Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where is your workshop?

A: Unit 1, 166 Saint Georges Road, Avondale. 

Q: Is there an extra charge for the mobile fitting service?

A: No, we charge the same if we come to you or if you come to us. 

Q: Will you travel out of Auckland?

A: Our normal areas stretch from Orewa to Papakura and Flatbush to Kumeu, however we often have requests from a number of people in the same area or will be close enough to make an arrangement. Just give us a call and we will do our best to get one of the team to you.  If we can’t, you are always welcome to bring the vehicle in to us or meet somewhere within our service area. 

Q: My car is in an underground or public car park, can you fit the towbar there?
A: We can meet you in a free public carpark or any other carpark if you have approval for us to work onsite.  Underground carparks will require adequate lighting.  Additional charges may apply 

Q: How long does it take?
A: Most jobs take about an hour and a half. 

Q: When is the soonest I can book a fitting in?
A: As we get most towbars built to order we need about 2-3 days, if you need it faster, give us a call to see if we have a unit for your car in stock.  

Q: How do we pay?
A: We have EFTPOS on board and accept Visa, Mastercard, Q Card, Gem Visa, Farmers Card as well as Cash.  We also accept Afterpay and ZIP which allow you to pay in four equal, interest free fortnightly instalments. 

Q:  What do I do if I already have a towbar?

A:  If you have an exisiting towbar that needs removing prior to the new towbar being installed we charge an additional $180 incl GST.

Q: What do the weight ratings mean?
A: The weight ratings relate to how much your car manufacturer has rated your vehicle to tow. The unbraked weight is for a trailer without brakes, and the braked rating is for a trailer fitted with brakes. The tongue weight is the downward weight your vehicle can handle on the tongue of the towbar. 

Q: What size towball is fitted?
A: Our towbars come standard with a 17/8 towball which is the most common towball size used in New Zealand, however we can fit a 50mm ball instead for no extra charge if requested at the time of booking. There is an additional charge of $20 if advised onsite that a 50mm towball is required or if you come to our workshop to swap towballs.  If we are required to travel back there is an additional charge of $115. We also sell interchangeable towballs ($120) if you have two or more trailers with different couplings, hi rise towball ($120) for European caravans and ISO compliant towballs ($35) for bike racks. 

Q: Why is getting the correct towball size important?

A: The towball must match the coupling of the trailer/bike rack being carried.  A 50mm coupling is highly likely to slip off the smaller 1 7/8 inch towball. 

Q: Why do some towbars cost more than others?
A: Some cars require a wiring interface to prevent damage to the cars computer systems, some heavy duty towbars cost more as they have more mounting points and therefore take longer to build and fit. Towbars for some vehicles are only available as a detachable unit, which increases the cost.

 Q:  My vehicle is under a COF, can you still fit a towbar?

A:  If your vehicle has a gross vehicle mass (gvm) under 3500kg or under then yes, we can.  The towbar with accompanying sticker will meet all requirement for a COF.  If your vehicle has a GVM over 3500kg we can manufacture and install a towbar at our sister company based on the North Shore - Contact us for more details!

Q: Does my car require a bumper cut?

A: Some cars require a small cut to the bumper which will be neatly done and finished with black rubber pinch weld bumper trim.  If the vehicle has a plastic undertray then this may also require a cut to allow for the towbar to fit.  Please see our Technical Information page for more details and photos or Contact Us to discuss directly.

Q: Will fitting an aftermarket towbar void my warranty?

A: Your new car warranty can not be void by having an aftermarket towbar fitted.  New Zealand’s Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) provides protection for consumers against faulty products, including cars.  The CGA requires car manufacturers to honour warranties and guarantees that they provide to consumers and prohibits manufacturers from imposing conditions on a warranty that go beyond what is allowed by the CGA. 

Q: What warranty is provided?

A: Please see our Materials and Labour Guarantee 

Q: Are there different types of wiring for the trailer connection?
A: Most older cars use standard wiring which just connects to your vehicle’s taillight wiring. However, a lot of late model cars require an ecu wiring module to eliminate any problems with the extra current draw from the trailer wiring.  If ecu wiring is not fitted when it is required, it can cause problems and damage to your vehicles electrical system. Please refer to our Technical Information page for more details.

Q: What is the ECU wiring?

A: Our ECU wiring is an aftermarket system that isolates the car from the object being towed.  This is sometimes called a wiring interface.  This system is not integrated with the systems of the vehicle, therefore will not disable reverse sensors etc.

Q: Where does the 7pin plug get attached to?

A: Typically the 7pin plug will be screwed to the underside of the bumper using 2 x galvanised screws.  We can also use a longer cord if preference is to keep in the boot or use a plug mount to attach to the bottom of the towbar tongue.  This option is available for towbars that have a bolt on tongue only - additional charges apply for a plug mount or longer cord.  Please refer to our Technical Information page for more details.

Q: Can I use the towbar for a bike rack?
A: You sure can, in fact if you are only going to use it for bikes and your bike rack doesn’t have lights then you could choose the ‘fitted without wiring’ option. 

Q: What towball size will I need for my bike rack?

A: Bike racks vary in what towball size is required e.g. 1 7/8 inch, standard 50mm, ISO compliant 50mm.  If you provide us with your bike rack specification sheet we are more than happy to assist in ensuring the right towball is fitted for you. 

Q:  What if I have a hitch-mounted bike rack?

A:  We have many removable tongue towbars with a square hitch to accommodate a hitch-mounted bike rack.  Look for our listings starting with ‘removable’ or ‘horizontal hitch’