Tow hitch

[Nick Salmon]

I am looking at the possibility of using a small trailer with the Ruby or the Box. Would be grateful if anyone can post detail pictures of any 7 with a tow hitch fitted. Also, pictures of the hitch bracketry and how are the electrics dealt with.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

On the Pearl I simply attached a piece of angle iron between the bumper blade and brackets, the ball hitch was welded underneath and the wiring spliced to the loom in the boot.

Working well for the last twenty years or so...


   


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Your Box will be slightly harder to do - not impossible though and I can put you in touch with Bob Randall who made a very sturdy frame for his many years ago.

[Peter Naulls]

Nick,

Our Ruby is a bumper-less version so a slightly different approach.

I made up this box section assembly a few weeks ago to tow a small trailer. The large drop brackets bolt to the unused bumper brackets (the ones that emerge from the chassis extensions) and there are two smaller brackets so it bolts to the sides of the boot floor. Also another tag for the exhaust bracket. The ball itself is a removable tow-hitch from a Transit, cut down and re-drilled.

Peter.

   

   

[squeak]

    Like Rairidh's pearl I also have a bumper but I found angle iron not to be torsionally rigid enough. I bent a piece of 2" x 1" box section on edge, to follow the curvature of the blade and through bolted it behind using 2 longer stainless bolts. To each end of this box section I welded brackets that effectively clamped to the twin support irons just as they entered the body. The result torsional rigidity, no holes drilled, minutes to remove, light.
 It survived a rear end collision on the highway which smashed the trailer and the drawbar, minor panel damage to the Ruby !
 Looking at this photo again I am reminded that I added to the towbar, mounting arms for the indicators and reflectors so I could avoid even more holes.

[Paul N-M]

Peter your arrangement looks very neat!

A general thought on using A7's to tow.
My understanding is that if using an unbraked trailer the max weight of the trailer and load is 750kg, which just about everybody knows. But that total (750kg) must be no more than 50% of the kerb weight of the towing car. This apparently applies equally to pre war cars, many of which also have no towing weight max advised by the original manufacturer in period.
Can anyone confirm this? It stikes me that it would be all to easy to exceed the 50% rule.

Paul N-M

[Austin Carr]

Just a reminder, insurance companies regard fitting a towbar as a modification and therefore they need to be informed.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Nick,

An old but relevant thread here for you too: http://pub25.bravenet.com/forum/static/s...0&cmd=show

[Nick Salmon]

All v. helpful. Thanks chaps. Peter, that setup looks first class. I'd like to have it so that it can be easily detached as it's only going to be for occasional use.

If anyone can post photos of the actual mountings when on their car it would be useful.

[Paul N-M]

Nick,

An old but relevant thread here for you too:  http://pub25.bravenet.com/forum/static/s...0&cmd=show

Thanks, had a look.
Just found this. 'A guide to classic tow cars' on the net. See last para, confirms my thoughts re the law for braked/unbraked trailers.
From some of the photos posted some of our lot are pushing the limits!

Paul N-M

[Ruairidh Dunford]

How much are you looking to tow Paul?