Towbar - what is it? Installing the tow hitch

Sooner or later, any car owner will face the problem of carrying a bulky cargo. The most practical type of body for such things is the "station wagon". However, goods are different and not always fit even in a spacious minivan with folded seats. How to be in this situation? One of the popular solutions is the purchase of a trailer. But with him you have to install a towbar. What is this element and what is it for? We will tell about this in our today's article.

Characteristic

So, what is a towbar? This mechanism is a towing device used to tow trailers and light trailers. There are two mechanisms. The first is the cross bar. The second is the ball itself. The latter is attached to the beam.

Is it necessary?

Typically, the installation of the towbar is relevant for those people who lead an active lifestyle. Thanks to this device, you can link a "house on wheels" and go on a trip. But that is not all. Also the installation of the towbar is relevant for summer residents, who do not want to ruin their cars by driving seedlings in the cabin or the trunk. To go with a trailer it is necessary and those who are engaged in building of the house. After all, constantly hiring a car will not be profitable, and not always the right amount of cargo. And the trailer allows you to transport just as much as you need.

Some car owners set the towbar as a protective function. In their opinion, with an accident, the car will be less damaged than without a coupling device. However, it is not. The impact will go not to the bumper, but to the side members and other body power elements. To change the bumper is much cheaper than to deduce the geometry of the body on the slipway. But the curves of the spars can cause many troubles. So, there will be a strong wear of rubber from one side. The car will constantly "look for the road," "wag the backside," which has a detrimental effect on traffic safety. Therefore, connecting the towbar with a protective function is a very erroneous opinion.

Types of attachment method

There are several types of these mechanisms. So, by the method of fastening the towbar to the VAZ can be installed the following types:

• Fixed.
• Removable.
• Flanged.

The detachable element has the same construction as the fixed one. However, it has one significant advantage - at any moment the driver can detach this tow bar. Chevrolet-Blazer is equipped with such a removable device normally. By the way, in European countries it is forbidden to drive with an open towbar without a trailer. This is due to the increased failure rate of the mechanism (after all, when a collision does not work, the shock-absorbing element of the bumper). Consider the flange hook. What is this device? This mechanism is mounted on the rear of the body with the help of special platforms. You can install this towbar of this type on four or two bolts. Element is designed for higher loads than removable. However, such a powerful mechanism can not always be installed on a car. Often, flange mechanisms are equipped with frame off-road vehicles.

By the way of construction

Distinguish towbars and this characteristic. Most often you can find elements with a ball of type "A". Advantage - quick disassembly of the structure. Remove the ball in a couple of minutes by unscrewing several bolts and nuts. The mechanism is simple in design and reliable, but it has certain limitations. The maximum load imposed on it should not exceed 150 kilograms. Thus, the total weight of the trailer with the load should not be more than one and a half tons.

The next type of construction is the H-shaped tow hitch. What is this mechanism? Externally, this tow bar looks as shown in the picture above. Such a tow hitch does not have any structural differences from the previous type. However, the mechanism is less reliable. Withstands the same loads - up to 150 kilograms.

There are towbars of other varieties: F and G. Both types are very similar in price and design. However, the first species has 2 positions relative to the base. This makes it possible to adjust the height of the fastening level of the structure. The towbar G does not have this function. An exception are the mechanisms in which 6 bolts are used for fastening. Where can I find such towbars? They are installed on large SUVs and light trucks, because they can withstand the load of the trailer to 3.5 tons. Less common is a ball of type V. It is cheaper than the two previous versions, but it is designed for a load of not more than 2.5 tons. Also, there is no possibility to adjust the height of the position.

Features of operation

Let's consider some rules which will allow to prolong a term of operation of the spherical mechanism of a towbars:

• Watch for the presence of grease. The ball is subjected to enormous loads. To minimize wear, treat the surface with thick grease. So that it does not get lost, use special caps and plugs. Such items are sold in specialized stores. Grease must cover the entire area of the ball.
• Remember that when active operation on the surface of the towbar appears output. As a result, the diameter of the ball decreases. At the slightest wear, it is necessary to replace this mechanism. Reducing the diameter greatly reduces the reliability of the clutch, which affects the safety of movement. After all, the trailer will not be fully secured.

• After 5 thousand kilometers and before each long trip check the reliability of the bolt connection.
• The speed of the car on a dirt road with a trailer should not exceed 30 kilometers per hour. Also it is required to reduce the trailer load twice.
• Do not exceed the permissible vertical load of the ball. More detailed information is given in the instructions to the towbar.
• You can not change the structure of the mechanism. The creation of non-standard openings or other interventions will be detrimental to the quality of the trailer coupling.
• It is not allowed to repair cracks by applying welded seams. If the site is already deformed, it needs to be replaced. Otherwise, a new crack is formed next to the repair site of the previous one.

Features of weighting

Using a trailer, it is important not only to monitor the condition of the towbar, but also be able to properly distribute the load. The weight of the load in the front of the trailer must always be greater than the rear. What is it for? The fact is that with a wrong weight distribution, the center of gravity is lost. As a result, the car turns at corners uncontrollable. The stain of the rear tire is almost zero. Therefore, always load more in front of the trailer than the rear.

Conclusion

So, we found out the features of such an element as a towbar. What is it, you now know. As you can see, this is quite a useful mechanism that allows you to cling trailers to a car. However, its use is advisable only with frequent use. If you use the trailer less than once a month, a more reasonable option is to rent another car for cargo transportation.