mikejkay Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Anybody able to recommend a supplier and fitter of towbars in the South-West, preferably Devon. The ones that I've found all seem to be in the Midlands or North. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Hi mike , have you tried PWS in Poole , theyre the best for miles , give em a ring . Cheers ron. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 Thanks Ron. I'll try tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Ive had two or three from them over the years , they do a good job . ATB . See you sometime . Try this link http://www.pwsacc.co.uk/motorcaravan-towbar.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Or ? http://bridgwatertrailers.co.uk/Motorhome-Towbars.html (..although I've never used them..) If going for a full width bumper as well, consider opting for the "cranked up ends" style. When I had mine fitted, I got talked out of them by Towtal ("no need..straight looks neater" etc), when all along he meant "..s*d that"..we've got straight ones already premade up on the shelf.."... ..the result was that the one end of our "straight" bar would occasionally catch when pulling onto our sloping drive'.. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 That's a useful bit of info. Finding someone reasonably local to supply and fit is becoming a bit of a nightmare. :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 mikejkay - 2014-11-11 5:02 PM That's a useful bit of info Finding someone reasonably local to supply and fit is becoming a bit of a nightmare. :'( Although, to be fair, at the time we did have quite a steep driveway, which led off a narrow lane... So ordinarily, a straight bar may not be a problem for 99.9% of the time anyway...? (This was ours,pre-Dunlop air assistors.... :-S ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Ive had the gullwing type every time , they protect your rear lights as well on some models . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 So you get a feel for prices also try Watlins & Witter, they both have regional approved fitters instead of having to travel to their workshops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 What is the towbar to be used for? Is a purpose one required for say carrying a motor scooter or will one off the shelf suffice for say carring bikes? You could try these here with branches in Newton Abbot and Exeter for off the shelf towbars who do a very professional fit. http://www.westerntowing.co.uk/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Mike88 - very mundane I'm afraid. Towbar will just be used for towing a small trailer to and from the local tip to dispose of garden rubbish :-S Talk about overkill. I'm tempted to fiddle around with a very old towbar that I have lying in my garage (from a Volvo S60) but I would be reluctant to do the wiring on a new Ducato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the crumblies Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Please refer to my post dated 15 April, title RUSTY TOWBAR, some good precautionary advice from several members. In the end I did strip off the powder coating. It was very rusty underneath and the coating came off pretty easily with a scraper and chisel, just a bit of grinding in the corners. Two coats of white smooth Hammerite outside and waxoyl inside, six months later it still looks like new. More important, there is a deep scratch (how did that get there??) and so far there's no sign of the Hammerite failing around it. I think (someone will confirm or correct this) that all tow bars now are supposed to have a weight limit plate on them. Mine doesn't, and it sailed through its last MOT without a hitch (sorry!), but a heavy trailer or bike rack puts a lot of stress onto the chassis extension, even if the train mass is within limits. worth checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 Rusty towbar makes an interesting read. Guess what, The towbar that I anticipate having fitted is powder coated 8-) . Once fitted with the electrics installed I might whip it off and paint it with Hammerite (which I happen to have in the garage or the shed or the spare room or the loft or.............). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Mike, If a towbar is powder coated properly then you will not be able to strip it without chemicals, however if it has the usual 'flash spray' with a 2 part paint then as others have found out it will flake off after a short time. Our TowTal towbar looked appalling after only 2 years so I had it shotblasted and powder coated and now nearly 5 years on it is still as good as the day it was done. And now a question, you say you want the towbar to tow a trailer to the local tip, does your local tip have a height barrier? Every one round by us does and there is no way our MH would fit under. Just something to check before parting with your hard earned. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Ther e is a height barrier but it is 3m :D . My Chausson was supposedly 2.74m but Idon't think that this included the TV aerial, anyway I got under with the assistance of SWMBO. My new Hobby is much the same height but, rest assured, I will excercise extreme care! I will probably have to dust off SWMBO and put her to work (much mithering :D ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 mikejkay - 2014-11-16 12:28 PM Ther e is a height barrier but it is 3m :D . My Chausson was supposedly 2.74m but Idon't think that this included the TV aerial, anyway I got under with the assistance of SWMBO. My new Hobby is much the same height but, rest assured, I will excercise extreme care! I will probably have to dust off SWMBO and put her to work (much mithering :D ). Don't you have a car that you could fit a towbar to if you only want to tow a trailer to the tip occasionally ? like you say and considering it will eat into your payload it does seem a bit of overkill, and the average tip with the crap lying around would also have me thinking about my tyres @ £150 a go ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 mikejkay - 2014-11-16 12:28 PM Ther e is a height barrier but it is 3m :D . My Chausson was supposedly 2.74m but Idon't think that this included the TV aerial, anyway I got under with the assistance of SWMBO. My new Hobby is much the same height but, rest assured, I will excercise extreme care! I will probably have to dust off SWMBO and put her to work (much mithering :D ). Use the tip at Newton Abbot instead where there is no height barrier. Although outside your area many Torquay residents use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Joe90 - 2014-11-16 1:07 PM mikejkay - 2014-11-16 12:28 PM Don't you have a car that you could fit a towbar to if you only want to tow a trailer to the tip occasionally ? like you say and considering it will eat into your payload it does seem a bit of overkill, and the average tip with the crap lying around would also have me thinking about my tyres @ £150 a go ! . I do not run a car. It seems wasteful to tax, insure etc etc two vehicles. Being retired I don't have to commute. More importantly, having had a m.h. for 20 odd years I have learnt the hard way that m.h.'s that are only used a few times a year deteriorate badly. The tip that I use is well run and I have never seen any potentially damaging material lying around. The lads there are very good and have even been known to help unloading a trailer with a smile :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Mike88 - 2014-11-16 2:17 PM Use the tip at Newton Abbot instead where there is no height barrier. Although outside your area many Torquay residents use it. and the local council is getting stroppy and considering restrict the use to local users and not those from Torbay which is a different Authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 ........besides, I have discovered over the years that a towbar has a useful secondary function of providing a degree of protection :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 mikejkay - 2014-11-16 3:21 PM ........besides, I have discovered over the years that a towbar has a useful secondary function of providing a degree of protection :D A towbar is great for a bike rack. As it happens I have a Thule for sale - going cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikejkay Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Mike88 - 2014-11-16 3:42 PM A towbar is great for a bike rack. As it happens I have a Thule for sale - going cheap. ...............and I have a brand new and boxed twin Fiamma for sale as well as a slightly bent one (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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