The pros of a motorised towbar are its discrete appearance when not in use. Now, that’s obviously also true of a detachable towbar. When vehicles with a trailer hitch are damaged at the rear it is likely that the towbar has also been damaged through overloading. This can often be detected by a permanent deformation to the towbar. Other signs that indicate damage include surface damage, unusual notches or distortions in the attachment area or in towbars with a detachable towball too much free play of the removable part. With regards to the cons of a detachable towbar over a fixed towbar, you are going to have to pay a bit more for the privilege. The assembly and operating instructions of the towbar are to be included with the other vehicle papers. These serve as the Operating Licence during the general vehicle inspection. Additional expert opinions are not required for towbars not subject to design approval but are accepted on a case by case basis. Dan discusses an important point in the video above. You need to degrease the towball before you hook up to a caravan.

If you want to tow and attach a cycle carrier at the same time, the flange towbar will be for you. Be careful though, you must add together the weight of the bikes and the nose weight of the trailer, the two added together should not exceed the maximum nose weight stated by the vehicle manufacturer. If you are trying to decide which type of towbar would be best for your car, I hope the above information was of some use. However, there is an advantage of a bolt-on towball, as I discuss in my caravan tips post, as you can fit a bumper protector plate: I’ve noticed more guests over the last few years arriving with motorised retractable towballs, which are the most ‘fancy’ option available. Whether you choose to opt for a fixed, detachable or retractable towbar for your car, once its been fitted, you need to condition it before its used to tow your caravan.The ‘poshest’ towbar that a car can be fitted is a retractable/deployable towbar. Some are manually operated, where you have to get on your knees, release it and turn it into position. AFTER INSTALLING A TOP TRONIC SYSTEM, MY TURN SIGNALS NO LONGER FUNCTION PROPERLY ON THE TRAILER AND AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.

The point is, with a fixed towbar, as long as the bolts/welding is strong and in a good condition, there are no other components that could potentially fail or seize up. This video from Brink shows the different types of towbars available When A Towbar/Towball Is Not Suitable For Towing The C2 lights are generally included with the cable bundle. However with Top Tronic systems, they are not required and are therefore not included.The flange towbar was for many years the only type of towbar manufactured in the UK. The tow ball is bolted to the towbar with either two bolts or four bolts. The flange is a versatile towbar which can be used with towball mounted accessories eg cycle carriers, bumper protectors and all types of stabilisers, all mounted between the towbar and ball. The flange towbar is non-removable. The pros, as discussed above, with a detachable towbar are that it can be relatively easily detached when towing is not required. Well, bolt-on/flange-mounted towbars are generally considered by some to be the ‘ugly’ option as more of the components are on display. As I pull the trailer onto the car’s tow hitch by hand, the bumper protector just makes sure I don’t accidentally damage the car. We find that typically most customers will go for a 13 Pin System as then the vehicle is covered for any towing need.