Insurance with Front Tow Bar?
Submitted: Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 12:17
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Mike Tilley
I have a 2000 Prado T/deisil - with no air bags - and want to install a front tow bar to enable me to park my 18ft caravan in a tricky side drive-way. I understand that on all 4x4's with airbags that it is illegal (Q'ld) to install a front tow bar -for obvious reasons; but on cars without airbags it can be professionally installed. Does anyone know if a front tow bar is a modification that insurance companies will not accept? Mike
Reply By: autosparky - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 13:05
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 13:05
do you have a bull bar attatched?
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Follow Up By: Mike Tilley - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:14
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:14
Yes I do. Mike
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Reply By: autosparky - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:25
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:25
if the bull bar is steel, there should be on opening for a winch , bolt in a reese coupling (removablehitch type). if necessary hide it behind number plte or describe it as a jacking point
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Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:30
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 14:30
Why not ask your insurance company if you are so concerned??
You will obviously need to speak to the right person rather than the call centre girl who answers the phone.
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 20:31
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 20:31
It is also illegal to have anything extend forwards of your front bumper bar.
Like rod holders, lights etc. Not that many take notice of the fact.
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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 21:03
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 21:03
Surely the only reason it would an issue with an insurer is if you DID have airbags AND you managed to set it/them off by pushing your c'van. Note: this highly unlikely anyway, as the air bags are designed so they won't go off unless the vehicle is in a collision of over (about) 30k/h. So, simply attaching a c'van to the bullbar and pushing it along a driveway, would not, under any normal circumstances, set-off the air bag.
The insurer would have to prove that the claim you were lodging was caused by the change/s you had made to the vehicle.
I think the more likely issue you could have would be with the "authorities".....but only if you were to leave the towbar poking out all the time; which you wouldn't be likely to do. As said above, fit a Haymen Reece receiver and then you can slot in the tongue only when you need to use it.
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Follow Up By: John S (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 21:31
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 21:31
Roachie is right. The air bags will only trigger under rapid deceleration - pushing a c'van will not set them off. The Haymen Reece tow bar is the best option.
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Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 23:20
Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 23:20
Aaaaah! Roachie the 'expert' on airbags now.
I suppose it takes a windbag to know how other windbags/airbags operate.
seriously! you have much better things to do than waffle on about airbags.
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008 at 08:01
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008 at 08:01
Hoi you blaggard!!!!! What
rock have you been hiding under???
I still haven't got any chit from you WRT the OBC..... WTF??? ;-)
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Reply By: pradowolf - Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 22:08
Sunday, Apr 06, 2008 at 22:08
Hi Mike,
i have a 2002 Prado with a steels bull bar and i made my own front tow bar which i use for pushing and i also have a ARB steel insert with a shakel for the moments when i need a tow and i have included the front tow bar in the accessories list with the RACV and they have no problems with it. I also have no airbags.
So far i have not had any issues with the authorities on any of my trips.
Good luck.
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Follow Up By: Mike Tilley - Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 09:06
Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 09:06
Thanks for all the helpful replies. I am interested to hear about other's experience and use of a front tow bar. Thanks for the comments re insurance. While I assumed it is in the insurance accessories category - assumptions can sometimes be wrong. I will contact my insurer armed with a few questions. Mike
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 11:41
Monday, Apr 07, 2008 at 11:41
Back in the early 90's I had a Maverick and a tandem 8 x 5 trailer. I lived in a block of units and
the spot where I kept my trailer was very tight and on concrete. It was physically impossible to make the trailer turn 90 degrees in the short space I had available, by hand pushing. It was also pretty hard to get the Maverick to reverse it in that spot.
So, I mounted a tongue and towball (permanently....as there wasn't ant dramas from the pedestrian council etc in those days). I made placing the trailer into the allocated spot soooo easy. I could put that trailer on a 5 cent piece, first time, every time.
Roachie
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