I want to fit a towbar but where can i get one from and fitted (hull uk)

S

Slysy

New Member
Hi everyone,

I have a 2002 Audi A2 1.4 TDI and I'm struggling to find a tow bar to fit this car. I've heard on here that it can be done and I've seen pictures of A2s with them but I've not a clue where to find one or which make to get? I live in hull (UK) and no where around me can supply or fit one!
I know the car can only tow up to 1000kg as the missus has been checking that out when looking for a caravan.
Any help would be grateful thanks in advance
Sy
 
Slysy said:
Hi
Thanks but that's for a 2003 onwards model. mines 2002
thanks
Click to expand...
Based on this (which is from the link) it’ll fit
 

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Erlingtheelder said:
Based on this (which is from the link) it’ll fit
Click to expand...
Hi,
Thanks but in your attachment the tow bar will fit as yours is Audi A2 2005 8Z0 and mine is Audi A2 2002 8Z0 which is the year before for this tow bar. I have double checked on that link if my vehicle is compatible but it isn't.
Thanks
 
There are zero differences in towbars for cars from SOP - start of production in August 1999 - to EOP - end of production in May 2005, none. The shell remains the same, only the 3L is different and the wiring is different depending on whether you have DIS or not and therefore bulb checking. I don't understand why suddenly Rameder is showing two different products for the early vs the late cars; this never used to be the case but I suspect it has to do with the really early cars actually not being homologated for towing. Getting a replacement sticker is a trivial affair, I've heard of it being completed quite a few times.

There were two producers of towbars during the lifetime of the A2; AL-KO produced the factory gear (which is what I have in the garage awaiting time) and GDW produce the aftermarket bar. There's a variation I've seen once out of Poland but couldn't find again.
Both use exactly the same setup with the holes in the shell, the two small plastic pieces to hold the end of the bars in place, even down to the massive 6mm pop rivets to hold those pieces in place.
Wiring only differs if you have check control for bulb out in the car or not. There's no coding to be done, either. The only good loom is from Erich Jäger.

Originally it would appear that Audi never intended the A2 to be a towcar, or more to the point, they didn't get that testing completed in time and so the early cars may not have the correct approvals in place. Since you're in the UK, you won't have to go and get the 'bar MoT'd, so you should be good to go anyway, if there's a towing weight in your v5 documents. Please check that. The 1000kg is a weight given online, but check the documents before your insurance company does it for you.

Here is another link to Rameder (one of the biggest towbar joints in Germany): https://www.rameder.eu/gdw-towbar-detachable-towball-inserted-from-below-165687-04382-1.html, specifically for the early A2. Remember that your nose weight cannot exceed 50kg! The D-value is also really low at 6.1kN, which is not enough for many bike carriers. You will likely get a 13pin electrical setup.

- Bret
 
bretti_kivi said:
There are zero differences in towbars for cars from SOP - start of production in August 1999 - to EOP - end of production in May 2005, none. The shell remains the same, only the 3L is different and the wiring is different depending on whether you have DIS or not and therefore bulb checking. I don't understand why suddenly Rameder is showing two different products for the early vs the late cars; this never used to be the case but I suspect it has to do with the really early cars actually not being homologated for towing. Getting a replacement sticker is a trivial affair, I've heard of it being completed quite a few times.

There were two producers of towbars during the lifetime of the A2; AL-KO produced the factory gear (which is what I have in the garage awaiting time) and GDW produce the aftermarket bar. There's a variation I've seen once out of Poland but couldn't find again.
Both use exactly the same setup with the holes in the shell, the two small plastic pieces to hold the end of the bars in place, even down to the massive 6mm pop rivets to hold those pieces in place.
Wiring only differs if you have check control for bulb out in the car or not. There's no coding to be done, either. The only good loom is from Erich Jäger.

Originally it would appear that Audi never intended the A2 to be a towcar, or more to the point, they didn't get that testing completed in time and so the early cars may not have the correct approvals in place. Since you're in the UK, you won't have to go and get the 'bar MoT'd, so you should be good to go anyway, if there's a towing weight in your v5 documents. Please check that. The 1000kg is a weight given online, but check the documents before your insurance company does it for you.

Here is another link to Rameder (one of the biggest towbar joints in Germany): https://www.rameder.eu/gdw-towbar-detachable-towball-inserted-from-below-165687-04382-1.html, specifically for the early A2. Remember that your nose weight cannot exceed 50kg! The D-value is also really low at 6.1kN, which is not enough for many bike carriers. You will likely get a 13pin electrical setup.

- Bret
Click to expand...
Thank you for this information Bret. I will be looking into all this in the morning. Again thank you for all this information. I just need to find out either how to fit it or who to fit it ?
 

Tow Bar Fitting..How To

Well i will try to be as brief as possible on how to fit a factory towbar to an A2 (we have now done this) So, well i bought a cheap A2 thinking it was a bargain and it was not (but it had a tow bar) Then my friend wanted the factory towbar fitting on his car Bare with us as our combined age...
www.a2oc.net
 
Morning,

Wow what a price. I think they’re about to sell out (once the A2OC community have finished their breakfast and logged in).

This post will make many people happy, it has me.

I’d be very grateful if anyone can comment on the quality of this manufacturer.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
I've yet to hear from a buyer of the Steinhof and Allegro don't deliver to the UK. I've highlighted this towbar before though didn't get any response from the seller (and have since bought a GDW/PCT).
 
I bought a GDW bar with removable ball hitch and car-specific wiring kit. It took me a couple of tries to find a company to fit it as many of them said they get a significant margin from the supply element of the supply-and-fit service and were therefore not interested in fitting a customer-supplied set.
I'll say that the GDW kit is very nicely made, and would get another if the need ever arose. Mind you, it needs to be for the price. When you're towing stuff weighing a few hundred kilos at 60 mph (honest, officer), you don't want to be wondering if it's all holding together properly.
Also, make sure that the company that fits it for you knows A2s. There are all sorts of trim panels with clips that are difficult to undo without breaking. I finished up having to buy a new plastic trim panel that goes between the bumper and the boot since all the clips were in tatters. They also made a horlicks of the fog light wiring, which was irritating.
 
Olerype said:
Maybe, looks similar. But my GDW was not red, but black and think the hitch is a little different. But compared to photos of Steinhof this looks completely different
Click to expand...
I'm guessing it has been repainted, I've seen lots of towbars, they come in the same colours as Ford Model T. :) Yes, my GDW(PCT) hitch looks slightly different too.
 
damadgeruk said:
I've yet to hear from a buyer of the Steinhof and Allegro don't deliver to the UK. I've highlighted this towbar before though didn't get any response from the seller (and have since bought a GDW/PCT).
Click to expand...
Allegro have not replayed to several mails from me either...
Got a friend in Lithuania to contact Allegro in Poland, neither could they ship to him...
 
Good morning everyone,

Although I may not be fitting a Towbar to Project OEM due fitting a Votex kit soon, I thought I’d see if I was able to raise a response from the seller of the Steinhof items.

I sent an email some weeks ago and nothing come off it, not one to be beaten I tried again. A different link to contact the seller this time (the different link was not the same as I used previously and I cannot remember where it was but it worked) and I had a reply within an hour.

Over the last 2 days I’ve been engaged in conversation with the seller and I am informed that they will of course dispatch their items to the UK. The postage is more expensive than the towbar itself but still a great price. They have these in stock and ready for immediate shipping.

Price for the towbar: 569 Plz / £121
Price for delivery: 715 Plz / £153

not sure how accurate the exchange rate is But for somewhere near £270 we could have these Steinhof towbars delivered to usin the UK.

Is that a good price?

Kind regards,

Tom
 
I suppose it depends on whether it comes with the wiring. I think the GDW one is around £400 isn't it so its a decent enough saving on that.
 
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