If you regularly haul a trailer or caravan behind your vehicle, you need a solid towbar that fits your car or truck, that fits the equipment being towed, and that is sufficiently strong for the weight of the trailer or caravan you're towing. When you're ready to choose this towbar, you might be surprised to find out how many options are available. To ensure you get the right one for your vehicle and the equipment you're towing, note a few tips to keep in mind, and discuss these with your mechanic as needed.

Height

Tow bars don't simply jut out from behind the car, but will have a neck that adds height to the ball that sits at the end of the bar. When choosing the height of the towbar or ball, you want to measure the distance from the caravan or trailer towbar to the ground. Then, choose a towbar for your vehicle that will allow the trailer or caravan to dip down slightly in front. This is because the equipment you're towing will be pulled upward just slightly when your vehicle starts to move forward. Choosing a taller towbar will keep the trailer or caravan level,  and ensure it won't tend to dip downward in the back while you're driving.

Breakaway cable

A breakaway cable applies the brakes of the trailer or caravan being towed if it should come loose from your car. Those brakes engage when the breakaway cable becomes taught, so choose a towbar with a long neck or frame as needed, to ensure that there is some slack to the cable. Test the cable by pulling on it when your trailer or caravan is hooked up, to note if there is enough room for it to move freely while you're towing your equipment.

Self-aligning

Self-aligning towbars have a flexible neck that will allow the bar to move in response to the movement of the equipment being towed. This will ensure that your trailer or caravan stays level and even as you hit bumps in the road, or as anything inside the trailer moves and shifts its weight. This type of towbar is good for when driving over rough and uneven roads that would cause your trailer or caravan to bounce up and down; they're also the best choice for when you haul loose items in a trailer. The self-aligning towbar will ensure that the trailer or caravan won't dip and dive, keeping it safe from actually hitting the road as you drive.