Towing electrics in rear door. All done and dusted :-)

[muddyjames]

I have got bored of buying new electric towing sockets for my disco as every time I go off roading the mud gets in and rusts the pins and also the sprung flap snaps off so................

I am wanting to mount the socket in the back door to the right hand side bottom corner of the spare wheel. about the 4 o clock position on the spare tyre. I know I can buy coiley extension wires for the sockets for when I tow.

How easy is it to..........

1. take the interior door trim off (it has speakers in it too)
2. get the towing electrics wiring that is hard wired into the bottom of the disco from the wiring loom up to the door
3. feed the towing electrics through the rubber gromit where the other cables go for the number plate light and speakers
4. make a good job of it all?

[Jake]

I'm looking at an alternative option for my electrics too.
I'm considering fitting a 14 point socket in the rear o/s  panel under the rear light.
Then, buy a 14 pin plug to twin 7 pin plugs adaptor.
Should be easier to fit there too because you can get up into the rear quarter.
No nasty door card removal  

[blacknight]

Taking the inner rear door panel is no problem at all. Had to do it to mine when the "little" spring for the door handle broke!!

As for the other questions, can't really help with those, but will watch with interest as may need to do it with mine.

[Timi]

I have got bored of buying new electric towing sockets for my disco as every time I go off roading the mud gets in and rusts the pins and also the sprung flap snaps off so................

I am wanting to mount the socket in the back door to the right hand side bottom corner of the spare wheel. about the 4 o clock position on the spare tyre. I know I can buy coiley extension wires for the sockets for when I tow.

How easy is it to..........

1. take the interior door trim off (it has speakers in it too)
2. get the towing electrics wiring that is hard wired into the bottom of the disco from the wiring loom up to the door
3. feed the towing electrics through the rubber gromit where the other cables go for the number plate light and speakers
4. make a good job of it all?

You need to remove the grill off front of speaker to get to retaining screws.
Remove the grab handle, remove inside door catch surround.
use small lever bar or pry bar at each of the plastic push fit clips.
You can extend the trailer socket cable and root the cable inside the rear quarter panelyoumay have to remove the interior panels of the rear quarter and the dickie seat. or you can just pull the door seal away and feed the trailer socket wiring behind it.  feed the wire through the speaker flexable rubber concertina wire router into the rear door.
Pull off the plastic waterproofing liner this will need to be replaced later otherwise it will make door card fall apart whe it gets wet.
Make all holes in the rear door for the socket, and feed trailer wire through.
Connect up trailer socket and fit to door
Replacement is reverse of removal.
There you go, not too difficult at all.

Timi 8)
Or you could take the rear quarter light panel off and fit in the rear quarter the trailer socket as jake suggested.
Or you could mount the socket in the bumper.
You couls aslo try using a socket cover to stop it getting filled up with mud when off roading.

[muddyjames]

[You couls aslo try using a socket cover to stop it getting filled up with mud when off roading.

Tried this and lost loads of them!!

With my rover 620 I got so annoyed of loosing them I have come up with a cunning design and not lost a cover for about 3 years now.

Shopping list;

socket cover
x2 key ring
clip you get o the end of a dog leed
tow bar nut
sink plug chain with rings each end.

method

use dog clip and put key ring on the end and bolt key ring to tow bar bolt making sure dog clip is facing up wards.

make a hole in the socket cover and feed key ring through and then feed the sink plug chain loops through making sure chain is on outside of cover

place cover on socket and then clip chain through the dog clip.

once you have doe this if the cover ever falls off the cover will off the chain will keep hold of it and dangle down behind you. Can take photos tomorrow if you like. It may not work on a disco due to the tow bar set up but could be worth a try. I guess you could just feed the chain around the little bit of metal in the tow bar just to the side of the socket so when you tow a trailer the socket hangs down.

[barmiebrumie]

James send a pm to chrisw he has done this on his & he is an spark I'm pretty sure he will give you good advice,


Thanks

[Moneypit]

Could you not put them inside the bumper?

Drill two big holes in the bumper then mount the sockets in them, then use something like the emergency fuel caps to cover the hole when on the road and not towing, removing before off roading.

All wiring and sockets would then be protected by the bumper.

Don't know enough to know whether this would weaken the bumper or is possible.

[muddyjames]

I need a new rear bumper at some point as end caps are about to fall off and paint is flakey and it is all rusty. Hammerite is making it look respectable for now.

[muddyjames]

I have put the socket into the door today. Took me and my neighbour 4hours to do it!!!

In the end we used the connecter clock jobies to join the wires up. The blocks are the type like you see on house light fittings with screws inside a plastic case.

Not the side of the wheel I was going to put it but it was easier to bolt onto the door and also whe towing it means the cable and go in near enough a straight line to the trailer instead of being to 1 side.

Here is a pic of it all done.



My only concern is that the leccy cable I bought from a car shop isn't the same size as what is in the disco. It says on the wire 7x 0.65mm2. Is this up to the job?

When I was looking for the new wire coming through into the car I could see that mud splats was all inside the disco from where the gromit fel out ages ago under the disco. I have now found a plate of ally and put loads of sealant on it and screwed it to the bottom of the disco. No more water in there thanks :lol: :D

[ChrisW]

Well done James  :D
Did you put a smear of silicon on the socket before bolting onto the door? You could probably get away with running a bead round where it meets the door if not
The cable size should be ok as you're only feeding trailer lights off it, I would only be concerned if it was the supplementary socket on that cable... next job?  :lol:

[muddyjames]

I put silicon on the door before putting each bolt through and the centre hole where the cable went through. Also put silicon on the nuts inside the door and a cable tie over the rubber sleeve to clamp onto the cable so hopefully no water can get in.

need to find an extension lead now which doesnt have a male end at both ends. could be a diy extension lead me thinks!

next job. where do I start!!!!

Heater switch
hand brake
rear window seals.
12s socket to wire up from scratch. None of which I know where to start! At least it is only a short list but big jobs.

Ho hum. At least the disco is getting a bit of paper bought tomorrow. Yup road tax for a year :sobsob: