Brink Towbars are designed specifically for VEHICLES that are intended for the European market. "Grey Import" models usually intended for the Far Eastern market are arriving in this country on an ever increasing Basis. Please note that we do not recommend that towbars should be fitted to these models nor do we guarantee that a bar will fit even if the vehicle looks similar to the standard European model. "Grey Imports" usually differ in many ways making a standard bar impossible to fit. Towing in the Far East, especially Japan, is a rarity and in many cases these vehicles do not have any fixing points and the VIN plates do not have any towing weights provided which may mean that the import is a non towing vehicle making the fitment of a towbar illegal.

Similarly, Brink towbars are designed (unless stated) for European specification models with standard bumpers, suspension, exhausts, wheels & tyres. Vehicles that are a variation of the standard i.e. sport models can often vary in any of these aspects. Therefore, before fitting a towbar you should check whether the vehicle you have varies from the norm as you may encounter difficulties such as: deeper sports bumpers which may need a larger than normal cut (for which there will be no template), Lowered suspension can cause the towball to be too low with a heavy Load as would low profile tyres or smaller alloy wheels and a non standard exhaust could foul on the towbar and prevent fitting. In these cases we would not recommend the fitment of a towbar.

Many new vehicles are fitted with reversing sensors. These sensors pick up the presence of obstacles directly behind the vehicle and will sound a warning alarm when the vehicle is in reverse. Fixed ball towbars (flange or swan necks) can be identified by the sensors as an obstacle thus triggering the alarm rendering the sensors ineffective. When reversing sensors are fitted we recommend that a detachable towbar is used so that when the neck is removed, the sensors can work normally.

Bumper Cuts:- Due to the latest aesthetic vehicle designs bumper cuts are becoming more and more common. If the towbar you wish to fit requires a cut we strongly recommend that you inform your customer of this fact, as Brink UK can accept no responsibility for cuts to the bumper that are unwanted by the end user. It is essential that your fitters check to ensure that the customer is aware a cut to the bumper is Necessary BEFORE any cut is made. Please note the following paragraph that will be added to all fitting instructions and is applicable Immediately: "Should the installation process entail the cutting of the bumper, confirmation MUST be obtained by the installation engineer of the customer's acceptance prior to completion. Brink International do not accept responsibility for any matters arising as a result of this miscommunication"

Brinkmatic systems :- Please ensure that when these systems are fitted that the end user is aware that the contact surfaces on the detachable neck and in the housing are kept clean and free from dust, grease and paint etc.

Brinkmatic 1 & 2 systems :- Please be aware that not all Brinkmatic 1 & 2 systems have enough parallel surface to fit a stabiliser clamp. If your customer wishes to have a detachable towbar but also wants to stabilise his unit with a conventional leaf spring unit we strongly advise that you contact our Technical dept. for confirmation that this is possible if the neck will not take a clamp, then a ball hitch type stabiliser must be fitted to the unit being towed. It is not possible to fit stabiliser clamps to Mirage or Ellebi systems.

Towballs :- After fitting a towbar to your customer's vehicle please explain that the height of the towbar from the centre of the ball to the ground will be between 350mm & 420mm, when the vehicle is fully laden, in accordance with Directive EC94/20. Therefore in order to attain this height, the unladen ball height will be much higher than the fully laden height & will vary depending on vehicle type.

Towballs are not interchangeable between bars. They are designed for specific vehicles and comply with legal and technical requirements. Therefore we are unable to supply towballs for any vehicles they are not designed for (e.g. to alter the height, to extend the ball away from the bumper etc.). To do so would invalidate type approval & render the bar illegal. There must also be a minimum distance of 65mm between the bumper and the centre of the towball to conform to directive EC94/20. Please note that if an Alko stabiliser is being utilised then the Minimum distance required is 67mm.

Due to changes in European Law regarding the content of chromium in products, changes will be made to Brinkmatic and Mirage necks over the coming months. The yellow passivate coating on these items will be changed to a KTL coating. This is a process where the surface of the neck is electrochemically coated. This will give a black finish which will also provide greater corrosion resistance by up to 60%. The Brinkmatic mechanism will also receive KTL treatment and the mechanism cover will change colour from black to Royal Blue.