Tow Bar Problems

We were happily bouncing along (remember we're on Queensland outback roads) south of Emerald - just as I decided we needed a cafe! break and had pulled into Rolleston someone went past flashing lights and with all the passengers hanging out the windows - as I rolled down the window heard a GRATING sound - the towbar of the trailer was dragging along the ground!

Left side

right side

Went into the general store and asked the people congregated there is anyone knew a good welder - one of the owners/managers of a nearby station said he had a good welder on his team but they were 45kms out of town - if I could be there 7am the next morning he'd get him to look at it (after they'd managed to get the trailer detached from the camper and up onto it's jockey wheel - which was minus all rubber.) 

 

Next morning, one of the boys there undid everything, they discovered that it wasn't the tow bar that had broken off but the chassis!! Yep that's right - not actually a tow bar problem more a problem with the chassis, or rather the chassis extension - approx one metre extension which appears to be made of a thinner material than the rest of the chassis.  Welder said it had cracked along the side some time ago and then had broken off (see photos) on both sides. Anyway "Grubby" the welder spent 6 hours repairing it - he welded extra supports to the chassis then they refitted the Hayman Reece Towbar - which hadn't broken at all - it's obviously a heavy duty one. 

Maybe just a slight warning to anyone else with a longer vehicle to check that last bit of chassis. Know my trailer and vehicle are quite heavy, but it's supposed to be well balanced - although to be honest I am beginning to consider towing on an A - Frame - but it seems that no towing situation is easy (I've been through gypsy trailer and now this tandem one). 

The really amazing part of all this is that they wouldn't accept any payment for the work even though they were busy preparing for wheat harvest in 2 weeks time - another case of good old Aussie friendliness , it really restores your faith in us human beings. 

Different dogs

 

Different lifestyles!