Towbar legalities

[BlueSuzy]

I have a 88' Suzuki Sierra Lwb.

If i was to buy a Cheap Hayman Reece brand Towbar, say for example a Commodore with the plating for weights etc. Could i modify it for towing correctly on my lwb? Or does it have to be plated for a Lwb sierra? It could be an Engineer question, But i'm sure others have done this before.

[DamTriton]

In short you can't modify them at all.

It should be made to fit your vehicles actual towing capacity, not your wishful towing needs.

Overloading a zook would more than likely lead to damage to the driveline and possibly bent rear axle housing.

Hire a ute. Right tool for the right job.

[BlueSuzy]

I am not intending of overloading it.

My only wishful towing needs are a small box trailer or tinny..Not a horse float or caravan. She's no Pootrol..


Max is only 700kg braked for a sierra i think.

Bent axle housing? I doubt it, But Bundera diffs are going under it anyway.

[supazuk]

hay bluesuzy i cut down a hilux towbar for my LWB and it worked fine, have a lowerange jobby now.

[BadMav]

If you do do the job neat enough, no one will know.

[berad]

If you do do the job neat enough, no one will know.

Indeed, i welded a bit of 75x75 5mm wall in between the back of my chassis rails and half checked the hayman reece thingo in, braced it with some plate like standard, its up nice and high now with a drop down tongue, strong, and noone knows.

Just for towing a 14foot tinny around or the occasional dump run

[BlueSuzy]

hay bluesuzy i cut down a hilux towbar for my LWB and it worked fine, have a lowerange jobby now.

Yes i know shep.

Ebay ones are cheap! Some are cheaper than what you can buy the metal for.

And then you get the swish little 'hayman' surround

[dogbreath_48]

Whilst you have the grinder out you may as well cut the rating plates off

not saying don't do it, but don't expect it to be legit once modified.

[Elmo]

If you do do the job neat enough, no one will know.

The insurance company will if ever theres an accident

I had an accident in August last year, no-ones fault, but after 6weeks of investigation they worked out i was overloaded by 80kg, so suddenly i became the scapegoat and now i have bills totalling over 120 grand and only 5 years to pay them off

BE CAREFUL!!!!

[dumbdunce]

...I had an accident in August last year, no-ones fault, but after 6weeks of investigation they worked out i was overloaded by 80kg, so suddenly i became the scapegoat and now i have bills totalling over 120 grand ...

dude, you need a better solicitor. and possibly a better insurer, but that's beside the point.


if you can demonstrate that you had no reasonable way of knowing your vehicle was overweight, and/or that the excess mass did not and could not have contributed to the accident, they can't hang it all on you.

[Elmo]

I thought the same thing mate, but I tried 6 different law firms and all ended up coming to the same conclusion

And the insurer was actually going through the process of paying up until they came across the final decision so they just wiped there hands and let me deal with it


Oh and technically i should have known, but i didnt, i miscalculated







But anyway thats not what this post is about.... Sorry for the hi-jack BlueSuzy

Have you thought about scrounging the wreckers to see whats on the back of the Suzi's there... Thats how i got the towbar for my old Falcon. Wiring and all included for $80



Or post a wanted add and scanning the classifieds on here.....

[BlueSuzy]

I thought the same thing mate, but I tried 6 different law firms and all ended up coming to the same conclusion

And the insurer was actually going through the process of paying up until they came across the final decision so they just wiped there hands and let me deal with it


Oh and technically i should have known, but i didnt, i miscalculated







But anyway thats not what this post is about.... Sorry for the hi-jack BlueSuzy

Have you thought about scrounging the wreckers to see whats on the back of the Suzi's there... Thats how i got the towbar for my old Falcon. Wiring and all included for $80



Or post a wanted add and scanning the classifieds on here.....

Thats fine. Still got the suzi towbar build plate?

[ludacris]

Just buy a second hand one. Are you a professional welder or do you know someone who is who is willing to do the welding.

Cris

[nerida67]

i would be buying one that fits (maybe from a wrecker ???)
how much could they be 2nd hand ????
by the time you buy one that doesnt fit, cut it, grind it ect
how much time effort ect that gunna cost ???
IF for any unforseen reason you are in an accident and the towbar was at fault do you honestly think that the towbar manufacturer would know wether they made the bar or not
oh and for the people that think "they wont know"think again

[BlueSuzy]

Just buy a second hand one. Are you a professional welder or do you know someone who is who is willing to do the welding.

Cris

Yes.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/pr ... le&u=20038