Thread: 3500kg ADR towbar

Justin C - North-west.

Originally Posted by rfurzer

ADR 62 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2010C00153

"2.3.2. 1 July 2009 on all vehicles"

Reading the reference, although not absolutely clear, it would seem that this date refers to the date of manufacture of the vehicle. Which would, I think, exclude all Perenties.

John

I'm not a lawyer but I'd say that they introduced the rules during 2009 with NEW vehicles defined as after January 2009 but then ALSO including older vehicles (ie "all vehicles") after July. I agree 'tho that it might mean that "all vehicles" means models introduced before 1 Jan 2009 but manufactured after that date.

As before - I guess you'd need to ask your rego authority and your insurer how they would interpret the rule and what they require.

Great work
Any idea of cost yet?
I'm really interested
PhilB

Originally Posted by Phil B

Great work
Any idea of cost yet?
I'm really interested
PhilB

Aaron, my engineer, is doing the marketing (as Hagar says "I got mine"). Chatting to him - he expects a cost higher than that for an off-the-shelf bar for a mass-produced vehicle.

He wants to join Aulro (and the FB Perentie group) rather than to field enquiries via me. Expect to hear from him on here soon.

Thanks

Originally Posted by rfurzer

I'm not a lawyer but I'd say that they introduced the rules during 2009 with NEW vehicles defined as after January 2009 but then ALSO including older vehicles (ie "all vehicles") after July. I agree 'tho that it might mean that "all vehicles" means models introduced before 1 Jan 2009 but manufactured after that date.

As before - I guess you'd need to ask your rego authority and your insurer how they would interpret the rule and what they require.

Yes, I agree it could possibly be read either way, but it seems to me unlikely that legislation would be intended to outlaw almost every existing towbar (and I'll bet there's hundreds of thousands of them in regular use today). Conceptually this would be like requiring, for example, airbags to be retrofitted to Series Landrovers. Note, for example, that seat belts are not required on vehicles manufactured before the specified date. The only change that was definitely retrospective that I can think of was the requirement for fitting of reflectors, in about 1958.

John

JDNSW - I see your point but if you're talking of fitting a part that is of new conception and was not used historically then it's not quite the same as requiring a retrofit.

In the case of the seatbelts - whereas it is legal not to have seatbelts in a car that was never fitted with them and predated the requirement, if you choose to fit them now then they need to be suitable from a compliance point of view.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter until/ unless you have a prang while towing.