tow bars

[hsv-001]

My FC van was towing a caravan when it had its head on with a road train in western Qld .When I registered it in the 80's it was still running the original fuel tank and still is but, the rwc guy told me to put a towbar back on it to hide the huge crease across the width of the tank .When the original towbar ,ball and tongue are on there the numberplate is partially obscured by the tow ball and if I don't remove the ball I cant get the spare out . Not really a problem because the little vintage trailer I tow has the same stud pattern and a spare .I was just wondering if anyone out there with a van or ute has noticed this . Along the same lines the chassis I'm boxing for my V6 1948 Vauxhall project needs a member welded across the rear , just in front of the shackles and I was thinking of putting a towbar on it. So here is my question . I'm guessing you cant just make your own ,your engineer would freak , they are complianced to fit specific makes and models to a swl . Do I just capture nuts in a heavy walled piece of rhs and fit it myself after the inspection .That way if I'm caught its my bad .Only other way would be to get an already complianced[ prefabed ] one and adapt it to the chassis then get it inspected .From what I'm told this could get really expensive . Just thought the Vauxhall would look good with a teardrop behind it . Haydn   

[Ed]

Gday Haydn,

Good question,  something I have also been giving thought recently too.

I am also finishing the rearmost X member on my jailbar and I thought of just replicating a Hayman Reese hitch receiver in or under the rearmost xmember.

The x member spanning the rails will be uprated to the same spec as an 1800kg rated bar using the same wall thickness as the commercially available unit.

The hitch receiver will be mounted identically to the x member with identical flanges and gussets.

cant see why the engineer would fail it, considering they will sign off on the entire build anyway.

You could also just put the crush tubes or captive nuts in the rails and fab up your own later.  I was quoted close to 2K for an 1800kg rated bar for my 90 rodeo but ended up buying one off ebay for $150... they probably should be labelled with manufactures label etc.. but if your workmanship and welding is sound then.. why not?  the only mod would be to fit new end plates.. easy if you've just boxed and built a chassis.

Cheers

Ed

[hsv-001]

Thanks Ed, Did just that ,bought a rated tow bar off ebay [still has the manufacturers tag and specs. on it ] and removed the angle iron off the end plates then drilled the end plates , drilled the chassis rails and welded in some crush tubes .If there is a problem I'll just unbolt it for the inspection . Haydn