Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
To move light trailers, trailers or carriages, the vehicle must be equipped with a towing device called a tow bar. The design provides not only a reliable hitch when towing, but also connects the on-board network of the car with the lights on the trailer. Some models are equipped with towbars immediately on the factory conveyor, but most of the cars are not equipped with towing hitch devices. Therefore, many motorists buy this important accessory on their own. A wide range of universal and specialized models from different manufacturers is presented on the domestic market. Recommendations of our experts will help you to make the right choice.
Recommendations for choosing a tow bar
Vehicle information. Before going to the store, you should thoroughly study some of the data about your car. Be prepared to answer the following questions from your sales assistant:
- car brand and model;
- year of issue;
- the maximum permissible mass of the towed trailer.
Trailer data. Another part of the questions will concern the technical parameters of the trailer. You need to know the type of body, gross weight, size of the coupling, the presence of chains for belay.
Towbar type. Motorists are offered several options for coupling devices.
- The classic towbar is fastened with bolts, sometimes it can be secured by welding. This type of coupling is reliable, but worsens the appearance of the car from behind.
- Towbars with a removable hook and a towing ball are not inferior to standard models in reliability, they do not spoil the appearance of the car. Moreover, the cost of such traction-coupling structures is higher than the price of the “classic”.
- The flange hitch provides a trailer coupling with a special platform, which is mounted to the car body.
Ball types. Towbars differ in the type of ball.
- Conditionally removable structures are divided into several types, which are designated by Latin letters. For example, type A is reliable and unpretentious, it can withstand a load of up to 150 kg, and the weight of a trailer can reach 1500 kg. Quick release balls fitted to premium cars are designated BMA.
- Welded structures are more often used on domestic machines. For example, type FC says that the optimal load is 750 kg.
- Forged balls are designated G and F. On SUVs, towbars with F balls are used, the maximum load is limited to 2000 kg.
Corrosion protection. The durability of the towbar depends on the effectiveness of the fight against rust. The best protection of steel against corrosion is a multilayer coating, when electroplating (phosphating, zinc plating) is done before applying the powder paint.
We have selected 7 best towbar manufacturers for our review. All of them sell their products on the Russian market. When distributing places in the rating, the opinion of the expert community and reviews of domestic motorists were taken into account.
Rating of the best manufacturers of towbars
| Nomination | a place | manufacturer | rating |
| Rating of the best manufacturers of towbars | 1 | Bosal | 5.0 |
| 2 | Thule (Brink) | 4.9 | |
| 3 | IMIOLA | 4.8 | |
| 4 | Auto-Hak | 4.7 | |
| 5 | Baltex | 4.6 | |
| 6 | Leader Plus | 4.5 | |
| 7 | AvtoS | 4.4 |
Bosal
Rating: 5.0
The Dutch-Belgian company Bosal offers a wide range of car towbars. In order to develop the Russian market, the manufacturer built a plant in Novoorsk. There are many branches on other continents as well. Therefore, the domestic buyer is offered products from different countries, from Germany to South Africa. Experts gave the laurels of the winner of our rating to the brand not only for the variety of models, but also for excellent quality. All enterprises of the concern have been certified in accordance with strict quality standards. For the manufacture of the case, high-quality steel is used, which is protected by a special multi-layer coating.
Domestic users in the reviews confirm the reliability and durability of Bosal towbars, a rich assortment and an affordable price.
Advantages
- wide range of models;
- high quality;
- affordable price;
- reliable protection against corrosion.
disadvantages
- not found.
Thule (Brink)
Rating: 4.9
The Thule brand has won worldwide recognition for its premium car roof racks. In 2006, the company merged with the manufacturer of towing equipment Brink. That is why both Thule and Brink can be seen on the same towbar models. The experts noted the firm's aspiration for continuous improvement of its products. In addition to classic towbars, the manufacturer has mastered advanced systems with manual or automatic hiding under the bumper. In this way, the hook of the BrinkMatic Classic hitch is dismantled with two hand movements, while maintaining the reliability of the hitch. The brand receives the silver in our rating.
Russian motorists are satisfied with the manufacturing quality of modern quick-detachable towbars. The disadvantages include only the high price.
Advantages
- high quality;
- quick-detachable structures;
- durability;
- reliability.
disadvantages
- high price.
IMIOLA
Rating: 4.8
The combination of competent pricing policy and good quality of towbars allowed the Polish company IMIOLA to confidently gain a foothold in the Russian market. Experts consider high-performance equipment to be one of the main reasons for success. It is used at the stage of machining, welding and painting. Powder paint provides long-term corrosion protection for towbars. An increased demand among Russian motorists is observed for removable towing hitch devices. Their installation does not require special skills and devices, the car owner can do everything himself. The trade mark takes the honorable third place in our rating.
Users in the reviews praise the Polish towbars for their thoughtful design and affordable price. But during installation, you have to deal with fitting parts.
Advantages
- acceptable price;
- good quality;
- reliable protection against corrosion;
- removable structures.
disadvantages
- inaccurate dimensions.
Auto-Hak
Rating: 4.7
Another Polish manufacturer of towbars made it into our rating, stopping one step away from the pedestal. Auto-Hak attracted the attention of experts with budget prices and constant updating of the line of towing devices. Car owners are offered not only classic models, but also modern quick-detachable designs. During its existence (since 1975) the company has developed and manufactured more than 800 types of towbars. The products have international quality certificates, which allows them to work successfully in the European market. But in the standard configuration there is no wiring and outlet, which makes it difficult to self-install.
Russian motorists note such advantages of Auto-Hak towbars as affordable prices, good quality and a wide range of models. But there are no electrical parts in the kit.
Advantages
- affordable prices;
- good quality;
- rich assortment;
- reliability.
disadvantages
- incomplete set.
Baltex
Rating: 4.6
The Russian company Baltex successfully withstands tough competition with foreign manufacturers. The European quality of towbars allows the brand to occupy a leading position in the domestic market. The manufacturer's specialty are models with stainless steel plates. They provide additional protection for the structure against damage and corrosion. The experts highly appreciated the reliability of the paintwork, so rust does not appear on the towing hitch for a long time. The most popular model in Russia was the towbar for Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The fifth place in the rating is due to the lack of wiring in the kit.
Russian motorists are satisfied with the range of products, decent quality and stainless steel elements. Of the minuses, problematic installation is noted.
Advantages
- rich assortment;
- good quality;
- stainless steel pads;
- reasonable prices.
disadvantages
- no wiring included.
Leader Plus
Rating: 4.5
The Russian company Leader Plus began to conquer the car accessories market with the release of towbars for domestic cars. Thanks to the timely elimination of the shortcomings discovered by users, the manufacturer managed to create ideal precision towing couplers for VAZ vehicles. For each Lada model, towbars are made taking into account the dimensions of the bumper. Currently, the range of products has been expanded due to models for popular foreign cars. The experts included the brand in the TOP-6 of our rating for good quality and reasonable prices.
Motorists in the reviews praise the Leader Plus towbars for the ease of installation. There is no need to remove the bumper or trim the bottom of the bumper to install the towbar. Among the disadvantages is the low strength of the fasteners.
Advantages
- exact dimensions;
- affordable prices;
- good quality;
- quick installation.
disadvantages
- fragile bolts.
AvtoS
Rating: 4.4
Another domestic manufacturer pleases the owners of Russian cars with their towbars. The AvtoS enterprise, built in Kolomna, makes towing devices even for old Moskvich and Oka cars. The main part of production is focused on the VAZ model range. The low price helps the company to compete successfully with domestic and foreign brands. Experts see this as the other side of the coin. The rough processing of details is striking. The manufacturer has not solved the problem of high weight. Therefore, the brand takes the last place in our rating.
Motorists are dissatisfied with the complex installation of AvtoS towbars. Most of the complaints come from the owners of Chevrolet NIVA, because they have to drill a lot of holes in the body.
Advantages
- a wide range of;
- low prices;
- own developments;
- reliability.
disadvantages
- rough processing;
- inaccurate dimensions.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
