A tow bar is the frame that bolts to your vehicle's chassis and carries the ball your trailer, caravan or boat couples onto. The right one is made for your exact model, rated at least for the heaviest load you will pull, and comes with wiring so the trailer lights work. Fitment centres in South Africa stock fixed, detachable and heavy-duty bars for most cars, SUVs and bakkies. Tell us your vehicle and what you plan to tow, and local suppliers will send you free, no-obligation tow bar quotes to compare.
Fixed, detachable or heavy-duty
The type you choose depends on how often you tow and how the bar looks when you are not towing.
- Fixed (bolt-on) bars are the most common and the cheapest. The ball neck stays on the car all the time.
- Detachable bars let you remove the neck and ball when not towing, so there is nothing to bump your shins on or set off parking sensors. Keep the locking mechanism clean and greased.
- Heavy-duty and bakkie bars use thicker steel and often a step plate, suited to farm trailers, boats and caravans near the vehicle's limit.
A standard 50 mm ball fits most local couplings. If you tow different trailers, ask about a bar with a removable ball so you can change heights.
Towing capacity and nose weight
Your owner's manual lists a braked and an unbraked towing capacity, plus a maximum tow ball load (nose weight). The bar must be rated at least as high as the trailer you will pull, but it never raises the vehicle's own limit. A loaded trailer's nose weight is often set at a small share of its mass: too little makes it sway, too much lifts the front wheels and lightens the steering. Check your licence code too, since heavier combinations may need code EB.
Wiring: 7 pin or 13 pin
A 7 pin plug runs the basic trailer lights: tail, brake, indicators and number plate light. A 13 pin plug adds a reverse light, permanent power and a charge feed, which is what most caravans use. Newer cars with sensitive electronics often need a vehicle-specific wiring kit or a bypass module, rather than splicing into the light cluster. Ask what kit is in the quote, because it can change the price a lot. See tow bar installation for the fitting side.
What drives the price
The make and model of vehicle matters most, then the type of bar, the wiring kit and whether the bumper needs trimming. Typical quotes run about R3,100 to R8,740 for the bar, depending on the vehicle and type. When you compare, ask whether each price includes the ball, the neck, the wiring, fitting and VAT. If you need a matching coupling or a lock, see trailer hitches and couplings.
What to include in your request
- Vehicle make, model, year and body shape
- Fixed, detachable or heavy-duty bar
- What you will tow and its loaded mass
- 7 pin or 13 pin wiring needed
- Whether you want it fitted as well
Tow Bars for different clients
- Motorists and families: a detachable bar on the family car for a weekend trailer or bike rack
- Company fleets and rental firms: matching tow bars across a fleet of vans and bakkies that pull work trailers
- Truckers, buses and logistics: tow bars on support bakkies that move spares trailers between depots
- Farmers and 4x4 owners: heavy-duty bakkie bars for livestock, feed and water tank trailers on farm roads
- Dealers, panel beaters and workshops: tow bars fitted to used stock before sale, or for a dealer's delivery trailer
- Construction, mining and plant hire: heavy-duty bars on site bakkies pulling generators, compressors and light plant trailers
- Caravan, boat and bike owners: a 13 pin bar for a caravan, boat or off-road camper trailer
- Municipalities, estates and schools: tow bars on municipal bakkies that pull mowers, water carts and tool trailers
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tow bar cost in South Africa?
Is a detachable tow bar worth it?
Will a tow bar let my car pull more?
Do you sell or fit tow bars?
Tow Bars by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg