I found a loophole. (1 Viewer)

pappajohn

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just swatting up on trailer regs and found this.

Braked trailers manufactured after 1968 must have brakes on all wheels. If built after October 1982, an hydraulically damped over-run coupling is required and, if built after April 1989, the trailer must have an auto-reverse brake mechanism which meets the efficiency laid down in EC directive 71/320. Additionally, braked trailers need to have a breakaway cable fitted which is capable of operating the handbrake mechanism if the trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle, it is an offence not to use it and, it must be ‘securely attached’ to the towing vehicle. It is unlikely that merely looping round the towball would be considered a secure attachment!

my interpretation of this is.....
if the toad is pre-89 then it doesnt need auto-reverse brakes (we know they cant physically be fitted anyway) so a manual locking system can be used to reverse..ie manual flip over lever.

what the problems are of fitting one to a hydraulic damped overrun hitch is anyone guess though, unless the toad is pre-82 then it doesnt need either. .:thumb:
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Quite right Pappajohn.

However I remember back in the late 70s I had a trailer caravan that had an electric gismo on the towing hitch that disconnected the overrun brake when the reversing lights came on. It was a solenoid mechanism actually built into the hitch, I don't know the hitch manufacturer but the caravan was a Robin.
I'm sure if such a thing could be made then it could be made now by car-a-tow or one of the others which would avoid the whole legal problem as the auto reverse problem would be dealt with.:Eeek::Eeek::Eeek:
 
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pappajohn

pappajohn

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Quite right Pappajohn.

However I remember back in the late 70s I had a trailer caravan that had an electric gismo on the towing hitch that disconnected the overrun brake when the reversing lights came on. It was a solenoid mechanism actually built into the hitch, I don't know the hitch manufacturer but the caravan was a Robin.
I'm sure if such a thing could be made then it could be made now by car-a-tow or one of the others which would avoid the whole legal problem as the auto reverse problem would be dealt with.:Eeek::Eeek::Eeek:

i agree, but the A frame manufacturers insist there isnt an issue anyway so why go to the trouble of fitting something they say isnt needed.:Doh:but it only applies pre-87 and how many frames do they sell for fitting to pre-87 cars?

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ArenqueRojo

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However I remember back in the late 70s I had a trailer caravan that had an electric gismo on the towing hitch that disconnected the overrun brake when the reversing lights came on. It was a solenoid mechanism actually built into the hitch, I don't know the hitch manufacturer but the caravan was a Robin.
I'm sure if such a thing could be made then it could be made now by car-a-tow or one of the others which would avoid the whole legal problem as the auto reverse problem would be dealt with.:Eeek::Eeek::Eeek:
Sadly, I think the regs state that the mechanism must be mechanical. Though I understand that the idea of that bit of the regs was to prevent the situation where the battery operating the brakes went flat without the tow driver realising it. Your solution wouldn't be affected so should be OK but then regs is regs:RollEyes:
Patrick
 

vwalan

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hi, the real question is when was it made into a trailer. i got laughed at only a few weeks back for saying a toad is not a vehicle but a trailer .i have an old date stamped aframe if i used a similier aged car as the toad would i be able to stand in court and say it was allways a trailer? even i would have difficulties with that one. i do have an hydraulic hitch with a brake lockout on my harvey frost dolly. cheers alan.
ps. we are begining to push luck abit ,i think.
 

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