increase font size
Before heading off with a trailer or caravan in tow, first check the towbar to ensure all bolts attaching it to the vehicle are tight, there is no corrosion present or cracking in the welds or structure and that the towball itself is secured properly to the tongue, says towbar maker Best Bars.
“Even though a towbar may look OK, all may not be right. Some towbars are made from inferior steel which doesn’t meet the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines.
“If a new towbar is required, ensure it has been designed to NZ Standard 5467:1993 and carries a metal tamper-proof label to identify it. Cheap imported towbars or those available online may use inferior parts and/or be poorly designed.
“Make sure the towball is correctly matched to the trailer or caravan coupling – there are two main sizes of towball used in New Zealand (1 7/8-inch and 50mm).”
A safety chain must be used between the towing vehicle and lighter trailer/caravan; double chains are required if the weight of the towed load exceeds 2000kg.
When packing a caravan, trailer or boat, ensure the load on the towball tongue does not exceed the recommended tongue weight (stated on the label). Too much weight may cause stability problems and put undue load on the towbar and connection to the vehicle chassis.
Incorrect loading leading to trailer ‘snaking’ or swaying in motion indicates load imbalance. A load leveller that fits onto the drawbar of the trailer and connects to the towbar on the towing vehicle can help to redress the imbalance through redistributing the load, so the weight is transferred further forward.
www.bestbars.co.nz
An evolution of ATV and quad rollover protection, the AR quad safety bar uses compressed gas and an electronic control system to offer fully automated, pneumatic roll-over protection – with full deployment in less than 250 milliseconds.
A petition to get seat belts on school buses has been presented to Parliament.
Leading New Zealand rural insurer, FMG says nesting birds continue to account for around $700,000 worth of tractor fire claims each year.
Farmers are being warned to check their fuel tanks following a fuel tanker driver being seriously injured on a farm.
It took 10 minutes for co-workers to free the victim’s hand from the machine.
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
OPINION: Should cows in NZ be microchipped?
OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…
