Druk
Gone but not forgotten - RIP
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- May 28, 2004
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- 5,300
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- Not far from Edinburgh.
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- 2011 S212 E350CDi. 1981 R107 300TurboDiesel.
Bear
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2003
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- 374
- Location
- South London.England
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- W123 300D G460 280 GE G460 300 GDT
Looks like only my rear towing hook is included the front one doesn't need testing,though I do only use it for very low speed manoeuvres.
A bit pointless IMO ... I bet the number of accidents caused by defective towbars is tiny.
Far better to MOT trailers.
Far better to MOT trailers.
No doubt that will come .
Caravan tyres , especially , which may have done few miles on one annual excursion and show little tread wear but could well be years old and dangerously aged .
There has been talk of putting an age limit on vehicle tyres , regardless of tread wear or appearance - this should apply to ALL vehicles , including caravans and trailers .
Trailer (caravan) MOT has been talked about for years, but supposedly it simply can't be justified. Although caravan accidents in particular are quite spectacular, they are actually quite rare and it's almost unheard of for there to be any injuries.
yachtman
Active Member
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- May 11, 2007
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- 200
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- clk 320cdi
I think the change it is to catch rigid trucks that tow trailers. unbelievable, but the couplings and beam did not get checked at mot unless the vehicle was being mot ed at the same time with a trailer.
Obviously where cars are concerned, if a tow bar is fitted, it must be servicable and safe, & personally I do agree with you ref trailer & caravan testing.
for interest pic is a remote operated draw bar coupling.
Attachments
See a few of them at work and thats a posh one, some have huge chunks missing and as said no trailer means coupling is not checked at mot apart from a check of the bolts ie are they tight?
I had to test drive an old daf fa45 last week with a drawbar trailer and it was a complete and utter heap yet road legal just, 1997 and still working.
Lynall
I had to test drive an old daf fa45 last week with a drawbar trailer and it was a complete and utter heap yet road legal just, 1997 and still working.
Lynall
It is, although they are excluded from the above tests unless actually fitted at the time of MOT. It also says they are not allowed to remove any cover/access panels, so they wouldn't even be able to look at the socket on my Vito!
Mr Jadefox
Active Member
A bit tough if you bought second hand with a tow bar and never use it - time to get the spanners out perhaps.
Perhaps a business opportunity - tow bar removal service - £100 a pop.
OK, so this is us. Don't want and won't ever use a tow bar. I've removed the main joint/towball? fitting off the back (that hangs out beyond the bumper - appologies I don't now my towbar terminology!), but the underlying bar and wires etc are still there under the bumper.
What does this mean for us. I read the document, but it isn't clear. Will there be an extra charge to test, or is there not really anything to worry about unless it's loose or falling off??
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SilverSaloon
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2004
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- 1994 W124 E300D Estate, 1985 R107 280SL
OK, so this is us. Don't want and won't ever use a tow bar. I've removed the main joint/towball? fitting off the back (that hangs out beyond the bumper - appologies I don't now my towbar terminology!), but the underlying bar and wires etc are still there under the bumper.
What does this mean for us. I read the document, but it isn't clear. Will there be an extra charge to test, or is there not really anything to worry about unless it's loose or falling off??
you will be fine aslong as its mounts are OK etc. no extra charges.
in theory, you could just connect a ball and off you go so it will be tested.
it may be worth just unbolting the rest anyway - they are usually quite heavy so no point in it being there and not used. if you do remove it, remember to seal the holes etc afterwards
Mr Jadefox
Active Member
You seem to be over-estimating my mechanical abilities
........ Did someone mention a £100 removal service? Even if you never tow , the added protection and reinforcement a bracket gives is WELL worth having .
I've been rear ended twice in non-fault accidents :
The first occasion at the bottom of a motorway slip road , I was stopped behind another car waiting to join a roundabout when Mr Cavalier came down at speed , braked far too late and straight into the back of my W124 estate . Thanks in no small part to the presence of my towbar , I suffered only a few scratches to the paint on the tailgate ; the small plastic trim strip along the bottom edge broken and a cracked tail light lens . His car looked like it had been wrapped round a lamppost with front bumper 'V' ed in , bonnet crumpled , grille smashed , radiator punctured and both headlamps smashed . I drove away ; his car had to be recovered .
A year later , in Glasgow city centre , I was stopped behind someone waiting to turn right when I was assaulted from behind by a white van man . Again , I suffered minimal damage while his Seat van was going to need at least new front bumper , bonnet , front wing , headlamp .
I've been rear ended twice in non-fault accidents :
The first occasion at the bottom of a motorway slip road , I was stopped behind another car waiting to join a roundabout when Mr Cavalier came down at speed , braked far too late and straight into the back of my W124 estate . Thanks in no small part to the presence of my towbar , I suffered only a few scratches to the paint on the tailgate ; the small plastic trim strip along the bottom edge broken and a cracked tail light lens . His car looked like it had been wrapped round a lamppost with front bumper 'V' ed in , bonnet crumpled , grille smashed , radiator punctured and both headlamps smashed . I drove away ; his car had to be recovered .
A year later , in Glasgow city centre , I was stopped behind someone waiting to turn right when I was assaulted from behind by a white van man . Again , I suffered minimal damage while his Seat van was going to need at least new front bumper , bonnet , front wing , headlamp .
A bit like the equivalent of having bull bars fitted to the rear of your car then?
SilverSaloon
MB Enthusiast
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- 1994 W124 E300D Estate, 1985 R107 280SL
i'd second that actually - my towbar has saved my bumper from bad drivers behind on 3 occasions!
Mr Jadefox
Active Member
Funnily enough, we think we've been hit while parked recently and survived with just a small bumper dent (from another tow-bar ball?) and a mis-seated bumper. Fortunatley this doesnt really show, but can't get it back in place fopr love-nor-money by pushing.....
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=67664
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Interesting. I park with the back-end out if I think there's a risk that someone may be reversing close to our ML on the basis that the towbar may stop them before the bumper does.
davidjpowell
MB Enthusiast
I have done this in the past - but I have wondered if it leaves a car more vulnerable to severe damage, and what it does in terms of large accident taking out the crumple zones?