MGF Towbar

I always thought that MGF's where not allowed to tow because MG said they where unsuitable for towing and so you would be breaking construction and usage rules.
However I have just read this is not the case for models manufactured from 95<98 its legal for them to have a towbar which you can get from a company called Watling Engineers http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/uk_cars.html and I have also found one on Ebay Watling Flange towbar M.G. MGF Convertible 95 To 98 Completed
I have emailed Watling Engineers and asked if they can tell me why this is but I'm some of you clever people out there already know.

Oh spit I can't see ebay thing and I can't seem to see anyone else's ether so here is link just incase
Watling Flange towbar M.G. MGF Convertible 95 To 98 Completed

OOh interesting!
I didnt think we were allowed to tow either...

I wouldnt get a bar though, just lash a caravan to my spoiler

I would have thought a tow bar would be ok so long as you don't tow more than 60-80 KG extra but as with all things one ends up towing 100-150 KGS

Must be an age related type approval loop hole. I wouldn't have though that you could tow much with an MG F as it's a light car...there would also be a fairly low towball weight limit...the F has non height adjustable headlights on the assumption that you won't put too much weight in the boot so having a towbar with some down force is putting weight in all the wrong places (consider also some of the rear shock mounting failures we are seeing). Having said all that I fitted a Watling Engineers front tow bar to the 4x4 and it's a solid product.

Richard

The towing question is fraught with MG forum urban myths.

In fact the only mention about towing the car that I've found in official literature is an admonition not to tow the car with a rope or chain. This is for the simple reason that a rope/chain would damage the front of the car because the eyes are really low on the subframe.
Towing the car with a dolley, A frame or a bar is OK.

In law, only a vehicle with a Gross Train Weight stamped on the vin plate SHOULD tow a trailer in the UK. This is the maximum weight of car and trailer combined.
I think in reality that you'll find a lot of cars towing caravans which don't have the required vin stamp. So the MGF/TF is like a lot of cars it doesn't fulfill the legal requirement to allow you to tow a trailer.

This is a useful page

This is cool.

Got reply from Watling Engineers.

Thank you for your inquiry. European legislation which applies to vehicles
registered in this country from 1st August 1998, requires that towbars are
type approved (tested) and ours is not. This is why it can legally be used
for towing for earlier vehicles and not later ones. The main issue is with
insurance. If, however you were only to use it to carry bikes, for
instance, as this is not towing the legislation does not apply.

As far as I can find out just because MG/Rover say the F is not suitable for towing doesn't mean you can't it means what it says. However as W.E say its insurance companies that will most likely object on those grounds.
Mind you being able to bolt a bike rack on could be useful

some pic's I have found

p24hrsmith wrote: Mind you being able to bolt a bike rack on could be useful

For what.....taking bikes to the tip where they belong?????? :lol:

MGR said not to tow with the F because it would stretch the central part of the body, that tow bar gets around this by connecting to both subframes.

Personally I wouldn't want to tow much more than nothing in an F but then I can tow 44 tonnes!

Not sure I like that towbar anyway. The ground clearance is low enough without an inch of box section below the subframe. Would not be fun on the speed bumps.