 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Help needed with Towbar Setup |
 
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| DAZ110 Member Since: 06 Dec 2007 Location: East Sussex Posts: 2039   
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That suits me just fine as I have a 2011 90 CSW N1
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27th Sep 2018 5:01pm |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2295 
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Humm...I didn't know about Regulation 55 either
LRA has summarised it well I think , there is a two year window late 2010-2012 where Type Approval isn't required (although probably in most cases worth installing). There is a good overall summary for Towing Equipment, which includes this Type Approval 'correction' made in 2012, in a Data Sheet issued by the Camping and Caravanning Club. https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.u...eet-29.pdf SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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28th Sep 2018 7:47am |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2295
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Will this all be cleared up in the Brexit Deal being negotiated
 SKIP
https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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28th Sep 2018 8:47am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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The date that I've quoted above, 29th October 2012, is the implementation date, from which it became effective. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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28th Sep 2018 11:03am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17387 
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What do you think? 
It is, I think, worth bearing in mind that the UK will probably want to continue selling British-built vehicles into the post-Brexit Europe, and therefore will undoubtedly have exactly the same C&U and Type Approval regulations as Europe. It seems to me to be highly unlikely that common sense will prevail and abominations like DRLs and rear fog lights will suddenly become unnecessary.  |
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28th Sep 2018 1:46pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17387
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The C&C Club document is interesting, and also explains why it is now impossible to buy new (and in many cases illegal to use) the old DB Shocklink:
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28th Sep 2018 2:17pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8581
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Interesting comment BW which I find very difficult to believe about the Shocklink. The shocklink on the back of our white 90 has what appears to me to be a valid approval mark. Since it is approved I can not understand why the C & C club does not think it is road legal. Under their argument if you changed an approved towball for another towball from a different manufacturer then that would be illegal.
Yes the Shocklink was designed to work with the Dixon Bate towing equipment. Now the Dixon Bates brand was bought by Bradley Doublelock who were subsequently taken over by Al-ko who I understand has been bought out by some American venture capitalist. On Al-ko taking over BD I was told the factory was moving south to utilise surplus factory manufacturing capacity down south and closing the Yorkshire plant. They were going to trim the range of products and concentrate on the more profitable items. So the Shocklink went in the reorganisation nothing to do with them being illegal. Today I was told by a big UK parts distribution unit that some multifunctional lights were not road legal in the UK despite them having full approval marks under the Vehicle harmonisation programme! Brendan |
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28th Sep 2018 8:22pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17387
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I think the issue is that the whole assembly has to be approved, rather than each component. It is not the Shocklink that is the problem, rather that the bracket to which is is attached has to be type approved with the Shocklink attached.
In other words you can't attach a type approved Shocklink to a type approved towbar unless the towbar has also been type approved with the Shocklink attached. |
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28th Sep 2018 9:59pm |
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| ozzie1989 Member Since: 25 Feb 2009 Location: Wales Posts: 282  
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Wow, not like me to start a large debate
 
I'm lucky with my 2010 model that I fall outside the approval timeline. Without replying to you all individually I'll summarise below my thoughts after reading the thread: - I should probably keep the guard/detachable setup as it's a good bit of kit - I will try to obtain some bolts and nuts to replace the pins to see if I can stop the rattle - I will definitely look into the HD hinges, saves fitting the carrier although the downside is the weight is still on the door, though my door is good at the moment - Depending on the above, I may need to extend the bike fitting back a bit I still love the look of the NAS step bit I think it will end up all expensive and I may regret selling the guard etc. But we'll see! Thank you all so much for the inspiration and ideas, it is always much appreciated Now: 2010 2.4 TDCi 110 Utility Wagon
Then: 2004 2.5 TD5 90 Hard Top (X-Tech Edition) |
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28th Sep 2018 10:55pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8581
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I am not sure that is correct BW. We have changed the tow ball on Land Rover supplied and fitted towing equipment (Dixon Bates) to an approved Alko tow ball. Was the LR fitted towing equipment tested and approved with the Alko tow ball?
Now the DB Shocklink has what appears to me to be an approval mark. The interesting thing is the country code ( IIRC E11 ) is not the current standard format for a country code. The current standard country code is an E + number in a circle. The country code on the Shocklink is inside a rectangle. Now what that means for the type approval I do not know. Brendan |
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28th Sep 2018 11:09pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17387
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You have to wonder whether anyone at Al-Ko has the slightest clue how to run a business!
Despite Al-Ko taking over DB two years or more ago and discontinuing the Shocklink, the old DB website is still up and running, and advertising the (discontinued) Shocklink. https://dixon-bate.co.uk/products/gb/100-shocklink Of possible relevance is the following:
The second paragraph is I think significant and suggests that the towbar must be tupe approved with the Shocklink, or possibly through the range of towball offsets that the Shocklink allows. The article linked above also makes it clear that drop plates and spacers will also generally invalidate type approval. What a minefield! I am glad my 2007 N1 Defender is outwith the regulations and I can still happily and legally mount my Shocklink on a drop plate in my 2" receiver. |
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29th Sep 2018 3:36pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8581
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That is interesting BW. I agree with your comments about Al-ko but enough said on that subject!
I am glad that we use the LR towing equipment which comes from Dixon Bates (apart from our red 110 which predates all this!) so have no issue with use of the shock link. As you say BW it is a minefield and it is a pity that these regulations are so complicated. Ozzie do not worry that it has become a debate, this way we all learn a bit. Brendan |
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29th Sep 2018 6:45pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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I went through this with DB when I bought a shocklink from them, they asked for the information from the tow bar, which they confirmed was one of there's and supplied to Land Rover and not a "copy part" which had been fitted and it was okay to fit the Shocklink. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to  us off.
Richard |
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1st Oct 2018 1:16pm |
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| X4SKP Member Since: 29 Nov 2013 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2295
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Ok just to add to this, mine was MOT'ed yesterday (...
24th Pass in a row for Defender ownership)
anyway, on being told all was ok again, and the pleasing, if you ever sell it can we have first refusal, I raised the issue of the Towing Equipment fitted, (brave I know ) they did know about Regulation 55, and did also know
about the 2010-2012 N1 Window for non-Type Approved Kit, Custom or otherwise. I'm OK but I could not do what I have done to a Defender registered after 29th October 2012. There are a very good family run Garage, the Dad and his Son also said sometimes it is difficult to tell now as often the Type Approval stickers are missing for a long time the need to see a Type Approval Sticker was not part of the MOT, I took from this that maybe now it is? Mine is a combination of both Type Approved and Custom Kit, but it has all been resprayed twice in the last 4 years, and has no markings, (I think I read somewhere this is an issue in some European Countries, and or at Borders). They also said that from 27th April 2009 Tow bars and their attachment to the vehicle become part of the MOT, it is very likely that not all MOT Centres are up to date with all directives issued, apparently there has been quite a lot, like most things you don't know what you don't know. This link to a 2012 MOT Test Manual, makes no mention of the 55 Regulations http://www.ukmot.com/manual/6.6/Towbars#MOT SKIP https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic83242.html |
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5th Oct 2018 12:15pm |
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