Fitting a Tow-Trust Towbar to a Jimny...

whizz3006 wrote: Good write up, I did exactly the same thing recently but took the bumper off just to make it easier. I also moved my rear number plate because it was obscured by the towball, watch out for getting pulled on that one as per your second last picture.

I fitted my rear number plate on the spare wheel as it was always getting pulled at MOT time.
I bought a waterproof 2 pin connector and a number plate light from ebay and ran the wire through the spare wheel and along the bottom inside edge of the rear door and tapped in to the o/s rear side light.
I suppose if you bought a removable towbar you wouldn't have to bother but I prefer the flange type as you can bolt a lot to them.

Great write up! And proves what I've been saying for a few months!

I'm not sure why people are now saying you'd need to remove the bumper to wire in the 7 pin socket?

I pulled the nearside rear trim panel off inside the car and wired it in there, routing the cable down through the grommet below the nearside light cluster to a 7 pin socket located in the numberplate recess. No need to remove the bumper for that! And I don't believe it's a 5 minute job when you've never done it before, everything is rusty and the heads of the bolts round off.

Sounds like some people just like to make work for themselves or can't accept there's an easier option!

It is possible to fit the tow trust bar without bumper removal because it sticks down below the bumper so far!

The witter bar is a much neater job



I have now routed the cable properly as this was just before an exhaust change.

If I keep the jimny, repainting the towbar will be a job for next year!

you can wire the socket with the bumper on but if you take it off to fit the bar you may as well wire in the socket at the same time
as for the mot if it got a 13 pin socket its a mot check and lights must work
if its a 7 pin mot only check for wire to be fitted but do not check the lights ( so if the wire looks ok and goes inside the car it will pass )
if its got a towbar with no socket it will not pass the mot test

thanks for clearing that up 410

410shotgun wrote: you can wire the socket with the bumper on but if you take it off to fit the bar you may as well wire in the socket at the same time
as for the mot if it got a 13 pin socket its a mot check and lights must work
if its a 7 pin mot only check for wire to be fitted but do not check the lights ( so if the wire looks ok and goes inside the car it will pass )
if its got a towbar with no socket it will not pass the mot test

Ill have to have a look on my mot computer when im back at work as im not awere of the last statment mmmmmm