Towbar regulations

lawred2 · 15-07-2019 10:03am #1

If looking to get a towbar fitted only for mounting a bike carrier (i.e. no light bar needed) is it ok to not fit electrics? Or is it an NCT fail to have to towbar without electrics?

granturismo · 15-07-2019 10:38am

lawred2 wrote: »

... is it ok to not fit electrics?.

I hope not. Will your car rear light clusters be blocked by the bikes? Your car reg plate on the carrier wont have a white illuminating light.

lawred2 · 15-07-2019 10:44am

granturismo wrote: »

I hope not. Will your car rear light clusters be blocked by the bikes? Your car reg plate on the carrier wont have a white illuminating light.

these are questions I was asking myself

the bike shop recommended this carrier - https://www.micksgarage.com/d/bike-racks-tow-bar-mounted/products/756466/thule-hangon-9708-towbar-mounted-4-bike-carrier

there is no lightboard or plate mount on the back of that carrier. Fairly sure that the plate would be obscured and I would wonder whether it would obscure the car's own lights.

There are other carriers that are three times more expensive like this one (https://www.micksgarage.com/d/bike-racks-tow-bar-mounted/products/3341570/tow-ball-cyclecarrier-pure-instinct-3-bikes-web-packaging) which do have lights and a plate mount..

lawred2 · 15-07-2019 10:47am

actually reading a bit more I see that another €100 can be spent to get an accessory light board for the first carrier

Del2005 · 15-07-2019 10:51am

lawred2 wrote: »

actually reading a bit more I see that another €100 can be spent to get an accessory light board for the first carrier

Or spend €26 for the same result.

lawred2 · 15-07-2019 10:55am

Del2005 wrote: »

Or spend €26 for the same result.

is that factoring in the cost of cable ties?

Lantus · 15-07-2019 11:01am

Check and notify insurer as this is a modification.

lawred2 · 15-07-2019 11:01am

Lantus wrote: »

Check and notify insurer as this is a modification.

ok - good to know

KB22 · 15-07-2019 12:23pm

lawred2 wrote: »

ok - good to know

I recently got a towbar mount bike carrier in ALDI for €30 they also had a trailer board at the same price. I would think your best bet is to have the light plug fitted at the same time as the towbar!

Del2005 · 15-07-2019 2:18pm

lawred2 wrote: »

is that factoring in the cost of cable ties?

Bungy cord

CorkMan_ · 15-07-2019 4:14pm

All I can add is that I put a tow bar on the Focus and didn't have time to do the electrics the same time. So it went on the back burner and wasn't done for a few years. It used to pass the NCT each year without electrics but it must be 4 years now since I wired it so not sure what the current situation is.

Staph · 15-07-2019 10:58pm

I have a tow bar on my car and it didn’t pass the nct as the electrical connection had corroded. I didn’t use it so never noticed. I think it’s a requirement now to have a working light board connection if you have a tow bar.

the.red.baron · 16-07-2019 8:33am

fitted my own towbar for bike rack only, i didn't hook up the electrcis as wasn't going to be towing, doesn't block light cluster

No NCT problems

well worth doing yourself as usually its easy peasy and they do charge a big mark up if you want to get it fitted

jmreire · 16-07-2019 9:01am

lawred2 wrote: »

If looking to get a towbar fitted only for mounting a bike carrier (i.e. no light bar needed) is it ok to not fit electrics? Or is it an NCT fail to have to towbar without electrics?

Bear in mind, that if you have to fit a lightboard ( I don't know what the regulation's are for a bike rack, but would think that you need one fitted) you will need a socket linked to the tail lights to plug the board into. Most modern car electrics are complicated, and unless you really know what you are doing, don't attempt it. You will need a bye-pass kit to make it work ( or else a manufacturer recommended kid, which can be expensive )

Towbar regulations

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