TowBar2u Blog

Following a very successful 12 months at Towbar2u.com and in line with our strategy to launch and expand the franchise nationally, Towbar2u.com are pleased to announce the appointment of Tom Mason as Franchise Development Manager. Tom joins us with a successful history of development with some major national and international brand leading companies.

Our strategy is to attract people from across the UK to join one of the most successful and profitable van based franchise business’s available today. Hard working individuals fed up with creating wealth for the ‘other guy’ who, with our help and guidance can soon become their own boss. Enjoying all the rewards of hard work plus secure in the knowledge that our support network is ready to assist whenever they require it.

Over the last five years, the Towbar2u.com business model has been created, developed, tested and successfully operated and is now ready for national launch.

For further information about Towbar2u franchising opportunities, visit www.towbar2ufranchising.com.

The next step is easy!

On the face of it, it would seem that your trailer tyres should last pretty much forever. But in practice, most trailer tyres should be replaced every four or five years regardless of mileage. Why? Because ozone in the air and exposure to UV radiation (read sunlight) can easily cause an innocent looking trailer tyre, that looks fine and still holds air, to suddenly fail at highway speeds. Nearly half of all road-service calls for towing or trailering problems involve flat tyres or blowouts.

Inflation is another cause for concern. Some tyres can lose a pound or more of air per week. And an under-inflated tyre can cause fishtailing and/or a quick build up of heat resulting in a blowout. Either of these instances occuring could end up causing you to have a very nasty accident. A quick pre-trip inflation check can help you avoid these common mishaps.

One thing to consider when buying new tyres for your trailer is that larger tyres rotate more slowly and generate less heat. And likewise, smaller tyres rotate faster, generating more heat and increasing the chances of failure. So all things being equal, it makes sense to choose the largest wheel/tyre size that your trailer manufacturer specifies. Also keep in mind that even higher-end ST rated tyres (Special Trailering), which have stiffer sidewalls to help with cornering, are still only speed rated to 65mph.

It is important that you consult your owner’s manual to find out the towing capacity of your vehicle. Keep in mind that the original equipment tyres that came with your vehicle are rated to handle the specified tow weight. That is of course, if they are in good shape. Towing places all sorts of additional stresses on a tyre. To perform safely, your tyres should have good tread depth. To check this use the head of an unused match and insert it into the tyre’s tread. If the tread is at any point below 3/4 of the head, the tyre should be replaced. US and European tyres have ‘wear bars’, or “Tread Wear Indicators” (TWI) moulded into the grooves of the tyre. When these become flush with the tops of the remaining tread, the tyre is at the legal limit of normal safety and must be replaced.

If your trailer does require new tyres, a trusted tyre retailer such as fastfitexpress.co.uk will help you find replacements that measure up to the original equipment tyres. Keep in mind that there is no need to jump up to a more aggressive tyre class, as long as the replacement tyres are of the same quality and size as the original equipment tyres, you’re fine. Switching to another class of tyres may not just cost more but could compromise ride and handling characteristics.

Towing is a very demanding activity and proper tyres play a big part in being able to perform it safely. For most of us, the best bet is to visit a trusted tyre retailer, who will have all the tyre replacement and tyre towing capacity figures. They will recommend the best replacement tyre (often several), which will meet your trailer and budget requirements. Towing is not the time to cheap out on your tyres, but it also doesn’t have to be an excuse to overspend, either.

Whenever you leave your trailer or caravan unattended there is always the possibility that someone may steal it, an even worse scenario is if your trailer or caravan is stolen whilst loaded with your valuable family possessions.

All a thief really needs to do is pull up in there vehicle, put your trailer or caravan onto his towbar and pull away.

Easy as this may sound for the thief, it is just has easy for yourself to protect your trailer or caravan against such an event.

The first and most popular way is by fitting a hitch lock. A hitch lock is usually just a small pin which you insert through the hitch receiver of your trailer or caravan, then lock with a key. This will prevent the thief from stealing your property and even if he has the right tools, he will still not be able to break the hitch lock easily giving you ample time to be alarmed. Hitch locks are formed from stainless steal to grant the highest stability and are pretty cheap.

Normal hitch locks will be enough to prevent thieves from stealing big heavy trailers and caravans, but if you have a small trailer, thieves maybe still be able to steal it just by towing it away with there bare hands. If you do have a smaller type trailer a wheel lock would most likely be a better investment. Wheel locks are heavy duty U-steel locking systems which you put around the tires preventing them from rolling or being towed away. Of course if the thief has the correct tools with them they may still succeed stealing your property but having a locking system in place is usually a great deterent and can daunt the thief enough that they won’t try to steal it.

The original and best method of protecting your trailer or caravan of course is for it to be locked up safely in a garage, but in case you don’t have one, or for any reason one is not available for rental, the options above will help you considerably in preventing thieves from taking advantage and stealing your expensive property.

If you require any further information with regards to either of these products and there availability, please get in touch with us at towbar2u.com and we will be able to help.

One the most important accessories you can add to your vehicle to instantly make it more useful, versatile, and practical is a towbar.  The addition of a tow bar will allow your vehicle to pull anything from trailers to caravans and many other vehicles. Towbars are usually made of anodized steel and fit unobtrusively under the bumper of your vehicle, this not only increases its practicality, but also its sell on value.

Camping, moving, and buying new furniture all become easier when your vehicle has a towbar attached. When you can easily attach a trailer behind you, there is no need to worry if everything will fit in the car as you set out on your holiday, or to squeeze your boxes and packages in between the kids in the back seat. Bicycles, recreational vehicles, or any large purchase can be safely and easily towed home when your vehicle has a tow bar.

The most popular reason for adding a towbar is so that your vehicle can tow a caravan. Caravanning has become popular in recent years due to the recession and the low costs involved in holidaying within and around your own accommodation.

When purchasing a tow bar, look for one that comes with a guarantee, and be sure that it is a good fit for your particular vehicle. Some are rated as being heavier duty than others, so check to make sure you are getting what you need. Additionally, if you are going to be towing heavy items, such as other vehicles, or if you intend to be towing often, you should check your vehicle specifications to ensure that it was design with a towing option in mind. That way, you won’t have to worry about your vehicle while you’re on the road.

Always consider using a mobile tow bar fitting service when adding a tow bar to your vehicle. This will not only be more convenient for yourself but it will also help in reducing the cost, due to the lower overheads of the mobile fitting provider compared to that of a garage or fitting centre.

Towbar2u are a specialist mobile tow bar fitting service covering parts of England and Ireland. Please visit our website at towbar2u.com for a free fitting quote and advice. Alternatively please contact us with any specific requirements that you may need by clicking here.

Things to check before Towing:

1. Tyres.
   Check the tyre condition and tyre pressures on the van.
   If the tyres are more than 4 years old think seriously about getting them replaced .
   Every tyre has a manufacturers date code on it. If you can’t read it then take the wheels to a tyres fitter, who will be able to read the date code. Caravan tyres tend to become useless because of the effects of sunshine on rubber and because they are often being left with the weight of the tyre on one spot for weeks or months on end.
2. Nose weight.
   Some cars and vans have different nose weight allowances. My rule of thumb is lift the jacks up so the van is standing on its road wheels and jockey wheel . Try to lift the jockey wheel off of the ground if you can just lift it it should be some where near right. if it is impossible to lift move something to the rear of the van ( put jacks down first of course) if it lifts real easy move something forward ( jacks down of course). If you have the correct tools and weights use them to get it just right.
   To ensure that you are fully legal, the loaded caravan nose weight should be the lighter of the maximum permitted by the car manufacturer, the tow bar manufacturer and the caravan manufacturer. If you don’t have all of these figures then look in your car and van handbooks or ask on the newsgroup.
3. Hitching.
   After raising the steady jacks, hitching up to the car and checking the lights have been checked, use the jockey wheel to lift the front of the van a little then shake the van firmly using the handles on each corner.This should make sure that you have the hitch correctly done.
   Obviously if the hitch comes undone, it was incorrectly attached. Then lift the jockey wheel completely clear of the ground. This may involve undoing a pinch bolt and twisting the whole assembly not just winding the handle.
   Make a check list of safety things to to do just before you set off. (Gas off, mains cable disconnected and stored, van door locked, steadies fully up, check cable attached, lights and indicators working, handbrake fully off, double check the hitch is firmly attached etc. etc.). And use the check list.
4. Brakes.
   With the van hitched to the car apply the hand brake on the van. Gently try moving the van with the car if it moves easily the brakes need adjusting or servicing and I wouldn’t suggest towing it anywhere.
5. If the van won’t move with the hand brake released then you have a problem. This can often occur if the hand brake has been left on for some time.
6. See what’s coming.
   Spend some money on a good pair of extension mirrors so that you can see the idiot behind who’s about the to pull out and smear himself all over the front of the articulated lorry rapidly approaching in the opposite carraigeway you can see coming round the next bend and brake to avoid getting involved. Seriously you have to watch out for the nutters and drive defensively and carefully.
7. Stabilisers.
   There is a lot of argument regarding the use of stabilisers when towing (Use Google to search for some of the arguments). Some will not use them and have never had a problem, others will not leave home without them. I would suggest that if you are new to caravanning, then you get and use one, they will help, but only if you drive sensibly.
8. Setting off.
   If this is the first time you have towed a caravan. I would try to pick a quiet time of day. You will find that the car will not accelerate as quickly as it does solo and stopping distances will be much longer.
   Don’t worry too much about holding up other traffic. If you feel there is a long queue behind you pull into a lay-by and let the traffic pass.
   Drive steadier especially down hill, leave more room, look around more. Tell your passengers that if you don’t reply to them immediately its because your concentrating more on your driving.
   Leave plenty of time for your journey. Watch out for white van man, a Merc HiTop doing 90 down the fast lane of the motorway makes my van move far more than any coach or Artic.
   I always drive far more gently with the van on, this includes pulling away, cornering and of course stopping. For instance, instead of using the 2 second rule when following another vehicle, leave a 4 second gap or more. This also has the advantage that if others do want to overtake you, it gives them a gap to pull back into.
   Remember that the speed limits are different when you are towing a caravan. Where before you could drive at 60 or 70 mph, now you can only drive at 50 or 60 mph.What ever happens don’t let the other drivers bully you into driving faster than you feel safe.
   And at the same time Be considerate to the other drivers, especially those following you on single carriageway roads.

Witter Towbars have used the latest in robotic manufacturing technology for over 25 years. The need for continuous improvement using state of the art production techniques and operating systems requires the perpetual replacement of production hardware. The robots were first introduced over 25 years ago and have been replaced several times. The energy efficiency and capacity of the current robots is no longer viable and as such Witter would like to announce the first set of many new fully automatic robotic weld units.

In July 2009 the first phase of the £1.5M investment programme at there Deeside manufacturing facility was completed. The investment highlighted Witter Towbars’ determination to maintain its UK manufacturing presence and its confidence to continue to develop and grow within the UK and Europe. Thanks to there dedicated team of skilled Manufacturing Engineers the first of two state of the art laser cutting machines was installed, commissioned and ready for production in less than a week.

This investment programme has now continued with apace with the installation of the latest robotic welding units now complete in early 2010. These along with new bending equipment and a second laser and further robotic welders due, will ensure that the Witter Towbars available here at Towbar2u remain safety compliant, competitive and up to date with all there main competitors.

In case you will need to tow any four-wheeled vehicles, the use of efficient and reliable tow bars is extremely necessary. Basically, a tow bar is a device used to pull an automotive vehicle. It is attached at the back of the ride and connected to another vehicle that will be pulling it. Typically, tow bars are used along with other accessories like the cables, and safety chains.

Generally, towbars are available in two different varieties – the rigid and collapsible. The rigid bar has the most basic and affordable design. It features an A-design, and requires the towed vehicle to be fully centered behind the coach since its arms cannot be adjusted. Thus, it will be difficult to connect it to the trailer ball. This type of bar is ideal for frugal buyers who are looking for a practical and economical buy. Rigid bars are lightweight, inexpensive and very reliable.

On the contrary, collapsible or detachable towbars are perfect for those who will be connecting and disconnecting them frequently. They feature self-aligning arms that are very easy to engage, even without the help of another person. In addition, you can just hook them up and drive away with ease since the arm will extend by itself, self-center, and then lock for safe towing. This type of bar is very convenient for people who are always on the road.

Since tow bar fittings are sold in a wide range of specifications and configurations, it is highly important that you choose the one that perfectly matches your needs. First and foremost, you have to determine the main use of the bar. Will it be for towing a big caravan or just a small trailer to move some items?

After you have decided on what type of tow bar to purchase, you can now easily select the right towbar wiring kit to be used. Wiring kits are readily available at Towbar2u. They are sold in a vast array of types, lengths, and varieties. For further information please contact us.

Also make sure to only purchase from trusted brand names like the witter and brink towbars. Both of these are well-known tow bar manufacturers that have consistently set the standard for quality, reliability, and value for money.

If all of this seems a bit daunting please contact Towbar2u’s professional fitters by visiting our website and filling in the contact form. Alternatively you could fill in our quotation form and we can give you an estimate via email. Here at Towbar2u we are confident that we have the right make and model for your vehicle, so why not let us take the hassle out of fitting your towbar.

Successor to the award winning EuroWay, the City Crash-tested and TÜV-GS-approved EuroWay G2 carrier includes 11 new and improved functions and features which are sure to make it a big success. To begin with, the EuroWay G2 is extremely light-weight (13kg) and comes with an ergonomic and universal coupling system, which makes tightening the carrier onto any towbar extremely simple. The all-new patented pump buckles mean that fastening the bike’s wheels to the carrier has never been more straightforward, and there is now a foot-operated wide-tilt function enabling convenient access to the car boot even when bikes are secured into place.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!