a Witter detachable for the E91 a couple of days back.

I was going to go for the Westfalia, but they said it might take 14days.

I've ordered a car specific electrics pack as well, which is either a Westfalia or Brink kit, looking at the downloadable instructions.

I'm hoping that yours is just a bypass relay, for the price you got yours fitted for - my electrics kit was £120 on it's own...
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      08-04-2013, 06:29 PM   #20
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If I get a towbar fitted to my e91 325i auto will I need an upgraded radiato or oil cooler etc?

Thanks in advance.
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      08-04-2013, 07:03 PM   #21
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Generally, no.

Only if you're pulling 1800kgs up Alpine switchbacks.
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      08-05-2013, 02:27 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vivekk View Post
I don't know anyone who has a towbar fitted to their e90/91, Chris.

Most would probably say an e90 & a caravan (or anything else) were never made to play together!

I think there are a few photos on the forum of other e90s with a fitted towbar- do a search.

All the best.

Viv
I tow a trailer tent with my 325d and they "play together" very well. You don't need to pay ridiculous bmw prices for the towbar because it is made for them by westfalia. These are available through any towbar fitter/dealer.
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