Towbar Fittings: You vs The Professionals

23 Sep 2022Blog

When you want to have a towbar fitted to your vehicle, you might consider doing it yourself, as it is legal to fit a towbar yourself. However, the towbar must be installed correctly under the EC94/20 regulations. This means that the towbar must be fitted correctly to all the mounting points, as per the manufacturers’ instructions. 

 

 

The towbar itself must also be an EC Approved towbar, which will be evident by a label or plate that displays the EC approval number. If a towbar is not installed correctly then it is both dangerous and illegal, so many people choose to use a professional fitting service instead.

 

If you are still deciding whether to fit the towbar yourself, here are some key factors to consider:

 

Cost

 

You can save the cost of fitting the towbar by fitting it yourself, but this could result in other costs. For example, if not fitted correctly, you could be given a fine or you could cause damage to your vehicle, the trailer/caravan you are towing and other people’s property. If you are confident that you can correctly install the towbar, you can make a good saving though.

 

Warranty

 

If you have your towbar professionally fitted, you will usually also benefit from a warranty. Many towbar manufacturers provide a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects, while professional fitters will usually offer a 12-month guarantee on the installation of the towbar, as well as electrics that are not covered under the manufacturers’ warranty.

 

Signalling/Wiring

 

Installing the towbar is just one part of the legal requirements, as depending on what you are towing, you may also need to get a towbar wiring kit and lighting board. It is a legal requirement to have two red sidelights, two red brake lights, amber indicators and a pair of triangular reflectors at the back of a trailer being towed. Buying a lighting board will provide all of the legal lighting requirements but wiring the board to the car is complicated. Unless you are an auto-electrician, you will probably find it very difficult to wire the lighting board.

 

Peace of mind

 

One of the big benefits of having a professional towbar fitting is that it will give you more peace of mind. If you are going on holiday and towing your caravan, you do not want to spend the whole journey worrying about whether the towbar has been correctly fitted and will remain secure. As well as worrying about the potential damage it could cause to your vehicle and caravan, you put other road users at risk if your towbar has not been fitted correctly. When you use a towbar fitter such as PF Jones, you can enjoy your journey without dreading the worst-case scenario.

 

PF Jones offers towbar fitting at your home or place of work and the fitting is fully guaranteed. Get an instant towbar fitting quote.

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