Hi,
TYPES:
Well there are three main types of tow-bar:
1. The UK flanged type with bolted on ball - aside from looking ugly - it's quite easy to undo the bolts and *** off with the caravan - even if it was locked to the tow-ball.
2. Swan-neck - very popular in Benelux and Germany - nicer looking - no obvious bolts when you look at it from the rear, a bit more expensive and a bit harder to steal (need to slide under the car to remove the bolts)
The swan-neck is still bolted to the tow bar frame, so it can be replaced if you bend it.
A swan neck is usually the "basic" type fitted by the car manufacturer.
3. Detachable - here the tow ball and neck are firmly locked into a socket. Actually the hardest to steal - it's locked in place - these are the "premium" fit by the car maker.
A big benefit is that you can store the tow ball in the garage / house / caravan - and not being stuck out on the rear of the car, they don't go rusty. Nor do you crack your knee on the thing when walking round the back of the car.
I'd go for a detachable or a swan neck.
MAKER:
The premium European makers include Bosal, Brink (which we have on our Mercedes C270 CDI) and Westfalia.
Homegrown makers include Witter and Towsure.
With type approval - all bars should be dimensionally consistent, good quality overall, and achieve the same tow ball height, etc. What will differ is the things not covered by the TA - corrosion resistance, weld testing, robustness, etc.
The Bosal and Brink detachable tow-bars are nicely engineered, and are often supplied direct to the factory as the "manufacturers fit".
ELECTRICS:
I've used 13 pin electrics on tow cars for years - the ISO 11446 standard is much, much superior to the old 12N+S 7 pin electrics used by the UK caravan industry.
If you have a UK caravan and this will (very probably) be fitted with 12N+S - then you may as well go that route - and buy some Electrolube to coat the contacts and stop them corroding.
Shame, because the 13 pin electrics on the Brink tow-bar swing up behind the bumper when you detach the tow-ball, and have an inbuilt micro-switch to turn off the rear fog light and reversing sensors. Things that were never thought of when 12N+S was designed.
Whatever type of connectors you have fitted - make sure the tow-bar fitter uses the correct electrical connection kit for the car - your new car should have an (ISO standard) plug somewhere in the boot that the tow bar electrics just plugs straight into.
The cable costs more than a cheap bare wire set, but it's a 5 minute job rather than an hour or two of cutting and soldering - and if you see any signs of 3M Scotchloks - just drive away.
WHO SHOULD FIT IT?
The Toyota garage will probably use the local tow-bar fitter - in some ways it's a specialised job - mainly the electrical connections. A Type Approved towbar will just fit.
Robert
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