On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:12:12 -0800, Lon
wrote:
Richard J Kinch proclaimed:
FrankW writes:

You may get charged.

Debunked earlier in this thread.

Rebunked. And even more happy instance, you can have your heinie sued
off even if you weren't cited for excessive carelessness and wanton
stupidity.

Rebunked agreed - There's nothing wrong with the design of the hitch
plate you made itself, it looks plenty strong for the intended
purpose, but the structural integrity of the bumper you /attached it
to/ is a complete unknown.

Since the Feds stopped requiring bumpers to survive 2-1/2 and 5 MPH
crash tests car and light truck bumpers are pretty much beauty items
only, and some (especially the ones not designed as a trailer hitch)
are virtually stamped from tissue paper and then chromed. You
admitted it yourself that they're made to crumple - and you can't
count on strength in towing from a known weak structure.

I would strongly suggest you go get a proper receiver hitch made
that is tucked under the car, and remove the drawbar whenever you
aren't using it - and if you do get hit in the rear, that tissue paper
bumper will be the item hanging out there to get hit and try to absorb
the forces. (Not.) But hey, it's your liability, not mine.

Nothing will likely happen to you legally now, the cops don't go
around inspecting people's trailer hitches on a whim - until the hitch
fails.

If and when it fails while on a public street or highway, and the
trailer wanders off and kills someone or does some serious property
damage, they are going to send out an officer (local or state,
depending) to investigate and write the reports. And if the LEO sees
a mangled mess on the back of the car that let go, they'll probably
(as the old saw goes) "throw the book at you".

The Officers can easily reconstruct the accident scene - there are
trained Major Accident Investigation Teams that do nothing but this,
every day. They figure how fast everyone was going, do the math on
the forces involved on the bumper in the accident, and prove that the
weak link was the hitch that let go. They can prove that a properly
designed hitch would have held under 2X to 4X (or more) of the forces
involved in that incident - so whoever made that hitch is at fault.

In California, this would be one of the brickbats in said book:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d13/vc29003.htm

Hitch, Coupling Device or Connection, or Tow Dolly

29003. (a) Every hitch or coupling device used as a means of
attaching the towed and towing vehicles shall be properly and
securely mounted and be structurally adequate for the weight
drawn. The mounting of the hitch or coupling device on the
towing and towed vehicle shall include sufficient reinforcement
or bracing of the frame to provide sufficient strength and
rigidity to prevent undue distortion of the frame.

(b) The drawbar, tongue, or other connection between the towing
and towed vehicles shall be securely attached and structurally
adequate for the weight drawn.

(c) The raised end of any motor vehicle being transported by
another motor vehicle using a tow dolly shall be secured to
the tow dolly by two separate chains, cables, or equivalent
devices adequate to prevent shifting or separation of the
towed vehicle and the tow dolly.

Amended Ch. 708, Stats. 1983. Effective January 1, 1984.

Yes, you are in Florida - but most vehicle codes are similar.

-- Bruce --
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.