my towbar is tight to the back of the van and i dont think i have enough clearance to fit the easylifter mounting plate without changing the towbar position
You are most welcome, but given the limited amount of info you posted Roger, no one will be able to help much more, as we don't know which make and model and year of van you have
You can get spacers for moving the tow ball out a bit further if need be.
It is illegal now to have home made towbars on later vehicles.
European type approval 94/20/EC
In the U.K, with effect from 1st August 1998 all Passenger Carrying Vehicles up to 3500kgs Gross Vehicle Weight (M1 Vehicles) can only be fitted with European Type Approved towbars if the vehicle has received European Whole Vehicle Type Approval.
However in other EU countries this extends to commercial vehicles, so if you buy a towbar and
Non M1 vehicles, light commercial vehicles and private imports from outside the EEC do not need Approved Towbars; however, most car and some Light Commercial Vehicles such as vans commonly use the Type Approved Towbar.
Accessories
Most towbar manufacturers have allowed, in the towbar test and approval application, for the inclusion of various accessories, often by including a spacer in the towbar kit, which is removed when the accessory is fitted. This information should be clearly stated in the fitting instructions. If there is any doubt, you should contact the towbar supplier. This would apply to all accessories that move the towbar rearwards from the towbar.
Design, Testing and Certification
The towbar manufacturer requires the following vehicle data to design a towbar:
Manufacturer's specified fixing points.
Gross vehicle weight or mass (GVW or GVM)
Gross Trailer Weight or Mass (GTW or GTM) that the model of vehicle can tow.
This information is included in the Vehicle's Handbook. From this data the towbar manufacturer constructs a test load, called D Value, which will be used to test the towbar. As well as providing the test load, the towbar manufacturer is obliged to include a D value in kn on the towbar identification plate.
"D" Value
The "D" value is calculated as follows:
(GVW x GTW ) / (GVW + GTW) x 9.81/1000 (gravity)= kn
Where GVW is Gross Vehicle Weight, and GTW Gross Trailer Weight.
The maximum D value for an M1 vehicle is 17.7kn that represents a GVW of 3500 kgs towing GTW of 3500kgs.
It is possible to design a towbar that fits the whole range of models of one particular vehicle. Because Towing Capacity is related to GVM then each model may have a different value for D. To prevent overload of the Towing Vehicle refer to the Vehicle Manufacturers' Handbook to confirm the GTW for your particular model.
Towbars can be fitted by anyone so long as they are fitted to the manufactures specification and on passenger vehicles registered after 1st Aug 1998 they are approved the the specifications above.
Below is a quick checklist to make sure that you are buying a towbar which is fit for purpose and complys' to EC legislation.
On Private passenger vehicles from 1st Aug 1998 onwards (S Plate) always check that the towbar you are fitting to the vehicle has a type approval plate. This will give the approval number together with the part number for the towbar. So EC countries will ask for a copy of the type approval certificate. Your supply should be able to provide this for you
Before selecting a towbar look at the fitting instructions for the towbar to see if the fitting is within your capabilities. Most towbar sellers can provide pre sales advise and we in fact provide links on all our listings to the fitting instructions of the towbars we sell. By asking questions you can tell if your seller has experience of selling and working with towbars, they are not just passing on a commodity for sale. Good pre sales advise will also mean you are likely to get good post sales support.
When fitting a towbar if in doubt ask !!! One quick question can save you a lot of time and also ensure that the equipment is being installed to manufactures specification. By selecting a seller which openly offers this support can ensure that a safe installation is made.
If you decide to purchase a second hand towbar always ensure you obtain the fitting instructions to install it. We have these available on our fitting instructions website which you can access on any of our listings . This will ensure you are not missing items which can be easily done. If you do not fit the item to the manufactures specification you will be breaking type approval for the equipment on passenger vehicles manufactured after 1st Aug 1998. More importantly this could mean that the item is fitted unsafely and could cause injury if used.
If it's "modified" in any way whatsoever then any "Type Approval" applicable to it will be invalid because it's no longer in its original "As manufactured" state.
Also be sure that the item you are looking at has some form of suspension, if it doesn't (earlier ones didn't have any) then it doesn't comply with Con & Use regulations. There have been previous very lengthy posts concerning Hydra-Trails, worth reading BEFORE parting with your money.
You also get a label on a pukka towbar warning of max nose weight, which I believe is largely ignored if what I see on the roads is anything to go by, and I've yet to see anyone weighing, or any kit so to do.
i have no idea how they sell the ball mounted scooter racks rated at 200kgs when most towbars have a max 75kg nose weight rating !!
My van was 3500kgs with air suspension and tyres i am now 3850 kgs
i have a rack which mounts direct to the towbar not the towball but i am limited to 100kgs on it as the rear axle weight only has 20kgs left and less than 50 kgs on gvw when in use
There is this solution, but not sure I'd want to use it for a bigger bike, and not sure what effect it would have on the transmission, and bearing in mind rear tyre life, a long trip might need a few tyre changes, even though it is normally due to power input.
if you do not use it to tow do you need the ball fitted ?
if not remove it and fill in the ball mounting holes (a simple job if you made the bar) then it is not a towbar in any way only a rear bumper and scooter rack
A tow bar is still a tow bar both by design and manufacture, even if you don't use it to tow with! If you buy a pick axe as a garden ornament it still remains a pick axe.
I think you will find that the requirement is that any tow bar "fitted" must be type approved, the manner of its use is immaterial. If you make your own towbar, use it to carry bikes, and then sell the vehicle on, the new owner may subsequently wish to use it tow the max permitted weight of trailer and be unaware the home made towbar MAY not be up to the job. THATS why the requirement for type approval is in force, to protect from possible component failure.
A while ago I had an issue with my Autotrail chassis flexing when towing. I liaised closely with PWS towbar of Poole over it. They showed me the tech spec for the Type Approved towbar they make for Autotrail. VERY highly detailed and VERY complex, no way they could be made without sophisticated workshop facilities AND they were required to keep records of where all the materials used were sourced from and when. (My problem turned out to be with the original Fiat chassis being too weak, the towbar was fine)
It's a technicality BUT the above scenario is entirely possible isn't it? (I know you could tell a future purchaser, but what if it's traded in??)
Rules and regulations often seem unnecessary but they all have a sensible purpose when you look closely.
I would certainly not even think of fitting a non type approved tow bar fr all of the above reasons.
You also get a label on a pukka towbar warning of max nose weight, which I believe is largely ignored if what I see on the roads is anything to go by, and I've yet to see anyone weighing, or any kit so to do.
Yes, long vehicle and short trailer is a PITA to reverse, a camera do help a lot though, hence artics arrangement of short truck long trailer, I did for a while as a courier, tow a 10 foot box trailer, it wasn't too bad as the van wasn't much longer.
We only trail ride. Think of it as motorized rambling with lots of coffee and pasty stops
We only ride on legal green roads. On the whole far safer than any form of riding on tarmac as there are very few other users
And the ones you do meet are cycling/walking or on a horse.
The possibility of a broken bone may be slightly higher but the chances of a "life changing" injury are incredibly low compare to road riding.
I think most of you have the wrong end of the stick here. I have an Easy Lifter Hydra Trail trailer which I use on the motorhome to carry my motorbike on, a Honda 700 Transalp weighing around 215 kgs. There isn't a tow ball on the tow bar as the wheels on the trailer themselves rotate when cornering/reversing etc. The whole she bang only adds an extra metre to the length of the van. Parking and reversing is simplicity in itself as it's just like having a vehicle that is a metre longer than the original. The trailer has its own form of suspension and is a doddle to attach and detach from the van. Loading the bike is fairly easy as well. If you need any other info just ask.
I understand the easylifter thanks nick and that is what I want if it will fit my van which is why I want to look at one in the flesh.
There is a big grey area as to whether it is a trailer or a rack. If it is a trailer officially it needs suspension which they do not have between the road wheels and the frame where it is required but the parallelogram that connects it to the van negates the need for it in theory.
Roger
Is yours the mark 1 or mark two connection to the van ?
Mk1 appears to be a bracket it attaches to with no ball. Mk 2 appears to slot over the ball and two pegs drop into a bracket below the ball.
Thanks for that Nick, could you post a picture of the suspension please as that has been a concern of mine, no rush just next time you get near it.
None of the pictures or videos show how it's mounted or how it all works other than showing it being towed or a bike being loaded, I want to see more of the mechanicals, and what it weights to move around as the old back isn't what it was.
Kev, when not in use the "trailer" breaks down into maybe 5 separate parts. The platform isn't light but once maneuvered into position behind the tow bar it's fairly easy to slot into place. The parrelagram suspension seems to work ok. It's a bit disconcerting at first going over a speed bump and seeing the bike rising up and down in the rear view mirror but you soon get used to it.
Those casters turned us into a 6 wheeler at the toll booths
Sandra
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