Everything You Need To Know About Towbars

Everything You Need To Know About Towbars To Help You Decide The Best Option For Your Vehicle

Choosing a towbar is a relatively niche topic and one that not many people outside of the industry will have much information about. However, at North West Towbars, we firmly believe that it is important for our customers to have at least a basic knowledge of the different types of towbar so that they can make an informed decision, rather than just take the advice of our staff- good though that is.This article aims to identify and explain the different types of towbar and the benefits of each type.

Flange Towbars

A flange towbar is the most popular type of towbar fitted in the United Kingdom and is probably what most people’s idea is of a towbar. It is typically fitted to the vehicle using two 24mm bolts, although depending on the type of vehicle, some towbars require four of these bolts. One of the reasons why the flange towbar is so popular is due to its versatility.

This is because a flange towbar can be used with tow ball mounted accessories, meaning that you could, for example, add cycle carriers and bumper protectors at the same time. These accessories are fitted in a space between the towbar and the ball. Another benefit of a flange towbar is that they are available as both a fixed and a detachable option(only available on certain models).

Swan Neck Towbars

A Swan Neck towbar is a much more popular option in the EU but is gaining a lot of traction in the UK market, partly due to the fact that it looks much nicer, but also due to the style and design, it is much less likely to interfere with the parking sensors fitted to most modern cars. The most significant disadvantage of this type of towbar is that you can only perform one task with it at a time.For example, this means that you could tow a trailer with it, but that would prevent you from attaching a towbar style cycle carrier - not ideal if you have a trailer tent! A Swan Neck towbar is made out of one piece of metal, which means that the ball and the neck are all one piece, which some of our customers prefer. Like Flange Towbars, Swan Neck Towbars are available in both a fixed and a detachable style.

Detachable Towbars

A detachable towbar gives the opportunity to quickly remove the visible section of towbar when not needed, usually taking around ten seconds to remove with no tools required.  The main benefits are not having an unsightly towbar on show when not being used, removing the risk of bashing your legs when near the rear of the car and not causing issues with parking sensors which sometimes see a towbar. This option does come at a premium, but at North West Towbars we only offer trusted and approved towbars to ensure  the maximum levels of safety.

Fixed or Detachable

Whether you choose a fixed or a detachable towbar largely depends on how often you are likely to use the facility. If you expect to be towing or going out cycling and need a cycle carrier more than once per month, then our advice would be to choose a fixed style of towbar. On the other hand, if you only expect to use the towbar once a year on your annual holiday, then a detachable towbar may be a better option as your car will look sleeker when the towbar is not attached.Whatever type of towbar you require, North West Towbars can supply and fit it. We have been the leading independent Towbar installation company in the North West for many years, and we are committed to delivering 100 percent customer satisfaction.To arrange a free consultation today and discuss the towbar options available for your vehicle, contact us on 0161 474 7474