- Thread starter Olderisbetter
- Start date
its not long enough
I'd respectfully suggest that you check the source of that gem of information.
Trailers exceeding 750 kg's are legally required to be fitted with brakes, activated by a breakaway cable in the event of the towball, (not the towbar), becoming detached from the towing vehicle. I can fairly well imagine what the boys and girls of the DVSA would say if they came across a heavy enough wobble box connected to a vehicle with chains
.I had one trailer detach, New boat reversing to the slipway, I hadnt put the reverse lock on so as i backed up the overrun brakes on the trailer came on, the trailer was baulking at the car & as i turned to line up the bradley coupling unlatched itself & the whole lot shot down the slipway. Proper lifeboat launch! Trouble was the boat's bung wasnt in & being still strapped to the trailer she started to sink rapidly. Cue me leaping out of the car & running at full tilt into the creek to rescue the boat & trailer before it went down. All in full view of the crowded bar who of course gave me a rousing cheer! Very lucky that i never steam rollered somebody on the busy slipway.
I couldnt understand how it had come off so later on the flat in the car park we tested it, Going straight was ok but as soon as i turned the coupling rotated sideways until it opened itself. The little pressed steel spring loaded catch that holds the handle part was rusty & had worn until there was just enough play to release the ball once it tilted over far enough. Lesson learnt.
I couldnt understand how it had come off so later on the flat in the car park we tested it, Going straight was ok but as soon as i turned the coupling rotated sideways until it opened itself. The little pressed steel spring loaded catch that holds the handle part was rusty & had worn until there was just enough play to release the ball once it tilted over far enough. Lesson learnt.
The car is 17 reg.....not 3 years old yet....its the cable thats short.....the caravan is 12 years old this year......I think I remember that the cable dragged on the ground so I shortened it but at the time the car had a pigtail to connect it to.......Im getting a new car before I will tow again so I might treat it to a pigtail...or get a new cable
Eventually, after a significant number of detachments and customers wearing them down with complaints they put in place a recall, at the time it was an uphill struggle to get anything done. They originally started replacing the sockets welded to the vehicle, hence the panels cut out and welding required, the replace with a fixed tow bar which started later was not very popular as they look ugly and were cheaper than the detachable tow bar at the time of purchase so you never got a true replacement.
Since the D4 my father got a Merc E class - electric tow bar, appears and disappears at the press of a button and no problems so far
Stueeee
Old git
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Some interesting information in this thread. Had no idea that having a trailer come away was anything other than a super rare occurrence. I always refer to the USA made towbar setup on my truck as "the full hillbilly" it's mostly made of 1/4" and 3/8" plate, I had to use a couple of jacks to lift it up into position after blasting and repainting it. I occasionally tow a loaded car transporter trailer on this setup, The jacking up the rear on the jockey wheel hitch test sounds like a good idea.
Migmac
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2016
Migmac
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Don’t think it will. I drop the hitch on the ball, then push the hitch down with my foot, you hear it clicking onto place. No movement, no click I visually check. I will try the official method though
Tinbasherdan
Bodger in chief
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It’ll be fine, make sure if it’s a rotating hitch that it’s locked when using a rotating eye, or else they turn upside down
Morrisman
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Considering the condition of the roads nowadays, that could start a scary legal ‘out’ for an awful lot of incidents and accidents. Test case and all that.
Morrisman
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The chrome skull on my hot rod was a hillbilly Walmart ‘bumper hitch cover’, and while I have no clue as to its actuL function, for a mere $20 I couldn’t resist buying a couple of them. The quality of the chrome was awesome.
Plus, it had LED’s in the eyes that lit up.
Gritineye
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When I owned a Scammell Explorer I had an Arrows box trailer come off a NATO hitch, heard a clunk as i pulled out from a side road, thought the trailer had clipped the kerb.
As I had heavy crossed chains attached (illegal) it followed nicely behind for best part of a mile before someone overtook me waving madly, alerted by the sparks!
No idea how it happened as it should be impossible, and I always checked twice, only explanation is a senior moment arriving early!
Also had a tow bar drop sideways and lock up when turning tight, good job it was at walking pace.
Use NATO hitches with caution, they need trained operators.
I'd respectfully suggest that you check the source of that gem of information.
Trailers exceeding 750 kg's are legally required to be fitted with brakes, activated by a breakaway cable in the event of the towball, (not the towbar), becoming detached from the towing vehicle. I can fairly well imagine what the boys and girls of the DVSA would say if they came across a heavy enough wobble box connected to a vehicle with chains
LOL your are really going to argue with me over trailer law.
I suggest that you read the Trailer IVA guide re brakeaway & secondary couplings & then come back.
It seems to me all the trailer IVA cares about is meeting specifications - just like Grenfell. Whether or not the brakes actually work doesn't seem to matter - unless they have changed it since I looked into it about 2 years ago.
That car MUST have a suitable tested clipping point.
The brakes still need to work on 751-1500kg trailers.
Its just they are allowed to use a secondary coupling or a brake away cable.
I dont know of any main stream trailers that use this but it is on the law books.
