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Hi Menno,

 

my old TR5 was fitted with a towbar which mounted on the chassis then bolted through the rear bumber - so this puts the towball quite close to the body. This may give you a problem opening the spare wheel compartment or removing the spare on a 3A.

Cheers,

Bob

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I made a tow bar for my 3 back in the 70's, it was quite simple - two lengths of angle iron say 1½" by 1½" by ¼" welded to a tow ball attachment plate (you could use an off the shelf tow ball lowering plate for this, or pinch the one off the TR5 kit)

drill four holes on each angle to line up with the two round cross members at the rear of the chassis, to accept four exhaust type U bolts & clamps (two different sizes needed) then clamp it all up, add electrics & 50mm ball hitch & away you go. Obviously there is a limit to how much weight you can put on this, but I had no trouble towing small camping trailers, & sailing dingys. I may even still have the tow bar if you would like it, as I am not planning on re-fitting to my rebuilt 3.

 

Bob.

 

 

 

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I'm looking for an alternative form of weekend transport to the marina with my son's Optimist dinghy. Normally, I put it on the roof of my wife's Beemer. Using the TR is so much nicer! A single trip is about 45kms through the woods and then to the New Land with lots of great views of water, sky and land. Very suited for a trip in the TR.

 

One member here has a trailer-with-dinghy behind his TR6, so it's done before.

 

Earlier today, I received a mail from a well respected forum member who told me (like you guys) that it's a 'no go'. Simply, because it will never fit. No problem, we were just discussing the possibility of using that spare TR5 tow bar. Now, it's off to find one - I got an address already.

 

A home made t/bar is not allowed here. It needs a certificate that proves that it's a properly made specimen...

 

The search is on.

 

Menno

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Hi Menno

 

I don't know if this helps but in the TR Register technicalities CD it talks about Towing in the miscellaneous section, with drawings of the Tow Bar. Mainly talks about the TR6 though.

 

If you need a copy PM your email address and I will send you it. <_<

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Watling is indeed the sensible answer - decent quality product at a reasonable price, and excellent service.

 

They've been around longer than the marque TR, and their 'back catalogue' of obsolete designs is probably unequalled.

 

Yes of course it's possible to design and build your own towbar for less money. I'm not convinced that is either an appropriate or a sensible route.

 

If a trailer does come adrift, the potential cost implications can be very considerable, and all too often are - an unhitched trailer is an unguided missile.

 

Either it kills someone ( sadly, two instances of that in the news this year already, innocent pedestrians) or it causes a multiple pile-up. And possibly kills several innocent folks. The last one of those of which I heard chapter and verse, on the A303, a camping trailer went AWOL and resulted in several million pounds worth of claims . . . . I wouldn't wish to be the diy'er explaining a problem with my home-brewed towbar to my insurer.

 

For the extra fifty quid or whatever, I'd prefer to pass the buck to someone who designs and builds towbars by way of the day job, and has the responsibility (and hopefully the insurance) for his own product liability.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

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Watling is indeed the sensible answer - decent quality product at a reasonable price, and excellent service.

 

They've been around longer than the marque TR, and their 'back catalogue' of obsolete designs is probably unequalled.

 

Yes of course it's possible to design and build your own towbar for less money. I'm not convinced that is either an appropriate or a sensible route.

 

If a trailer does come adrift, the potential cost implications can be very considerable, and all too often are - an unhitched trailer is an unguided missile.

 

Either it kills someone ( sadly, two instances of that in the news this year already, innocent pedestrians) or it causes a multiple pile-up. And possibly kills several innocent folks. The last one of those of which I heard chapter and verse, on the A303, a camping trailer went AWOL and resulted in several million pounds worth of claims . . . . I wouldn't wish to be the diy'er explaining a problem with my home-brewed towbar to my insurer.

 

For the extra fifty quid or whatever, I'd prefer to pass the buck to someone who designs and builds towbars by way of the day job, and has the responsibility (and hopefully the insurance) for his own product liability.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

 

hear hear !

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I quite fancy the thought of one of those cute little mini caravans (thats too small to even sleep in) painted a matching colour and being towed behind the 3a

 

(ducks for cover )

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I have had a response from Watling Tow Bars

 

Cheers

Peter W

 

 

see following

 

 

Mr Wigglesworth

 

I am taking the liberty of pre-empting an email from you and sending you the information. We have been making towing brackets for over 60 years and, unlike the large towbar manufacturers, we still make towbars for what are now classic cars.

 

I attach fitting instructions for our towbar part number PTR16, listed for the TR2, TR3 and TR3A; TS series; 1953 to 1962. Prices as follows (VAT included):-

 

 

 

PTR16 Towbar £132 – we are currently out of stock and can have one ready for dispatch within a week

12N Wiring Kit £18

Towball & Cover £10.20

Carriage £11.40 (most mainland UK). Carriage to Holland £30 (2 – 3 working days)

 

The legislation which now applies to your vehicle was not in place at the time the vehicle or the towbar were manufactured and cannot be applied retrospectively. However we understand that some European authorities require paperwork and we can supply a label for the towbar and a certificate to satisfy them.

 

Regards

 

Jackie

 

sales@tow-bars.co.uk

Edited by BlueTR3A-5EKT
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Wow! Great!

 

According Dutch laws, a tow bar that's for towing a trailer with a weight of < 750 kgs, doesn't need a certificate. (Overhere, a trailer with a total weight of < 750 kgs has a different license plate - so easily recognizable).

But... it also has to do with the vehicle complience sheets that were correct at the time the car was sold in Holland. More or less the same as Watling writes: additional information... I contacted the RDW (Dutch DVLA) and asked them if they could produce a sheet with the correct data for a TR3A. That was a difficult question, but the nice lady on the phone has promised me that she will contact me with the result of her search late this week or early next week.

 

To be continued!

 

Menno

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How interesting, the Watling tow bar detailed above is almost identical to the one I made all those years ago. only differance is that I welded the three parts together, & I used "U" bolts for both the cross tubes (why wouldn't you they are both round).

I found it by the way - see photos "U" bolts were re-cycled

 

Bob (Smug mode)

 

 

 

 

Edited by Lebro
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The important thing to remember when towing is to connect the safety chain securely to stop the trailer escaping - easy for a sailor, stainless steel shroud wire shackled round the tow-bar & bolted to the trailer. I believe for unbreaked trailers it should be strong enough to hold the trailer , whereas for a braked one, should put on the brake & then snap (but best to check & other countries may be different).

 

Also make sure your tow hitch is the correct size for the ball & grips securely so it does not jump off - I think there was a change from 2 inch to 50 mm at some time. I have towed braked & unbraked behind the "6" with no problems, as I was well taught by my father.

 

Menno, at least with the TR3, you will see the Opi behind you & know it is still there. As you know, my own dinghy is 2 metres wide, with a towing beam across the top even longer, exactly the opposite of yours ! Enjoy the strange looks you will get :D:D . Duncan

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The important thing to remember when towing is to connect the safety chain securely to stop the trailer escaping - easy for a sailor, stainless steel shroud wire shackled round the tow-bar & bolted to the trailer.

 

 

Google 'Breakaway Cable Anchor' to see an example of the correct type of bracket needed to attach the safety chain to the car's towing hardware.

 

The towing vehicle end of the breakaway cable must not be attached to or wound around the towball itself - old method long since consigned to the bin.

 

Bob

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Bob,

 

There are lots of tow bars sold (especially factory OEM) which don't have a breakaway bracket suitable for the clip to be used (often too narrow). If you check the Caravan club recommendation it states that where this is the case it is still permissible to use the old and trusted "one loop around the towball method", and used by myself precisely because of the condition outlined above.

 

Mick Richards

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Hi Mick,

 

There are no real OEM towbars, they all come from specialist towbar companies. The caravan clubs advice regarding whats 'permissible' is different to whats advisable.

 

The cable bracket is trapped behind a standard towball, so that in the worst case scenario of a towball failure, the cable can still do its job. In the case of good quality detachable towballs, there is usually a loop on the bracketry behind he rear skirt, can't comment on the cheaper ones though.

 

I had a caravan jump off the towball once when the brake pads in the head failed, it was only the separate cable point that prevented a major incident.

 

Its £2 bracket, 'nuff said.

 

Bob

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  • 4 months later...

Hello Menno did you ever got a reply from the RDW?

I did asked them for a maximum tow registration on my TR3 license-registration, though they told me for that the car needed to be tested on a ramp in Lelystad. Towing 3x the expected maximum. Not really fancy that.

Robert

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If the system uses U-clamps round the chassis tube, it would be a good idea to ensure that the tube is reinforced internally (using another tube providing a tight fit, secured in position with a spot weld), as the tube does rot from the inside as well as the outside!

Ian Cornish

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