Tow bars on vans: what's good to know

A van's tow bar and its limits

A tow bar on a van looks like a small thing, but several numbers come into play at once. Besides what the hitch itself can take, what the vehicle allows and what your driving licence allows also matter. The lowest of those limits applies.

Three numbers you need to know

The maximum permitted trailer weight is recorded in the vehicle's registration document, usually separately for braked and unbraked trailers. An unbraked trailer has a significantly lower limit.

The vertical load on the tow ball tells you how much force the trailer's drawbar may push down with. It's usually up to around a hundred kilograms. An overloaded tow ball lifts the front axle and the vehicle steers worse.

The combination weight is the sum of the vehicle and the trailer including the load. It must match your driving licence category, which we write about in more detail on our blog.

Types of hitch

A fixed hitch is the simplest and most durable. The tow ball permanently sticks out behind the bumper, which is mainly a nuisance when parking.

A detachable hitch can be removed and stowed away. You'll notice the difference when reversing up to a loading ramp.

A swivelling hitch is operated by a lever in the boot or under the bumper and folds away under the vehicle. It's convenient, but the mechanism needs to be kept clean.

On vans you'll most often come across the fixed version. It's more durable and copes better with frequent use, which makes sense for commercial vehicles.

Registration and technical condition

The tow bar belongs in the vehicle's documents. A fitted hitch should be listed in the registration document, including details of the permitted trailer weight. If there's nothing like that in the documents, discuss towing with the rental company in advance.

Keep the tow ball clean and lightly greased. A rusty or damaged tow ball is harder to couple and the joint wears faster. A cracked or bent hitch isn't repaired, it's replaced.

The electrical socket

Don't go anywhere without the electrics connected. The trailer must have working brake lights, side lights and indicators. The seven-pin socket is the most common; the thirteen-pin one is used mainly on caravans. Adapters between them are widely sold.

Check in advance

Not every van has a tow bar and not every rental company allows towing. Check the equipment of specific vans in our fleet and confirm the conditions before you book.

Driving with a trailer in practice

Before you set off

Check that the coupling head is secured. Once it's on the tow ball, the lever must be in the closed position and the head must not come off by hand. Try lifting the trailer to see whether it holds.

Don't forget the breakaway cable or chain. It must be hooked on so that, if the trailer becomes detached, it pulls the trailer's handbrake. It must not drag along the ground, though.

Test the lights. Get someone to stand behind the combination and go through the brake lights, indicators and side lights. Faulty trailer lights are the most common defect found at roadside checks.

Loading the trailer

Heavy items belong over the trailer's axle. A load shifted to the back makes the combination sway at higher speeds, while a load right at the front overloads the tow ball.

Everything must be secured. Loose material shifts when braking and changes the weight distribution at the worst possible moment.

Check the trailer's tyre pressure. The tyres tend to be small, they stand unused most of the year and under-inflation isn't visible on them. An under-inflated tyre overheats on the motorway.

How the combination behaves

Expect a longer braking distance. The trailer pushes, and with the unbraked version this is very noticeable. Keep a greater distance and brake smoothly.

Take corners wider. The trailer goes round a bend closer to the inside kerb than the towing vehicle. Bear this in mind at roundabouts and when turning into a narrow street.

Reversing works in mirror image. You turn the steering wheel the opposite way to where you want the trailer to go. It's worth trying it out in an empty car park before you need to do it outside a building.

Think twice about narrow streets. A combination is very hard to turn round in a city centre and reversing it between parked cars is an unnecessary risk. Go through your route on a map in advance.

Speed and other rules

Lower speed limits apply to vehicle combinations. Follow the road traffic rules and signs; on motorways and outside built-up areas the limits differ from driving without a trailer.

Driving is only allowed within the Czech Republic. Our vehicles come with a valid motorway vignette included in the price, and trips abroad are not permitted. You'll find details in the FAQ.