Quality Answers From Queensland’s Towbar Specialists
Towbar Installation
Q. Will Towbar affect parking sensors?
Q. What Towbar do I need for a caravan?
A. You will need to find out what Towbars are available for your vehicle and what their capacities are and then establish your vehicle's towing capacity and ball weight capacity. Once you have this information you will be able to determine what caravan you can tow by finding out the caravan’s gross weight and ball weight. If the caravan weighs below your vehicle and towbar capacity you will be able to tow it.
Q. What happens if the towball obstructs my number plate?
A. Your number plate needs to be visible at all times. If the towball obstructs your number plate you will need to remove the ball or tongue so that your number plate is not obstructed.
Q. Will a Towbar affect my insurance?
A. No, fitting a Towbar will not affect your insurance provided you adhere to all rules and regulations. We always recommend advising your insurance company that you have installed a Towbar to your vehicle so that it will be covered under your policy.
Q. What Towbar will fit my car?
Q. What Towbar do I need for a bike rack?
A. This will depend on the style of the bike rack and how it attaches to the Towbar. In most cases, they will either attach over the towball, under the towball or slide in a hitch receiver. If the bike rack attaches over the towball or under the towbar ball they will fit most Australian Towbars. If it is a hitch receiver bike rack you will need either a class 4 Towbar if it fits a 50mm hitch or a class 3 Towbar if it fits a 40mm hitch. Most of the hitch style racks fit a 50mm hitch.
Q. Will a Towbar affect my vehicle warranty?
A. No, fitting a Towbar will not affect your vehicles warranty. Some dealers will tell you otherwise, however, this information is incorrect and is illegal for them to be providing you false information such as this. It is a scare tactic they use to make you purchase their product.
Towbar Installation Cost
Q. How much does a Towbar cost?
A. The cost of a Towbar varies from vehicle to vehicle as each one has a different Towbar and a different wiring harness. The installation time also varies between each vehicle so unfortunately there is no generic pricing available for Towbars.
Q. Will my old Towbar fit my new vehicle?
A. It’s most unlikely that it will fit. Towbars are made for a particular vehicle depending on its year, make, model and shape. If you install an old Towbar you may be installing the wrong type of Towbar. Aside from safety issues, this could also affect your new car warranty and the warranty of your Towbar. You need to install a Towbar that’s designed specifically for the vehicle you drive and its towing capacity.
Q. What parts do I need to tow?
Q. What Towbar will fit my car?
A. This mainly depends on your vehicle. Not every car has multiple towbar options — some can’t have one fitted at all. We’ll ask for your car’s make, model, year and shape. With that, we’ll tell you exactly what towbars suit your vehicle. It’s also crucial to know how much your car and towbar can safely tow. Check your owner’s manual for your vehicle’s towing capacity, and always stick to it — safety (and your insurance) depends on it.
Mobile Towbar Fitting
Q. Do you need electricity for your mobile fitting?
A. No, all of our vans have the latest cordless tools. This gives us the flexibility to fit your Towbar just about anywhere, at your home or work it’s up to you.
Q. What space or area do your technicians need to complete the work?
A. For safety please have the vehicle parked away from traffic, preferably with enough room for all doors to be opened and have our van parked close by. Please also keep in mind if it's raining, our technician will require cover.
Q. Do you need my car keys?
A. Yes, the vehicle's keys will be required to complete the work. Please make sure they are available for our technician upon their arrival.
Q. What is needed during the installation?
Q. Do I need to prepare my vehicle?
A. Yes please, our technicians often need access to your boot. If possible, please make sure it's empty and the vehicle cleared of any valuables.
Q. Can I pay with Eftpos when I use your mobile service?
A. Yes you can, all of our vans have mobile Eftpos machines allowing you to pay via cheque, savings or credit. We accept all major credit cards – Visa, Master Card, and Amex. We also accept ZipMoney and AfterPay.
Q. Do I need to be home?
A. Yes, we prefer the vehicle owner or an adult representative be present at the time of installation. Our technicians will install parts in the most suitable location. We take no responsibility if the vehicle owner is not present at time of installation and parts are installed in a different location than expected.
Q. How long will the installation take?
A. The installation time varies depending on the vehicle and what work we are doing. Please ask one of our friendly team how long your installation will take.
Q. When will I find out my Installation time?
A. One of our coordinators will contact you the business day before your booking to confirm your installation time. The technicians have a number of customers to attend to on any given day, so we do ask for your flexibility and understanding.
Electric Brakes
Q. Do I need an electric brake controller installed on my vehicle?
A. You will need a brake controller fitted to your vehicle if the trailer you are towing has an electric or electric over hydraulic brakes installed on it.
Q. What does electric brake controller do?
A. Electric brake controllers send power to the electric brakes on the trailer and allows you to adjust how hard or soft the brakes on the trailer work.
Q. How do I test if my electric brake controller is working?
A. We suggest pressing the override/emergency braking while travelling at low speed to check performance and to confirm that everything is connected and electric brakes have been activated.
Q. What size wire should be used for an electric brake controller?
A. For efficient braking, every Electric brake controller manufacturer has the specifics in their fitting instructions. This however is normally 5mm automotive cable or 2.90mm² cable.
Q. What is an electric brake controller?
A. An electric brake controller is a control unit that allows you to control the trailer brakes from the driver's seat and automatically applies the trailer brakes when the tow vehicles brakes are applied.
Q. How does an electric brake controller work?
A. Electric brake controllers are activated by the tow vehicle's brake light circuit.
The Electric brake controller takes power from the tow vehicle's battery and sends power down the electric brake circuit to the trailer brakes when the brakes on the tow vehicle are applied.
Q. Which electric brake controller is best?
A. We highly recommend an advanced brake controller like the RedArc TowPro Elite V3 as it is less intrusive in the vehicle and is fully automatic.
General Towbar Questions
Q. Which Towbar suits my vehicle?
A. It depends on your car and what you're towing. The Towbar’s rating must exceed the loaded trailer weight. Check your owner’s manual and Towbar compliance plate to confirm capacity.
Q. How can I check trailer ball weight?
A. Ball weight is the downward force on your tow ball. It should be roughly 10% of the trailer’s total loaded weight. Use a ball weight scale, weighbridge, or a regular scale under the jockey wheel.
Q. Do I need to keep the tow ballmount in when not towing?
A. No, you can take it out. Just make sure it’s not blocking your number plate if you leave it in. To secure it, use a hitch lock or remove it and add a hitch box cover for a clean look.
Q. How do I reduce trailer sway?
A. Proper load balance is key, but sway can still happen. Using a sway control unit,like a Friction or Dual Cam system, alongside a weight distribution hitch can help keep things stable.
Q. When is a brake controller required?
A. If your trailer’s total loaded weight exceeds 750kg and it has electric brakes, you must use a brake controller. It syncs your trailer brakes with your vehicle’s brake pedal.
Q. Can I buy spare parts for my Towbar?
A. Yes! We stock accessories and spare parts for our range and most major Towbar brands.
Q. Can I reuse my old Towbar on a new car?
A. Usually not. Towbars are vehicle-specific. Fitting one that doesn’t match your car’s specs can void warranties and compromise safety.
Q. How do I find out my vehicle’s tow rating?
A. Check your car’s manual under the towing section. It’ll list both trailer weight and ball weight limits. All Speedy Towbars include a compliance plate with these ratings as well.
Q. When do I need a weight distribution hitch?
A. If your trailer causes your vehicle’s rear to drop, a weight distribution hitch can help level it out and improve braking and steering control.
Q. What makes chain hook-up easier on a weight distribution hitch?
A. Use the jockey wheel to raise the trailer coupling before connecting the spring bars. Lifting the trailer first reduces the effort needed to secure the chains.
Q. Should I upgrade my suspension for towing?
A. Only if you’re carrying extra permanent weight (like a large toolbox in the rear of the vehicle). For towing, a weight distribution hitch usually does the job by spreading load across all axles, helping maintain safe traction and control.