A TOWED CARS PRODUCT RECALL

[Theonlysue]

From fb; Tony Maris

Product Recall.

Following a recent catastrophic failure of an a-frame towed car I have, this week, formally called upon Trading Standards and the Vehicle Safety Branch (VSB) of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to implement a PRODUCT RECALL on specific a-frame installations.

The towed car suffered a sudden and unpredictable failure of the a-frame to car interface, apparently caused by a combination of poor welding, lack of corrosion protection and various stresses imposed, but CRUCIALLY, it should have had an emergency breakaway system installed in accordance with the Road Vehicles (construction & use) regulations 1986 [and amendments] and COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 98/12/EC.

The object of the emergency breakaway system is to stop the ‘trailer’ in it’s tracks and prevent the ‘trailer’ literally breaking away and going wherever, in this case mounting a pavement and scattering pedestrians.

The number of vehicles affected is currently unknown but if your vehicle is one, a simple visual inspection will identify it.

Do NOT rely on any written statements like “Automatically sets itself up” or “Break-away safety features built in”. Without the ring highlighted, it has no emergency braking in place!

The product is from a company known as Towbars2Towcars, Grimsby. Their standard practice would be to install the emergency breakaway facility, identifiable by a ring ‘mini-cable-tied’ to the vehicles front grill, adjacent to the 13 pin electrical socket.
The ring is for the attachment of a supplied, breakaway cable. SEE PHOTO.

if your vehicle was converted by this company and is lacking the ring, it is ESSENTIAL that your car is drawn to their attention with a view to being modified.

Failure to act is putting LIVES AT RISK!

 

[old-mo]

Thanks ,Sue.... had a few from them with NO problems... but will keep an eye on them when we go up early next year to have one fitted to our new acquisition..

 

[martin2603]

Oddly enough this companies installation do not include a “Handbrake “ set up on the tow bar. If the towed car is defined as a trailer then one should be fitted. I don’t know how they get around this.
Anybody know the answer?

 

[eddie]

Gosh I would expect the VSB to look at the evidence one break a way car, a car converted 10 years ago, and hit the panic button

 

[bobandjanie]

I remember removing a c a tow a frame many years ago, thinking it's special individual design towing bracket behind the bumper would only fit the same vehicle that it was designed for, only to find a bit of angle iron.
The chap that came for it was really pleased, saying brilliant that will be easy to make fit mine. Bob

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[big map]

product recall or one bloke has asked for a product recall, not the same thing at all.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Sounds a bit like someone with an axe to grind. I wonder what Towbars 2 Towcars have to say about this?

 

[eddie]

He wrote several pages recently telling everyone that everyone was wrong.

 

[icantremember]

I'm sure he (Funster TonyEmm ) will be along soon with his lecture on the joys of a-frames.

 

[Sasbo]

I went to Towbars2Towcars due to their reputation and product engineering prowess and have not been disappointed,with my choice over the course of many thousands of towed toad miles.

It is unfortunate that this deluded individual who clearly has an axe to grind when it comes to A Frames and purports to be an expert in all things towed wise is allowed to besmirch a company's reputation just to feed his ego

I've had him on my ignore list for some time now, due to his intransigence on the A frame subject.

Rant over.

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[DuxDeluxe]

Oddly enough this companies installation do not include a “Handbrake “ set up on the tow bar. If the towed car is defined as a trailer then one should be fitted. I don’t know how they get around this.
Anybody know the answer?

Pull the pin out and it goes nowhere? The car also has a handbrake itself

 

[Larrynwin]

Oddly enough this companies installation do not include a “Handbrake “ set up on the tow bar. If the towed car is defined as a trailer then one should be fitted. I don’t know how they get around this.
Anybody know the answer?

If an in car powered braking system is used it does not require a handbrake on the a frame.

 

[gus-lopez]

? The car also has a handbrake itself

Which isn't in any way used when being towed?

 

[Chris Sykes]

I have a vauxhall Aquila with a towbars2towcars system which I am very pleased with having safely towed it for many 1000s of miles - on one occasion when uncoupling in driving rain (to do a turn in the road on a very narrow roa) I inadvertently forgot to disconnect the break away cable and YES the braking system works!
The brakes came on and the car could NOT be moved until the breakaway ring had been re-fitted - phoned for advice at 8pm on a Sunday night and left message - they phone me back almost instantly and told me that I would be able to move the once the ring pull switch has been refitted - But I needed to replace the 20amp fuse in the brake mechanism box (under the drivers seat) before setting off again with the car behind my Motorhome.
For those with older tow cars they are happy to inspect the system for you and service it for you, you just need to give them a ring and book in - they always provide a loan car so you can leave the site whilst they check over your system and Motorhome wiring for the car.

I have always found them to be very friendly and helpful - with a very fair charging for any work done - in short highly recommended

 

[Steve and Denise]

All electronic a frames have a fail to safe system fitted. It is only the older type that do not have this.

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[DuxDeluxe]

Which isn't in any way used when being towed?

If it was it wouldn’t go anywhere, would it?

 

[Steve and Denise]

It would be no great complication to fit a gas ram or some other similar device on the over run type pin or solenoid triggered.

 

[kimndon]

I really feel Theonlysue have the wrong company. Towbars2towcars have fitted their system onto 3 Picantos we have owned over 9 years. All had the ring breakaway system fitted and had nothing to do with this single problem.

 

[Phill D]

As i read it this person has asked for a product recall there is no mention that VSB have agreed and instigated the proposed recall.

or is there some info missing from this.

 

[Larrynwin]

Worth noting the OP is headed from Facebook Tony Maris , the anti A Frame Fun member with a different ID on Facebook and this link probably refers to the thread headed A Frame Disaster Oct 30th ( closed to replies ) where the a frame installation was probably old and not maintained and had detached due to excessive rust.

Persistent eh !

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[pappajohn]

Oddly enough this companies installation do not include a “Handbrake “ set up on the tow bar. If the towed car is defined as a trailer then one should be fitted. I don’t know how they get around this.
Anybody know the answer?

Simply because there is no 'overseeing' body for A frame use.
Exactly the same could happen to a regular trailer should the A frame drawbar separate from the trailer chassis/body.
The safety brake is designed for the A frame de-hitching.....not for the A frame breaking away and all A frames have this unless electric brakes are fitted.

 

[martin2603]

Many years ago I was stopped while towing a 3.5 ton trailer with an HGV VOSA test the handbrake on the A Frame by jacking up the trailer and checking the wheels being locked when the brake is applied or just by application of the brake and telling you to drive forward to see if the wheels lock.The same applies to overrun brakes on a toad. How are the toad brakes operated from outside the
Vehicle when you detach it on the tow bars to tow cars set up?

 

[dunnah01]

The a frame fixing failed catastrophically so something went very wrong - why so much defence??

 

[Steve and Denise]

Many years ago I was stopped while towing a 3.5 ton trailer with an HGV VOSA test the handbrake on the A Frame by jacking up the trailer and checking the wheels being locked when the brake is applied or just by application of the brake and telling you to drive forward to see if the wheels lock.The same applies to overrun brakes on a toad. How are the toad brakes operated from outside the
Vehicle when you detach it on the tow bars to tow cars set up?

The brakes on an electronic a frame are operated by servo/ motor if it becomes detached the brakes are applied.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

The brakes on an electronic a frame are operated by servo/ motor if it becomes detached the brakes are applied.

….as I found out once by chance…….

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[pappajohn]

.The same applies to overrun brakes on a toad. How are the toad brakes operated from outside the
Vehicle when you detach it on the tow bars to tow cars set up?

By either pulling on the brake lever on the A frame just the same as with a caravan or heavy trailer or putting on the cars handbrake
oh, and the wheels don't need to lock up.....the wheels would be braked just as effectively as a normal braking incidence

 

[martin2603]

I understand that the breakaway system is electronic. There is only reliance on the vehicles own handbrake if you were trying to un attach on an incline for instance. We all know how hard it can be to detach the toad on a slope .

 

[pappajohn]

With an electronic system the foot brake is applied, not the handbrake.....all four wheels must be brakes the same as a twin axle trailer or caravan.

On an over-run system the Bowden cable is attached to the footbrake pedal so pulling on the A frame handbrake operates the cars footbrake.

 

[Larrynwin]

I understand that the breakaway system is electronic. There is only reliance on the vehicles own handbrake if you were trying to un attach on an incline for instance. We all know how hard it can be to detach the toad on a slope .

I have such a system and to unhook you first open the door and apply the handbrake before disconnecting all links and hitch.

 

[phase3begins]

I really feel Theonlysue have the wrong company. Towbars2towcars have fitted their system onto 3 Picantos we have owned over 9 years. All had the ring breakaway system fitted and had nothing to do with this single problem.

The OP has clearly posted something seen on FB without checking t(e source.
A quick check would tell you all you need to know about the FB source

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