Do you have a Brink bike carrier solution and do you want to know which bicycle carriers fit on this special system? In this FAQ, Brink answers the question “Which bicycle carriers fit on the Brink bike carrier solution?”

Many types of bicycle carriers fit on the Brink bike carrier solution. To make it easy for you, Brink has compiled a list containing all bicycle carriers that fit on the system, the RMC. Click on the list.

Can the bike carrier solution carry my e-bikes?

This depends on the maximum nose weight that the car manufacturer has determined for your car. This nose weight is also called ‘vertical load’ and is the weight that may be placed on the towbar. This value differs per vehicle and towbar.
Usually the nose weight/vertical load of the car will match that of the (bicycle carrier) towbar. If not, you should use the lower of the two values. The combined weight of your bicycle carrier and bicycles may not exceed the nose weight/vertical load. When purchasing a bicycle carrier, pay attention to the weight of the bicycle carrier and whether the bicycle carrier can carry e-bikes.

Tip: disassemble the batteries of your e-bikes before you transport the bicycles on the bicycle carrier, this saves weight.

New design bike carrier solution

The bicycle carrier solution has recently been given a new design. Previously a metal strip was attached to the ball of the bullet, now the strip has been replaced by a pin through the ball of the bullet. This ensures that you cannot tow a trailer, caravan or trailer, but that the towbar can only be used to carry a bicycle carrier.
It is not allowed to remove the metal pin (formerly strip) from the bullet in any way. The bike carrier solution is not designed for pulling, but can only carry.

Which bike carriers fit on the old model bike carrier solution?

In the list of bicycle carriers that we have compiled for you, you will also find the bicycle carriers that fit on the old model of the Brink bike carrier solution.

If you want to know if there is a towbar available for your car, you can use the towbar searcher on our website. Brink offers the opportunity to easily and immediately check whether we have a towbar available for your car. You will only have to enter your license plate to start the search for a suitable towbar solution for your car. If you don’t have your license plate handy, you can also find a towbar using make, model and manufacturing year. Both search options provide a list of the most recent towbar solutions.

If your car has only recently been introduced to the market, it may be we do not yet have a towbar available in our selection for this type of car. These towbars are often already being produced and will be ready to sell as quickly as possible.

Click the link for more information on the various Brink towbars.

You will find the maximum tow weight of your car listed in your registration papers. There is a difference between braked weight and unbraked weight. Please always make sure that the weight of the load in your trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox does not exceed the maximum allowed tow weight of your car.

Click here for more information about laws and regulations and tractive power.

Brink is aiming to develop and produce the best possible solution for every type of car, ensuring you can safely and stylishly transport your items. However, not every towbar solution fits under your car, as a towbar consists of more parts than just the ball visible at the back of your car. A crossbar is installed under your car that supports the towbar construction. Since not every type of car is the same, a different crossbar has to be designed and produced for every car. Your car should be able and allowed to carry the required construction of this crossbar in combination with the weight of the other towbar components.

In addition to this limitation, another influencing factor on the availability of fixed towbars is laws and regulations. If your towbar obstructs the view of the license plate, a fixed towbar will not be available for your car, as it is against the law.

The development of a retractable towbar has some limitations as well. The weight of a retractable towbar is generally higher than that of a fixed or detachable towbar. In addition, your car needs to have enough room available behind the bumper to fold back the retractable towbar.

Brink is continuously making decisions concerning your towbar on the basis of these kinds of considerations. Because of this, we cannot develop every type of towbar for every type of car, but we will make the best towbar for your car.

Click the link for more information on the various Brink towbars.

Yes, technically speaking your towbar can be stolen. This basically never happens with fixed or retractable towbars, as the ball (the visible part of the towbar) is attached to the car for these types of towbars. A detachable towbar can be disconnected and is, therefore, more sensitive to theft. We have solved this problem by equipping these types of towbars with an anti-theft lock.

However, should you despite all precautions still lose your towbar, all is not lost. You can simply order a new ball in our web shop, as long as you have the necessary details. First, you need your type number and serial number (both listed on the type plate of your towbar, often near your socket plate). In addition, you need your chassis number, listed on the registration papers of your car.

I lost the key to the detachable towbar, what do I do now?

If you have lost the key of your detachable towbar, there is no need to panic. You can easily order a new set of Brink towbar keys online. Brink has three different detachable systems: horizontal, diagonal and vertical detachable. Every type of detachable towbar has its own type of key.

Order key

On brinkitems.eu you can find the right type of towbar and matching key set in three easy steps. At step 1, select the right type of key. At step 2, select the right lock number. And at step 3, pay via iDeal or Creditcard. You can also order the towbar key through your garage. The garage will use your towbar or lock number to order a new key for you.

For most cars, the choice is between fixed or detachable towbars. Retractable towbars are available for some brands of cars. The cheapest towbar system is a fixed towbar. Detachable and retractable towbars are more expensive, but they have a large advantage over fixed towbars. The biggest advantage of detachable and retractable towbars is the invisibility of both systems. A detachable towbar can be disconnected and placed in a storage bag in the boot of your car when you have no need of it. A detachable towbar can be folded behind your bumper and locked in place there. Both systems keep the design of your car completely intact. Because of this, detachable and retractable towbars are becoming more popular choices.

Which towbar is the best fit for you?

Based on the basic information listed above, the best course of action is to first start your search by asking how often you intend to use it. Every week (fixed) or less frequent (detachable or retractable)? Next, it is important to determine to which use you will put the towbar. Do you want to mount a bike carrier (bike carrier towbar), or attach a caravan, trailer, horsebox or boat trailer (fixed, detachable or retractable)? Lastly, you can determine whether the towbar can (fixed) or cannot (detachable or retractable) affect the design of your car.

If you want to know if there is a towbar available for your car, you can use the towbar searcher on our website. Brink offers the opportunity to easily and immediately check whether we have a towbar available for your car. You will only have to enter your license plate to start the search for a suitable towbar solution for your car. If you don’t have your license plate handy, you can also find a towbar using make, model and manufacturing year. Both search options provide a list of the most recent towbar solutions.

If your car has only recently been introduced to the market, it may be we do not yet have a towbar available in our selection for this type of car. These towbars are often already being produced and will be ready to sell as quickly as possible.

Click the link for more information on the various Brink towbars.

Brink is aiming to develop and produce the best possible solution for every type of car, ensuring you can safely and stylishly transport your items. However, not every towbar solution fits under your car, as a towbar consists of more parts than just the ball visible at the back of your car. A crossbar is installed under your car that supports the towbar construction. Since not every type of car is the same, a different crossbar has to be designed and produced for every car. Your car should be able and allowed to carry the required construction of this crossbar in combination with the weight of the other towbar components.

In addition to this limitation, another influencing factor on the availability of fixed towbars is laws and regulations. If your towbar obstructs the view of the license plate, a fixed towbar will not be available for your car, as it is against the law.

The development of a retractable towbar has some limitations as well. The weight of a retractable towbar is generally higher than that of a fixed or detachable towbar. In addition, your car needs to have enough room available behind the bumper to fold back the retractable towbar.

Brink is continuously making decisions concerning your towbar on the basis of these kinds of considerations. Because of this, we cannot develop every type of towbar for every type of car, but we will make the best towbar for your car.

Click the link for more information on the various Brink towbars.

A detachable towbar is a towbar that can be disconnected from your car when you don't need it. This type of towbar is mainly purchased by people who use their towbar several times a year. The most appealing advantage of this type of towbar is that the towbar does not affect the car design due to the detachable function. 

View the range

The flange ball is a fixed towbar, which is made for heavy work and is therefore frequently used in the professional industry. A flange ball can tow trailers weighing more than three tons with ease. This towbar is most suitable for delivery vans, pick ups or chassis cabs. The flange ball is available in several variants: the two-hole, four-hole and lowered four-hole version. 

View the range

A fixed towbar is a towbar that does not need to be removed from the car after installation and is always at your disposal. It is best suited for those who use a towbar regularly or who are looking for the cheapest towbar solution. 

View the range
 

A retractable towbar is a towbar solution that can be turned away very easily when not in use. This towbar is not available for every car. This is mainly due to the construction and design of the car. Not every car offers the necessary space behind the bumper to store the towbar. 

View the range

Are you looking for a Thule towbar? Then you are in the right place! Thule towbars have been produced under the name Brink Towbars since 2014, as they were before 2008. An independent company who changed nothing about the product, except the name. You will receive the same excellent service and the same range of products as you are used to.

Warranty

If you have a Thule towbar for which warranty is still valid, you can still claim it.

Replacement parts

Did you lose the key to the anti-theft lock of your Thule towbar? That’s not a problem. You can simply order a new one, with the Thule name on it, at Brinkitems.eu. Is there a crack in the protective cover on the ball of the towbar? Or is your cover in dire need of replacement after years of use? Again, not a problem. You can find all accessories for your Thule towbar at brinkitems.eu, except that they carry the Brink brand name. Any other products by Thule can still be purchased at their own website.

New towbar

If you are looking for a new Thule towbar, you can order one including installation via Brink.eu. You can do so by scheduling an appointment with one of our partners, or you can request a non-binding towbar quotation. A new towbar will once again sport the name Brink.

Click the link to read more about Thule towbars.

At Brink, you will receive one year of warranty on your towbar and wiring kit by default. This means that we guarantee that the supplied products are parts thereof are free of defects that are the direct result of errors in the materials, manufacturing or construction for a period of twelve months. Other warranties are covered by the warranty terms of the garage where you had the towbar installed.

Click to read more information about Brink Towbars and warranty.

Yes, technically speaking your towbar can be stolen. This basically never happens with fixed or retractable towbars, as the ball (the visible part of the towbar) is attached to the car for these types of towbars. A detachable towbar can be disconnected and is, therefore, more sensitive to theft. We have solved this problem by equipping these types of towbars with an anti-theft lock.

However, should you despite all precautions still lose your towbar, all is not lost. You can simply order a new ball in our web shop, as long as you have the necessary details. First, you need your type number and serial number (both listed on the type plate of your towbar, often near your socket plate). In addition, you need your chassis number, listed on the registration papers of your car.

I lost the key to the detachable towbar, what do I do now?

If you have lost the key of your detachable towbar, there is no need to panic. You can easily order a new set of Brink towbar keys online. Brink has three different detachable systems: horizontal, diagonal and vertical detachable. Every type of detachable towbar has its own type of key.

Order key

On brinkitems.eu you can find the right type of towbar and matching key set in three easy steps. At step 1, select the right type of key. At step 2, select the right lock number. And at step 3, pay via iDeal or Creditcard. You can also order the towbar key through your garage. The garage will use your towbar or lock number to order a new key for you.

Please ensure that your items are properly spread out over your caravan. While doing so, try to avoid packing heavy items in the higher cupboards. This leads to instability of the caravan during driving. In addition, it is sensible to always pack your items low to the ground, in the middle of the caravan and close to the axle of the caravan. We have written an extensive article about safely loading the caravan.

Click on the link for more information about safely loading your caravan.

This is possible in practice, as the ball (the visible part of the towbar) is fixed to the car with several strong nuts and bolts. However, we strongly advise against doing so. During installation of the towbar, the mechanic tightens these nuts with the amount of pressure prescribed by the car manufacturer. This pressure has been determined to offer a safety guarantee. If you remove the towbar, there is a chance the refastening is done incorrectly. Vibrations during driving could cause the nuts and bolts to loosen and fall off, with disastrous consequences

Professional aid

If you still want to disconnect the towbar, despite this warning, we recommend having a certified mechanic do so. Visit a garage to have the towbar refastened as well. That way, you are sure installation is done professionally. If you want to disconnect your fixed towbar more often, it might perhaps be better to exchange it for a detachable towbar.

If you towbar is broken, the best thing to do is to take it back to the garage that installed the towbar for you. They can properly assess what is defective about the towbar and which steps they need to take to solve the problem. If the defect is caused by a manufacturing fault, the garage will contact the manufacturer.

In order to safely travel with a caravan, the right tyre pressure is of the utmost importance, both for your car and your caravan. Tyre pressure is measured in bar. It is generally higher for a caravan than for a car.

The tyre pressure of a caravan often varies between 3 and 4.5 bar, that of a car between 2 and bar. If you are planning to go on a long journey, we recommend you increase that pressure a bit. If you are pulling a trailer, you should increase the pressure in the front tyres a little. In all these cases, you can use an increase of 0.3 bar as a criterion. It is best to inquire after the right tyre pressure for your caravan combination with a caravan dealer.

We have several towbars available for hybrid and electric cars, but our towbar selection that allows for towing a trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox is limited. In some cases, the vehicle manufacturer has already determined that your hybrid or electric car is not allowed to tow any objects. Brink has capitalized on this and developed a special solution for hybrid and electric cars that you cannot use to tow, but can use to carry. You can mount a bike carrier on this so-called bike carrier solution. The perfect solution for bike enthusiasts.

Click the link for more information on the bike carrier solution.

Yes, technically speaking your towbar can be stolen. This basically never happens with fixed or retractable towbars, as the ball (the visible part of the towbar) is attached to the car for these types of towbars. A detachable towbar can be disconnected and is, therefore, more sensitive to theft. We have solved this problem by equipping these types of towbars with an anti-theft lock.

However, should you despite all precautions still lose your towbar, all is not lost. You can simply order a new ball in our web shop, as long as you have the necessary details. First, you need your type number and serial number (both listed on the type plate of your towbar, often near your socket plate). In addition, you need your chassis number, listed on the registration papers of your car.

A 13 pin plug is used when towing objects, such as your caravan or an advanced trailer, boat trailer or horsebox. This plugged gives you all the light functions including reverse, it can also supply the permanent and fridge feeds. This plugs into the 13 pin socket mounted on the tow bar. Should you have a different plug or socket there are various adaptors that can be used so the trailer can be attached. If you are using a plug adaptor, you have to take into consideration that several features of your caravan can no longer function, such as reverse lights and permanent/fridge supplies.

Click the link for more information on sockets and wiring kits.

Not every car offers enough room for the installation of a towbar. In order to create additional room, it is necessary to make changes to your bumper. This is achieved by cutting away a piece of the bumper. This could be a notch in the bottom or the middle of your bumper. Brink applies strict standards when it comes to the visibility of a bumper cutout. In order to be able to install a Brink towbar, the bumper cutout should not be visible if you are at a distance of three metres from your vehicle. From that distance, a sighting line at a height of 1.85m applies.

Whether a towbar requires a bumper cutout is listed in the product description when selecting the products.

If you want to take a trip with your bike carrier, trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox, it should be powered to ensure the lights are working. In addition, the towed object should also know when you are braking so the brake lights can immediately be activated if necessary. In order for these functions to work, you need a wiring kit in addition to your towbar. The wiring kit is directly connected to the electricity system of your car.

Polarity

You can choose from a wiring kit with 7 pin or 13 pin socket. This has to do with the requirements of the connection. A 13 pin wiring kit provides a permanent/fride power and reverse to the towed vehicle.  In general, a 7 pin wiring kit is selected if you only require light functions for the towed vehicle.

Type of wiring kit

Brink only offers vehicle-specific wiring kits. We always recommend using a vehicle-specific wiring kit, as unlike universal wiring kits, these can be connected to your onboard computer (Body Control Module BCM). That way, the wiring kit can communicate with all modern electronic technology in your car. When scheduling an appointment with Brink, you will always see a vehicle-specific wiring kit.

Click the link for more information on wiring kits.

Your maximum nose weight, also called maximum vertical load, is the maximum vertical pressure that can be put on the towbar. The nose weight is listed on the towbar, it is often indicated as Max. Vertical Load. The nose weight is determined by the car manufacturer, which takes into account the power and construction of the car.

Click the link for more information on nose weight.

What do I have to check before I go on a trip with a caravan?

Before you go on a trip with a caravan, it is advisable to check the caravan on several points. Do not wait until the very last moment, as that will leave you little time to fix any possible defects. Do this at least a week before you leave. The most important points you have to check are:

• Tyres of the car and caravan
• Coupling on the drawbar
• Towbar
• Handbrake
• Exterior mirrors
• Lights of the car and caravan
• Fastening cables
• Nose weight
• Load weight
• Weight distribution
• Key detachable towbar

Click the link for more information about checks and a practical checklist before you start your trip.

What is TSP (Trailer Stability Programme)?

The Trailer Stability Program (TSP) is a smart solution in a car that detects the swinging motion of a trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox. If the swinging motion exceeds the pre-defined values, TSP corrects the car in order to prevent further swinging. TSP achieves this by slowing down the vehicle and systematically braking the wheels. Please note: this is a security measure, not a free pass for driving too fast.

Click the link for more information on TSP.

A 7 pin plug is used on such items as your bike carrier, trailer, boat trailer or horsebox. This plug only provides light functions and is connected to your car via the 7 pin socket on the tow bar. If your trailer does not have a fog light on it this may need to be retrofitted or not cut off from the vehicle.

There are no power functions with a 7 pin plug or socket.

It may be that your car has a 13 pin socket while your trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox has a 7 pin plug. You can buy an adaptor to solve this problem. Older caravans sometimes still have 2 x 7 pin plugs. Newer caravans since 2008 will have a 13 pin plug.