How much to supply and fit a towbar

RSD7a · 2026-01-27T22:34:23+0000

I've just had a quote from a local independent outfit, quoting £750 for a removable towbar with 13 pin electrics supplied and fitted to our Boxer. Is that reasonable?
Intended use is to support a cycle carrier for 4 bikes.

trevskoda · 2026-01-27T23:54:47+0000

No idea these days but when i was in the trade a bar was £50 and about the same to fit and wire up, thats 30 odd years back, so id say fare price today.
One thing is make sure bikes dont hide the n plate lights or you will have to use a lighting board with reg on it.

RichardHelen262 · 2026-01-28T00:47:51+0000

There are plenty of those vans around, I would look for a secondhand one and fit it myself.
I have just done this last week fo my car it cost £40 plus £15 to have it shot blasted, I had some black paint lying around, plus an hour and a half to fit and wire it up

Obanboy666 · 2026-01-28T02:45:42+0000

Not sure regarding motorhomes but I got a tow bar fitted to my Volvo v90 estate 3 years which included 13 pin socket and modifying the car ecu to recognise when I’m towing. Apparently it adjusts the auto box, throttle and whatever else.
It was around the £450.00 mark. I’d suggest you shop around but £750.00 sounds about the norm considering it’s a removable towbar which are more expensive than a normal type.

Weeflash · 2026-01-28T03:23:57+0000

Obanboy666 said:
Not sure regarding motorhomes but I got a tow bar fitted to my Volvo v90 estate 3 years which included 13 pin socket and modifying the car ecu to recognise when I’m towing. Apparently it adjusts the auto box, throttle and whatever else.
It was around the £450.00 mark. I’d suggest you shop around but £750.00 sounds about the norm considering it’s a removable towbar which are more expensive than a normal type.

I was similar in price for a non removable towbar fitted to my mercedes estate,

wildebus · 2026-01-28T13:08:05+0000

RSD7a said:
I've just had a quote from a local independent outfit, quoting £750 for a removable towbar with 13 pin electrics supplied and fitted to our Boxer. Is that reasonable?
Intended use is to support a cycle carrier for 4 bikes.

Out of interest, are the electrics they are quoting going into the vehicle harness and activating an in-dash indicator and buzzer (vehicles tend to have that kind of thing now)? Or are they proposing using the old-fashioned 'traditional' way of tapping into the lighting harness?

Also, you say "13-pin" as opposed to the 7-Pin style. Will they be fitting a fully-wired 13-Pin socket, complete with all the wires needed for a caravan, or just wiring suitable for a basic trailer/bike carrier? if you don't need/want the full wiring monty but want the better reliability of a 13-pin socket (which makes sense), then there could be room for price discussion there?

Overall, the price you've been quoted sounds pretty reasonable to me. I've tended to fit my own towbars, but thinking of the time needed to fit and the parts, it is around what I would expect to pay.

trevskoda · 2026-01-28T13:58:04+0000

Or do what the travelers do here, job done second mate drives out onto road and then you start to haggle, seems to work for them with cash.

RSD7a · 2026-01-28T14:10:02+0000

wildebus said:
Out of interest, are the electrics they are quoting going into the vehicle harness and activating an in-dash indicator and buzzer (vehicles tend to have that kind of thing now)? Or are they proposing using the old-fashioned 'traditional' way of tapping into the lighting harness?

Also, you say "13-pin" as opposed to the 7-Pin style. Will they be fitting a fully-wired 13-Pin socket, complete with all the wires needed for a caravan, or just wiring suitable for a basic trailer/bike carrier? if you don't need/want the full wiring monty but want the better reliability of a 13-pin socket (which makes sense), then there could be room for price discussion there?

Overall, the price you've been quoted sounds pretty reasonable to me. I've tended to fit my own towbars, but thinking of the time needed to fit and the parts, it is around what I would expect to pay.

Thanks David, On the question of 13 pin socket and the needed wiring for a caravan vs a bike rack, here's what the bike rack description says about the electrics

"Lighting system: The Eazzy 4 comes with a 13 pin lighting system, including a reversing light and UK compliant fog lights (the fog light is on the right hand side). A 13 pin to 7 pin adapter is included. (Note that the fog light will work with a 7 pin system, but the reversing light won't work.)"

Given the above, what difference would there be in terms of wiring, caravan v bike rack?

mark61 · 2026-01-28T15:16:15+0000

13 pin sockets always seem much better quality to me, fit much nicer and as mentioned more reliable.

wildebus · 2026-01-28T17:16:29+0000

RSD7a said:
Thanks David, On the question of 13 pin socket and the needed wiring for a caravan vs a bike rack, here's what the bike rack description says about the electrics

"Lighting system: The Eazzy 4 comes with a 13 pin lighting system, including a reversing light and UK compliant fog lights (the fog light is on the right hand side). A 13 pin to 7 pin adapter is included. (Note that the fog light will work with a 7 pin system, but the reversing light won't work.)"

Given the above, what difference would there be in terms of wiring, caravan v bike rack?

For a definitive list, best to check a specialist site, but basicall the 13-Pin single socket = 7S + 7N pair of sockets
I can't recall which is which, but one of the 7 pin sockets are for the lighting functions - so tail lights, brake lights, indicators and fog (so what you need for a trailer/rack light bar), and the other adds in habitation electrics (so will run a 12V fridge in a caravan when engine running, plus a charging circuit to recharge the caravan battery via a split-charge relay (so like your motorhome starter-leisure battery setup - your Sargent EC155 was really designed for a Caravan rather than a Camper - but with the cable running outside).
I think (but can't be sure on this one) that very often a cable is run from the Vehicles Starter Battery to the rear to provide a decent charge ability when good 13-Pin Caravan Compatible towing electrics are installed? I wonder if the towbar installers plan (or have quoted) on that, it could be an opportunity to run the new heavy cable for the new B2B while it is presumably up on a lift?

wildebus · 2026-01-28T17:21:32+0000

mark61 said:
13 pin sockets always seem much better quality to me, fit much nicer and as mentioned more reliable.

Indeed. By choice, I fit the 13-Pin sockets and use a 13-7 adapter on the trailer or rack. With my current Towbar I inherited a 7-Pin socket and it is such a throwback in comparision

I still have a spare 13-Pin to-7-Pin adapter and this discussion makes me think maybe I should change the 7-Pin plug for the superior 13-Pin one?

Fazerloz · 2026-01-28T18:52:10+0000

Iv'e lust had one put on my boxer in Dec, and you are in the right ball park at £750 for a removable one with 13pin socket and dedicated wiring.

Fazerloz · 2026-01-28T18:57:22+0000

Rather than a removable you may be better going for a 4 hole flange. They give your towbar more options in the future.

How much to supply and fit a towbar

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