12-01-2012, 07:33 PM
I’ve just finished DIY fitting a towbar and electrics to my 05 plate Berlingo Multispace Forte. There is lots out there on this of mixed quality and consistency, so I hope sharing my experience will be useful to others.
The towbar was a secondhand Brink 467400. I found fitting instructions on the internet and had no big problems fitting it. A bumper cut is required but OE holes give a guide making this easy and unobtrusive.
The 12N wiring was quite another matter, and for the life of me I can’t understand why more vehicle looms don’t have a socket for this purpose as standard. I didn’t much fancy using scotchloks so looked at dedicated wiring kits that extend the existing loom without affecting the integrity of the original wiring, i.e. the original configuration can be completely restored if necessary. I found mention of a reasonably priced Citroen part CIT 1321 but am told it has been superseded by 942870 which is much more expensive (~£80) as it includes 12S wiring which I didn’t need. I eventually selected Right Connections 19500501RC which seems to be sold at wildly varying prices. Mine was £61.52 from Norbrook Trailers. Their literature says that for vehicles from approx ’07 on you need part no. 19500529RC which is a few pounds more but very similar. Both versions use a bypass relay (due presumably to multiplex wiring which I gather Berlingos of this vintage have).
Fitting this wiring at the back of the vehicle is not too demanding, and gives a very tidy result. There is plenty of space behind the n/s boot panel for the relay and spare wire length (which was generous) By far the most difficult part was routing a single cable back to the battery +ve (I believe this would be necessary for any relay based solution so is not something to blame on the RC’s design). Lots of trim down the n/s had to be removed, but even then I couldn’t find a good route through the engine bulkhead. I didn’t want to drill holes and eventually found a way through the A-pillar at about the level of the lower hinge, then past the hinge into the void behind the wheel arch lining where there is a existing grommet into the engine bay. Not particularly elegant and quite time consuming but the end result works fine.
The towbar was a secondhand Brink 467400. I found fitting instructions on the internet and had no big problems fitting it. A bumper cut is required but OE holes give a guide making this easy and unobtrusive.
The 12N wiring was quite another matter, and for the life of me I can’t understand why more vehicle looms don’t have a socket for this purpose as standard. I didn’t much fancy using scotchloks so looked at dedicated wiring kits that extend the existing loom without affecting the integrity of the original wiring, i.e. the original configuration can be completely restored if necessary. I found mention of a reasonably priced Citroen part CIT 1321 but am told it has been superseded by 942870 which is much more expensive (~£80) as it includes 12S wiring which I didn’t need. I eventually selected Right Connections 19500501RC which seems to be sold at wildly varying prices. Mine was £61.52 from Norbrook Trailers. Their literature says that for vehicles from approx ’07 on you need part no. 19500529RC which is a few pounds more but very similar. Both versions use a bypass relay (due presumably to multiplex wiring which I gather Berlingos of this vintage have).
Fitting this wiring at the back of the vehicle is not too demanding, and gives a very tidy result. There is plenty of space behind the n/s boot panel for the relay and spare wire length (which was generous) By far the most difficult part was routing a single cable back to the battery +ve (I believe this would be necessary for any relay based solution so is not something to blame on the RC’s design). Lots of trim down the n/s had to be removed, but even then I couldn’t find a good route through the engine bulkhead. I didn’t want to drill holes and eventually found a way through the A-pillar at about the level of the lower hinge, then past the hinge into the void behind the wheel arch lining where there is a existing grommet into the engine bay. Not particularly elegant and quite time consuming but the end result works fine.
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