Tow bars - Any recommendations please (1 Viewer)

[Sidney]

I want to put a tow bar on my motorhome. It's a Al-ko chassis MWB and i don't know if it has chassis extensions or not.

Does anyone have any recommendations on who/where is good to go?

 

[the stig]

When we had our Autotrail Scout SE we went across to a ugh just outside Blackpool, he gave us a cortesy car for the day and we did our first wildcamp on Blackpool seafront. Really had a good time and the guy did a great job. If this is of interest I will ask Jeff if he has this guys phone number for you.

 

[Jaws]

I cannot make any recommendations but we had ours fitted by TowTal
The fact I cannot make any recommendations should give you a hint.

After my experience I have inspected countless other installs bearing the same badge.
Whilst the owners were in the most happy, I, as an engineer, would have been equally upset with the installs as I was with mine.
Happy to supply details by PM if you wish

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[icantremember]

I am more than happy to recommend Watling Towbars near St Albans ....
..... http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/

For our previous m/h (Autosleeper) they made and fitted a towbar easily in the day while we had a wander around St Albans. We stayed 2 nights on the CC site at Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead.

Our current m/h has an Alko chasis for which Watling make standard towbars, so we just ordered it and had it fitted locally ..... if I wasn't so lazy I could have done it myselfoh:

 

[haganap]

I would suggest as your in a Bessie you get the OM one fitted. Expensive maybe but im sure there's some new law about toe bars and aftermarket ones. Maybe ask geo... just something in my memory bank about it. ..

Mine was a proper Bessie one and it fitted easy. ..I use it for row ball bike rack towing a frame car and being towed out

 

[Sidney]

I am more than happy to recommend Watling Towbars near St Albans ....
..... http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/

For our previous m/h (Autosleeper) they made and fitted a towbar easily in the day while we had a wander around St Albans. We stayed 2 nights on the CC site at Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead.

Our current m/h has an Alko chasis for which Watling make standard towbars, so we just ordered it and had it fitted locally ..... if I wasn't so lazy I could have done it myselfoh:

Watling was one company I was considering...

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[Sidney]

I would suggest as your in a Bessie you get the OM one fitted. Expensive maybe but im sure there's some new law about toe bars and aftermarket ones. Maybe ask geo... just something in my memory bank about it. ..

Mine was a proper Bessie one and it fitted easy. ..I use it for row ball bike rack towing a frame car and being towed out

Thanks for this - I believe that a lot of the wiring and such stuff is already in the MH as part of the factory install.

It might be worth a go but I don't like having too much money pulled through my nose

 

[DBK]

If you are now 6m long get a tow bar with a removable tow ball. This just might make a difference, for example, if you ever when to Scandinavia.

 

[TheBig1]

if your van was built in or after 2012 you need a type approved towbar making it more expensive and limiting. before that any local engineering firm could weld one up for you from stock steel. as yours is an alko chassis there is a universal one about but loads on ebay that just bolts on. you may need chassis extensions though. wiring up the bar is a case of either getting a plug in system that connects to the wiring loom or fitting a bypass relay. both reasonably simple

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[haganap]

thanks little fella I knew I never dreamt it.

The fitting of an aftermarket Bessie one for your van is peace of pee if, you have one of the OM ones it simply just plugs in to the system...

all you have to do is find the right plug :Blush:

Broken Link Removed

 

[Chris69]

My vote goes for Armitages, Ferry Bridge West Yorkshire.
They have done an excellent job on our Peugeot base AS Executive.

 

[bob]

Towbar

Highly recommend M Parkinson Motorhome Services ,Towbar Specialist based between Preston & Blackpool Very reasonable price wise, excellent job wise, and curtousy car available. phone 01772 634215 worth a phone call

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[Pilote87]

Mike Parkinson

I second that. I made all my arrangements via e-mail. He did an excellent job on my little 2006 Pilote earlier this year.

You can google him for further information and to have a look at his picture gallery. If you look on Google Earth you can see his workshop on the "stub end" of Kirkham Road to the south of where it is cut by the A584

J

 

[Sidney]

Many thanks Funsters - as always some great info!

 

[jimcunliffe]

tow bar

Mike Parkinson for me too.

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[Ian Rennie]

I am looking to put a Tow Bar on my recently purchased "Broken Link Removed8" Coach built but l am really struggling, l live in Scotland!

 

[MikeD]

I am more than happy to recommend Watling Towbars near St Albans ....
..... http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/

For our previous m/h (Autosleeper) they made and fitted a towbar easily in the day while we had a wander around St Albans. We stayed 2 nights on the CC site at Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead.

Our current m/h has an Alko chasis for which Watling make standard towbars, so we just ordered it and had it fitted locally ..... if I wasn't so lazy I could have done it myselfoh:

I would recommend them also. They have been around for years and have a good name locally.

But I am pretty sure Breakspear site is closed now

I used a company in Poole and can't in all honesty recommend them

 

[TheBig1]

as its a van built before 2012, the towbar has no need to be type approved so any welder can manufacture one to fit your van. plenty of those around Fife

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[chaser]

I cannot make any recommendations but we had ours fitted by TowTal
The fact I cannot make any recommendations should give you a hint.

After my experience I have inspected countless other installs bearing the same badge.
Whilst the owners were in the most happy, I, as an engineer, would have been equally upset with the installs as I was with mine.
Happy to supply details by PM if you wish

Don't know about yours but me and my two sons have all got towtals, no probs whatever, only my opinion and they are only couple of miles up the road

 

[Ian Rennie]

Hi there "TheBig1" thanks for your reply, l did have it to the local Welder, and we put it up on a ramp, but he mentioned that the structure at the back end didnt really look "man" enought to attach any other steel to, it would be good to see another one with a Towbar and see how they have done it!! Cheers Ian.

 

[TheBig1]

Hi there "TheBig1" thanks for your reply, l did have it to the local Welder, and we put it up on a ramp, but he mentioned that the structure at the back end didnt really look "man" enought to attach any other steel to, it would be good to see another one with a Towbar and see how they have done it!! Cheers Ian.

thats standard for a coachbuilt van, so the welder needs to fit extended arms back to the original chassis. the converters outriggers are often just thin pressed steel that are designed to just take the required weight of the rear body. certainly not man enough to bolt a towbar to

I would speak to another welder if it were me

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[Gorse Hill]

I have just dropped my van off with mike Parkinson in Preston (as recommended on previous posts) will let you know the quality once I get it back tomorrow, however his prices are very keen having got quotes from a number of firms and he was recommended by my dealer E S Hartley

 

[Gorse Hill]

I want to put a tow bar on my motorhome. It's a Al-ko chassis MWB and i don't know if it has chassis extensions or not.

Does anyone have any recommendations on who/where is good to go?

Just got mine back today from M Parkinson from Preston
Excellent job the workmanship is of a high standard cables properly fixed and neat and the framework also finished to a high standard and painted the best bit very competitive compared to others who I was quoted from worth a call in my opion

 

[grasscutter]

Have you checked that your weight allowance will not be overly affected by a tow bar . I had a Towtal one on my van when I bought it and had to remove it to keep under the limit when it was loaded for touring.

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[Sidney]

In the end I had one of the Memo towbars fitted by http://www.derbytowbar.co.uk/

I've found it to be just perfect for my needs.