Tow bar on the discovery 3

[cremedemonthe]

Apologies if this has been posted before but it is important, there seems to be a problem with some of the detachable towbars on the Landrover Discovery 3, please get yours checked.

http://landroverhell.com/article/4193/tow-bar-on-the-discovery-3

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Thanks for posting, I read the page earlier and it was rather shocking.

 

[helen75]

Really shocking and feel for those involved.

I would be really interested to know where they had the breakaway cable attached. I have a removable tow bar on my Range Rover and it clips onto a a rather study piece of metal at the back of the car - I always used to hook it over the tow bar (tow ball neck) until the guys who serviced my trailer showed me this way.

I guess the cable must have been looped over the tow bar in this instance....? It would be interesting to know where it was situated and if things like this can be prevented if breakaway cables are not looped over the tow bar in cars with removable tow bars.

 

[Ibblebibble]

Really shocking and feel for those involved.

I would be really interested to know where they had the breakaway cable attached. I have a removable tow bar on my Range Rover and it clips onto a a rather study piece of metal at the back of the car - I always used to hook it over the tow bar (tow ball neck) until the guys who serviced my trailer showed me this way.

I guess the cable must have been looped over the tow bar in this instance....? It would be interesting to know where it was situated and if things like this can be prevented if breakaway cables are not looped over the tow bar in cars with removable tow bars.

glad you asked about the breakaway cable as i have been wondering that since seeing the picture on FB but didn't feel that it was the right place to ask! breakaway cables are not supposed to be looped over the towbar but thats how most people do it, our last towing car had a special metal loop to attach it to and we always used it.
another thought, i think towbar mountings are now part of the MOT, i wonder if having a removable tow bar means it's not checked on MOT? and how many people would even think to check the condition of their towbar?!

 

[ROG]

If possible get a mechanic to weld something to the subframe so the break away cable can be clipped to that

The idea of the brake away cable is to secure the trailer will stay with the vehicle should anything happen with the towing hitch or the tow bar assembly

If the tow bar assembly has been welded to the sub frame then its acceptable to have the break away cable to be attached to that

 

[cremedemonthe]

Thanks for posting, I read the page earlier and it was rather shocking.

Yes, it is rather shocking and that it has been going on for so long, it was this page on my timeline that brought it to my attention

https://www.facebook.com/CamiltyEquestrian

and until then I had heard of a few other incidents and just thought it was one of those things, now I am not so sure!

Scroll down that facebook page to see the results of a detachable tow bar, so glad horses that were trapped inside were unharmed, it must have been terrifying, it's the 3rd photo down of the trailer in the ditch upside down that really brings it home.WHAT is Landrover doing about it, nothing by the looks of those posts on that website, Landrover Hell

 

[helen75]

Yes, it is rather shocking and that it has been going on for so long, it was this page on my timeline that brought it to my attention

https://www.facebook.com/CamiltyEquestrian

and until then I had heard of a few other incidents and just thought it was one of those things, now I am not so sure!

Scroll down that facebook page to see the results of a detachable tow bar, so glad horses that were trapped inside were unharmed, it must have been terrifying, it's the 3rd photo down of the trailer in the ditch upside down that really brings it home.WHAT is Landrover doing about it, nothing by the looks of those posts on that website, Landrover Hell

I understand the issue with Landrover and I'm not disputing this but I'm wondering if the accident occurred due to the brake away cable being attached to the tow bar (and hence if tow bar fails, brake away cable useless).

Thanks for advice ROG

Info on MOT and tow bars here:

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_660.htm

Interesting to read and good point Ibblebibble xx

 

[EstherYoung]

The people who had the accident posted on one of the other pics to say that the breakaway cable was attached to the car chassis but it failed at both ends. I guess the clip on that must have broken too?

 

[LittleBlackMule]

I am surprised that people (ROG included you should know better) think that the breakaway cable is to keep the trailer attached if the hitch fails - the other end of the cable is linked to the braking mechanism and it's purpose is only to yank the trailer brakes on as the vehicles separate.

It may be made of high tensile wire but no way is it strong enough to withstand the force of a potentially heavy trailer coming detached.

 

[alsxx]

I read about this, terrifying. I have a detachable tow bar on my frontera, made me rather worried I have to say!

Re the breakaway cable though, the clip on the end is not, IMO, substantial enough to withstand the weight of a fully laden trailer if the worst does happen!? I'm just speculating of course.... I clip mine onto the welded bit that the tow bar clips into, there is a handy hole I suppose intended for just this purpose. But I do wonder how quickly the clip would break if it suddenly had to bear the weight of my trailer pulling against it....

 

[alsxx]

I am surprised that people (ROG included you should know better) think that the breakaway cable is to keep the trailer attached if the hitch fails - the other end of the cable is linked to the braking mechanism and it's purpose is only to yank the trailer brakes on as the vehicles separate.

It may be made of high tensile wire but no way is it strong enough to withstand the force of a potentially heavy trailer coming detached.

Glad you said that! I cross posted! Yes I was always told it was to apply the break on the trailer, but if you are travelling at any speed a quick application of the trailer break is not going to do much.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

Glad you said that! I cross posted! Yes I was always told it was to apply the break on the trailer, but if you are travelling at any speed a quick application of the trailer break is not going to do much.

No they should remain on when activated that way.

 

[EstherYoung]

But I do wonder how quickly the clip would break if it suddenly had to bear the weight of my trailer pulling against it....

That's the issue I think. If the angle of the disconnect was wrong (trailer shot forwards or sideways) and the clip failed before it pulled the brake on properly, I can see how it could happen that the brake was not pulled fully on. Trailer handbrakes can be stiff using the handle at the best of times, let alone being pulled on by a tiny wire much closer to the fulcrum.

 

[EstherYoung]

And yes, I can vouch for the fact that if you do successfully pull the brake on with the breakaway cable because you've accidentally left it attached and driven off, the brakes do jam permanently on. So much so you have to get someone to unjam them. Not that I've done that. Oh no.