EP Towing - mobile towbar service for all your towbar requirements

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <p>EP Towing are one of the truly mobile towbar fitting services and have been fitting and supplying towbars since 1980. We have recently attained NTTA Quality Secured Accreditation for our towbar fitting services. Arrangements can be made to fit your towbar virtually anywhere, from your house to your place of work, all is possible as no external power sources are required.</p> <p><a href="towbars/towbar_home.htm" target="rbottom">about ep towing</a>  <a href="towbars/towbars.htm" target="rbottom">towbars supplied</a>  <a href="towbar_accessories/towbar_accessories.htm" target="rbottom">towbar accessories</a>  <a href="towbar_fitting/towbar_gallery.aspx" target="rbottom">towbar gallery</a>  <a href="forms/contact.aspxx" target="rbottom">contact ep towing</a>  <a href="forms/contact_products.aspxx" target="rbottom">towbar quotations</a>  <a href="guestbook/guestbook.aspx" target="rbottom">customer comments</a>  <a href="ec_type_approval/towbar_typeapproval.htm" target="rbottom">towbar type approval</a>  <a href="towing/towing_technology.htm" target="rbottom">towing technology</a><br> </p> <p>Please browse our site and see examples of the many different towbars and accessories we fit from all the major manufacturers, supplying to both the Trade and General Public. We also supply DIY kits for self installation and can provide advice on every stage of fitting.</p> <p>We have also included some useful information on towing technology, towing facts, towing do's & don'ts and important notes with a questions & answers on the importance of the new EC Type Approval that applies to all new cars having towbars fitted.</p> <p>We fit from all the major manufacturers, supplying to both the Trade and General Public, with all towbars for new vehicle complying with current EC Type Approval</p> <p>Brink are the largest towbar manufacturers of towbars in Europe. The Brink name is permanently linked to quality products that meet all requirements that are presented by both official authorities and motor manufacturers. Brink is certified by several car manufacturers according to there to their own internal quality audit systems. Brink produce a vast range of towbars to suit most customers needs.</p> <p>Witter are the UKs largest manufacturer of towbar systems. They are an independent company and have recently celebrated their 50th year in business. This experience gives them the confidence to provide all towbars with a genuine lifetime guarantee known as the Witter Shield of Safety.</p> <p>York produce quality towbars at competitive prices and were the first British Towbar Manufacturer to design towbars to fit all mounting points on most vehicles.</p> <p>EP Towing can supply a vast range of quality brands of couplings and accessories and some of our most popular are displayed below, if you would like further details on any couplings and accessories please contact us.</p> <p>Universal Couplings Specifically designed to meet the requirements of mixed trailer fleets. A ball and pin coupling simply replaces the existing two hole towball.</p> <p>Cycle Carriers Towbar mounted cycle carriers can be used whilst towing and are as simple to fit as they are to use, carrying up to four bikes.</p> <p>Adjustable Height Couplings Primarily for use with commercials, this coupling offers a variety of mounting heights for the ball, often required for commercial and 4x4 vehicles.</p> <p>Bumper Shields Prevents unsightly scars which are so easy to inflict on modern bumpers. Bolts on behind a two hole towball & does not affect the use of a stabiliser.</p> <p>Tow Steps Access to the rear of vehicles and the loading/unloading of a roof rack is far easier with a tow step. Both single and double sided versions are available.</p> <p>Stabilisers A welcome device for caravanners and users of high sided trailers, stabilisers reduce the risk of snaking. Easily fitted behind a two hole towball.</p> <p>The 94/20 EC law applies to all new light passenger vehicles which have a European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EWVTA) Certificate of Conformity.These vehicles have an 'e' mark on the VIN plate along with the maximum car and trailer weight/mass. If the VIN plate does not specify a trailer weight/mass, then the vehicle is not permitted to tow by law. Within the United Kingdom all vehicles with EWVTA first registered on or after 01/08/1998 requires a type approved 94/20 EC towbar.<br> The aim of this legislation is to provide a level playing field throughout the EC and allow free trade of motor vehicles and their components in all member states, irrespective of where a towbar is manufactured, as long as it's 94/20 EC approved. The approval consists of designing the towing bracket to locate all of the vehicle manufacturer's recommended fitting points and then testing the towbar through a punashing 2 million cycles after which the towbar must not show any signs of deformation or cracking. Once approval has been granted, a unique authorisation number is allocated and it is clearly marked on the towbar, if it is not displayed it may not have been tested or approved.<br> If you fit, or have fitted a Type Approved towbar it will not invalidate the vehicle warranty. Under EC Block Exemption Rules a motor vehicle manufacturer cannot prevent an authorised outlet from supplying or fitting components deemed to be of equal quality to that supplied by the vehicle manufacturer such as a Type Approved towbar.<br> For further information on Type Approval please see our Questions & Answers section.</p> <p>What the law says about towing<br> If you passed your driving test before 1st January 1997 you can tow any size trailer on your car (providing the vehicle's gross combinational weight is not exceeded). If you gained your full license after that date you can tow trailers weighing up to 750kg, or larger provided that the vehicle and trailer together don't exceed 3.5 tonnes. For towing outside those restrictions you will need to pass an additional test.<br> Your trailer must carry an approved rear number plate with the same number as the towing vehicle, illuminated at night. It must also have running lights, brake lights, a fog light, reflectors, and indicators operating at 60 to 120 flashes per minute. The tow vehicle must have have a warning device to confirm that the trailer indicators work. This can be either a buzzer or a flashing light.<br> Tyre regulations for trailers are essentially the same as for towing vehicles, but the tyres and wheels must be capable of carrying the maximum laden weight of the trailer at the maximum speed limit.<br> To tow with an ordinary vehicle (i.e. not a goods vehicle) the trailer body (not including the drawbar) must not exceed 7m in length and 2.3m in width.<br> What about speed limits? <br> Some speed limits are reduced when towing. On roads that normally have 70mph limit, you are restricted to 60mph, whilst on single lane roads wit a 60mph limit, the towing limit is 50mph. Elsewhere, normal limits apply. On motorways, vehicles that are towing may only use the inside and centre lanes.<br> What about towing abroad?<br> It's worth checking the motoring regulations for each country you will be passing through, because they differ from one to another. Certain items, such as a red warning triangle, must be carried everywhere.<br> What about insurance?<br> You should check with your insurance that you are covered for towing . Green card insurance is recommended if you tow abroad. Whether you will be towing once a week or once a year, the secret of success is careful preparation. There are several key matters you will need to deal with.<br> Towbar fitting points are established at the initial vehicle design stage, positioned to ensure optimum strength and safety , and it is essential that the towbar matches precisely to these fixing points. It's also important that the bar is type approved to meet EC regulations. Apart from safety risks, a towbar that is not approved may invalidate your insurance and the vehicle manufacturer's warranty.<br> Another major consideration is to ensure that your vehicle is capable of towing the trailer you intend to use. If the trailer is too heavy you will experience potentially dangerous handling and braking problems. <br> The way that you load your trailer is also crucial. Keeping the load low will prevent instability caused by a high centre of gravity. Most of the weight should go over the wheels, with the next heaviest at the front and the lightest at the rear.</p> <p>Effectiveness and endorsements<br> Towbars for new cars must comply with the new EC regulations and standards. These are very rigorous and approval involves sample towbars undergoing pull tests to evaluate strength, driving tests to check the effect on car stability, and corrosion tests to appraise weather resistance.<br> Choose carefully - if a towbar is not clearly marked, it may not have been tested or approved. All towbars supplied and fitted by EP Towing have been tested as thoroughly as the vehicles they are used on, so that they meet and exceed the highest standards.</p> <p>Towing do's and don'ts<br> Do follow a set routine when hitching up a trailer. You will be less likely to forget any aspect of the connection procedure.</p> <p>Do fit wing mirror extensions to help you see clearly what's happening behind you when towing a caravan.</p> <p>Do remember that your vehicle and caravan together are longer, higher and wider than the car alone. Watch out for width and height restrictions, allow extra space when cornering and overtaking, and take account of the additional weight when braking.</p> <p>Do keep the engine revs up and release the clutch slowly when you make hill starts.</p> <p>Do practice reversing. It's a tricky manoeuvre until you get used to using the opposite lock to normal.</p> <p>Don't exceed the car or caravan manufacturer's recommended nose weight - the pressure which the trailer exerts on the towball itself. Ideally this should be about 7% of the caravan's Actual Laden Weight. If the nose weight is too low or too high the steering may become too light or too heavy, affecting stability.</p> <p>Don't attempt to tow a caravan or trailer that is too heavy for your vehicle - you will experience difficulties caused by the lack of power and may have problems in braking. The Caravan Club recommend that the Actual Laden Weight of the trailer is never more than 85% of the tow vehicle's Kerb Weight.</p> <p>Don't panic and brake sharply or make rapid steering movements if the trailer starts snaking from side to side. This can happen when accelerating downhill, if you are caught in a cross wind, or are passed by a large lorry. Just gently lift off the accelerator and maintain a straight course, letting the vehicle slow down naturally.</p> <p>This page ca only give a quick outline of towing practicalities. For further information please contact us or visit the National Trailer and Towing Association website at http://www.ntta.co.uk.</p> <p><br> </p> </body>