Whether you are hauling a monster 25ft caravan around Australia or taking the dinghy down to the lake, you are going to need a suitable towbar on your vehicle. In this guide we will discuss everything you need to know about choosing the right towbar for your needs.
How To Fit A Towbar To A Vs Commodore TOP
Swan neck towbars are popular in Europe and are generally only used by manufacturers in that region. A swan neck tow ball will most commonly be permanently attached to the towbar. They typically resemble a U-shape or rounded L-shape. Modern vertical hitch towbars resemble the design of a swan neck towbar. These are not common in Australia and often have to be imported from overseas.
Rear step towbars are often designed to be used only on 4WDs. They are a towbar that protrudes out slightly further from the rear of the vehicle, which a rear step is fitted on to. They typically have better ground clearance than a normal towbar and are better suited to off-roading. However, they are far heavier and only available for certain 4WDs and utes.
As standard, most towbars will come with a 50mm tow ball. Most trailers will come with a 50mm coupling that is designed to connect to this type of hitch. A variety of other applications such as bike carriers and spare wheels can be mounted to these too.
A normal 50mm tow ball is suitable for most towing duties. However, they are limited in their articulation compared to an off-road coupling. If their limits are exceeded, the trailer coupling may fall off the tow ball or damage the towbar.
Class four towbars are primarily used for heavy-duty towing, as most are rated up to 3500kg. If you are hauling something big and heavy, such as a boat, horse float, caravan or car trailer, you will need a class four towbar. Weight distribution hitches are also compatible with this class of towbar.
When it comes to finding the right towbar, you need to first of all consider what you plan on towing. If you will be just taking a dirt bike on a trailer to your favourite track, a class two flat tongue towbar would be suitable. If you are going to be hauling a sizable boat to and from the coast every weekend, a class four horizontal hitch towbar will serve you better.
No, an aftermarket tow bar that is Australian Design Standard approved will not void your new vehicle warranty. If an issue occurs, the manufacturer would have to prove it was directly the fault of the towbar. If it does turn out it is the fault of the aftermarket product, you would then go to the supplier which would pursue it with the manufacturer.
If you're buying a towbar for an older vehicle, you may have trouble sourcing spare parts for your OEM towbar. Things like tongues, pins and bolts can be extremely hard to find if the car brand decides to stop making them. Most aftermarket towbar brands should offer you a lifetime guarantee on all spare parts.
If you are searching for a towbar for your 4WD, it may be worth looking into rear step towbar for your particular vehicle. This type of towbar provides maximum protection to the rear end of the vehicle, while still allowing you to tow a trailer. These also allow you to access the roof of your vehicle, which is particularly helpful if you frequently use a roof rack to store your gear. They are available for most popular 4WDs and commercial vans
There are certain vehicles where the towbar is extremely easy to install. Other vehicles, especially your more modern European cars, can have more complicated setups and are a bit beyond the novice auto mechanic
A horizontal hitch towbar is a more heavy-duty design suitable for towing larger loads. These are generally a multi-piece setup, and include a horizontal frame that mounts to the underside of the car. The horizontal frame section is often designed to specifically fit the factory mounting points on your car, so be sure to purchase a version tailored to your vehicle.
If you are looking to tow in rough terrain or off-road, the best option might be a rear step towbar. These designs protrude significantly from the rear of the vehicle, offering a form of sacrificial protection for the rear bumper.
Heavy-duty towbars fall into the Class 4 category, and are typically rated to tow up to 3500kg, suitable for a large caravan. Stronger horizontal hitch or rear step towbars are likely to be categorised within this class.
The most common type of hitch is the standard 50mm tow ball connected to a rigid ball mount. The universality of this option in Australia makes it easy to connect a wide variety of trailers, caravans and other items to the towbar types described above.
Car modifications can affect how your insurance premium is assessed in terms of risk of accident, and any risk of theft. Having a towbar fitted means you can tow other vehicles, caravans, and even boats, which could increase the risk of accident on your policy. Click here for more info!
We often get calls from people where there has been a light rear-end collision, and the towbar has saved the car from any damage (A good reason to fit a towbar?), but the towbar itself has taken the force of the impact.
The costs involved to do the stress testing would be greater than the cost of a new towbar, so it is more economical to simply fit a new towbar in the case of end rear end collision. Even if there is no apparent damage. Naturally, if you haven't told your insurers that you have a towbar fitted, they would be reluctant to cover the costs of a new one.
format_quoteAuckland Towbars is a family run business with a team of professional & friendly fitters. We directly employ all of our fitters, and we will not contract out any work to any other company. When we fit your towbar you deal directly with us from your first enquiry, through to the completion of the work.
Blackwell Loadmaster manufactures towbars for nearly every vehicle on the road. Most towbars are made from a jig so that it provides the customer with a towbar that is Franchise quality, uniform and easy to fit. 2ff7e9595c
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