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Thread: Tow bars for Series

  1. #1
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    Tow bars for Series

    Spent a very busy weekend converting a drop plate to take a standard socket style tow hitch. Very pleased with the result and it works like a charm.

    Only to be told this afternoon it won’t be legal because it’s not plated. A quick search verified this is true, and will also void my insurance, even if an incident is not my fault and doesn’t even involve the said tow bar...

    So... Like many other things with Series vehicles, being pre-ADR is a home made tow bar exempt? (wishful thinking here)
    The bolt-on tow ball on the market from the UK look downright flimsy and I doubt they would meet the criteria here.

    Is there a tow bar available out there that is ADR compliant?

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    Sounds like absolute crap to me , if your in a front end prang and you've got a non compliant tow bar theres no way they will void your insurance.

    For a start there is no assessor alive that would have a clue what is correct or not on a Series.
    If that was the case there is no point buying insurance on any Series, or Defender for that matter

    I always used the standard drop plate with a ball on the pintle .

    None of those parts were ever plated / stamped .
    A clause written in 1998 would not apply to vehicles built prior .

  3. #3
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    JDNSW is offline RoverLord Silver Subscriber
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    The requirement for tow bars to be plated only applies to vehicles manufactured after that ADR. Almost no vehicle standards are retrospective - the only one I can think of is rear reflectors.

    Hence plated towbars are not required on any Series Landrovers (or indeed on pre-Defender coil sprung ones), in the same way that seat belts are not required on those made before 1971(?).

    All, or almost all Series Landrovers sold in Australia were fitted from new with the standard towing jaw 90518674, which was fitted to almost all export S2/2a/3 Landrovers, except wagons.

    While designed for a ring connection, a standard towing ball fits perfectly well instead of the pin. I have added to mine a second nut to distribute the load to both parts of the jaw - this has welded into the bottom of it a pin the thickness of the jaw and the same diameter as the hole in the jaw, and the pin has a threaded hole tapped in it so it is secured by a 5/16" UNF bolt and heavy washer.

    This will probably put the ball a little higher than is ideal, but I have towed a wide variety of trailers on these for the last 50+ years on all the Series I have owned, with no issues.
    John

    JDNSW
    1986 110 County 3.9 diesel
    1970 2a 109 2.25 petrol

  4. #4
    Homestar's Avatar
    Homestar is offline Super Moderator & CA manager Gold Subscriber
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    As mentioned, it doesn’t need to comply with anything as it’s pre the relevant ADR and they are generally not retrospective. Fit and use what you want, no dramas.

    Relevant ADR 62/00 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Detai...0-898e679d0662

    Applicable to off road passenger vehicle and passenger vehicles from 1st Jan 1992.
    If you need to contact me please email homestarrunnerau@gmail.com - thanks - Gav.

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    Thank you gents, that makes more sense to me. Admittedly the source I was using was from a random generic 4x4 forum and undoubtedly their focus would be later model Asian vehicles.

    Thanks Homestar for that ADR ruling, I had looked for it but had no luck.

    I will post some pics of my handy work here tomorrow.

    I might take it off when it comes to rego time just to be safe, no point in giving them things to pick on...

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    Looking forward to seeing some pics of how you've done this.

    A socket style hitch mount is the list of things I want to get made after rego and some pictures of one that someone else has made could be quite helpful.

    Cheers,
    Rex

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    Just posted some pics over on my "Barney" thread.

    Barney - a 1958 Series II

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    Quote Originally Posted by OneOff View Post
    I might take it off when it comes to rego time just to be safe, no point in giving them things to pick on...
    Personally I’d leave it on that way you also have it on a RWC as backup in the (unlikely) event there is an issue later. Also make sure it’s listed on your insurance.
    But as others have said it really shouldn’t be a problem.

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    Mine.

    whitehillbilly
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Thumbs up

    Very similar Shane, your welding is better than mine.

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