Towbar

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Originally Posted by stuee

What's the legalities of a home made towbar?

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Not sure exactly, but when I enquired years ago, I was told that it had to be engineered and have a maker's plate on it with the load-limits, etc.

However; on an old vehicle pre-dating the regulations it may not apply. I have been guilty of making my own and pretending that it was on the car when I bought it. As long as it is soundly made, with excellent welding, and placed on the proper mounting points, it won't break, which is what the authorities are worried about.

Having said all that - when the poo hits the fan after an accident, constable-care will take an intense interest in over-loading; material strengths; etc. and come looking for a pound-of-flesh - do it once; do it well!

Cheers Charlie

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Originally Posted by bacicat

Now that's a whole new thread - how to get in and out the back of the silly things when you old, fat, unfit, have short legs or all of those...:D

I would like to make up something that folds out but haven't worked out what I want yet. We leave the trailer on when camping, so it needs to work to one side, not in the centre. I just use a set of fold out steps ATM but still looking for something better.

Sorry about the hijack...:)

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Having just landed back in civilisation (still not home, but sat with 107Guss beside the Murray River having dragged him thru the Flinders!!), here's a pic of my drop plate that has the spares mounted to it too... See 'Sitec's 101' thread. We've been in some very rough country and it never got near to the ground.. Steps to the right are for SWMBO entry too!! :D

Well, tonight I have started the towbar for the 101 so I can drag the caravan around with it. It will be along the lines of the ones Gary has shown previously in this thread - that is it will bolt to the back of the chassis. No dramas as the chassis is 100% on my vehicle, so not expecting any issues.

I've got some big arse steel plate cut - it will be overkill, but that's the way I like to engineer things. It will take a standard Haymen Reece hitch which will have a fair drop in it, so I can keep the towbar as high as possible. To do this I've got hold of an old towbar from my mates at the trailer supplies I go to. They collect them from panel shops where they are automatically replaced if hit up the arse. They can't legally sell them, so they are passed on as scrap in exchange for beer. :) This one is actually in perfect condition, but 90% will go to scrap, I'm just after the box section that holds the hitch. This is a custom section that Haymen Reece have made specially, and this was the easiest and cheapest way of scoring 200mm of it. :)

Pics to follow as I go. Going to be a hot weekend, so I'll be sweating my arse off with a grinder, oxy and welder all weekend. Will see if it turns out any good...:D

I'll only be tacking it together, and then I'll take it to my mates workshop and let him weld it up with his big MIG welder. I doubt my puny arc would cut it with the size of the steel I've got... :angel:

I am just about to do something similar on mine . I have a length of appropriate box section so will be starting from scratch. I was worried about flexing the cross member if using a Reece hitch with a long drop, someone suggested running ties back to a plate sandwiched under the bump stops.
I will keep an eye on your progress

Ian

Yes, thought about that, but I'll only be towing just over 1,000Kg on it most of the time, with about 100Kg ball weight, so I think the chassis will survive that. If it looks like it needs something extra later on, I'll address it.

So today saw me bring my long suffering old angle grinder to the brink of destruction cutting up 12mm steel, but it was a trouper and despite being almost too hot to touch at times, it is still going strong. You get what you pay for. It is 15 years old and was almost the best I could buy at the time.

Anyway, pics below tell the story. Basically 2 pieces of 12mm plate - yes, overkill, but I tend to do things like that. :D. These will have holes in them tomorrow and will bolt either side of the chassis. The existing pintle will bolt onto this plate too, and retain its original location. The nice thing about using an old towbar is that it will look kind of factory made. Helped as well by the load rating tag I'll weld onto the new bar. :)

The plates each have a hole in. Them that the receiver runs through and will be fully welded both sides - very strong and will be stronger than I ever need it.

The old bar - off a Triton, with the receiver now removed.
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...psb1571d84.jpg

It will have a nice factory look. For $45 - the cost of a slab of beer - I'm happy with it - it is nicely designed and has large lugs for the safety chains.
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...psd6992e40.jpg

Load rating plate - plenty more than the vehicles max capacity, so all good. Once I've got the diesel installed, it will be made for it. :)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...pse62b28ee.jpg

This is sorta what it will look like. The 12 x 50mm bar going to the ground is just supporting the bit that will actually be welded in. The same on the other side. Once bolted securely to the chassis, this should help to minimise chassis flex.
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...psbf99ea29.jpg

Another view.
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...ps18fb1375.jpg

So, I've just got some holes to drill, and then I'll glue it all together with some electricity. :)

$45 is a good buy. I've seen a few cheap ones on gum tree in Perth, the cheapest was $50 for an old hilux unit. I just checked then and cheapest Haymen Reece style one now in Perth is $120. I should jump on the next cheap one I see.

Pity you aren't closer, they have 20 or 30 here all available for a Slab of beer each. Check with some panel repair shops - this one, and all the ones they have have come off vehicles that have been repaired from hits up the arse. In Vic - maybe everywhere, it is mandatory for any towbar hit in a collision to be scrapped and replaced with a new unit.

The only visible damage to this one was a broken trailer plug socket. Almost a pity to cut it up - it was dead straight and I'm sure it would have been fine to reuse, but rules is rules.

Gav, we need to talk.
Excellent work there.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Gav, we need to talk.
Excellent work there.

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Thanks, and happy to talk, as long as it doesn't involve me making another one for a while... :D. For a start, I don't think my grinder would take it, and secondly, all I can taste at the moment is burnt metal from 4 hours of grinding. Maybe if I got the plates pre cut, it wouldn't be so bad.

I spent a day last week putting a mint genuine LR towbar (all original LR bolts, plates, etc) on the back of my 74 RRC. Only had to cut a flange a little bit to clear the fuel tank and create minor access through the ends of the chassis rails.

Main reason I did this is to annoy a guy who has a newish 200 LC and a mega van.

The LR towbar has the plate that says ' 4000 kg towing weight 120 kg ball weight RRC/Disco'. He can't get to that without spending more mega. He refused to believe the rating (in the original owner's handbook and on the mint plate, cost him a slab).

Bit sad to see you guys can only tow 2-3000kg!???

Will have to learn how to post pics,

cheers, DL