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The Musketeer

Member Since: 07 Feb 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 193

Draw Bars - Legal

Hi all,

Talking to one of our farmers today who said you need a sticker/plate on your towing unit for it to be legal? Otherwise it falls into the same category as not having your trailer plated?

Can anyone clear this up?

Cheers,

Sam Good things come to the wild and free

23rd Mar 2012 6:53pm

jof33

Member Since: 26 Nov 2011
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 53

New reg for MOT

23rd Mar 2012 6:57pm

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

There is always lots of confusion about the law and vehicles.

What I suggest is you have a look at the MOT inspectors guidelines HERE

Scroll down to section 6.6 which refers to tow bars.

I have had a read of it and I can not see any reference to labels on tow bars.

The stupid thing is that the MOT inspector is NOT allowed to remove a tow ball cover to inspect the condition of the towball!

Just remember that vehicles which are N1 tax class which includes lots but not all Defenders do NOT need a type approved tow bar.

Brendan

23rd Mar 2012 8:50pm

The Musketeer

Member Since: 07 Feb 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 193

Fantastic thanks Brendan. Happy days, I was wondering if it was true!

Sam Good things come to the wild and free

23rd Mar 2012 9:48pm

BigMike

Member Since: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2253

It's a DVLA thing, not an MOT thing (though MOT inspector will now look at the bolts to check they are high tensile). You do need to have a E approved plate on your hitch - VOSA are regularly stopping people now at weigh bridges and checking it. This isn't hearsay - a mate was recently stopped and given a warning about it recently as he just had a ball with no markings.

http://www.just-tow.co.uk/towbar-faq-and-039s.html

24th Mar 2012 7:48am

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

BigMike wrote:
It's a DVLA thing, not an MOT thing (though MOT inspector will now look at the bolts to check they are high tensile). You do need to have a E approved plate......

http://www.just-tow.co.uk/towbar-faq-and-039s.html

As I keep saying there is LOTS of confusion about motoring and towing laws. I have come across an instance when DVLA staff have given out incorrect information!

As far as I understand it the relevant legislation is European type approval 94/20/EC for tow bars.

According to www.NTTA.co.uk

Quote:

In the U.K, with effect from 1st August 1998 all Passenger Carrying Vehicles up to 3500kgs Gross Vehicle Weight (M1 Vehicles) can only be fitted with European Type Approved towbars if the vehicle has received European Whole Vehicle Type Approval.
Non M1 vehicles, light commercial vehicles and private imports from outside the EEC do not need Approved Towbars; however, most car and some Light Commercial Vehicles such as vans commonly use the Type Approved Towbar.

According to www.justtow.co.uk

Quote:

What is EC 94/20?
The full and correct title is "Directive 94/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the council of 30th May 1994, relating to the mechanical coupling devices of motor vehicles and their trailers and their attachment to those vehicles". It is a piece of European legislation governing the design, testing and manufacturing of towbars. The aim of the legislation is to provide a level playing field throughout the EC, allowing the free trade of towbars and accessories throughout Europe.
Does EC94/20 apply to all towbars?

All new light passenger vehicles (not commercial vehicles) which have a European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EWVTA) Certificate of Conformity must adhere to the regulations. The exceptions are: Vans/ Good Vehicles, Chassis Cabs, Tippers, Pick-Up Trucks, Motor Homes, any Motor Cycle, Non Road Use Vehicles and some Imports (chek with the DVLA).

How can I tell an approved bar from a non-approved bar?

All approved towbars must have a visible data plate, label or stamping showing and E number relating to the country in which its approval was granted. The label/ plate/ stamp must show the Company Name, E Designation, D-Value, S-Value and Maximum Towing Capacity. If the towbar does not have an approval label/ stamp/ plate then it is not approved.

So my understanding is

Type approved tow bar needs label

Non type approved tow bar does NOT need label

Cars since 1994 need type approval tow bars

Commercials do NOT need type approval tow bars and do NOT need a label.

Defenders since 1998 have been classed as both cars and commercials. The difference is in taxation class! If your Defender is taxed as M1 you will need a type approved tow bar.

If your taxation class is N1 you do not need a type approval tow bar.

According to DVLA

Quote:

*N1 – defined as “vehicles used for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes

*M1 – as defined in EC Directive 70/156 “vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and comprising no more than eight
seats in addition to the driver’s seat

HTH

Brendan

PS Are you confused?

24th Mar 2012 11:01am

Pam W

Member Since: 25 Oct 2011
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1169

It doesn't help the confusion when in the statement quoted by Brendan above they are using the M1 code when describing all vehicles after 1998.

I have a 1998 90 and the new red V5C and tax disc still have 'Private/Light Goods / PLG on them - no mention of N1 or M1 at this registration age. Our 2000 RR is the same too . I guess the N1 and M1 must have come in sometime after 2000 then, and just replace the old style categories that are more familiar to most of us.

24th Mar 2012 12:37pm

ibexman

Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2945

Are 2" reciever hitches legal ???

24th Mar 2012 4:29pm

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

Pam, if your 90 was first registered prior to 1/8/98 then you can legally use a non type approved tow bar.

If registered after 1/8/98 and was originally a hard top then it is a commercial hence non type approved tow bar is legal.

If registered after 1/8/98 and was a 6 seater SW/CSW then the chances are it is non commercial and so type approval tow bar would be required.

The legal status of Defenders is not helped with the way that Land Rover has managed to change taxation class for Defenders. New Defenders are considered to be commercial.

Ibex, in general 2" receivers are NOT type approve towing equipment and are not sold as towbars but as 2"receiver with a drop plate. What the customer fits to the drop plate is their decision.

However I know of at lease one company selling 2" receivers as quick detachable towbars!

So 2" receiver fitted with towing equipment is legal if fitted to a car first registered prior to 1/8/98 or fitted to a commercial vehicle.

Now has that clarified things or muddied the waters even further?

Brendan

Brendan

24th Mar 2012 8:27pm

EWS

Member Since: 29 Nov 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 156

Interesting read this . Just had our truck tested ( ’06 Defender 90 County Hard Top) , and the tester informed me that the towbar data plate was about to depart, it’s a foil type ,stuck on thing( tow bar is a Land Rover OEM part) , can one get a replacment, or is one stuffed . Of course she passed, no problems.

Re the taxation class and the muddied waters, ours is in the taxation class as “Disabled” as its my partners, ( she is a Teraplegic)I run a ’91 vintage Fourtrak and no problems with towbar data plates.

13th Apr 2012 9:57pm

JWL

Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3443

I'm keeping a close watch on this thread, my 2002 110 SW has had the stickers fall off

I've managed to find one and it now resides in the cubby box. It did leave a barely readable mark on the tow bar frame which is a bit of a PITA as I've tidied up the X member but the two stays on which the stickers reside are quite obvious in a Land Rover rusty sort of way

13th Apr 2012 10:19pm

chiefstoker

Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: Weston-super-Mud
Posts: 897

Presumably the identification issue only becomes a possible problem if stopped by VOSA. I would imagine removal of the actual tow hitch prior to the MoT should suffice for a test pass if you are worried about your M1 vehicle? I too have a sticker missing from the actual towing frame but have a Dixon Bate plated hitch. I wouldnt want to use an el cheapo hitch myself tbh so if you havent got a type approved hitch I would suggest changing it anyway. 2005 TD5 90 Hard Top

Beer 'n Sex 'n Chips 'n Gravy

14th Apr 2012 5:28am

lambert.the.farmer

Member Since: 11 Apr 2012
Location: harrogate
Posts: 2006

Not that it affects me as I'm a pickup but how do NATO pintles fit into the above discussion? Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.

17th Apr 2012 6:10pm

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

Assuming you are referring to the Dixon Bates Light or Medium pintle then according to the Bradley website HERE then they do not have an EC number and hence will not be type approved towing equipment.

Since they are designed for military vehicles I will make the following assumptions. They are not fitted to cars so type approved towing equipment not required. Also I would assume for UK military vehicles crown exemption will apply.

So non type approved then standard towing equipment regulations would apply as discussed above.

Brendan

17th Apr 2012 6:28pm

Kev stephenson

Member Since: 27 Feb 2012
Location: Huddersfield
Posts: 56

He asked about draw bars not tow bars. I assume he means the bar used when towing another vehicle and not the 50mm ball attached to the back of your truck on which you put your trailer hitch. 2005 110 TD5 XS running Alive Stage 1 and a bit and other toys
1996 130 300TDi chip truck for tree surgery business

17th Apr 2012 9:16pm

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