TOWING EYE THREAD SIZE??

[we5twood_vw]

Is it legall in the UK to have a standard size evo like number plate attached to the front of the car, to the right ??

[Ricmondo]

Yes, digits should be three and one eighth inches tall and evenly spaced standard block font. Strictly speaking the plate should be perpendicular to both the road surface and the vehicles hypothetical centre line. Front plate black on white, rear plate black on yellow both reflective to BS standard and embossed with appropriate BS category and mark.

Numbers and digits may be displayed in no more than two horizontal rows unless the vehicle is a motor cycle or military vehicle.

Three and a half inch digits and or Black background with white or silver digits may only be used on vehicles registered before 1975 and registered in historic vehicle class.

[we5twood_vw]

Ahh okay so it's legal because obviously evos have the numbers and letters on two lines? Or is that because it's an import?

[RUM4MO]

Ahh okay so it's legal because obviously evos have the numbers and letters on two lines? Or is that because it's an import?

I thought that there is/was a slight exclusion for imports with smaller reg plate areas.

[Ricmondo]

Any vehicle can have the number split between two lines, doesn’t have to be an import.

There is no legal dispensation for imports either mainstream like VWs or grey like many EVOs and you can’t legitimately use the smaller digits that are used on motorcycles.

Whilst that is the law in practice some latitude is allowed and you would have to bump into a singularly officious policeman or MoT tester to have a problem. That may not remain the case as more simplified Gatsos and ANPR devices come on stream.

There is a lot of incorrect information on the net so treat anything you read, especially manufacturers advice leaflets with caution.

I hope this is useful, I’m not a number plate obsessive but I had a gap year job supplying them and much later did some work on behalf of DTp when the regulations were reviewed and aligned to international standards.

[we5twood_vw]

Fair enough thank you for your help! Now all I need to know is the thread size of the towing eye haha

[cheba]

Fair enough thank you for your help! Now all I need to know is the thread size of the towing eye haha

You should be able to measure the thread of your towing eye, however you'll notice that it is left handed and (I think) it is not a standard thread form, so finding a screw/threaded rod that fits may be a little bit tricky.

[RUM4MO]

Fair enough thank you for your help! Now all I need to know is the thread size of the towing eye haha

You should be able to measure the thread of your towing eye, however you'll notice that it is left handed and (I think) it is not a standard thread form, so finding a screw/threaded rod that fits may be a little bit tricky.

I agree on it probably being a left hand thread and not a well used size or form, probably for good reason.

[Ricmondo]

Buy a towing eye, cut off the eye and weld or stick a tubular extension to take plate bracket.

[cheba]

Fair enough thank you for your help! Now all I need to know is the thread size of the towing eye haha

You should be able to measure the thread of your towing eye, however you'll notice that it is left handed and (I think) it is not a standard thread form, so finding a screw/threaded rod that fits may be a little bit tricky.

I agree on it probably being a left hand thread and not a well used size or form, probably for good reason.

Yes, there are definitely reasons.

I've heard that the left handed thread is to prevent the towing eye form unscrewing itself during towing. Ropes and wires almost always have a right handed twist, and when they are put under tensile load they "untwist" a bit, and this untwisting motion could cause a towing eye with right handed thread to start to unscrew, and that's why the towing eye has a left handed thread. I don't know if the odd thread form has something to do with its load bearing capacity, but I've also heard the explanation that the reason for the left handed thread and the odd thread size/form is because the manufacturers wants to prevent anything other than the original towing eye from being used, also for safety reasons.