remove tow bar tongue when not towing?

[justo]

Hi guys,

My father in law picked up his new Outlander the other day and found out that when he reversed (tow bar tongue installed) it caused the reverse sensers to play up, so he took it down to the dealer today to find out why as his pathfinder had sensers and tow barinstalled and never had issues, there answer was to take the tow bar tongue out as it is illegal to have your tow bar tongue installed when not in use. Is this true? I did a bit of a search but could'nt find anything.

Thanks Justin

 

[KraftyPg]

Damn there must be a lot of people breaking the laws.

Although given that a tow bar does extend past the extremities of the vehicle I reckon there might be a law that could be read as it being illegal to leave the towbar in. I still reckon you'd be hard pressed to be done for it.

The sensors need to be moved, I'd be hassling the installer to fix them.

 

[Old.Tony]

I wonder how the guys with permanent tow bars get by.

I leave mine in. I also have it locked with one of those pin locks so no mongrel can steal it like they stole Dave's one day.

 

[Dave]

^ What he said.

My towbar stays on all the time.

I have a locking pin now after some prick stole my original one.

Old Tony gave me a brand new one he wasn't using.

I reckon you would of have to slept with the cops wife to be done for that.

But Id say he'd give you a book worth of fines at the same time.

 

[justo]

that's the first thing I thought of, who takes the tongue off when not in use? the issue is that the sensors are standard on that model and the tow bar was fitted by the dealer.

 

[KraftyPg]

I always remove the tongue, but that's mainly because the garage just aint big enough with the tongue in and I'm sick of bashing my shins on the bastard.

You should be able to adjust the sensors slightly jsut to move their signal range it shouldn;t take much.

 

[Dion]

Only illegal if it obscures the number plate.

 

[KraftyPg]

^ Oh yeah that too, guys I know of have been done for such, but it was a long time ago.

 

[Goata]

Mine is always left on. Would be a good idea to put a lock on the pin. Will have to look into that

 

[LLadnar]

I have a contact in law enforcement, I'll find out for you's
And if it's not I'd go tell the dealer his full of shit

 

[justo]

I have a contact in law enforcement, I'll find out for you's
And if it's not I'd go tell the dealer his full of shit

that would be great if you could, thanks

 

[ant]

With my old commodore I used to leave it in, and it saved my ass...literally. I wanted to stop at a red light but the lady behind me didnt and tried to drive through me. No damage to the rear of my car cause the towbar tongue/towbar took the brunt of it (not a big impact), but her poor little car copped it. With the nav I have to take it out otherwise it doesnt fit in the garage.

 

[nakedape]

. No damage to the rear of my car cause the towbar tongue/towbar took the brunt of it (not a big impact), .

Funny, the tow bar and tongue on the back of my HZ ute did absolutely nothing to slow the 20T truck that rear ended me at the lights - ouch!

I've heard of folks being booked for leaving the hitch in the receiver, & I've lost one to a low-life mongrel too - so it comes out now. The upshot is that the little woman's shins are happier too.

 

[reel-sensation]

Where the lynch pin goes through, I just put in a self tapping screw (or allen key screw). Never lost one yet and you'll never lose the keys. I've heard of people having the trailer stolen just by pulling the pin removing the tongue.

Alan

 

[bullwinkle]

I always take mine out cause I know the ferals in Ballarat will pinch any bloody thing, just cause they can.

 

[mike1303]

ive been informed that this is the same as bike racks?
If its not inuse its illegal to have on the back of the car, so as no one 'walks into it' in a parking lot?
How dumb do you have to be honestly?
And why are you that close to my car to walk into it, are my questions

 

[mitch92]

i always pull mine out anyway, but suprises me a little if it HAS to come out.

 

[Geoff3DMN]

An idiot walked into my tow bar hitch about 10 years ago in a car park, made a complaint to the local police station and a local copper rang me up and told me I had to remove my hitch when not in use to make safe my tow bar (it wasn't obscuring the number).

I bought one of those rubber impact protection covers for it instead and went around to the station where he said "that's not going to save anyone" and I said basically that in my opinion and the opinion of my RWC tester that it was fine (work was still doing road worthy tests back then).

He grunted, looked pained and I never heard anything more about it.

 

[ant]

An idiot walked into my tow bar hitch about 10 years ago in a car park, made a complaint to the local police station and a local copper rang me up and told me I had to remove my hitch when not in use to make safe my tow bar (it wasn't obscuring the number).

I bought one of those rubber impact protection covers for it instead and went around to the station where he said "that's not going to save anyone" and I said basically that in my opinion and the opinion of my RWC tester that it was fine (work was still doing road worthy tests back then).

He grunted, looked pained and I never heard anything more about it.

Crazy isnt it. Everyone is always looking to blame/sue someone else for something. Thats the way this crazy world is headed.

 

[mitch92]

another spin. I realise we have a 50mm box section the toungue goes in. What about those that have the two bolts which hold the toungue to the bar al the time, are they expected to remove that when not in use?