Here's How Often You Should Be Replacing Your Towbar
Just like anything else attached to your car, a towbar requires maintenance, and it should always be kept in a smart and serviceable condition. Towbars are susceptible to corrosion and damage from road debris, and even if you follow our tips on how to tow a trailer or camper safely, you will still be putting significant stress and wear on the towbar, especially if you're regularly towing heavy loads.
As a result, towbars do have a general lifespan, which most experts put at around five years. This isn't a hard and fast rule, though, as it does depend on how often you're using it and what you're asking of it each time you tow. For example, if you only tow a small box trailer once or twice a month, the towbar may be fine for 10 years or so. However, if you're pulling a caravan trailer most weekends, five years is likely a sensible replacement point. It's also worth mentioning that it's wise to replace your towbar immediately if it's been affected in an accident, rather than wait and try to get more use out of it.
How to tell if your towbar needs replacing
Not only can it be financially costly when a towbar fails, as you run the risk of damaging the boat, caravan, or trailer that you're towing, but it can be seriously dangerous, too. Hence why it's so important to be aware of what condition your towbar is in.
The primary parts of a towbar to pay attention to are the pins and bolts. The former is what secures your load to the towbar, and if they are in poor condition, this connection is at risk of failing. The bolts provide flexibility to the towbar, enabling it to swallow up bumps in the road and to twist during corners, without causing damage to either the towbar or towed load itself.
You should also check the mounting of the towbar itself, ensuring the fixings securing the towbar to the vehicle are not excessively corroded or loose in any way. Preventive maintenance, such as cleaning a towbar with products such as white spirit, can help prolong its lifespan. It's also wise to keep an eye on the finish of the towbar. If paint chips off after use, it's a sensible move to replace it, as preserving this finish will help to keep rust at bay. Putting a tennis ball on the tow ball hitch is another easy way of protecting an easily worn part of the towbar.