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Introduction | Flange | Swanneck | Detachable | Towbar Makes | Type Approval

Towbars: Type Approval for Light Passenger Vehicles

If you have a light passenger vehicle (Class M1*) registered on or after 1 August 1998 in Great Britain (20 April 1999 in Northern Ireland) then the towbar must meet the requirements of EC directive 94/20/EC commonly refereed to as EC type approval. This applies across the European Union but was implemented into countries domestic legislation (such as the Construction and Use Regulations) at different times.

(*Class M1 is a passenger vehicle with no more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat)

"If the manufacturer has not authorised the towing of a trailer by declaration during the type approval process, no train weight will be shown and it is not permitted to fit a coupling device or tow a trailer."
The Department for Transport
Tow-Trust EC type approval data plate A Tow-Trust data plate showing the towbar has been type approved. The label shows the country the towbar has been type approved in, the manufacturers part number, type approval number, towbar class, D value and nose load (or S value).


Exceptions

The exceptions to the requirement to have a type approved towbar include:

  • Vehicles that are not EC whole vehicle type approved (EWVTA). These vehicles will not show the "e" marking on the chassis plate and are usually imported from outside the European Economic Area.
  • Vehicles registered on or before 31 July 1998
Vehicle Certification Agency logo

The UK agency for vehicle type approval is the Vehicle Certification Agency (part of the Department for Transport).

All towbars type approved by the VCA carry the mark "e11". In future this will change to "E11" (see latest developments)

Requirements

To gain type approval towbars must:
  • Mount to the vehicle manufactures specified towbar mounting points only. It is not possible to mount the towbar in additional places.
  • Before the towbar can be approved it must be placed on a rig to complete a two million cycle fatigue test which is witnessed by the appropriate authority. In the UK this is the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), part of the Department for Transport.
  • The standards also specify the dimensions, locations and clearance of the 50mm towball.
  • The towing height should be between 350mm and 420mm from the ground to the centre of the towball when the vehicle is laden. (However the towing height regulations are not that simple, please refer to the Witter guide "Get on Top of Towbar Heights")
If fitting a flange towbar to a vehicle that requires an EC type approved towbar then an EC type approved towball must be fitted. The towbar will be marked with an EC type approved label or in some cases the ball many be coloured gold to indicate it is EC type approved.

"Use of mechanical coupling devices 96B:
(1) This regulation applies to every light passenger vehicle first used on or after August 1st 1998 [20 April 1999 for Northern Ireland version of the regulations] in respect of which an EC certificate of conformity has effect.
(2) No person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road any vehicle to which this regulation applies unless any mechanical coupling device which is attached to it complies with the relevant technical and installation requirements of Annexes I, V, VI, VII of Community Directive 94/20(a) and is marked in accordance with Annex I to that Directive."

Great Britain: The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 1998
Northern Ireland: Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999


Care should be taken if your vehicle was registered in late 1998, 1999 or early 1990s to ensure you order a type approved towbar if required for your vehicle.

Latest Developments

In April 2007 the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe issued Regulation 55 which replaced the EC directive. This will filter through into domestic UK law, thought at present the only visible difference is that the "e" on the towbar data plate will change to "E".

Many vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, Peugeot, Renault, BMW and Audi are investigating along with the ECE and others a new method of testing towbars. This new test called the Carlos TC test is a three axis test with a complex set of loading patterns. However even if this does become part of the regulations it will be a few years before it is part of UK law.

Towbars: Type Approval for Commerical Vehicles

The Department for Transport website states that EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) is required for many commerical vehicles from October 2010. EC Directives regarding ECWVTA (PDF file - page 84) state that type approval of towbars (if fitted) is a requirement of ECWVTA.

Tow-Trust Towbars has informed us that type approval of towbars for certain commerical vehicles is required from October 2010.

However Witter, PCT and others have stated to us in the week ending Friday 12 Novemeber 2010 that type approval of towbars is not required for commerical vehicles.

We have contacted the Department for Transport (DfT) and are awaiting a reply.

All prices include VAT. Towbar prices do not include towballs, electrics or delivery unless stated.
Towbars Direct, Norbrook Trailers Ltd, Tarporley Road (A49), Whitley, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4DS
Telephone: 01925 730 005 Email: sales@towbarsdirect.co.uk

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