towbar

[white van man 2]

That's tacho law though...... quite what good is done for public safety by forcing Mrs. BurgerVan to install a very expensive tacho is unclear to me. The nature of her business is peripheral to driving

i'm assuming this is for towing a trailer that puts the total train weight (or whatever they're calling now) over 3.5 ton. if this is right, she could argue a case for not using the expensive tacho she is required to fit as driving is not her primary function

I'll let you know when I get the courage to chop as great big dirty hole in my lovely shiny bumper...

when i fitted the 'bar to my ZX, the cutout needed for it was actually marked on the back of the bumper already. annoyingly, it is only needed to allow the bumper to be refitted. the towbar sits below the bumper, but you can't fit it without taking the bumper off and it won't bend round to refit it. i did try

Here the tow bar is now inspected as part of the MOT as well.

i was under the impression that it was just the tow bar mounting points on the vehicle that have become testable - i.e. they are now considered "structural" for assessing corrosion. helpfully, the only reference to towbars i found in the testing manual was with reference to obscured number plates

 

[Justme]

I think you have been misinformed.

On 27th April 2009 towbars and their
attachment to the vehicle will become part of the MOT test.

from LINKY

That said this bit

If the tow ball is not fitted at the time of test, only the security of attachment of the towbar brackets and the condition of the vehicle structure will be assessed.
However, where a towbar has been deliberately rendered unfit for further use, so that the simple refitting of a ball, pin or eye is no longer possible, any remaining components will no longer be considered as a towbar for the purpose of the test.

does say that perm removal of the ability of fitting a tow ball does make it not a towbar. So weld up the ball mounting holes & your sorted.

 

[fran9r]

Chassis design is usually pre-approved for kits, (afaik) and needs to go for a full test anyway before use. I would guess that either type approval or full design/spec/test required for one off towbar

Agreed, but for a one off produced chassis such as a home built Haynes locost?

Yeah, the rules suggest a one off test is required. Seems very odd...I think when I get the space to build such a project I'll make the towbar (except the ball itself) part of the chassis, so it's not an issue.