bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Yes I know its sounds completly insane but I'm feeling the need to tow with my 850cc DAF 44. Problem is getting a ready made towbar kit is nigh on impossible. So I want to make up one myself.
so this is what I'm proposing.
a T bar mounting system which fixes too the car at 3 separate points.
1 and 2 would be the original rear bumper mounts and the third would mount to a specifically strengthened area in the boot floor above the petrol tank.
I was thinking some angle iron welded into the right shapes should be strong enough.
What do you think, and if I do this will I ever be able to get it through another MOT?
Paul
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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berendd
Europe
why do I need 3 keys for one car?
Posts: 1,449
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Last Edit: Aug 3, 2012 8:46:19 GMT by berendd
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1977 datsun 810 180b estate
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Ive just done a quick mock up of what I'm proposing in CAD measurements are approximate. Ive also thought again and thinking 25 or 35mm box section is probably a better bet.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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bodge it lol done the job for few days movings engines abouts in box trailer
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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DIY towbar.stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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I thought they had to be e-marked now or is that just for cars after a certain year?
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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^ As far as I know thats only if the car is subject to type approval which mine isn't.
From the looks of it the mounting I quickly mocked up seems to be pretty similar to the original.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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I thought they had to be e-marked now or is that just for cars after a certain year? Just applies to car registered after 1st August 1998. BTW had the 7 pin towbar electrics checked on my 54 reg Skoda for MOT yesterday - thought it was supposed to be just 13 pin ! Paul H
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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^ My tester told me it was only 13pin euro sockets only last week when I enquired as there is one on the van and as I cant tow I didn't know whether or not it worked. So wanted to know whether I needed to borrow a trailerboard to check.
I later discovered its been fitted utilising my absolute pet hate of scotch lock connectors. They lasted half an hour max once I knew they were there
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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....I'm feeling the need to tow with my 850cc DAF 44..... Confused. Anyway, the best bet for material sizes/thicknesses will be to just copy any existing cars you can have a look at that use a similar design, which seems to be most older cars. I'm guessing you're not going to be towing any more than a few hundred kg anyway with an 850cc Daf?
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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I should say I can't yet tow. I'm taking lessons so that I can in the very near future.
Because of when I passed my test I have to take another one too tow anything more than 750kg or half the cars weight. So by those rules with the DAF I can tow a maximum of 350kg which isn't a huge amount. The plan is to tow a small camping trailer or even a trailer tent so I can carry passengers as well as luggage to overnight car shows. I think that will probably slow the car down less than a roof box.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Where's the 'half the cars weight' come from? post '97 licences can tow 750kg or more, as long as the trailers gross weight is less than the cars unladen weight, and the gross train weight is under 3500kg, nothing about half the vehicles weight.
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TBH I would hazard a guess that if you were involved in a accident wich wa scaused by your tow bar breaking and trailer comming off...YES I do know that the chnaces are slim BUT I would guess that your ins would be invalidated rather quickly..My advise is don't do it there are towbars available for your vehicle Witter towbars or Towsure would be able to source you one.
Dave
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I don't mean to be negative about the idea, but will it really be safe to tow with a car that has a 30+ second 0-60? With a couple passengers and a trailer it would be dangerously slow.. What's it plated to tow? Don't forget that it doesn't relate to the actual weight of the trailer, but its maximum laden weight, so I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't legally able to drag anything bigger than the little trailers outside halfords.
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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^ funny you say that take this quote from a DAF owners manual issued with the car when new. The manual depicted is for the smaller engined 33 but the 44 one says the same.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Also have a hill climbing graph for a 30hp 33 capable of 69mph. Mine has 34bhp and a top speed of 76mph.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta
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OK. But I'm going to stick by my previous comments. I have previously, and currently own a vehicle with similar power/top speed/low gearing (though not with a CVT) and quite frankly, it's dangerous on modern roads without any extra weight being dragged along behind it as well You would legally (without doing the trailer test) be able to tow a small trailer, this one, to demonstrate my previous Halfords reference, would be about your limit based on the manufacturer's info you've provided.
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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I have one of the smallest trailers that Halfords sell - Erde 102. It's surprising how much it'll take and even fully loaded with camping gear etc should still be within the Daf's capabilities. A trailer tent, on the otherhand, is going to be pushing it to the max limit and that is where you will find the performance severely affected. By all means fit a towbar and use a small trailer but accept the limitations of the vehicle and although you might have data which says it will tow 420 kg that will probably be crawling up hills at a very low speed ! Also don't forget that is weight limit is made up of the of the trailer plus payload.
paul H
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