Fabbed bumper/ tow bar

[biosurf]

My bumper sections are getting slowly but surely knackered due to off roading and are in need of removal. I fancy a tow bar to pull a small trailer but want to avoid anything low hanging and plough-like. (Any tow bar will need a drop plate as I'm running a 5 inch lift and 33's)

I'm thinking either

a) get a tow bar that has a drop plate and sits fairly high up, then get some extra metal welded to it as a bumper
or
b) Get a strong bumper fabbed up that has a flat section and drop plate to fit a tow ball to for when I want to pull a trailer.

Has anyone done either of these and if so any pics?

All else fails I may just get rid of the bumper and see how it looks with this done and a tow bar fitted.

[TobyJug]

I had a ball with drop plate (it is in the shed if interested...) but I used to only put it on for towing.....

[TobyJug]

This is why you would take it off by the way...

[biosurf]

Would be great on my allotment though

[TobyJug]

lol yeh prob.... lol

I still have the drop plate and ball if ur interested.....

[biosurf]

Cheers Toby

I'll let you know

[TobyJug]

no worries.......

How is things other than the towing situation?

[biosurf]

All good now the truck seems fairly happy with nothing too pressing to get done in terms of repairs *crosses fingers* or mods (always mods to do but nothing urgent or necessary Because all the other mods were absolutely vital! Ahem. )

Hows you?

[TobyJug]

All good now the truck seems fairly happy with nothing too pressing to get done in terms of repairs *crosses fingers* or mods (always mods to do but nothing urgent or necessary Because all the other mods were absolutely vital! Ahem. )

Hows you?

haha yeh mods are nearly always vital....

I am ok thanks still truckless but the Honda will be booked in later in the week to sort the little gearbox judder so that I can actively get rid or swap for another truck.... Because it's absolutely vital that I have another one....

[MattF]

Someone, (I believe it was Smiffy but may be wrong), made a heavy duty rear bumper up with a drop plate for the towball. Do a search or ask on the Scot site.

[biosurf]

Thanks for the heads up Matt. I think I will go for the Smiffy style bumper


anyone know any reason you can't use a bumper like this as a tow bar with a drop plate? It will be welded or bolted to the chassis.

It will have 90degree corners. for the MOT you aren't allowed sharp edges so I guess these would be OK as they are not sharp per se?

Might get a plate attached for carrying Jerry Cans of veg on which as far as I know is legal to carry on the back? Actually being veg I guess you can carry it anywhere?

[MattF]

There should be no problem on the fuel containers point provided they are in suitable containers and secured correctly, as far as I know.

Sharp edges pretty much means exactly that. If you can brush up against it and it isn't liable to scratch or catch, that should be fine.

As for the drop plate, I'd check with a local towbar centre/installer. There may well be some regs designating max drop or required design. They'd be the best place to advise.

[biosurf]

From looking here http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/qual.../EC_QandA.aspxat would seem that if your vehicle is registered after 1998 the tow bar doesnt need to meet the EC standards.

However...

I have a non EC Type Approved towbar on my 'P' registered BMW 320 (an EC Type Approved vehicle, registered in the UK in January 1997). Can I legally use the car to tow my caravan to Germany? YES. Although the EC Regulations are applied differently and introduced at different times in different countries, it is the country of registration that defines how and when you comply with the relevant EC Regulations.


Would possibly mean you hit the grey area of import cars with registration years in the early 90's (in non EU countries) and UK registration dates in the 2000's and beyond?...


Incidentally, just as a sanity disclaimer I would of course add that irrespective of when your vehicle was registered its all our responsibilities to make sure our towing equipment (as well as recovery equipment) exceeds the specifications we need it for.

[biosurf]

In terms of getting a tow ball is there any reason not to get one of these?


(it looks to be the same fit as a standard tow ball) I like the idea of being able to get a sankey trailer in the future if one came up cheap

thats if I can get the combined ball and nato hitch for less than a lot of places seem to sell them for (£150!!)

If not I'll just get a standard tow ball

[Diezel Weazel]

This any good Paul ? Good Luck !!
http://www.milneroffroad.com/img/pro...ages/10816.jpg


There's always a Payback ....Don't know where n don't know when tho !!!!