Trailer
Drawbar
Certification + Design

Drawbar certification is the engineering process of testing and verifying that a trailer drawbar meets the safety, strength, and compliance standards set by Australian Design Rules (ADR62/02). Find out more here.

If you are making, importing and/or selling a trailer with an aggregate trailer mass of 4.5 tonnes or less, it need to be certified in line with the ROVER system for light trailers. Any trailer with a drawbar must comply with ADR62/02, including caravans, boat trailers, equipment trailers, and heavy transport trailers.

If you're unsure, reach out and we can provide more detail. You can read more here.

We require:

• 3D CAD models of the drawbar and chassis, or drawings allowing 3D model creation

• Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) rating

• Coupling details

• Material specifications
  

Providing complete information at the start ensures a faster turnaround and a more efficient certification process.

If you need help with any of these items, let us know - we're happy to assist.

At Quantech Design, we utilise Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to verify the strength, fatigue resistance, and load performance of your design before certifying compliance.

FEA testing is a cost-effective solution for manufacturers and importers of trailers because:

• It means you don't have to do a physical stress and load test on a real trailer/drawbar, saving you money.

• It's a quick and straightforward process, saving you time.

• It's scalable, which means if you're using the same drawbar design across multiple products, you only need to test once.

This depends on whether or not you have the appropriate CAD design files ready, and the complexity of the project, but generally, it takes 5-10 business days to complete the process.

Sometimes we identify design concerns with a client's product, or find opportunities to make your design more efficient, in which case it may take an additional week or two to get the design just right ahead of the final compliance stage.

We provide fixed‑price quotes upon reviewing your drawings and specifications, so you'll never get a surprise invoice you weren't expecting.

Absolutely. Our engineers often recommend design improvements to reduce weight, increase durability, and make fabrication more cost-effective while still achieving compliance. This means you get the best outcomes for your business and your customers.

Yes - conditionally.

If the drawbar operates within the same certified limits (ATM, D‑Value, loads, geometry) it may be reused.

However, variations in mounting interface, material, or coupling between trailer types may require variant approval. Quantech Design can assess and document multi‑use certification pathways, which can significantly reduce approval costs for manufacturers producing multiple models.

Yes, but only with prior engineering validation.

Dimensional changes alter stress distribution and fatigue performance, potentially invalidating certification.

We can:

• Certify a family of drawbars with approved dimensional tolerances

• Re-analyse modified versions quickly using existing test data

This approach supports fleet flexibility while maintaining compliance.

ADR 62/02 requires safety chain attachment points to meet specific load ratings, which typically must be proven via physical testing.

As Quantech Design does not conduct physical testing, we recommend clients use pre‑rated, commercially available safety chain attachment points to avoid the need for a custom physical test.

Using certified components ensures compliance, simplifies the approval process, and avoids the delays associated with bespoke attachment testing.