towbar on MG4?

[Ezza]

Hi, I'm wondering if there are any catches to avoid re fitting a towbar onto an MG4 (2023)? I'd like to use a rear bike rack & fitting it to a towbar seems to be a good option since the cradle-type ones don't seem to fit v well over the Trophy's spoilers. I've noted a post by NickT regarding a Brink detachable towbar - this seems like the best of both worlds?

 

[Tig170]

I'd go for the Witter version (R758Q) as no bumper cut out is needed.

 

[Phil]

Very happy with mine.

 

[Tig170]

Very happy with mine.

Impressive, who manufactured this?

 

[Ezza]

Very happy with mine.

Is this the Witter Phil?

 

[Phil]

Impressive, who manufactured this?

Dealer installed.

 

[Ian Robinson]

I got the this towbar off ebay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/146372983081 Automatic Vertical Swan Neck Towbar + 7 Pin Wiring For MG 4 Electric, Xpower ~£200 including electrics.
Very happy with it and nearly invisible. The bumper has no visible cuts which I like a lot. As a bonus you can also re-fit the crash protection as well - so if some-one crashes into you it is much less likely to damage the car structure and write the car off. You can see the plug, it would be possible to hide it completely but that would mean cutting throught a bumper internal support which is probably fine but I did not want to do that. One thing I would say the bolt holes did not line up 100% for me, so I needed to push the 2 plates of the bar apart when fitting, no issues with the clamp type connectors for me (and others here who have used them. )

 

[T1 Terry]

Dealer installed.

For trailer towing only? Besides adding a bike rake that isn't likely to exceeded the 50kg limit, what other possibilities is there? It's not like it would make a great off road recovery vehicle to attach a snatch strap or something .....

T1 Terry

 

[Ian Robinson]

PS I think that message about making money from ebay is not for me lol - must be for this site i'm just sharing my experience.

 

[MG Clive]

PS I think that message about making money from ebay is not for me lol - must be for this site i'm just sharing my experience.

Yes it's an MGEVs thing @Ian Robinson.

 

[T1 Terry]

I got the this towbar off ebay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/146372983081 Automatic Vertical Swan Neck Towbar + 7 Pin Wiring For MG 4 Electric, Xpower ~£200 including electrics.
Very happy with it and nearly invisible. The bumper has no visible cuts which I like a lot. As a bonus you can also re-fit the crash protection as well - so if some-one crashes into you it is much less likely to damage the car structure and write the car off. You can see the plug, it would be possible to hide it completely but that would mean cutting throught a bumper internal support which is probably fine but I did not want to do that. One thing I would say the bolt holes did not line up 100% for me, so I needed to push the 2 plates of the bar apart when fitting, no issues with the clamp type connectors for me (and others here who have used them. )

Let me assure you, that rear crash protection bar will not protect the car from being written off, I bought a salvage MG4 with 4,000kms on the clock from memory .....
The damage that was visual looked like an hrs work with a hot air gun and plastic welding a very small tear in the plastic bumper, and a bit of paint, and it would be back on the road ..... it's marked as a repairable write-off ....

When I removed the rear bumper and "crash protection bar" I found the charger broken off at the lugs and the rear panel and floor pushed in...... finding someone willing to do the paperwork involved with pulling the fold out of the rear floor, hasn't been a task I've mastered yet.
The crash bar wiped out the charger module .... well, that is what the assessor claims, I think it was more likely the crash repairer "improving" the possibility it would be written off, no crash repairer seems to what to touch an EV .....

T1 Terry

 

[salty]

For trailer towing only? Besides adding a bike rake that isn't likely to exceeded the 50kg limit, what other possibilities is there? It's not like it would make a great off road recovery vehicle to attach a snatch strap or something .....

T1 Terry

Think it's saying small trailers only.
Obviously no Caravans or Big trailers.
That might seam like stating the obvious, but to some.
That genuine MG tow bar, looks pretty good to me.

 

[wattmatters]

For trailer towing only?

It's designed for light duty work. I used ours to help move home, it was fantastic.

At some stage I will add a bicycle carrier.

 

[Phil]

For trailer towing only? Besides adding a bike rake that isn't likely to exceeded the 50kg limit, what other possibilities is there? It's not like it would make a great off road recovery vehicle to attach a snatch strap or something .....

T1 Terry

After selling my ute i just need to hire a trailer from time to time

 

[T1 Terry]

It would need to be a light weight trailer to get through the 500kg limit, forget about putting much in it. I see the new MG4 has been uprated to 750kg towing capacity ...... it might be able tow the gypsy trailer empty .... but I doubt even it would pass the 50kg ball weight unless I removed the battery and winch .......

The Gen 2 '06 Prius towed a Hyundai Getz that is the base for a Blade, first electric vehicles factory built in Australia, up the Adelaide south eastern freeway, and that is a big climb, 7 .5kms at a 6% to 8% gradient the whole way ....

Do you think the MG4 could do that?

T1 Terry

It's designed for light duty work. I used ours to help move home, it was fantastic.

View attachment 41333

At some stage I will add a bicycle carrier.

Shed envy I hope those boxes were empty

T1 Terry

 

[Phil]

It would need to be a light weight trailer to get through the 500kg limit, forget about putting much in it. I see the new MG4 has been uprated to 750kg towing capacity ...... it might be able tow the gypsy trailer empty .... but I doubt even it would pass the 50kg ball weight unless I removed the battery and winch .......

The Gen 2 '06 Prius towed a Hyundai Getz that is the base for a Blade, first electric vehicles factory built in Australia, up the Adelaide south eastern freeway, and that is a big climb, 7 .5kms at a 6% to 8% gradient the whole way ....

Do you think the MG4 could do that?

T1 Terry

More than adequate for the jobs I want to do, I’m not a heavy haulage contractor

Is this the Witter Phil?

witter?

 

[wattmatters]

It would need to be a light weight trailer to get through the 500kg limit

Standard 6x4 trailers are well under 250 kg. Mine with the full cage and spare wheel is 238 kg. Leaves a bit over a quarter tonne for payload. May not sound like much but you can still pack a lot of stuff in boxes that is not heavy, just bulky. A dozen 20 kg boxes is still a fair chunk of stuff.

But some items are quite dense, like the lead acid batteries I have, 60 kg each. Had to do those in two trips. I had the time and the solar charging makes the fuel free.

I added a jerry can holder to it for when I need to get fuel for the ride on mower.

 

[Tig170]

I got the this towbar off ebay, Automatic Vertical Swan Neck Towbar + 7 Pin Wiring For MG 4 Electric, Xpower ~£200 including electrics.
Very happy with it and nearly invisible. The bumper has no visible cuts which I like a lot. As a bonus you can also re-fit the crash protection as well - so if some-one crashes into you it is much less likely to damage the car structure and write the car off. You can see the plug, it would be possible to hide it completely but that would mean cutting throught a bumper internal support which is probably fine but I did not want to do that. One thing I would say the bolt holes did not line up 100% for me, so I needed to push the 2 plates of the bar apart when fitting, no issues with the clamp type connectors for me (and others here who have used them. )

Thanks ever so much for the heads up @Ian Robinson, just got a 20% discount code with it, which brought the price down to £162, did you fit it yourself or get someone locally to do it?

 

[siteguru]

witter?

... are a manufacturer of towbars.

 

[Ian Robinson]

Thanks ever so much for the heads up @Ian Robinson, just got a 20% discount code with it, which brought the price down to £162, did you fit it yourself or get someone locally to do it?

Late reply but I just fitted it myself.