Tow bar questions

[peter2407]

Just bought a dinghy with a road trailer but my car doesnt actually have a tow bar, so a few questions:

Car is an Audi A6 estate - do i need a plate with reg number and lights etc
Can I use the road trailer to tow other stuff - thinking of light furniture etc
Recommendations for a cheap installation - live near Poole

Thanks as ever

 

[Avocet]

As your car was built after 1996, you need an "e-marked" tow bar (one that's been type approved). Plenty of places will supply and fit one. Witter have a good name, but there are plenty of others.

http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/towbars.php?make=Audi-towbars&id=7865

You almost certainly will need a lighting board (cheap and readily available from places like Towsure or Autow). Your local motor factor should be able to make you up another rear number plate but you'll have to show your registration document (and possibly some ID).

Once you've got your towbar fitted, what you can tow depends on when you passed your test and what driving licence entitlements you have, as well as your car's limitations. If you passed your test after 1997, you might have to take an additional test. If not, you should be fine with pretty much any light dinghy or unbraked trailer. I can't think of many cars that can't tow up to 500kg of unbraked trailer. Some can tow up to 750kg. If you're thinking of bigger ones, it gets a bit messier. Your handbook for the car should list what you can and can't tow, with our without brakes. Also the car's EU "Certificate of Conformity" if you have that.

 

[DanTribe]

Avocet has it pretty well covered, but I would add'
Lighting boards best got from Amazon or Ebay, £15 - £20 ish depending on length of lead, number of lights etc.
Simpler to order reg number plate on line, then you don't have to produce documents, usually 1 to 2 days.
Google for a local fitter and be prepared for a shock to the wallet. My last one for a van £450.
You can carry what you want as long as it's securely fixed and safe and within load limits. No excessive overhangs or sticky out bits, and well strapped down.
The trailer has to be roadworthy, not too much rust, good tyres and mudguards [often forgotten]

 

[JumbleDuck]

You almost certainly will need a lighting board (cheap and readily available from places like Towsure or Autow).

You used not to need a lighting board if the car's lights could be seen over the trailer, but I think that has changed now.

I can't think of many cars that can't tow up to 500kg of unbraked trailer.

Some cars aren't cleared for towing at all - the Ford Ka, for example. The Audo A6 will be fine, though.

 

[JumbleDuck]

AGoogle for a local fitter and be prepared for a shock to the wallet. My last one for a van £450.

A towbar for my Golf Estate was £100 last year and my local garage charged me about £80 to fit it.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

A towbar for my Golf Estate was £100 last year and my local garage charged me about £80 to fit it.

I have just fitted a tow bar to my Golf Estate, £450, 2012 model. It came with a wiring loom that gets plugged into the brain thing the car uses. Apparently if you just take a lead off the rear lights to the tow bar plug, the self testing feature of the brain thing can start playing up. Maybe they saw me coming.

To the OP - you cannot exceed the all up weight (tow plus car) stated on the VIN plate. You wont have a problem with such a big car.

 

[duncan99210]

Driving licence before 1997, you can tow pretty much anything providing its within the limits laid down by the manufacturers - check the handbook. Post 1997, you can tow up to 750kg without taking an extra test. Above that you need to do the B + E test. Incidentally, you don't need a braked trailer if the loaded weight is 750kg or less; above that the trailer must have a braking system fitted. All trailers need lights now, as other have said get a board with lights and space for a number plate and fit it to the back of the dinghy with bungees.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I had towbar fitted to my A4 estate recently with removable hook and integrated electrics. Cost £500 including fitting and programming the brain. I have towed 1.25T with a braked trailer.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have just fitted a tow bar to my Golf Estate, £450, 2012 model. It came with a wiring loom that gets plugged into the brain thing the car uses. Apparently if you just take a lead off the rear lights to the tow bar plug, the self testing feature of the brain thing can start playing up. Maybe they saw me coming.

Blimey. Mine's a much older one - 1999 - which might explain a bit of a difference. Mind you, there surely can't be much difference in the metalwork, and a bunch of wires is a bunch of wires,

 

[prv]

Blimey. Mine's a much older one - 1999 - which might explain a bit of a difference. Mind you, there surely can't be much difference in the metalwork, and a bunch of wires is a bunch of wires,

Shouldn't be much different with a 1999 - the magic date was 1996 before which there was no need for a towbar to be type-approved. I know this because my last-but-one car was a 1994 Uno for which the local garage just bent up a strip of steel and bolted it through the spare wheel well.

Pete

 

[Cloven]

Just to clarify, each vehicle has a "Gross Train Weight" which is the max permitted weight of vehicle + trailer and total contents of both which includes driver & passengers in the towing vehicle. Legally you must not exceed the GTW of your vehicle. Please note that different variants of the same base vehicle may well have different GTWs so check for the actual variant that you have.

 

[Lakesailor]

Incidentally, you don't need a braked trailer if the loaded weight is 750kg or less; above that the trailer must have a braking system fitted.

It's more complex than that. The manufacturers homologate a towing weight for each model. It can be lower than 750Kgs for unbraked trailers. Often a 3 door version of a 5 door vehicle has a lower unbraked towing weight. My 2 litre diesel 3 door Grand Vitara was identical mechanically to the 5 door one I had previously, but the unbraked towing weight was only 550 kgs.
Look on the V5 document page 2, paragraph 4 section O. It gives the weights there. These are the ones VOSA and the Police go by.

 

[A1Sailor]

Your local Indespension dealer will have a very useful booklet which will tell you all the latest rules and regulations and is full of tips and advice. They sell it, but I don't think it is particularly expensive.

 

[Pladdatoo]

Quote for £900 - dealer-fit towbar on my Passat... GULP.

Apparently requires a replacement under skirt, the metalwork + brain surgery so all the electronics work as they should afterwards.

Cheapest I could find in the independents was about £550 to do the same thing.

Forget it!

I'll borrow the neighbours when/if I need to tow something!

 

[IanL]

Check if you need a fog light on your light board. I think trailers on all newish cars will. Not all light boards sold will include one.

Also be aware that lights have to be within a certain distance of the edge of your trailer. Not any old light board will do.

 

[bikedaft]

Blimey. Mine's a much older one - 1999 - which might explain a bit of a difference. Mind you, there surely can't be much difference in the metalwork, and a bunch of wires is a bunch of wires,

You need someone who knows what they are doing for the electrics, or it can mess up the autocheck function on the a6 (that checks your bulbs etc)

 

[peter2407]

Me - license shall we say well before 1996. Car is a 55 plate but think the docs say manufactured in 04. Dont intend on pulling anything heavier than a dinghy .... Subject to no more boozy friday nights when big gladys gets her annual treat and i resurrect the walk of shame ...

 

[markhomer]

I used to fit my own towbars , but electrics and car brains has put an end to it , however i got my last bar supplied and fitted to my A6
by indespension glasgow , in milngavie , it wasnt all that exspensive , circa £200 squids , and with the electris involved , taking bumper on and off expensive car ( to fix ) , well worth it , never mind dealing with the parking sensors , which by chance failed straight after towbar fitted , however indespensions confidence that they hadnt broke them and their good reputation with dealers , meant audi replaced them under warranty , imagine if i had tried that alone ,


Leads me to tother point , dont whatever ask for main dealer to fit as they put the car out to reputeable companies like indespension and buchanans in glasgow to fit for them ,often more than doubling the price !!!!

Ps i didnt opt to connect to brain , not much point for what difference made , ie my dash board wont tell me when light out on tailboard , ( beeper in boot does ) but still needs interface box , but much cheaper ,

I went too for the phallic fixed bar , as you see on lots of audis , stops folk parking too close ,

 

[A1Sailor]

I too have had very good service in the past from The (Indespension) Glasgow Trailer Centre in Milngavie.

 

[[3889]]

I paid £250 last year for a B7 Passat estate. No gimmicks but everything works.
Towed a boat at, shall we say, the upper end of the towing limit 300 miles with no problems.