Installing a towbar yourself

The installation process for a towbar almost always starts with disassembling your back bumper. The installation manual will almost always list the exact location of the mounting points of the back bumper. Please note that the bumper can fall and be damaged when loosening the fastenings. Therefore, make sure the back bumper is properly supported so it will not fall. WD40 can be of great help when disassembling a bumper. You can spray this water-repellent spray on the mount points, which allows the bumper to slip free of the mounts more smoothly. After disassembling the back bumper, it is best to place it on a sturdy stand. This will once again prevent damage and ensures the stability of your bumper still requires treatment for installation of the towbar.

In by far the most cases, we manage to develop a towbar with the right fit regarding the back bumper. However, this sometimes is proven to be impossible, and you will have to cut out a piece of the bumper to make room for the sleeve or create a hole for the ball. In these cases, we almost always provide a bumper sticker which shows the exact measurements of the required cutout. This bumper sticker can be placed on the inside of the back bumper and represents a lot of time saved. Instructions about placement can be found in the installation manual and/or on the sticker. Always make sure that the bumper cutout is neatly finished. You can achieve this by using a fine-tooth saw and by protecting the saw cut beforehand using tape.

The crossbar needs to be fixed to various points under the car using bolts. The locations of these points are specified by the car manufacturer. Therefore, the crossbar comes equipped with vehicle-specific side plates. The anchoring of these side plates to the chassis differs per type of car, due to the placement and number of the mounting points. Follow the installation manual for the right procedure. Points of attention are:

Before placing the crossbar, you should first perform a detailed check of the part. In order to protect the screw thread of the mounting points during the coating process, they are sealed with rubber covers. You should remove these before installation.

In order to guarantee a good and long-term installation, it is important that you properly clean the surfaces of the crossbar that come in contact with the chassis of the car. These surfaces should be made free of dirt, corrosion and coating, using a scraper or spatula.

It may sometimes be the case you will have to drill an extra hole in the crossbar. In order to prevent corrosion, post-treatment of these holes is required. Post-treatment consists of vacuuming and spraying the hole clean of iron grindings and drilling waste and applying an anti-corrosive substance.

In several car models, it may happen that the chassis bars are covered by the crossbar after installation. It is therefore recommended to seal the seams between the chassis and the crossbar to prevent water getting in. Any water that leaks into the area cannot get out and will rust the chassis bar from inside.

Initially, fasten the bolts that fastens the crossbar by hand. This offers the opportunity to move the bar a little and push it into the right place. Only then can you fasten the crossbar with the specific tightening torques listed in the installation manual.

When installing the sleeve, it is once again important to follow the installation manual to the letter to ensure safe construction. It is important to ensure that both bolts used to fasten the sleeve are also placed through the side plates of the crossbar. If this is not the case, the sleeve will not be fixed and the ball cannot be placed in the right position. The sleeve should also be installed with the specified tightening torques. These can be found in the installation manual.

In order to ensure safe construction and possible retractability behind the bumper, you should once again follow the installation manual to the letter to install the socket. The manual stipulates the right position of the socket as determined by the Brink development department.

Keeping to the steps in the installation manual is crucial during installation of the ball. Only then can we guarantee a safe construction. It is important to take into account that installation of the ball will always be the last step, and will therefore only take place after you have put the bumper back in place. Installing a towbar yourself is a specialist job.

There are still several checks to be performed after installation of the towbar. First, check if all fastening materials have actually been used. Next, check whether the installation has been completed without leeway. If both have been found correct, test the functioning of the towbar if you have installed a detachable or retractable system. Finally, check whether the socket can indeed be folded back behind the bumper. The first few times, this movement can be strenuous. In that case, applying some WD49 can help.