Tow rope
A tow rope (or a tow belt as a belt) is a device for connecting two vehicles for towing. According to the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO), the length of the tow rope is not limited, but the clear distance between the towing and towed vehicle must not be more than five meters - previously 4.75 m (see Section 43 (3) StVZO ). A tow rope must be clearly marked, for example with a red cloth.
Execution and use
Tow ropes are available for a wide variety of weight classes; common values are between 1900 kg and 6000 kg. Ropes for towing are usually braided plastic ropes (e.g. made of elastic Perlon fibers, which enable jerk-free towing - see below) with snap hooks or shackles attached on both sides , sometimes with a larger loop on one side. Sisal ropes are also used. They are hooked into the existing towing eye on the vehicle side or fastened with a loop.
Normally, the towing eye on the vehicles is at the front right and rear left, so that it is possible to move laterally to better view the rear driver when the tow rope is straight. When the vehicle is not laterally offset, the tow rope forms an angle to the direction of travel. This exerts a lateral force on the tires : the starting jolt is reduced. If both eyelets are on the same side, the angle of the rope and the associated suspension effect can be achieved by staggered driving.
A tow rope may only be used if the brakes of the vehicle being towed are working and the vehicle being towed has a gross vehicle weight of less than 4000 kg. When using a tow rope on public roads in Germany, the hazard warning lights of both vehicles must be switched on, see also the main article Towing .
Shock absorption
In order to avoid too strong a jolt when starting or accelerating when the rope is sagging , there are tow ropes in which an integrated rubber element or a coil spring serves as a shock absorber . There are also tow ropes that are wound up as flat belts in a roller housing on both sides. The suspension ensures that the rope is always taut.
Tow bar
As an alternative to tow ropes, there are rigid tow bars . With them, the distance between the towing and towed vehicle remains constant, and braking forces can also be transmitted from the towing vehicle.
standardization
- Austria: Ö-Norm V5115
- Germany: TÜV-tested rope according to DIN 76033
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Reinhart Seiffert: Good driving - no secret. Motor Presse Verlag, Stuttgart 1959, 3rd edition 1963, p. 23
