Buyers Products BDL253 Drawbar Lock, Silver

Product Information

On light vehicles, the most common coupling is an A-frame drawbar coupled to a 1 7/8 inch or 50mm tow ball. These drawbars transmit around 10% of the gross trailer weight through the coupling.

A drawbar is a solid coupling between a hauling vehicle and its hauled load. Drawbars are in common use with rail transport, road trailers, both large and small, industrial and recreational, and with agricultural equipment. Bear in mind that if a drawbar combination is involved in an accident, and the cause appears to be a fault in the link between the prime mover and the trailer, then the enforcement authorities will want to see evidence that inspection and maintenance procedures were adhered to. The operator will be in hot water if no such evidence can be produced. With the exception of the partners mentioned above, we will under no circumstances pass on your personal data to other companies or institutions, except if we are legally obliged to do so (for example, if the police requires it in the case of suspected crime). Grease is not necessarily harmful, argues Andy Walton, technical manager at Marcar Steel and Engineering, which distributes V.Orlandi drawbar equipment in the UK. It all depends on how much is used. “Orlandi couplings have a grease nipple and all you need to do is give them a shot of grease once a year,” he says. Unfortunately goods vehicles and trailers are often targeted by thieves. To help keep your vehicle secureBefore you leave your vehicle, make sure the engine has stopped, the ignition system is switched off and the parking brake is on. The coupling is far closer to the road surface than a fifth wheel is, he points out, and that means it is closer to all the dirt and grit that highway surfaces generate. Combine all this detritus with grease, and you have a recipe for trouble.

Use plenty of lubricant instead,” Ostle advises. “Oil is a cheap mechanic, and if you lubricate a coupling, then you won’t get a problem.” Leave the vehicle in gear: if the parking brake fails, the engine should stop the wheels turning. (This only applies to an HGV with manual gears.) Just remember that when you are reversing up to a drawbar trailer, it’s gently does it,” says Walton. “Force is the enemy of drawbar couplings.” In foggy weather you should avoid parking on the road; if you must park on the road, leave your parking lights on. Parking on a hill The direction of haulage may be push or pull, though pushing tends to be for a pair of ballast tractors working together, one pulling and the other pushing an exceptional load on a specialist trailer. The most common drawbar configuration for heavy vehicles is an A-frame drawbar at the front of a full trailer that connects to a tow coupling on a hauling vehicle [1]Turning to the couplings themselves, V.Orlandi is now supplying them with a cast steel rather than a cast iron jaw. “Cast steel is standard on the 57mm coupling and optional on the 50mm model,” says Walton. “It’s harder to break than cast iron.” Our web shop displays general advertisements. We do not keep any personal data, so we do not know if you like them. It uses a crosshair which enables the driver to aim for the towing eye when reversing (pictured). Green guiding lines indicate the optimum height range of the vehicle in relation to the eye. If your vehicle has air suspension, remember that it may move when you park it or when you start it: make sure you’re not parked too close to other vehicles, buildings, street furniture, etc, which the vehicle body could collide with if it moves.

use the equipment provided to avoid working at height; if you cannot avoid it, use fall arrest systems, especially when roping and sheeting

Turn the steering wheels slightly towards the kerb: if the vehicle rolls, it will steer into the kerb and stop. Other brands are heading down the cast steel route, too – but no matter whether cast steel or cast iron is involved, drawbar couplings have to be treated with consideration. Although in a distant second place compared to fifth wheels, drawbar couplings are used in the UK and must be properly cared for to continue to serve in the long term, finds Steve Banner If you’re parking at night on a road, you must use the parking lights on your vehicle. You do not need to use lights if you’re parked off-road, eg in a lorry park. When you’re parking on a hill, you can use the wheels and the engine to make sure your HGV cannot roll away in case the parking brake fails.