Tow socket wiring

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G

Greg

Guest
Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if so
does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
Greg

 
Greg <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:
> Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
> installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if
> so does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
> Greg


No it won't apply to a 1972 vehicle but I think you will need a lamp of some
sort to display when the trailer lights are flashing.

Lee D


 
In message <[email protected]>, Lee_D
<[email protected]> writes
>Greg <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:
>> Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
>> installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if
>> so does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
>> Greg

>
>No it won't apply to a 1972 vehicle but I think you will need a lamp of some
>sort to display when the trailer lights are flashing.
>
>Lee D
>
>

You need audible or visible warning that the trailer indicators are
either flashing or not flashing when they should be. The advantage of
the buzzer to the installer and manufacturer is that they don't require
an extra wire running through to the dash.

Don't know about the pre 1972 bit though.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting
 
In message <[email protected]>
"Lee_D" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Greg <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:
> > Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
> > installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if
> > so does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
> > Greg

>
> No it won't apply to a 1972 vehicle but I think you will need a lamp of some
> sort to display when the trailer lights are flashing.
>
> Lee D
>
>


I don't recall Series III's as having any "warning" device?

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive
 
i also dont remember any car having a requirement for any warning device, for the trailer lights.
esp for that sort of era.
 
The law states you have to have either audible or visual, but that applies
to all ages of vehicle !


Steve



"Greg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
> installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if so
> does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
> Greg
>



 
METWO wrote:

> The law states you have to have either audible or visual, but that applies
> to all ages of vehicle !
>
> Steve


But it can always fail in the course of your journey. Make sure that
it is present but non-functioning rather than just absent.
 
I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
its MOT yet in 5 years or so.

The car does have a light on the dash but it isnt connected to owt and
thats never failed either.

 
Tom Woods wrote:

> I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
> its MOT yet in 5 years or so.
>
> The car does have a light on the dash but it isnt connected to owt and
> thats never failed either.


It's not MOT-testable. Functionality is only a 'concern' when a
trailer is attached.
 

Dougal wrote:
> Tom Woods wrote:
>
> > I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
> > its MOT yet in 5 years or so.
> >
> > The car does have a light on the dash but it isnt connected to owt and
> > thats never failed either.

>
> It's not MOT-testable. Functionality is only a 'concern' when a
> trailer is attached.

The idea of the warning lamp /and /or buzzer is that one is reminded
that there is a trailer dangling on the back of your motor and you can
look back in your mirror and watch the trailer wheel clip the curb,
just missing the feet of the jay walker waiting to cross the road :)

 
"METWO" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The law states you have to have either audible or visual, but that applies
> to all ages of vehicle !


Do you have a link to that please Steve?, I'm sure that new vehicles have to
have one or the installers wouldn't fit them but every other new requirement
(hazards, reversing light, rear fog etc) seems to have a 'non-retrospective'
clause so I'm puzzled why this one doesn't.

Greg


 
"beamendsltd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:6184a664e%[email protected]...
> I don't recall Series III's as having any "warning" device?


No as far as I can find they didn't, and as other requirements they've added
are non-retrospective I'm hoping I don't have to have one of the damn things
:cool:.
Greg


 
"Dougal" <DougalAThiskennel.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message

> But it can always fail in the course of your journey. Make sure that
> it is present but non-functioning rather than just absent.


Now that's one way around it :cool:
Greg


 
"Tom Woods" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
> its MOT yet in 5 years or so.


The whole tow bar and electrics are non-testable, though I'm blowed if I can
see the logic of that as they're no harder to test than any thing else!. But
I like to be squeaky clean so I have no worries about being stopped for
whatever reason, or the insurance company squirming out of a payout.
Greg


 
On or around Thu, 14 Sep 2006 21:44:37 +0100, Tom Woods
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
>its MOT yet in 5 years or so.
>


it's not in the MOT - no trailer socket wiring is... But that doesn't mean
it isn't law.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat" Euripedes, quoted in
Boswell's "Johnson".
 
In message <6184a664e%[email protected]>, beamendsltd
<[email protected]> writes
>In message <[email protected]>
> "Lee_D" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Greg <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny about:
>> > Does anyone know if those annoying indicator buzzers the tow bar
>> > installers insist on fitting are actually a legal requirement and if
>> > so does it apply to a 1972 vehicle?
>> > Greg

>>
>> No it won't apply to a 1972 vehicle but I think you will need a lamp of some
>> sort to display when the trailer lights are flashing.
>>
>> Lee D
>>
>>

>
>I don't recall Series III's as having any "warning" device?
>
>Richard

It isn't the vehicle that has them, but rather the tow kit which must
add it. Defenders and some cars had a light fitted in the dash for the
purpose, but then the bean counters realised that the vast majority of
cars manufactured never have a towbar fitted.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting
 
In message <[email protected]>, Tom Woods
<[email protected]> writes
>I have a tow socket and no warning light on my 2a and it hasnt failed
>its MOT yet in 5 years or so.
>
>The car does have a light on the dash but it isnt connected to owt and
>thats never failed either.
>

The fact that it hasn't failed its MOT on a particular point doesn't
necessarily mean it's road legal. It must comply with Construction and
Use Regulations at all times.

Police forces in the popular holiday areas are increasingly making spot
checks on caravan outfits.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting
 
>The fact that it hasn't failed its MOT on a particular point doesn't
>necessarily mean it's road legal. It must comply with Construction and
>Use Regulations at all times.
>
>Police forces in the popular holiday areas are increasingly making spot
>checks on caravan outfits.



Glad to see that in these challenging times our police are still able to
prioritise their resource
--
john
 
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