# Rapido Towbar



## travelsRus

I posted sometime about visiting the Rapido factory in Mayenne at their invitation with regards to our concerns about the payload on our 9066df.

In a nutshell - they said 'get a trailer'.

We have considered our options and because we like the van & esp the 3l comfortmatic box plus we would lose a bit of money part exchanging it have decided to get a trailer.

Phoned a couple of places in Sheffield for a quote for a tow bar but they didn't do motorhomes so bit the bullet & rang Brownhills who we bought the van from & they have quoted a staggering £3700 PLUS fitting.

Just waiting for a quote now from Camper UK.

Anyone on here with a Rapido had a tow bar fitted. If so, what were you charged.

Chris


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## camallison

Have a word with PWS in Poole.

http://www.pwsacc.co.uk/motorcaravan-towbar.htm

They quoted me £554 incl fitting, electrics and VAT for the Adria Izola A697SL that we had.

If you look down the photos on the page I have given above, there is a Rapido amongst them.

Colin


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## alexblack13

Might be because Witter are the only company to run with the type approval.. AFAIK.... Might be lack a of competition. I hope not, but probably is.. Make sure the other quotes are for a type approved item.

Take it or leave it might be their attirude? How can they ask £3,700 to make a towbar???? 

That is just nuts! :evil: 

AB13


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## GEMMY

How helpful of Rapido... "get a trailer" I've always regarded Rapido as been on the light side of payload availability. :wink: 

tony


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## gaspode

Hi Chris

I remember talking to you about this before, was it at Le Crotoy?

I have a towbar for the 7066df which I suspect is the same as the one you will need, ISTR that the Rapido option cost when the van was new was just under £2,000. Not as outrageous as the quote you've been given but it does confirm that it's quite a big, complex towbar that isn't easy to fit. I remove it from the van when we're not towing so I can use the extra payload.

You also need to take into account the fact that the towbar itself weighs nearly 100kg so will lessen your payload by that amount.


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## Techno100

Try these Chris


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## GerryD

If your Rapido has Alko rear extensions, which it probably has then Alko manufacture a standard towbar to fit their extensions. It is fully type approved and normally under £500.
Contact Alko at Leamington Spa.
Gerry


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## Techno100

No Chris has no extension. The chassis ends where the garage starts so needs lots of metal to overcome that.


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## rayc

Mine has a Armitage towbar but not sure of the price as it was fitted when I bought it. I guess it could be expensive as it is well made and fitted. It is plated at 2000kg towing capacity and 100kg nose weight. The bypass module for the wiring has to be taken into account, mine is fitted in the battery box.

I have removed the road sweeper brush as I do not tow with it.


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## GerryD

Techno100 said:


> No Chris has no extension. The chassis ends where the garage starts so needs lots of metal to overcome that.


Not very helpful, that must severely restrict load capacity in the garage. Extra problem is that with all that metal, a towbar will also reduce the carrying capacity of an already restricted van.
Have heard before about poor load allowances on Rapido, tends to make them rather unattractive.
Gerry


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## rayc

GEMMY said:


> How helpful of Rapido... "get a trailer" I've always regarded Rapido as been on the light side of payload availability. :wink:
> 
> tony


Depends upon the chassis it is built on. Mine has 800kg or so. I think it is similar for large Autotrails which tend to be fitted on 4250kg chassis. Realism has got to be used. At the NEC I saw a large Frankia with large signs all over it saying it was 3.5t. They didn't say this was with apayload of less than 200kg except in very small print.


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## Techno100

Mine is 4250kg as wisely ordered by Carol so I have shed loads


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## gaspode

> Have heard before about poor load allowances on Rapido, tends to make them rather unattractive.
> Gerry


It depends on your perspective Gerry. Maybe you'd think differently if you put yourself in the position of someone who wants a nice van but has a licence restriction?

Rapido make an attractive, luxurious, large van without using flimsy materials but which can get below the 3,500kg licensing requirements for users with medically restricted licenses. This inevitably means that the payload will be less than other smaller, flimsy or basically equipped vans.
They also make the same van on a heavy chassis for those whose licenses are not restricted or who like to carry the kitchen sink around. It provides a valuable choice. Dealers are the ones to blame for selling the wrong van to the wrong buyer. I think Rapido also have some responsibility for supplying a van with so many extras added that the available payload becomes impractical.

We manage to stay within the payload without any great difficulty.


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## travelsRus

Andy - I can't tell you the number of times we have said 'we should have bought that van' when we read about your payload & extras 

Chris


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## readyforoff

Gaspode - correct about the dealers. Our 4250kg Apache was ordered by a guy who wasn't told about licence restrictions. Suited us because he specced it up and we bought it right price but naughty of the dealer who then shafted him on price for a lighter van because he had his deposit. BTW with a towbar - solar - airbags - 10t bottle jack and compressor installed we still only weigh 3740kgs. John.


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## Techno100

travelsRus said:


> Andy - I can't tell you the number of times we have said 'we should have bought that van' when we read about your payload & extras
> 
> Chris


Completely transformed by the new front springs too , no longer on its knees. A pleasure to park now without always getting the ramps out.


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## WildThingsKev

Techno100 said:


> travelsRus said:
> 
> 
> 
> Andy - I can't tell you the number of times we have said 'we should have bought that van' when we read about your payload & extras
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 
> Completely transformed by the new front springs too , no longer on its knees. A pleasure to park now without always getting the ramps out.
Click to expand...

I love our Rapido's ground clearance; a towbar would seriously cramp our style.


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## travelsRus

Had a quote from Bridewater Trailers for £650 inc fitting & vat so think we will be going there & probably get our trailer from them so thanks (again) Techno.

We were passing Newark today so popped into Brownhills to query the price - although they were sticking with the ludicrous quote of £3700 - a different person got on the computer & got the price down to £1600!


Thanks for replies

Chris


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## Techno100

Great result! I took that photo from a newly fitted bar on a 9048DF that I met in France, they couldn't speak highly enough of them. My memory being what it is I thought I'd better snap the address :lol:


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## gaspode

> Had a quote from Bridewater Trailers for £650 inc fitting & vat so think we will be going there & probably get our trailer from them so thanks (again) Techno.


I'd be very surprised if anyone could supply a bar similar to mine for that sort of price but I'd be very interested to see how they do it.


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## Techno100

They manufacture them Ken. They don't buy in and fit so no middle men creaming it.


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## gaspode

> They manufacture them Ken. They don't buy in and fit so no middle men creaming it.


You'd need to see my towbar to understand Andy, it's not only very substantial but very complex in its construction using back to back spliced and machined RSC that runs a considerable way up the inside of the Alko chassis main members. The overhang from the rear of the chassis is 1.4m so when you place a 90kg noseweight on the towball you're looking at something like 1200N/m (if my metric conversion is right). It takes me over 2 hrs a time to remove or refit it for starters and I'm no slouch when it comes to that sort of work. Mine was fitted from new, presumably by Brownhills who were the supplying dealer.

I would very much doubt if a similar one could be fabricated and fitted for anywhere near the price quoted - but if they can do it I'd like to see how they get around the problems.


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## alexblack13

Just make sure if being fitted to a relatively new van that the towbar is type approved. If not you can't legally tow with it.

:-(

AB13


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## rayc

alexblack13 said:


> Just make sure if being fitted to a relatively new van that the towbar is type approved. If not you can't legally tow with it.
> 
> :-(
> 
> AB13


I saw this on the Watling website.
http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/type_approved_motorhome_towbars.html


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## Techno100

I doubt that this towbar manufacturer is not savvy with requirements


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## travelsRus

Looking on their website - they look as if they know what theiy're talking about re eu regs, etc. & are witter dealers. 

Expensive is not always best as we've found out to our detriment.

Chris


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## alexblack13

Better to check. I made a lot of enquires and only Witter were going down the approved route..

I had quotes from three companies and none were Type appo'd...

Only witter .. And that was exactly 11 months ago.

Ab13


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