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Monthly Archives: October 2021


Telford Towbar - BLOG Social Media Templates What Are Towbars and What Are the Different Types

What Are Towbars and What Are the Different Types?

A towbar is a device that you can use on your car to hook up to the base plate on your trailer or caravan so that your car pulls it smoothly and safely without you worrying too much!

We are the towbar specialists in Telford and work throughout the UK to make sure you are safe on the road when towing.

So Why Would You Need a Towbar?

We all use our cars for different reasons and quite often you may need to have a tow bar installed on your car whether it is for a family holiday or taking a trailer full of garden waste to the recycling centre.

Some cars and vans may be fitted with a towbar as standard, however, the majority will have to have a towbar installed later.

As towbar specialists in Telford, we strongly recommend you use the experts when fitting a towbar safety is vital.

Choosing a Towbar

The first thing at Telford Towbars we help you with is what type of towbar and why?

We start by looking at what weight you may likely be towing and the contents of what you may need to tow?

There is a huge difference between a caravan and a trailer so we need to be sure before you invest in installing a towbar what you will be towing. Otherwise, it can become an expensive game!

The last thing you want is the bodywork of your car or van ripped away driving down the road as this would be very expensive!

As Towbar Specialists in Telford, our experts will make sure that nothing like that will happen. Compliance and safety is our priority we make sure that all our parts are road legal and safe.

Don’t worry if you only use your towbar for a few months in the year Telford towbar specialists offer annual checks of your vehicle for peace of mind.

It’s important you check you are licensed to tow anything on the roads. Remember learners are not allowed to tow on British roads and when you got your driving license may make a difference so, please check with the DVLA.

What Are the Different Types of Towbars?

Choose from three types of Towbars:

1. Detached

  • Suitable for vehicles with reversing sensors
  • In most instances, the system is completely invisible once the neck is removed
  • Compatible with AL-KO and other friction style stabilisers
  • Allows free access to the rear of the vehicle
  • Lockable with a set of two keys provided
  • Storage bag provided for safekeeping once next is removed
Types of Towbars- Detached

2. Flange

  • Popular in the UK
  • It can be used with accessories such as bumper guard and tow-steps
  • Tow ball height can be adjusted on some commercial vehicles
  • Capable of using accessories like some models of cycle carriers whilst towing

Types of Towbars - Flange

3. Swan Neck

  • Compatible for use with AL-KO stabiliser without the requirements of a replacement ball
  • Less likely to affect reversing sensors
  • Not compatible with common accessories such as bumper protectors or tow-steps
  • It cannot be used for a cycle carrier whilst towing at the same time
  • More aesthetically pleasing than a flange style towbar

Types of Towbars - Swan Neck

You are now a step closer to your mobile towbar fitting.

Once you have chosen what type of towbar, then you can select the type of electrics, or we can advise you.

Telford Towbar Specialists can help you with any queries you have about towbars. You can go onto our website to find out what type of towbar you need and the costing, you can book an appointment with us or you can simply call us on:

How to Choose the Right Towbar?

How to Choose the Right Towbar?

Choosing a Towbar

The first thing at Telford Towbars we help you with is what type of towbar and why?

Do we start by looking at what towbar towing weight you may likely be towing and the contents of what you may need to tow?

There is a huge difference between a caravan and a trailer so we need to be sure before you invest in installing a towbar what you will be towing. Otherwise, it can become an expensive game!

The last thing you want is the bodywork of your car or van ripped away driving down the road as this would be very expensive!

As Towbar Specialists in Telford, our experts will make sure that nothing like that will happen. Compliance and safety is our priority we make sure that all our parts are road legal and safe.

We always check the recommended weight limit when you are choosing your towbar.

Don’t worry if you only use your towbar for a few months in the year Telford towbar specialists offer annual checks of your vehicle for peace of mind.

It’s important you check you are licensed to tow anything on the roads. Remember learners are not allowed to tow on British roads and when you got your driving license may make a difference so, please check with the DVLA. For more information check out our page: https://telfordtowbars.co.uk/shop/safe-and-legal-towing

There Are Three Different Types of Towbars Available in the UK:

As Towbar specialists in Telford, we do the fitting for all three.

How to choose your towbar?

1. Detached

  • Suitable for vehicles with reversing sensors
  • In most instances, the system is completely invisible once the neck is removed
  • Compatible with AL-KO and other friction style stabilisers
  • Allows free access to the rear of the vehicle
  • Lockable with a set of two keys provided
  • Storage bag provided for safekeeping once next is removed

2. Flange

  • Popular in the UK
  • It can be used with accessories such as bumper guard and tow-steps
  • Tow ball height can be adjusted on some commercial vehicles
  • Capable of using accessories like some models of cycle carriers whilst towing

3. Swan Neck

  • Compatible for use with AL-KO stabiliser without the requirements of a replacement ball
  • Less likely to affect reversing sensors
  • Not compatible with common accessories such as bumper protectors or tow-steps
  • It cannot be used for a cycle carrier whilst towing at the same time
  • More aesthetically pleasing than a flange style towbar

Don’t let us forget about towbar weight and capacity.

Calculating a Vehicle’s Towing Capacity

Details of the towing capacity for your vehicle that are found in the owner’s handbook, the manufacturer’s website and on other websites should only be taken as a guide.

The actual, exact and only towing capacity figure that should be used for your vehicle is the one that is stamped on the Vehicle Identification Number Plate, VIN Plate.

The VIN Plate:

The VIN plate will display either 3 or 4 sets of weights, it is these weights that VOSA or the other vehicle authorities use to determine whether your vehicle is towing or being driven within the law.

  • The top figure ‘A’ is the gross vehicle weight, the Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) of the vehicle including occupants, fuel and payload.
  • The second figure ‘B’ is the gross train weight, this is the combined maximum allowable mass of the vehicle and trailer.
  • The third and fourth figures ‘C’ and ‘D’ are maximum axle loads front and rear respectively.

The manufacturer’s recommended maximum towing capacity for your vehicle is the gross vehicle weight subtracted from gross train weight. (4200kg – 2505kg = 1695Kg)

This calculation is based on a fully laden vehicle.

Note:

Certain performance, hybrid and city-car models or similar variants of standard models are not homologated to tow, this means that the vehicle manufacturer has deemed that the model is unsuitable for use as a tow vehicle. With this type of vehicle, the towing capacity will equate to zero or a gross train weight will not be displayed.

Vehicle Categories

The main non – LGV (unified) licence categories are:

Category A: Motorcycles (with or without a sidecar), including tricycles and mopeds.

Category B: Motor vehicles with:

  • A maximum authorised mass (MAM) not over 3,500kg
  • A maximum of 8 seats (not including the driver’s seat)

Trailers being towed by vehicles in this category must either:

  • Be not more than 750kg MAM – making a maximum authorised Train Weight of 4,250kg
  • Have a MAM which does not: – exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle
  • Have a MAM which does not: – Have a training weight exceeding 3,500kg

Drivers of vehicles in this category wishing to tow trailers that do not comply with either of the above conditions must have a B + E entitlement.

Booking is simple you can call us on  +44 (0)1952 608750

You can follow the booking process on our website: https://telfordtowbars.co.uk/shop/

Or book a Call Back: https://telfordtowbars.co.uk/shop/contact/request-callback

Remember, there is always a cuppa waiting!

Telford Towbar - BLOG Social Media Templates What Makes Telford Towbar Fitting the Best?

Towbar Fitting Services in Telford, UK

In the heart of Telford, you will find Telford Towbars. Born out of a passion for innovation, safety and simplicity, the biggest and best towbar installation specialist

What Makes Telford Towbar Fitting the Best?

The newly established three-bay towbar fitting specialists in Telford, have drawn on 19 years of being the UK’s leading designer of vehicle specific wiring kits. We are leaders in design and manufacture and are original equipment for many motor companies. Our towbar fitting services supply thousands of towing solutions every month in the UK.

Telford Towbars are NTTA Quality Assured, and to back this with our unique lifetime warranty to both towbar and wiring kit. Couple this with our free annual health check on your towing solution, and there’s no need to look elsewhere.

Our 5-star user rating gives absolute peace of mind that you are making the right choice. Our advanced, in-house coding solutions ensure that your motor is correctly coded to manufacturers specifications, activating all extra safety features as the factory intended.

You only fit a towing solution to your vehicle once; FIT THE BEST!

Towbar Fitting Costs: What You May Need to Know?

Remember adding a towbar and the electrics will give you such versatility so you can get more enjoyment out of your car.

Here at Telford Towbars, your safety is our priority. That is why we prefer you to get your towbar fitted in the hands of our specialists.

Towbar fitting costs vary; that is why all the prices are broken down for you on our website, or you can speak to one of our team members.

One of the main factors affecting the cost is the type of vehicle you have. Different manufacturers use various fixing methods, and these all add to the cost.

At Telford Towbars, we do three different types of towbar fitting, and these are:

Choose from three types of Towbars:

1. Detached

  • Suitable for vehicles with reversing sensors
  • In most instances, the system is completely invisible once the neck is removed
  • Compatible with AL-KO and other friction style stabilisers
  • Allows free access to the rear of the vehicle
  • Lockable with a set of two keys provided
  • Storage bag provided for safekeeping once next is removed

2. Flange

  • Popular in the UK
  • It can be used with accessories such as bumper guard and tow-steps
  • Tow ball height can be adjusted on some commercial vehicles
  • Capable of using accessories like some models of cycle carriers whilst towing

3. Swan Neck

  • Compatible for use with AL-KO stabiliser without the requirements of a replacement ball
  • Less likely to affect reversing sensors
  • Not compatible with common accessories such as bumper protectors or tow-steps
  • It cannot be used for a cycle carrier whilst towing at the same time
  • More aesthetically pleasing than a flange style towbar

Electrics

Another essential for a towbar fitting is the electric kit.

This increases the towbar fitting cost, and we offer the best kits for reliability and endurance.

We can advise you or choose which one is the best for your use and your type of vehicle. Telford towbars will not let you leave our workshop without your electrics being legally compliant for whatever you want to use it for.

Towbar fitting costs vary according to your type of vehicle; it doesn’t always mean the bigger your car, the more expensive it will be.

Again, we always make sure that whatever your vehicle model, we are compliant with each individual manufacture and will not affect your vehicle’s warranty.

Let’s explain our Electrics:

  • 7-pin Vehicle Specific Single Electrics

When you are towing a standard trailer or have a lighting board attached and even a bike carrier, a 7-pin vehicle specific kit will enable all of your light functions for this job. A 7-pin Vehicle Specific Single Electrics kit provides all of the basic legal lighting requirements for towing and harnesses perfectly with your car. We never fit by-pass or universal electrics to your vehicle!

  • 13-pin Vehicle Specific Electrics

You will need a 13-pin Vehicle Specific Electrics kit for towing a caravan because it provides all of the legal lighting requirements for towing, as well as powering the electrics inside your caravan. Most caravans manufactured after January 2009 will have 13-pin electrics and will also connect to your reverse lights whilst providing a full power supply inside your caravan. Please note that if you have the older 12n 12s style electrics, we will still fit the latest electrics to your vehicle and simply provide a 12n 12s to 13 pin adapter.

If you are still unsure about what electrics to use for your towbar fitting, then please don’t hesitate to call us on  +44 (0)1952 608750

Booking is simple you can call us on  +44 (0)1952 608750

You can follow the booking process on our website: https://telfordtowbars.co.uk/shop/

Or book a Call Back: https://telfordtowbars.co.uk/shop/contact/request-callback

Remember, there is always a cuppa waiting!

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