A car towbar is a special mechanism designed to connect a car to a removable trailer. The trailer hitch is installed on most vehicles passenger type. If necessary, the device is installed separately if the design of the machine does not provide for the presence of this equipment. Vehicle towing coupling products differ in mounting methods, technical characteristics, and tasks.
Towbar – towing equipment used for transportation large items no harm to the car. With its help, a trailer is attached to the car, reducing the load on it. The device allows you to use not only trailers, but also trailers with passenger cars. In this case, you need to take into account specifications machine and trailer hitch mechanism for maximum loads.
Additionally, a towbar is needed for towing other cars, snowmobiles, boats, provided that their weight does not exceed three tons. This device is not mandatory in the design of every car. On some cars it may not be provided at all, so you will have to install it yourself. In most cases, it is necessary for people using a car to travel by car. long distances or transportation of oversized cargo. Thanks to the trailer hitch, there is no need to store the hook in the trunk.
The towbar on the vehicle cannot be used unless the trailer is attached. It's connected with increased danger, represented by the device during a collision. The towing mechanism has a negative impact on both the vehicle on which it is installed and the vehicle that collides with it. In some countries there is an official ban on operating cars with.
Types and classification
Towbars are classified depending on the installation method. Towing mechanisms come in three categories:
- Fixed. This type includes welded devices. They are part of the bumper design. Such products are rare. Usually they are installed separately on machines whose design does not provide for the use of a trailer hitch. But such a universal towbar has a method of attaching the structure that does not require selection specific model.
- . Products in this category are found in most cases. If necessary, this mechanism can be removed. They are suitable for people who do not always need to use a detachable trailer. There are many types of mechanisms in this category. The choice must be made based on the car model.
- Flanged. This category is also known as conditionally removable. Such mechanisms are fastened using bolts, which makes it possible to withstand heavy loads. Why you need a towbar of this type is not difficult to guess. For devices using a flange connection, it is provided special design bumpers, allowing them to be used in right time. For a specific car will fit exclusively original model traction mechanism.
Types of towbars by ball type, depending on its ability to withstand loads:
- “A” - category for trailers carrying a weight of no more than 150 kilograms;
- "H" - more cheap option, which has the same restrictions as the previous category;
- "F" - category regulated in different sides towbars used with trailers that carry a weight of up to 3.5 tons;
- “G” is a category of towbars adjustable in one direction, used with trailers that carry a weight of up to 3.5 tons;
- “V” - non-height adjustable mechanisms used with trailers that carry weights up to 2.5 tons.
Each type has pros and cons. The flange type has high rate strength. But it cannot be hidden. Other models are not adjustable in height of the towbar ball from the ground, and are more expensive. For some cars, such as the Lada Kalina hatchback, you will need to install a welding device or drill holes for fasteners. But in this case there is a risk of harming the car. Front bumper will not be harmed, but the rear one will be harmed. The most expensive option is a folding device.
If the towing device is purchased separately, the technical characteristics of the car should be taken into account.
An incorrectly selected device may not meet the required tasks. In some cases there may be a risk of damage to the machine.
What is a towbar socket?
The socket for the towbar is the system from which they operate parking lights and turn signals. Used to connect with the car's wiring. This connection makes it possible to control the trailer from inside the vehicle.
The socket is connected in two ways:
- Full-time. It is assumed that a special connector is used, provided by the design auto. Signals pass through it, triggered after attaching the coupling device. This system works automatically and is suitable for inexperienced drivers.
- Universal. Used if the first one doesn't work. It involves connecting the trailer wires directly to the vehicle wiring. Installation wires have different colors, so it’s not difficult to complete this task yourself.
Production
The production of towbars is carried out on the basis of three-dimensional models. After testing the trailer hitch is started serial production. During production, laser machines, a shot blasting processing system and the use of polyester powder are used.
The highest quality towing products are produced in:
- Poland;
- Belgium;
- Holland;
- America;
- Germany.
Among Russian manufacturers high quality stand out:
- Baltex;
- Leader-Plus.
The most expensive option is a tow bar that is retractable under the bumper. But such mechanisms are only available on American-made cars. The design of bumpers and American trailer hitches provides special fastenings that provide this feature.
How to choose the right device
Installing a tow bar on a car places a vertical and horizontal load. When purchasing a towing mechanism, you need to know what loads it can withstand. When choosing, you need to find out:
- Which Weight Limit can be transported;
- what brand of car will be used;
- what is the weight of the trailer used;
- what equipment does the car have?
- type of device purchased.
The load should be below the maximum value. If it exceeds permissible norm, damage will be caused not only to the towbar, but also to the car.
The risk of such a situation is most dangerous when driving, as it can lead to an accident.
In case of overload, the body part will suffer the most damage after a rear impact. Adjustable trailer height reduces load.
American trailer hitch products come in two types:
- for US-made models used within the country;
- for US-made models sold in Russia and European countries.
On Russian cars It is not recommended to use devices of the first type. This rule applies even to owners of foreign cars , which were developed in the USA for Russian buyer and European countries. In most cases, such machines require the use of American-made trailer hitches, since the second type of American towing coupling products is not easy to find.
The difference between American and domestic models lies in the diameter of the balls. For this reason, it may be difficult to uncouple the trailer.
Choice suitable towbar- enough difficult task in the absence of proper experience. If the purchased mechanism does not meet the required standards, there may be a risk of a number of problems. Therefore, it is better to entrust the choice of trailer hitch to specialists.
Towbar- towing device designed for towing trailers and passenger trailers. The design of the towbar consists of two elements and it is not universal, since it is designed specifically for each brand of car. The first element is a cross member, which is installed in special holes in the body or frame of the car, and the second is a ball joint attached to the beam.
Why do you need a tow bar?
Most often, a tow bar is installed by those who either lead an active lifestyle and travel a lot, or those who often use their car for transportation. oversized cargo. The presence of a towbar allows you to tow a passenger car a residential trailer for family country trips, as well as a cargo trailer with one or two axles.
Some drivers install a towbar supposedly for additional protection from a rear impact, mistakenly believing that in in case of an accident The towbar will take most of the force of the impact. However, in many countries it is prohibited to drive with a towbar without a trailer. Precisely because the car body, on the contrary, will be damaged much more if the hit falls on the tow bar and not on the bumper. Therefore, the towbar must be removable so as not to expose the car to danger while driving without a trailer.
How to choose a tow bar?
Nowadays, towbars are manufactured and installed by many companies. And you don’t have to go to a car store at all: you can do it without leaving your home - on the Internet. The biggest difficulty when choosing a tow bar is correctly assessing the load. Typically, catalogs next to the towbar indicate the minimum and maximum weight that the device can support.
And one more piece of advice: you should install only factory-made towbars that have been tested and certified, because a makeshift design may not withstand the load on the road, and a torn trailer is a serious danger on the road.
1678 ViewsMany have seen cars with trailers. In order to attach to passenger car trailer required special device called a tow bar. A towbar is a device that is attached to the body of a car and makes it possible to attach a trailer to the car.
Story
Until recently, some cars were equipped with a special tow hook. It connected the trailer tongue to the car. This design became unpopular due to its shortcomings.
- The main disadvantage of this device was considered to be a large backlash. Because of it, when starting to move and braking, the trailer hit the hook, which put it out of action. In addition to this shortcoming, there were some more.
- The second disadvantage was that the road train could become uncoupled even while moving.
- The last disadvantage was considered to be that the driver had to drive closely and with a certain precision to the trailer. This had to be done in order to be able to hook up the trailer.
Therefore the hitch hook passenger car replaced the clutch ball. Here there was no longer a lack of play due to the fact that the connector was not a hook, but a ball that was inserted into special form on a trailer.
Any tow bar for each car with a ball joint had a certain ball diameter according to Russian standards. Therefore, those who bought trailers abroad or foreign manufacturers Often faced with such a problem as size mismatch. In addition to the trailer, these people had to buy a tow bar for the new trailer.
Most often this device is installed on the rear of the car, but there are towbars for installing it at the front. This allows the driver to better maneuver the trailer, which contains important cargo.
How the mechanism works
As a rule, a tow bar on a car does not have a complex design, so you can buy it or make it yourself. Some new cars already have such a device from the factory. If your car does not have a towbar, but you need one, you can buy one or make one yourself. In order to make this device yourself, you will need several important details. The main part is a ball with an eye of the required diameter. It can be purchased at the market or found in the bins of the garage. After this you need to find steel pipe and weld this ball to it. Then secure the entire structure to the car. In order to secure the structure to the car, you can make special holes for bolts or weld it to the car body.
Today, manufacturers want to attract the attention of buyers so much that they have begun to produce this device in three types.
- The first type is removable tow bar. From the name it is clear that it is completely removable from the car. Most often it is mounted with bolts.
- The second type is partially removable. Here only the protruding part of the unit is removed. This design is very convenient and practical.
- The third type is a non-removable structure. In this case, the device is welded to the car body with a thick seam. This is necessary so that it does not fall off under heavy loads.
This type is most often installed on vehicles that constantly travel with a trailer, such as trucks or cars with a motorhome.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like all machine systems, this mechanism has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The only disadvantage is that it gets in the way when there is no trailer attached to the car. But today there are towbars that can be unscrewed at a time when they are not needed. Therefore, this disadvantage can not be considered.
The advantages of this device include the practicality of the device. Using this device you can transport loads up to 3.5 tons with a certain category driver's license. Other advantages and disadvantages, such as design, strength and others, directly depend on the manufacturer. Today the market situation is unstable, so conscientious manufacturers are trying to attract buyers with quality.
A towbar (TSU) is a special towing device designed to securely attach a trailer to a vehicle in order to distribute the load as evenly as possible, which is created by inertial force and weight. The trailer hitch expands the capabilities of the vehicle and also ensures the safety and reliability of the transported cargo.
Well executed and installed tow bar won't spoil appearance cars.
Main functions
Some car enthusiasts mistakenly believe that the tow bar performs exclusively protective function: they say, in the event of a traffic accident, the device takes on the full force of the impact from behind. It would seem that everything is correct, but why is it strictly forbidden all over the world to drive with a towbar without a trailer? The reason here is that the vehicle, on the contrary, will be damaged much more if the impact occurs in the trailer hitch and not in the bumper.
Varieties
All towbars are conventionally divided into the following categories (depending on the method of fastening the ball assembly):
- removable (fixed with locks);
- conditionally removable (fixed with bolts);
- welded;
- end
Separately, it is worth talking about conditionally removable devices (they are also called flanged). They are fixed on pre-equipped platforms in the rear of the vehicle (mostly a pickup truck) and secured with two or four bolts. Such a tow bar can also be removed, but this is much more difficult to do than with an ordinary removable one. Flange devices are extremely reliable, which is why they are used in most cases for transporting heavy and oversized cargo. Moreover, they provide for certain requirements for the car, the main one of which is the presence of a frame structure.
As we just said, for safety reasons the trailer hitch must be removable. Also note that towbars intended for vehicles different models, may differ significantly. So, among domestic, Western and Japanese cars grip points tow hitch completely different, which cannot be ignored when choosing a tow bar.
Production
Special technologies and equipment are used at all stages of production. First, a three-dimensional model of the car is created using a measuring machine, which is tested in a laboratory under the supervision of government departments.
IN serial production Bending machines and high-precision laser cutting mechanisms are used, as well as shot blasting of metal using high-quality polyester powder. Production technology must be followed, which is why quality is controlled literally at every stage of production.
Choice
When choosing a trailer hitch, you should take into account such a parameter as the maximum vertical/horizontal load on the coupling device. In order to correctly calculate given load, you should know the following important points:
- maximum weight of transported goods;
- vehicle make;
- trailer weight limit;
- vehicle equipment type;
- a type of hitch on a trailer.
If the load on the towbar exceeds the maximum permissible limit, not only the towbar can be damaged, but also the body of the car itself. Moreover, if such a breakdown occurs while driving, it may cause a traffic accident.
In a word, take the choice of a towbar for your car seriously and responsibly.
Never skimp on quality. Give preference exclusively to certified models that have passed all the necessary tests and have been verified by the manufacturer. A durable, high-quality tow bar is a guarantee of road safety when driving a car with a trailer.
Another use for a tow bar.
Towing device (towbar)- a device designed for towing cargo and passenger trailers vehicle(tractor). The device is used for both passenger trailers and cargo trailers.
If we talk about who came up with the name “tow bar” and who invented this device, then there is no reliable answer. What is known is that in Germany the more general designation of the word Anhängerkupplung is used. The word towbar is not mentioned in almost any source. This meaning is found only occasionally to denote the working part of the railway.
Later the word acquired a slightly different character, a device for attaching luggage to a cart driven by a horse. Based on the first look at this mechanism, then this word most likely consists of two words, such as: ride and head. This is probably why this word was called that way without much deliberation or much imagination. This can often explain another alternative to spelling tow bar. 
Previously on trucks and various SUVs UAZ brand was used as a tow bar tow hook, whose function was to hold the trailer. Similar design installed only on cars frame type body U of this device there were also some disadvantages, for example, a backlash formed, due to which the shock loads when braking and starting to move. As a result, the device quickly broke down (the road train became disconnected while moving). The coupling procedure was not very easy, it was necessary to install traction device from behind so that the hook is opposite the trailer tongue.
In passenger cars, the tow bar is hitch ball(a counter head for the hitch is attached to the drawbar). The main application of such balls is towing passenger trailers up to 3500 kg. Over time, after the introduction of UNECE rules No. 55, it was possible to use a backlash-free tow bar. 
Later on trucks began to be used Euroloop. The advantage of this design is that when the driver backs up, thanks to a special catcher on the drawbar, the trailer itself enters the towbar and is oriented in the center. After which everything happens in automatic mode: Interlocks and locks. Thanks to the kingpin, the drawbar is firmly held in the towbar. A kingpin is a rod that moves in a vertical direction; it is a rotary axis car wheel. Thanks to the design without gaps and a fixed mechanism, the design becomes more durable and reliable, and if there is a catcher, it makes life easier for the driver.
Also, in some cases, a so-called plug socket is installed to install the electrical equipment of the trailer with a plug. Trailers typically have parking lights, brake lights, and turn signals, and they require power.
Installing a tow bar- a rather labor-intensive process and requires skillful hands and relevant qualifications. Best to trust this work professionals. If you intend to install the towbar yourself, be prepared for the fact that you will need to remove rear bumper, drill missing holes if necessary and possibly use electric welding. Most likely you will need inspection hole and electrical knowledge to connect the towbar socket. Difficulties in installing the device can be caused by tuned bumper(body kit) and , since they are located exactly in the supposed location of the hook. Remember that poor installation can lead to an accident on the road!
