How to fit a towbar into special marks. Do I need to register the tow bar officially with the traffic police and how? Is it possible to avoid a fine for a tow bar without registering it with the traffic police?

It is easy to install a tow bar on a passenger car. It is enough to be aware of the traction capabilities of your car. Know the strength characteristics of the car body, side member and tow bar elements. To understand the issue of a tow bar - what it is in a car, it is necessary to understand some definitions.

Car tow bar

Classification

A towbar is a towing device for attaching, fixing and further moving a car trailer. Modern classification assumes the following types TSU:

  • small
  • average
  • big

It all depends on the weight of the load that the car is dragging behind it. It is unlikely that the towbar will be “comfortable” if the weight of the trailer exceeds the weight of the car. Large towbars are installed on small buses and SUVs with a full frame (spar). They allow you to attach not only trailers with sides, but also transportation platforms designed for transporting boats, snowmobiles, and motor equipment. Such towbars can be found on agricultural machinery: dump trucks, tractors. Bulldozers with large towing devices that can withstand maximum load. You should not overload the trailer if a large towbar is installed, above 3.5 tons.

Passenger cars, such as crossovers, are equipped with medium towbars. Country holidays are more fruitful if you have a mini-trailer behind you. A trip to the lake with a jet ski involves its transportation. A large trailer is more functional. In this case, you also need to think about some kind of medium tow bar up to 2.5 tons of payload.

A towbar up to 1.5 tons is installed on passenger cars. There are many types for passenger cars. Features for the most part are determined not by the weight ceiling, since an unreasonable load can damage the trailer, which is worse - the engine or gearbox, but by the types of attachment to the body, spar (frame), and the efficiency of the material.

Design features

The simplest trailer hitch passenger car simple in design:

Tow bar design

The visible part is the metal ball at the end of the hook. Diameter – 50 mm. This is the standard. Socket for trailer electrical connection. If the bumper is missing (damage or other reason), the main horizontal beam of the tow bar will be visible.
The invisible part is the fastener to the car body. The vibration resistance of the towbar will depend on the proper fastening of the brackets.
The bolted towbar can be removed for any technical work on the inspection pit. It can be replaced if it is seriously damaged or fails. Removing the towbar is convenient when installing electrical leads suitable for the trailer, when you need to determine the most practical distance to the plugs. The downside will be the loosening of the bolts of the structure while driving. The risk of an accident on the road increases. Using high-quality Grover washers and tightly tightening the nuts will eliminate this problem.

Welded construction requires release from the factory. It is convenient in that it has a very symmetrical arrangement and factory-made electrical paths running in parallel. We can only hope for the integrity of the manufacturer. Check weld seams for microcracks and rust.

Types of hook attachment to the platform

The types of homemade towbars available on old cars are varied. Mechanics and drivers themselves looked for attachment points, creating unique towing devices. The factory ones have a mounting platform or beam. More specifically, the hook is attached to the platform in several ways.

The simplest connection, one-piece, is a towbar connected to the frame by welding. As mentioned above, a necessary condition for reliability will be the quality of this welding. A car owner who is accustomed to saving money should not find himself in a position where precious garage space is occupied by a protruding ball that is useless for the conditions, constantly propping up something against the back wall, for example, fuel cans.
Many drivers will prefer a conditionally detachable mount to the body. But it is unlikely that they will be engaged in screwing and unscrewing the tow bar every time. There need to be good reasons for this. But he can double-check the lock washers and the tightening of the nuts before a long trip, ensuring peace of mind.
A fully detachable towbar connection is chosen by those who rarely use a trailer. This towbar is equipped with a locking mechanism. If desired, it can be easily dismantled. The ball itself can be removed or the hook can be removed separately, which is lowered under the bumper or moved to a vertical position. You should pay attention to the wear and tear of the locking device, which in homemade models has a single edition.

How to choose a towbar

There is no perfect solution as to which tow bar is best, but you need to choose and purchase it for a specific make and model of car.
Frequent use significantly affects the price. Although, if isolated cases of operation are necessary, you can buy a more expensive removable towbar.
A towbar made of a hook and plate will not fit on a car without a frame. This needs to be taken into account. A frame one can get by with a minimum of elements. Everything was provided for by the manufacturer.
The trailer must be less than the weight of the vehicle, so this is one of three classes of towbars. The machine's load chart, located under the hood, will provide the necessary information.
It is necessary to take into account the presence of elements for the trailer's electrics.
The warranty and instructions on how to install the tow bar should be included in the kit.
From the point of view of Russian legislation, a towbar is a towing device (TCU) installed on a car for the purpose of connecting a trailer to it. Self-refurbishment vehicle recognized as a violation of technical regulations on vehicle safety. If the installation of the towbar is carried out according to the instructions, if the towbar is included from the factory, if you have a passport and a certificate of conformity for it, then registration with the traffic police is not required. But when operating a car with a towbar, the following documents are required:

  1. Towbar passport with a mark on installation at the service.
  2. A copy of the TSU certificate.
  3. Act on the work done.

If you install a trailer hitch yourself, you must obtain permission from the traffic police. After installing the towbar, undergo an examination at the service center and obtain permission to operate a vehicle with a towbar.

How to install a tow bar on a car

The car owner has chosen the required tow bar for a passenger car with a body load of no more than 1.5 tons and wants to produce self-installation. How should a tow bar be installed on a car?

Tow bar installation procedure

There is no need to come up with anything extra like drilling additional holes if you install a factory trailer hitch for a specific car model. Specifications provide 2 million load cycles. In addition, the manufacturer bears documented responsibility for the product. You will need the required set of keys. A lift or inspection hole will not be superfluous.

Before installing the beam you need to:

  • Remove the bumper and dismantle its amplifier, if equipped. The difficulty is in removing the amplifier bolts. They turn sour. Then a rough extraction is necessary.
  • In some cases, it is necessary to bend the thermal protection or release the muffler from the rubber bands by 20-30 cm onto the stand so that it does not hang.
  • Remove the plugs for the mounting holes in the standard places on the car. The place must first be cleared of dirt.
  • Align the brackets with the body, install the beam, and carefully tighten the bolts.
    Screw on the rosette.
  • Return the muffler and heat shield to their places.
  • If the towbar does not fit the bumper, you need to carefully trim the first one.
  • Return the bumper to its original position.

Installing a tow bar on a car

The rules for installing a towbar may vary, it all depends on the model or when it is still necessary to drill additional holes in the lower part of the spar. On the opposite side of the frame, the mount is mounted on a mounting strip. This installation of the towbar will be more reliable. Significantly reduces the load on the car body.

When making a homemade towbar device, you need a drawing of a certain design and the availability of materials for execution. The idea is to strengthen the mounting point on the car body with the help of additional metal elements such as corners, which are welded to the traverse or adjacent edges. Elements of the special platform are drilled out for the appropriate fastenings. When the installation of the towbar is completed, you need to move on to connecting the trailer's electrical system.

Features of the electrical connection of the trailer

The main feature of connecting electricity to a trailer is the presence of a plug and socket that fit together. One end is in the trunk, the other on the trailer. There are two types of connectors - American and European. The first has 13 contacts, and the second has 8. If such a difficulty arises, the socket and plug need a matching unit. How to connect a matching block is described in more detail in this article. After installing the trailed one, you need to test it with a load, check the switching of lights and dimensions

  • It is advisable to make a homemade trailer hitch from good metal.
  • The towbar should not be welded directly to the side member (frame).
  • Select the necessary drill bits for drilling and perform it symmetrically.
  • Be prepared for the speculative concept of how to actually install a towbar.

But in practice, the lack of experience is compensated good advice from experienced car enthusiasts and friendly service mechanics. Factory trailer hitches that have passed power tests are more reliable and safer, unlike home-made designs.

Towbars are a necessary element for installing trailers on cars. The part is a metal hook on which the towbar is attached. Since 2015, Technical Regulation TR/TS 018/2011 has come into force, according to which the installation of a towbar is equivalent to modification of a car and requires registration with the traffic police. At the same time, not all changes need to be registered. In special cases, installation is not subject to mandatory registration.

The need for a towbar registration procedure completely depends on the make of the car and the characteristics declared by the manufacturer:

  • If, according to the documents, a tow bar is already installed on the vehicle at the factory, no registration is required. The traction device, if it is connected to the car, must be registered.
  • If the manufacturer did not provide for a towbar on the body, drivers simply weld the hook. This case is indeed considered a modification of the car and is subject to mandatory registration with the traffic police.

According to current technical regulations customs union, vehicle modifications must comply with safety requirements. To avoid problems with a homemade towbar, some car owners buy a factory-made towbar. Such products are accompanied by appropriate safety documents, which simplifies registration.

Registering modifications is quite difficult. It is best to contact the traffic police in advance, before installing the hook. If the car does not have a factory tow bar, installation involves removing the bumper and changing the design of the rear part of the body. These improvements are quite significant. A driver who refuses to register a homemade product risks receiving an administrative penalty.

Documents for the tow bar

The driver needs to contact the traffic police several times with different packages of documents before and after installing the tow bar. You will first need:

  • Application on the prescribed form;
  • A two-sided copy of the car passport (the original must also be provided);
  • Documents confirming the towbar’s compliance with state safety requirements and characteristics;
  • Certificate of registration of the vehicle with the State Traffic Inspectorate.

After installing the tow bar, you need to visit the traffic police department again to register the completed modification. The inspectors’ task is to check that the towbar is installed correctly and does not pose a danger to other road users. Package of documents:

  • Vehicle diagnostic card;
  • Trailer purchase agreement, if any;
  • Quality certificate confirming the quality of the tow bar;
  • Declaration from the service workshop;
  • Application for a request to register a modification from the driver;
  • Conclusion of the examination.

The diagnostic card and expert opinion are issued in official service centers and workshops. Additionally, the driver is issued a certificate of completion of the expert work.

Where to get documents for TSU

Receive Required documents will have to be done in several instances:

  • Quality certificates are provided complete with towbars if the car owner buys a product manufactured at the factory;
  • Homemade towbars must be additionally checked for compliance with the car brand and characteristics; a conclusion can be obtained from the service center or from traffic police officers;
  • A diagnostic card is also issued at service centers;
  • Application forms are issued to the traffic police;
  • The driver must have technical passports for the car and trailer;
  • The contract for the purchase of the trailer hitch and fastening element can be replaced with a receipt and a warranty check.

It is recommended to call the nearest branch in advance, request information on the necessary documents and addresses where they can be obtained. In some departments, the examination and examination procedures differ.

In what cases can it not be installed?

According to traffic regulations, installation of a towbar is not allowed in the following cases:

  • The part is secured to the body independently by welding or homemade bolts. It is dangerous to use a towbar without special expertise.
  • The product goes far beyond the car bumper. Cars driving behind such a vehicle risk colliding with a metal tow bar.
  • The car belongs to the category of trucks. It is not recommended to use trailers on them; this creates a danger for all road users.
  • There are no documents for the tow bar. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the product complies with government regulations.

Driving with homemade, non-certified pitons is illegal. If the driver is stopped by a traffic police officer and it turns out that the towbar is installed incorrectly or does not comply with the regulations, the car owner faces administrative punishment.

What to look for when buying a towbar?

The main thing that needs to be carefully monitored is the availability of documents. The towbar must be certified. They are attached to it technical certificate, certificate of conformity. Additionally, you should consider:

  • Is the towbar suitable for the make of the car?
  • How it will need to be secured to the body;
  • Dimensions, weight of the product;
  • Compliance of characteristics with state requirements;
  • Is the hook suitable for connecting to a trailer?

On some brands, installation of fasteners is prohibited. In addition, you cannot use tow bars of the wrong size or specifications. The fasteners should not interfere with the movement of the vehicle or block license plates.

How to design an installed tow bar?

If the hook is already installed, but there are no documents for it and the driver has not started registering, several actions should be taken. For towbars purchased from official manufacturers, the papers can be restored. To do this, you need to contact the company that supplies them to the market:

  • Through the official website;
  • In the regional office, if any;
  • By registered mail to legal address manufacturer.

Large companies meet product owners and send duplicate documents. If the device is homemade or you couldn’t get duplicate documents, you should use the second method:

  1. If the car was purchased at secondary market, you can contact the previous owner and ask to look for a certificate for the trailer hitch fasteners;
  2. Contact the traffic police with a statement that the car owner plans to register a modification of the vehicle;
  3. You should not drive a car before the towbar is registered, this will entail a fine;
  4. Pass all checks, draw up documents of compliance of the characteristics of the hook with safety and quality requirements;
  5. You don’t have to take the documents with you; you can keep them at home.

If you cannot complete the modification, it is better to remove the product. Removable towbars are produced especially for such cases. The homemade one will have to be cut down.

Responsibility for unregistered TSU

Car owners operating vehicles with installed unregistered trailer hitch are subject to administrative fine in the amount of 500 rubles. (Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code). It was already mentioned above that it is not necessary to take documents with you to the towbar. This is true. Fines are imposed in the following cases:

  • The product does not correspond to established standards, it is homemade, there is no information that the tow bar is registered;
  • The device is installed incorrectly or on a vehicle on which its installation is prohibited (category B);
  • The product blocks the driver's view or the vehicle license plate.

Sometimes drivers manage to avoid administrative punishment and get off with only a warning.

How to avoid a fine?

According to Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, punishment in the form of a warning is appropriate if:

  • The driver undertakes to register or remove the tow bar from the vehicle as soon as possible;
  • A removable model is installed on the body, which can be easily removed if necessary;
  • The device is installed at the factory or the body has factory fasteners for installing the hook.

It is also impossible to impose a fine in cases where the towbar has already been registered and has passed the necessary examinations.

Among the frequently encountered devices that complement any car, the most popular is the towbar, in connection with which such a procedure as a fine for a towbar on a passenger car has appeared. This attachment is used for one purpose - to allow trailers or trailers to be attached to the vehicle. But today, such a topic as a fine for a towbar is particularly relevant.

A towbar is a specialized towing device for cars, which is specifically used for towing trailers and trailers.

This element has two components:

  1. Crossbar. It is placed in certain holes, unique in their location for each individual car. This could be a car frame or holes in a car body.
  2. Ball joint. This element is attached to the beam itself.

A tow bar is most often necessary for those who drive a lot by car, not within the city, and over long distances. This device will also be needed by those who transport small loads.

So for what reason was such a topic raised today as a fine for a towbar?

Important! If desired, you can even attach a residential trailer to the tow bar if there is a need for out-of-town trips with the whole family.

Some drivers install a tow bar as an additional safety device. For example, if there is an accident in which another car drives into the car, then the towbar will be able to absorb most of the impact and its force.

However, this is a very big mistake and misconception, because with such an impact the body will be damaged much more if there is no tow bar. For this reason, the device is mandatory must be removed when not in use.

Types of towbars

There are three types that differ from each other in design:

  1. Removable - installed when needed.
  2. Welded is the most common. It is installed directly at the factory, so it is not removable. The main disadvantage is the violation of aesthetics.
  3. Flanged.

How to avoid a fine?

There are several options according to which a fine for a towbar on a car will be invalid:

  • Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses also provides alternative view punishment, but as a warning. That is, simply inform the employee that the situation will be corrected in the very near future.
  • You can also initially take a removable tow bar. When using it, it will be difficult to prove that a removable towbar somehow affects the change in the design of the car.
  • You can also avoid a fine if the tow bar was supplied by the factory.
  • There is another loophole, which is located at the head under number V of the technical regulations. We are talking about paragraph number 77 in section 4. According to it, a vehicle cannot be subject to inspection if it had components installed on it that were intended for the car. But they must undergo a conformity assessment together with the car.
  • It is also important to always have a certificate of conformity for the towbar with you, because according to this document it will be possible to resolve any problems that a person may have when communicating with a representative of the traffic police service.

In this regard, in practice this option is also possible. If the towbar is already installed on the car, but there are no documents for it and it is impossible to restore them, then it may be easier, faster and cheaper to buy a new towbar with documents than to try to register a change in the design of the car with the traffic police. Documents for a tow bar for a passenger car In 2018, the technical regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 On the safety of wheeled vehicles are in force in Russia. It is this document that vehicles and the equipment installed on them must comply with. Let's consider paragraph 77 of section 4 of chapter V of the technical regulations: 77.

403 - access denied

Attention

Each car is a complex interconnection of components and mechanisms that are developed by the manufacturer and intended for installation. Therefore, if you remove any required part from the design of your car, or install a spare part that is not authorized by the factory documentation, this must be officially documented.


Info

Consequently, registration of the installation of a towbar with the State Traffic Inspectorate in 2018 will be mandatory if this towbar is not provided for in the technical documentation of the vehicle. When there is no need to register additional equipment It would be logical to assume that if the vehicle came off the production line without a tow bar, but it was provided by the manufacturer, then registration of the vehicle with the traffic police in 2018 after its installation is not mandatory.


Confirmation of this can be found in the same Technical regulations TR CU 018/2011 in Chapter 4.

Is it necessary to register a tow bar with the traffic police?

The work must be carried out by a specialized center that will issue supporting documents: a certificate of completion of work, an application-declaration, a copy of the certificate of conformity. The owner takes the car for inspection, where the safety of design changes is checked and a diagnostic card is drawn up.

Then the technical examination is carried out by the traffic police and a certificate is issued. To receive it, the car owner provides:

  1. Diagnostic card.
  2. Vehicle purchase agreement and other documents.
  3. Certificate for tow bar.
  4. Declaration from the car service center.
  5. Application and decision made by the preliminary examination.

When installing a towbar on a passenger car is prohibited - the amount of the fine The law prohibits installing a towbar on a car if it is not specified as additional equipment in OTTS.
A copy of the document can be requested from dealership or from the car manufacturer.

Traffic police requirements for towbars in 2018, types of trailer hitch and installation rules

Important

When operating a machine with a towbar, you must have the following papers available:

  1. Passport (installation instructions) of the tow bar with a service center mark on its installation.
  2. A copy of the TSU certificate.
  3. Act on the work done.

Do you need to register a towbar with the traffic police: new rules for installing a towbar on a passenger car? Many drivers are concerned about the question: how to legally install a towing device? Any changes made to the design of the car must be registered with the traffic police. The installation of a towbar on almost all car models is permitted by the manufacturer.


This is indicated in the instruction manual. Installation of a trailer hitch does not apply to design changes to the vehicle.

Fine for using a tow bar on a car in 2018

Therefore, it is very important, when installing a towbar, to choose the industrial version, which comes with documents that, among other things, mention the model of your vehicle. In case of homemade devices, riding with them remains unconditionally prohibited.

How much will you have to pay? Since we have already indicated earlier that collecting a fine in this case seems not only possible, but also a likely result of identifying a towbar on your car, all that remains is to tell you how much money you will have to pay for such a violation. The first part of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation states that for driving a car that has certain malfunctions or if traffic police officers identify conditions sufficient to prohibit its operation, the car owner will have to pay a fine of 500 rubles.

In addition, as noted earlier, he may still be given a warning.

What is the fine for a tow bar without a trailer in 2018?

  • Is it necessary to register a towbar with the traffic police?
  • Documents for a towbar for a passenger car.
  • What to do if there are no documents for the trailer hitch?
  • What to do if you plan to buy a tow bar?
  • What to do if the tow bar is already installed?

Is it necessary to register a towbar with the traffic police in 2018? In this case, everything depends on the tow bar itself and the documents available for it:

  • If there are documents for the towbar, then the driver does not need to contact the traffic police to make changes to the registration certificate. You can simply install the towbar and safely operate the car with a trailer.
  • If there are no documents or they cannot be restored, then installing a tow bar is a design change that should be registered with the traffic police.

Note.

The necessary documents for the towbar will be discussed below.

Towbar on a passenger car: installation, registration, fine

In this case, we are talking about the instruction manual, which is issued when purchasing any car. Open this document and look for the section on using a trailer. If there is such a section, then everything is in order.

  • The towbar must have manufacturer documentation confirming that it is intended for use on your vehicle model and has passed a conformity assessment.

Thus, the list of necessary documents for using a tow bar:

  • Vehicle Operation Manual.
  • Documents for the towbar confirming that it is suitable for the vehicle of the required model.
  • A certificate for the tow bar confirming that it complies with the requirements of the Technical Regulations.

Please note that you are not required to carry these documents with you and present them to traffic police officers. They can also be stored at home.

Is installing a towbar a modification to the design of the car?

Technical Regulations) in the following cases:

  1. The towbar is designed for this car.
  2. The compliance of the trailer hitch with the vehicle has been assessed and supporting documents are available.
  3. The installation is provided by the manufacturer.

Information about whether this car trailer towing capacity is indicated in its load table. It is located on the right B pillar of the car or under the hood.
It informs you about the possibility of connecting a trailer. If the corresponding line does not contain data, the towbar must be registered with the traffic police.
Requires registration of a trailer hitch, bolted or welded to the power elements of the machine, and necessary for serious traction loads.
Note. Some organizations offer to buy a package of documents for a tow bar. I recommend ignoring such offers, because... Only the manufacturer himself has the manufacturer's documents.


If such documents are issued by another organization, they will be fake. What to do if you plan to buy a tow bar? If you are just planning to install a towbar on your car, then you came to this article at the right time. Before purchasing a towbar, I recommend contacting the manufacturer and asking for the necessary documents. If documentation is not provided, then it makes sense to choose a device from another manufacturer. What to do if the tow bar is already installed? First of all, I recommend checking that you have a certificate of conformity and a document confirming the possibility of installation on your model of car.

The fine for driving vehicles is provided for in Part 1 of Art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offences. Its size is 500 rubles. You can pay for it with a 50% discount. This is permitted by Art. 32.2 Code of Administrative Offences.

This can be done within 20 days from the date of his discharge. All new traffic police fines in 2017 Important. Driving without registering design changes to the car implies administrative liability and increases the danger to the life and health of road users.

Is it possible to avoid a fine for a tow bar without registering it with the traffic police? Is it possible to avoid administrative punishment? A car owner can prevent a fine from being issued for having a tow hitch in several ways: 1. First, you should have a dialogue with the inspector that everything will be corrected in the near future. Ask him to limit himself to a warning. The legality of this is confirmed by Art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offences.

Question: My neighbor in the garage scared me that now traffic police officers will fine for a tow bar, and that now it needs to be registered. Is this true?

Hello, dear car enthusiasts! Yes, there has indeed been a lot of buzz on this issue lately. Let's figure out whether registration of a towbar with the traffic police is really necessary?

We were first asked this question after June 1, 2016. To be honest, at that time we ourselves did not know the answer and therefore turned to the regional traffic police department for clarification.

Question to the inspector

To our question, Deputy The head of the department replied that indeed many people are interested in this law. According to the new rules, changes to the design of the car must be registered. But there is a certain list of changes in the design that do not require approval from the traffic police. And it is precisely the TSU that is on this list. But again, there is one “but”.


The design of the passenger car must allow for the future installation of this device. In other words, the car manufacturer has structurally calculated that a tow bar can be installed on this car. According to statistics, it is possible to install a trailer hitch on almost 99% of cars.

If you wish, you can document the changes to the traffic police. After that, an entry is made in special marks in the technical ticket and PTS.

What you need to have

You can do without the traffic police. There is a list of technical changes made to the design that do not require approval from the state traffic inspectorate. In order not to be fined or, God forbid, to stop registering your vehicle, you must add to the usual set of documents:

  • compliance (copy) and a passport for the towbar, which comes complete with the towbar. The passport must bear the stamp of the auto center performing the
  • Documents provided by an auto center that is certified to perform this type of activity. You are given a copy of the auto center’s certificate, certified by a “living” seal, and a certificate of completion of work.

That is, in fact, the tow bar must be manufactured and tested at the factory for a specific car model. He must receive a certificate of conformity, a copy of which is provided upon sale. And also the towbar must be installed in accordance with all regulations legal entity who has the appropriate permit to carry out this work.

Watch the very informative video below on making design changes. It talks about various additional equipment, bumpers, and gas equipment, which must be changed. They asked a question about the tow bar at the 16th minute.

What to do for those who already have a towbar installed

You need to find a certified auto center that will agree to diagnose your car, or rather the trailer hitch. Looks good technical condition, possibility of further exploitation. Next, the manufacturer is determined and a request is sent. If the answer is positive, a passport for the tow bar is issued, if there was none, a certificate of conformity, a certificate of completion of work and a certified copy of the auto center certificate.

How much is opium for the people?

How much does certification cost? Naturally, this procedure takes some time for requests and paperwork. An auto center that performs diagnostics incurs certain labor costs. The cost of this service in our installation center is 1,500 rubles. When installing your new towbar, the cost is 1000 rubles. And when installing our towbar a package of documents is issued free of charge.

Can you bet on everything? How to find out?

Most vehicles are approved for installation of a trailer hitch by the manufacturer. But there are models for which the factory has not given recommendations for use as a tractor for a trailer. You can find out for yourself whether it is possible to install a towbar on your iron horse by looking at the plate with the VIN code on your car. They are usually located on the middle right door pillar or under the hood. Let's look at the example of a Renault Sandero sign.
Pay attention to the numbers with kilograms at the end. In this case there are 4 of them.

  • 4. Indicates total weight auto. That is, the mass of the equipped vehicle plus the permissible weight of cargo or passengers;
  • 5. Indicates the permissible weight with the trailer. Here I think there is no need to explain;
  • 6. and 7. These are the masses of the maximum load on the front and rear axles.

It follows from this that if your plate contains a trailer weight designation, then the vehicle is equipped with a tow bar. And if there is no number, then a coupling device is not provided.

What to do if the installation is not provided by the factory?

The question is the question... And in this case there is a way out. If we are not talking about changing the car, then it can be legalized with the help of an examination. Now, in order.

  • Firstly, you will still have to do everything you read about above. Either install or obtain documents from a legalized installation center.
  • You need to undergo an examination by the traffic police. There you will need documents issued by the auto center and documents for the car.
  • Notes about changes to the design will be added to the PTS and technical certificate.

*The traffic police itself does not conduct any examination, but issues document forms and sends them to the address.

What is the punishment?

In some regions, car owners have already begun to be seriously fined for illegal towbars. The fine is under Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code, Part 1, in the amount of 500 rubles. If you are being punished for the first time for driving a vehicle (it may be something that you did not know), then this same article provides for the issuance of a warning. Be polite to the inspector and tell him you will fix it. In this case, you may have to avoid punishment. But don’t delay legalization if you really need a tow bar. If you don’t need it, then just take it off and don’t look for adventures in one place)))

What about in 2019?

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