Check up for the towbar: Keep these points in mind every year
What should you pay attention to as part of an annual check-up – regardless of whether you travel a lot with the trailer or whether you drive less with it? We have put together the most important points for the annual check-up of your towbar, after all, your towbar accompanies you all year round and in the true sense of the word.
For detachable towbars: cleaning the mount
If you have a detachable trailer hitch, then rinse the coupling for the towing hitch, i.e. the sleeve into which you insert the ball rod during assembly, once a year with some water. There used to be a so-called protective plug that prevented the sleeve from being contaminated. This plug is no longer required due to a product optimization of the intake. A simple rinse is sufficient, as the holder is now designed in such a way that, in principle, significantly less dirt can adhere to it.
If you’ve been off-road, of course, after such a trip you should take a look at the towbar anyway, rinse it off briefly and, if necessary, check whether there are any small branches or mud crusts in the mount.
Functional test of the removable and swiveling towbar at the check-up
If you travel a lot with the trailer or the rear bike carrier, then you already use your trailer hitch a lot and use all functions regularly. However, if you have not used the trailer hitch for a longer period of time, it is advisable to assemble and disassemble both a detachable and a swiveling towbar from time to time. In this way you can rule out that processes may no longer go well or that something gets stuck in the automatic system of the towbar. This is also good for the lock of the trailer hitch, at the same time you know your way around the product better and are prepared for every journey.
Where is the spare key?
If you order a trailer coupling, we will supply you with two keys with every detachable and swiveling trailer coupling. These are for the theft protection of the towbar. One of the two keys is intended as a spare key. You should keep it in a fixed place and best of all with a key fob, as the keys have a red handle, but are still quite small.
Remove the trailer coupling when not in use and stow it safely
If you do not use your towbar, it is advisable to always remove it or to fold it in with the swiveling towbar. A rigid towbar naturally remains on the vehicle. By removing it, you reduce the risk of damage to the trailer coupling in the event of a possible rear-end collision. Otherwise the towbar would have to be completely replaced, and many insurance companies also require the trailer hitch to be folded in or removed when not in use.
To safely stow the detachable ball rod, we provide you with a practical bag in which you can store the ball bar in the trunk, for example. Make sure that the towball cannot fly around in the trunk, for example when driving or braking.
When the winter months are coming closer one has to prepare some of the tools used on a regular basis. Like the outdoor furniture the towbar must be prepared for the colder months as well. While a fixed towbar can not really be prepared, a detachable towbar should always be detached if not in use. Then, a cleaning is recommended as well as packing the towbar in the provided bag.
