Bike rack

Just seen Paramedic's comment.  If the rack was higher it would obstruct the rear kitchen window and be harder to use - lifting and securing the bikes.  A cover would also be harder to put on.

Caraman I agree it seems pointless having the extra pins but the lady at AS told hubby that it will be 13 pin.  Apparently she wasn’t looking at it, but she was reading the blurb from info on her screen.  Time will tell and easily sorted either way.
In terms of the shunt, no police were involved.  Hubby is a retired police officer and as the other party admitted liability straight away and had all documents in order he made the decision it would be a lot more straightforward for us to keep it to an insurance affair.  We did look into the option of raising the bike rack but the repair authorised under the insurance claim is a straight replacement of the back panel and same model of bike rack. The cost to us would be far too much to justify, unfortunately.

Thanks.  If the cable comes with a 13 pin socket I will replace the 12N plug on the lighting board with a 13 pin plug.  As a ex-caravanner i have one.  I think this would be preferable to using an adaptor.

I've been reading this post with great interest as we will be taking delivery of our new Nuevo in a weeks time. Caraman, can I ask what model your bike rack is ? I have enquired with 2 sellers but not had a definitive answer. I was thinking of buying it online & fitting myself.

Flash - I am only a month ahead of you in terms of ownership and its my first motorhome.  The dealer fitted a 2 bike Fiamma Carry-Bike Pro C which I understand is the normal bike rack for the Nuevo.  The cost of the rack was included in the overall deal.  

Some advice.  The rack comes with arms that clamp onto each bike frame.  In my case, one was orientated horizontally to fit a crossbar and the other vertically presumably to fit a seat post although the instructions and everything on-line only shows them in the horizontal crossbar configuration.  I tried rotating the clamp end through 90 degrees but it wouldn't budge and I was concerned I was going to break it if I used too much force.  After taking advice from Fiamma I removed the arm and its rack end fitting and using a screwdriver as leverage and some force was able to turn it to the desired position.  It moves more easily now.

Thanks Caraman. I was told the pro C, but the guy on the end of the phone wasn't really sure.  I've learnt from experience that some dealers charge a fortune for parts, I'd rather buy on line & fit it myself. Incidentally, I also wrote to AS about the wiring for a trailer board, they told me I need a VLM towbar harness & it has a 7 pin socket. Will wait until I have the van ( 4July ) before looking at parts.

I am in this club also, March 2019 Nuevo.
I have a Fiamma back box on the bike rack, I have been researching the regulations re obscuring the number plate when viewed close up and the angles of view required for the rear lights. I shall check these but have decided to go for a tail board anyway as I don't want to sail close to the wind, so this thread is very useful.

I looked at the Aldi trailer board today and noted the two triangular reflectors, apparently these will need to be removed for use on the bike rack as these denote a trailer which of course is the intended use for it.

I have a trailer board with triangles which I have used for years with bikes on the back of the car. I will personally leave the triangular reflectors on as my take on safety is "the more the better". I would be very surprised if anyone complained about it.

The Aldi board which I have bought does not have LED bulbs.  I am hoping this will still work with the Nuevo which I think may have LED bulbs.  If there is a problem, I guess the filament bulbs can be replaced with LEDs.  I had previously read about the shape of the reflectors but I am not going to lose any sleep over that.  Of interest Halfords sell a similar lighting board to the Aldi one with round reflectors but its shorter - probably too short for the Nuevo's girth - and it doesn't have a fog lamp.  Halfords have confirmed that if a vehicle's rear fog lamp is obscured, the lighting board must also have a fog light.

[quote defaultattr=""]Thank you for your recent email enquiry submitted via our website regarding 12v connections for use with our Fiamma bike rack fixings and please be advised our Motorhomes are indeed pre wired for rear lighting boards and can be found secured onto the underside of the floor behind the rear panel, which your supplying dealer will be able to assist you with if that is easier than doing so on your own....... please be advised the VLM unit is positioned inside the locker below the cooker on the Nueveo model, with a dedicated socket on this for the 12N socket to plug into which then integrates the running board into the vehicle electrical system.
[/quote]
That seems a bit confusing. Has anyone seen the lead which is "secured to the underside of the floor behind the rear panel"?
If there was a lead there then why would one with a 12N socket be needed to be supplied by A/S to plug into the VLM unit. The trailer board will have a 12N plug to go into that 12N socket. It would be nice if there was already a lead, then there would be no concern about drilling the van floor to bring the lead through.

I have looked under my Nuevo and can't see a spare lead.

I am still not sure whether the trailer board can have Bulbs or LED's. What I can see under the floor is a metal plate heat sink with 9 Resistors of various values (all exposed to the environment with flimsy connections), I would like to see a protective cover fashioned over that. These could well be for fooling the ECU that the LED's in the rear cluster are Bulbs. Alternatively they could be for an LED trailer board, the wiring is not clear enough to be sure what their job is.

Marconi,

I am going up to my dealer tomorrow (28 Jun) and will ask some of these questions but I am not sure they will know the answers as on 19 Jun when I last visited they were unfamiliar with the cable.  I was told this afternoon that the cable still hasn't arrived at the dealer.  I thought it was coming from the AS factory which is not far away but maybe it is coming from further afield.  I will try and find that out as well.  I have asked Sargent whether the Nuevo wiring loom will support filament or LED bulbs or both.  It may not be their business but no harm in asking.

I asked Sargent the same question yesterday too, they designed the lighting controller so they should know, no harm in asking (twice)   

This morning I prodded through the lighting cable entry from the inside, my probe passed right through to the outside underfloor, the sealant seal was not complete at the rear where it can't be seen. It looks like it would be possible to cut away the sealant and pass the plug to go to the controller, on the end of the yet unseen lead, up from the outside. No hole drilling needed if so.

Hello Marconi.  Just returned from the dealer.  They are still waiting for the cable and as I said before they are not familiar with it even though I suspect it is the same cable that is used when a tow bar is fitted.  Their belief is that it will support an LED or filament lighting board and will have a 12N socket on one end of it rather than a 13 pin.  They don't know if it will be an 'in-line' socket or one that attaches to a bulkhead.  I suspect it will be the latter but I don't know.  They believe the existing cable hole below and behind the cooker which has a grommet is too small to take a second cable and therefore a second hole with a grommet will be needed.  If you have found a hole all it may need is the grommet.  Alternatively it may need a hole to be drilled.  The next time I visit the dealer should be when they have all the bits they need for the rest of our warranty work which will hopefully include the cable.  This may not be until later next month (Jul) in which cases others who have ordered the cable may get it ahead of me.

Price from A/S for VLM tow bar Harness £111.00 delivered are they joking ?

Marconi, I agree with you, if that is what AS are charging then they are being quite ridiculous.  A short section of 12N cable with a 12N socket will cost very little and are easily sourced and connected.  The bit I don't know about is the plug that fits into the wiring loom/harness beneath the cooker and how it is wired.  If we can find this out, a much cheaper DIY solution must be possible.

I agree with you both, a ridiculus amount for a short lead. 
I have been toying with the idea of fitting a towbar instead of a Fiamma bike rack, as I already have a Thule towbar mounted bike rack. I will be able to remove the rack in seconds & there will be no mods showing apart from the Towball. My problem now is finding out if the towbar can be fitted without removing the corner steadies.

When we had the towbar fitted to our Broadway we were offered the option to leave or remove the corner steadies. We decided to have them removed in order to save weight.

Yes its a pretty standard automotive connector by the look of it. A DIY job would be a cinch (sic) (Cinch make connectors) just checked to confirm my memory, its 9 way, same number as the resistors under the floor, the same plug is used for the rear light clusters 4 either side of those, plus number plate light and a separate earth. Similar looking plugs on line at £5. Ten minutes with a meter and you would know the pin configuration.

Its a definite stitch up. Of course a DIY job would bring warranty issues, as would a self fit of their solid gold cable may be.

I may re consider the convenience of putting my back box on for long stays. Much cheaper to buy some lightweight folding chairs.

Harry.  Do you know who made your towbar ? I've written to 5 suppliers to ask if their towbar will retain the steadies & so far only one has replied & that was a "don't know without seeing your van".
Weight isn't really an issue for me so I'd like to retain them if possible.

It was supplied and fitted by Mike Parkinson at Motorhome Towbars Lancashire at Freckleton near Preston.

Thanks harrysp, I will contact them. A bit far from home but I could possibly fit it in with a trip

Hi Flash
Just had a towbar/ball fitted in York (also Thule easy base,back box) I can recommend this wee outfit .  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
They are located on the A 19 Selby road near the MacArthur Glen shopping plaza (Freeport ), maybe a tad far for you, however they offer a courtesy car and York isn't far away.
Boaby.   (many thanks to Zapot who recommended them to me)

PO
Marquis has received a section of cable from AS with a small plastic/nylon 9 way 'Mate N Lok' socket at one end to fit into the existing socket on the SARGENT VLM5 LED Road Light & Towing Control unit under the cooker, and a 13 pin socket at the other end to connect to the towing board.  Total cost £123.14 plus labour.  9 way 'Mate N Lok' connectors are cheap and readily available on-line.  A crimping tool is needed to attach the pins to each wire but pliers might also do the trick.  All we need to know is which pin does what.  I am hoping SARGENT will provide this information.  13 pin sockets and plugs are easy to wire.  I have asked AS where they recommend fitting the 13 pin socket on the Nuevo for lighting board use.  The dealer suggested on the underside of the floor beneath the cooker but that would be difficult to use.

I have also asked AS whether their lighting board connection to the Nuevo will support LED or filament bulbs or both.  The dealer thought he latter.  I have also asked SARGENT this question.

Hi, I have just taken owner ship of a Peugoet Boxer Fairford and need to fit a bike rack......would welcome advice as to which is the best door mounting make model etc BTW this is on a 19 plate.
Thanks in advance