Towbar.

[KemppiFrog]

Same here Norm.
Guy bought an early Grand Cherokee V8 in Spain. Factory fitted towbar. Tried to pull a load at an angle and it bent. Asked me to sort it and I found the removable ball was locked by a bar running through the shaft. The hole had removed around 80% of the section and the bend was one side of the hole stretching to a waist. Completely unfit for use, but approved ??

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Check with your insurer. You might find they only will cover you if it is an "approved" to Directive 94/20/EC towbar.
I queried with mine and got a categoric refusal of cover for anything other than the proper item. For my Smart Fortwo, I pointed out, that there are UK manufacturers of suitable towbars that are virtually identical to the only EU approved German towbar so could I fit one of those. Answer was quick & simple - unless approved type they wouldn't cover the vehicle for towing.

Paul h

 

[octo0072000]

I was looking at my mates Toyota Surf 's WELL KNOWN factory made and approved towbar, yesterday that had broken where the bracket for the ball, joined the main bar, he had to have it repaired and strengthened, so to say that they are better is wrong.
I had an accident with my delica awhile back I was A baring a transit we had done about 10mls to the guys house and he wanted to off load his tools as we pulled up my phone rang the guy got out, off loaded his tools and had finished when I got out. OK thats everything he said, un-beknown to me he had taken the keys out of the ignition to open the side door and just put them back without making sure the steering lock was off. I set off and it started hammering down with rain all the turns from his house where left turns till I hit the railway crossing bridge which ran parralel with the road it was a 90 right, the steering lock ( which must have been slightly biased to one side) then came on and it pulled me, after bouncing off the parapit wall right round in the road I did a 180 turn in 18 ft with a transit on the back !! needless to say things where a mess, the tow ball was bent over at an angle and the two vehicles had entered into each other, but My bar had not moved it stood it perfectly. The load that was on that bar must have been extreme.
So Factory made and approved is not allways best. but I do realize that the law is there to cover people just bolting the tow ball onto the rear skirt
PS tow bars are not part of the mot only the wiring I checked the otherday

Norm
tow-bars and attachments/fittings to car body are now part of the test visual for rot and fittings since 2009 electrics now come into the new test rules are only if 13 pin i believe

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_660.htm

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=296

 

[the snooper]

only if 13 pin i believe

for correct operation 13 pins will be electrically tested but the 7 pin sockets are also part of the test as far as the wiring being secure and in good order but not tested for correct operation.

why they only test 13 pin for operation is a mystery to me they should be making sure all towbars and sockets are fit for purpose, the amount ive seen with bad earths and so on causing the wrong lights to flash with indicators or even no lights at all

 

[octo0072000]

for correct operation 13 pins will be electrically tested but the 7 pin sockets are also part of the test as far as the wiring being secure and in good order but not tested for correct operation.

why they only test 13 pin for operation is a mystery to me they should be making sure all towbars and sockets are fit for purpose, the amount ive seen with bad earths and so on causing the wrong lights to flash with indicators or even no lights at all

i agree with should be tested but it's people should actually test there own lights but how many cars do you see with lights out nowadays let a lone caravans trailers etc

with 7 pin and 13 pin issue vosa stations are issued a tester for 13 pin but not 7 pins
with 7 pins there are more than one way to wire them on the caravan side
plus nothing says you have to follow the said wiring your trailer board may be wired for your car but not for others no law against that it's only the 13 pin euro sockets that come under that law
lots of caravans had an extra earth used for the fridges because the earth wire was not big enough to cope so some wirings set up melted so a earth was doubled up to any other wire not in use cant remember may have been reversing lamps on caravan end

 

[CompoSimmonite]

The 7 pin eletrics were tested on our Skoda last year even though not a test item. I wasn't bothered as it confirmed they were in GWO.

Paul h

 

[normspanners]

PS tow bars are not part of the mot only the wiring I checked the otherday

Sorry i didnt make myself clear, I meant the 'legality' of the tow bar ie whether it is autherised or not
but the mounting integrity and condition is.

 

[the snooper]

towbars are part of the mot and here are the reasons to fail one

1. A towbar component insecure, fractured or
e xcessively:
• worn
• corroded, or
• damaged.
2. Towbar assembly is attached to the vehicle
structure using a mounting, support or fixing
which is obviously of an inappropriate size or
type.
3.
a. Retaining device missing or insecure
b. locking device missing, insecure,
inadequate or damaged to the extent that
its operation is impaired.
4.
a. Excessive play between a detachable tow
ball and its receiver socket
b. a quick release mechanism that does not
secure the tow ball arm as intended.

 

[Bsmith]

So, bought a towbar frame for £55 from Hills of Skermersdale via eBay. I always manage to make myself problems, the frame is made by MVG in Germany and I'm having great difficulty in finding a detachable goosneck/towball for it as in the pic. Any one got one for sale plz?