Ambitious towbars

[sdkrc]

[Dan_ZTT]

Not ambitious but probably the laziest scribbled trailer plate I’ve seen on the road…

[Sham]

  On 17/03/2024 at 17:55, Dan_ZTT said:

Not ambitious but probably the laziest scribbled trailer plate I’ve seen on the road…

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Then you're lucky.

Sharpie written directly onto the metal, and then crossed out when changing cars is quite normal for some around here.

[TrabbieRonnie]

Nae bother 💪

[Yoss]

  On 17/03/2024 at 20:04, TrabbieRonnie said:

Nae bother 💪

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From the DDR museum in Dresden. 

[SunnySouth]

  On 17/03/2024 at 20:14, Yoss said:

From the DDR museum in Dresden. 

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“Lifestyle vehicle”

[mk2_craig]

  On 20/02/2023 at 12:26, Barry Cade said:

Just had to abort a job to fit a towbar

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Hey @Barry Cade, help me answer a pub argument. Mate says you can’t fit a towbar to a Focus ST (current shape). I say there’s no reason why not but I can’t find anything to confirm either way. Got any intel? 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Probably right you couldn't to original KA.

[worldofceri]

  On 24/03/2024 at 21:17, mk2_craig said:

Hey @Barry Cade, help me answer a pub argument. Mate says you can’t fit a towbar to a Focus ST (current shape). I say there’s no reason why not but I can’t find anything to confirm either way. Got any intel? 

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Some cars aren’t type-approved for towing (including mkI KA as SheffCC says), meaning no towbar mfr can obtain type-approval for a towbar for that car.  Sometimes such cars have a centre-exit exhaust making fitment of a towbar physically impossible.  This deffo applies to the old-shape ST but Google Image Search suggests the newest ST has more conventional twin exhausts exiting at the sides, so your mate in the pub’s intel might be slightly out of date.

[loserone]

Depends where the last silencer is, you can't fit a towbar on a 182.

 

 

[JJ0063]

  On 25/03/2024 at 10:03, worldofceri said:

Some cars aren’t type-approved for towing (including mkI KA as SheffCC says), meaning no towbar mfr can obtain type-approval for a towbar for that car.  Sometimes such cars have a centre-exit exhaust making fitment of a towbar physically impossible.  This deffo applies to the old-shape ST but Google Image Search suggests the newest ST has more conventional twin exhausts exiting at the sides, so your mate in the pub’s intel might be slightly out of date.

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VW Scirocco is another car you can’t fit a tow bar to either! Surprised me when I had mine.

[GlenAnderson]

Had this abortion hanging off the back of my Austin lorry when I bought it: 

It not only prevented me dropping the tailgate, it was so heavy that I couldn’t lift it unaided. It was also held on with birdshit tack welds to the bolt-on rear chassis extensions, and coachbolts through the wooden floor bearers. 
 

Needless to say it was removed pretty early in the project. 🤣

[GlenAnderson]

Oh, and my Aygo is not type approved for towing either. You can get a towbar for them, but you can only use it for a bike carrier…

[sheffcortinacentre]

Bout ten years ago mate had a trooper in with one side of tow bar hanging off complete with chassis rail attached was towing a horse box few days before, 

Another a P100 ex garage parts hack etc tow bar was attached with M8 bolts.

[Barry Cade]

  On 24/03/2024 at 21:17, mk2_craig said:

Hey @Barry Cade, help me answer a pub argument. Mate says you can’t fit a towbar to a Focus ST (current shape). I say there’s no reason why not but I can’t find anything to confirm either way. Got any intel? 

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Brink exclude the ST with their towbars, they are OE supplier for Ford. Some other companies don't mention the ST. The only certain way to check is look on the VIN plate inside the door. 2nd line. If it says 0, or is blank, then you can't legally tow. Like this:

 

New 2024 model year VAG stuff cannot be coded for a towbar, not even by a dealer. I have been having issues coding a 2024 A Class  Mercedes, had to do it remotely today.... £159 quid to the  coding company and 2 hours standing in the rain with the Transit idling and jump leads between the 2.. The future's bright...

[sheffcortinacentre]

The futures brown 

[drum]

Papped this last week.

No tow ball

 

[Rustybullethole]

  On 17/03/2024 at 17:59, Sham said:

Then you're lucky.

Sharpie written directly onto the metal, and then crossed out when changing cars is quite normal for some around here.

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Yep some people are idiots.

 

[horriblemercedes]

  On 25/03/2024 at 22:27, Barry Cade said:

New 2024 model year VAG stuff cannot be coded for a towbar, not even by a dealer. 

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Presumably this means they can be fitted with towbar and electrics, but only when being built at the factory?

[kevins]

Usualy this is because they haven't sized the cooling system, and calibrated the ESP, braking etc for towing.  

[Barry Cade]

  On 26/03/2024 at 09:46, horriblemercedes said:

Presumably this means they can be fitted with towbar and electrics, but only when being built at the factory?

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There will be a workaround, when the aftermarket catch up. Last job today was a 20 plate Skoda Octavia. couldn't fit a bar as it had 0 towing capacity on the VIN plate.  The calibrations for towing are already there, they just need to be activated , which we do after fitting a bar- it alters all the systems required

[mk2_craig]

  On 25/03/2024 at 22:27, Barry Cade said:

Brink exclude the ST with their towbars, they are OE supplier for Ford. Some other companies don't mention the ST. The only certain way to check is look on the VIN plate inside the door. 2nd line. If it says 0, or is blank, then you can't legally tow. Like this:

 

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Cheers Barry. According to social media today , it’s apparently possible! 

 

[dan95x]

  On 25/03/2024 at 10:03, worldofceri said:

Some cars aren’t type-approved for towing (including mkI KA as SheffCC says), meaning no towbar mfr can obtain type-approval for a towbar for that car.  Sometimes such cars have a centre-exit exhaust making fitment of a towbar physically impossible.  This deffo applies to the old-shape ST but Google Image Search suggests the newest ST has more conventional twin exhausts exiting at the sides, so your mate in the pub’s intel might be slightly out of date.

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I am 99% sure thats the case for my Audi S6 - The A6 is type approved for it, but not the S6, which seems a shame, as I assume the 2 ton, 4wd 5.2 litre V10 400 odd horsepower great big oil tanker bastard of a car it is would actually make a pretty pleasant tow car (albeit a thirsty one).  Obviously back in the day you would weld a mount up for one and just get on with it, but I assume now its should fail an MOT if presented for test with one on?

[kevins]

Probably won't fail an MOT because you could use it for a bike carrier or similar, will get you in trouble with the police or VOSA if you are pulled though as you are exceeding the plated masses.

[MrBig]

  On 15/04/2024 at 12:02, mk2_craig said:

Cheers Barry. According to social media today , it’s apparently possible! 

 

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Might well be physically possible, but as noted further up, the car may not be type-approved for it. I looked into this when I had a Mondeo ST220. A regular Mondeo towbar would have physically fitted (albeit with some bumper hackery) but my insurance company made it very clear that it wouldn't be covered while towing, the only exception was a bike rack.

[Barry Cade]

  On 15/04/2024 at 19:35, MrBig said:

Might well be physically possible, but as noted further up, the car may not be type-approved for it. I looked into this when I had a Mondeo ST220. A regular Mondeo towbar would have physically fitted (albeit with some bumper hackery) but my insurance company made it very clear that it wouldn't be covered while towing, the only exception was a bike rack.

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Yup, Perfectly possible, but possibly illegal.. The answer is on the sticker inside the door.

[Kringle]

Mine felt a little ambitious on the Severn bridge in the latest storm I can tell you!!

[sdkrc]

[sdkrc]

[Dyslexic Viking]

  On 05/09/2024 at 17:19, sdkrc said:

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@Datsuncog  after he won the lottery.