tow bar snapped on bmw e53 53reg fixed from P F JONES

[mikejcb]

AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Richard I think I've snapped another bar. Well its making the same squeaking noise, I've got the tow bar guy coming on Friday to take it off an check it  :blink:
Looks like I might have to go back to a Nissan Terrano 

[Horizon]

I used to work as a plant fitter, plant and plant trailers with the loop type couplings are very hard on the towbars as you tend to get snatching which puts much more sudden loads on to the towbar, I've seen some hefty towbars that have been fabricated for pickups and vans.
The witter and such like aren't man enough in my eyes, more for the weekend caravaners.
Have you looked into getting one made out of decent box section, that will stand up to the task. Cheaper than changing the X5, or having / causing a serious accident

[TimX5]

[quote="Horizon"]
I used to work as a plant fitter, plant and plant trailers with the loop type couplings are very hard on the towbars as you tend to get snatching which puts much more sudden loads on to the towbar, I've seen some hefty towbars that have been fabricated for pickups and vans.
The witter and such like aren't man enough in my eyes, more for the weekend caravaners.
Have you looked into getting one made out of decent box section, that will stand up to the task. Cheaper than changing the X5, or having / causing a serious accident
[/quote]

Horizon I'm a plant / hgv fitter and like you I've made towbars for alsorts of vehicles over the past 25yrs but unfortunately if you make a towbar it's not going to be approved even  though it may be stronger than a approved one , if you have a accident where the towbar gives way your gonna be in the sh1t , I've never heard of a towbar snapping ever .

[X5Sport]

Hmm, definitely summat odd about the outfit that the Witter doesn't like.  It's not a loop connection though is it?  I thought yours was a standard ball/socket arrangement?

Clutching at straws I know, but could the digger on the trailer have a rotational force 'moment' that forces the trailer nose downwards under braking?  You would feel it as the steering going light/X5 nose lifting as the rear squats due to an unusually high centre of gravity.

'Snatching' would do it, but you would have to be pretty rough with the driving style to cause it.  We already know your trailer/load is below the weight limitation so that shouldn't be it.  Loading/unloading shouldn't do it as you use corner legs all round until the load is on or off.

What we need the Towbar folks to decide is what the failure mode is - vertical, horizontal or torsional (trailer twisting the bar).  It's a puzzle, and a risky one whilst you're trying to resolve it.

Richard

[shadrack]

[quote="TimX5"]
[quote="Horizon"]
I used to work as a plant fitter, plant and plant trailers with the loop type couplings are very hard on the towbars as you tend to get snatching which puts much more sudden loads on to the towbar, I've seen some hefty towbars that have been fabricated for pickups and vans.
The witter and such like aren't man enough in my eyes, more for the weekend caravaners.
Have you looked into getting one made out of decent box section, that will stand up to the task. Cheaper than changing the X5, or having / causing a serious accident
[/quote]

Horizon I'm a plant / hgv fitter and like you I've made towbars for alsorts of vehicles over the past 25yrs but unfortunately if you make a towbar it's not going to be approved even  though it may be stronger than a approved one , if you have a accident where the towbar gives way your gonna be in the sh1t , I've never heard of a towbar snapping ever .
[/quote]

+1 on that, i made one about 5 years ago for an old e30 tourer i had and got told id be fk'd if anything happened, i used it anyway as it was only to tow a bike trailer

[TimX5]

[quote="mikejcb"]
AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Richard I think I've snapped another bar. Well its making the same squeaking noise, I've got the tow bar guy coming on Friday to take it off an check it  :blink:
Looks like I might have to go back to a Nissan Terrano 
[/quote]

Was the original crossbar left on as it needs to be in place aswell as the towbar

[TimX5]

Picture shows cross bar still in place before I fit the towbar which is a witter detachable.

[mikejcb]

Yip all on Tim 

[Steamyrotter]

Sheeesh

Towbars must be your "Elenor"
(No prizes for guessing mine!!!! :-[ )


Not good..

[TimX5]

[quote="mikejcb"]
Yip all on Tim 
[/quote]

Have you any pictures of the broken tow bar.

[mikejcb]

Hi Tim yes on my previous posts, Time believe it or not the squeaking noise that happened every time the 2 inserts snap are is actually coming from the back panel flexing, BUTTTTT this time we had the back brace on and when the fitter took it off the bars wasn't snapped, it was the back flexing which was basically weekend by the previous bars snapping due to not having the support bar on. Any way I bought another one 55 reg from an Asian guy called eddys cars in heathrow WHO TOLD ME THE CAR WAS GREAT BUT WHEN I RETURNED HOME IT WAS LEAKING OIL, TURBO SEALS HAVE GONE AND IT WAS MISSING 5 TEETH OFF THE HANDBRAKE RATCHET, MISSIN A BULB ON THE INDICATOR, WIPPERS DIDNT WORK. Basically the MOT should not have been issued so I called VOSA and they are going to come out and check the car, also its with my fitter now £800  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( last chance for bmw if not im going back to my Nissan Terrano