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How to properly care for your towbar

The best care for your towbar is to protect the ball rod from the weather and dirt with a protective cap when not in use. Detachable towbars should be dismantled and stored in a dry place in a soft bag. This not only reduces the extent of damage in rear-end collisions, but is also important for a possible warranty of the car manufacturer, which is otherwise limited.

In addition, it is advisable to care for the little helper hook regularly — the optimal time for this is autumn or winter.

The Appearance

If the towbar is damaged or affected by severe rust, it is probably no longer roadworthy. Road salt in particular is very the clutch. Sea salt, for example when a boat is "set down", also damages the component. The salt is very aggressive and will inevitably attack the steel without care. It therefore makes sense to regularly check the towbar for corrosion.

rusty ball head
A rusty ball head should be avoided. It is best to protect with a cap.

Cleaning the ball head

In order for the towbar to work reliably for a long time, it must be clean. Therefore, you should clean the ball head and adjacent parts regularly with warm water and a mild cleaning agent. You should avoid aggressive cleaning chemicals, as they can attack the material. You should not clean the ball rod with the steam cleaner. The car itself, on the other hand, can be steam jetted if you remove the ball rod and insert the sealing plug beforehand. To ensure that this connection holds, lubricate grease into the receiving tube.

Fat or no fat?

As a general rule, sliding surfaces and bearing points should be oiled or greased. Greasing or oiling not only ensures that all parts remain smooth and movable, but also protects against rust infestation. You should also treat the lock — preferably with graphite.

Attention: The ball head itself must always be free of grease! This is especially true if you use a bicycle rack on it or if an anti-roll device is installed, because this works by friction of the connection device on the ball.

Maintenance by the professionals

If you don't have the time to take care of your towbar or prefer to leave it to professionals, you can use Rameder's ball head maintenance at one of our 50 assembly points in Germany. Our experts clean and lubricate all parts of the towbar, check all electronic parts for functionality, test all screws for strength and check all wear parts.

Car mechanic who dismantles a trailer hitch and has it in front of him; Rameder logo in the background
During Rameder ball head maintenance, our experts clean, maintain and lubricate your towbar.

Used clutch? Better not!

Basically, you should keep your hands off used towbars. Apart from the fact that the assembly instructions are often missing, compatibility with your vehicle is not always guaranteed. In addition, any damage is usually not visible. In the worst case, the towbar has suffered hairline cracks or an incipient fracture due to an accident, which remain hidden from you - until the mishap happens. By the way: If the diameter of the ball head is less than 49 millimeters, the use of the trailer coupling is prohibited.

Conclusion: Small care, big effect

With the right care or our professional ball head maintenance, your towbar will always stay in top shape – safe, durable and ready for any challenge. Secure your appointment directly by phone at 0367 343 5572 or by e-mail to wartung@rameder.de!

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Photo credits

  • Rameder

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