What Are The Different Types of Towbars for Your Vehicle

A tow bar is also known as a tow hitch. It is actually a gadget that attaches the back of your vehicle to another vehicle. A sphere or socket system is available which allows both vehicles to move together while maintaining a safe distance between them. Towbars come in very handy when you want to move a broken down vehicle or trailer to a new location. Towbars are usually fit in heavy vehicles which tow other vehicles. Usually, the weight which can be towed with a towbar is comparative to that of the automobile. It is important that you choose a towbar which is appropriate for the trailer or vehicle which is being towed. It is also important to consider different circumstances under which the towbar is being used.

In this article, we will tell you about some different types of towbars and how they come in handy under different circumstances.

Some Common Types of Towbars for your Vehicle

1) Rigid Towbar - This is the most basic type of towbar. It is very lightweight and inexpensive. The arms of this towbar are joined together in an A shape. Therefore, it is also known as A-frame towbar. However, it becomes slightly difficult to mount the bar alone. Rigid towbars usually need two people to align the towbar to another vehicle. This type of towbar should be used if you don't need to disconnect the towing connection.

2) Self Aligning Towbar - Self aligning towbars are also known as Collapsible towbars. This type of towbar can be easily mounted and adjusted. It is held together with pins. These pins can be easily removed which allows connections and disconnections. However, such towbars can be easily stolen if you do not have a locking system in place. When you connect another vehicle, the towbar pulls out and locks itself in the car which is being towed. Self aligning towbars come in two varieties: Motorhome mounted which are fixed on the tow car and Car mounted which are fixed on the car being towed.

• Motorhome Mounted - Such towbars have become very popular among users. This is because they include a swivel joint and a ball coupler. Moreover, such a towbar has no drop ball mount that scrapes the road while you move the tow car over bumps or holes. The bar can be easily fixed at the end of the tow car.
• Car Mounted - Car mounted towbars are speedy and simple. This is because they have a rapid release system which folds itself back to the tow car when the towbar is not in use. Car mounted tow bars fitted in a vehicle are usually used for towing trucks. The only problem is that Car mounted towbars affect the suspension of a car.

3) Flange Ball - Last but not the least, you may also use Flange ball towbars which use a ball system. The ball is mounted on the towbar and connected to the wiring car with nuts and bolts. Ford towbars, Mitsubishi towbars and others also work on the basis of this concept. However, you need to buy stabilizers with Flange ball towbars.

By Tina Antony