Vista Hire can supply 4WD hire vehicles with tow bars ready for you to attach your trailer.
Trailers are a good way to free up space in your vehicle and shift weight away from it so it stays under its GVM. The GVM is the Gross Vehicle Mass, which is the maximum the vehicle is allowed to weigh. Before towing anything you should always check the vehicle's tow placard to determine if the vehicle is capable of towing the trailer.
Tow Placard Toyota Hilux 3.0 Turbo Diesel
The placard will show the tow-ball down-force rating (or trailer ball load) and towing capacity braked and un-braked. The down-force that is applied by the trailer to the vehicle through the tow-ball, counts toward the vehicles GVM, as do accessories like bull-bars, roll cages, auxiliary batteries, long range fuel tanks, etc.
Toyota Hilux 3.0 Turbo Diesel Tow Bar System
Towing Safety
The maximum weight of a trailer is specified by its Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM). The ATM is the combined weight of the trailer and its load. Safety chains are compulsory in Australia and should be attached and shortened to be no longer than necessary. They must be strong enough to hold the trailer and prevent the drawbar from touching the ground in the event the trailer disconnects from the ball. Trailers over 2,500kg must have two safety chains.
All trailers with an ATM over 750kg require brakes, and electronic brake controllers are required to be fitted to vehicles that tow these trailers for the brakes to operate correctly. The control unit is usually fitted within reach of the driver so adjustments can be made to the level of braking applied to the trailer wheels. The control unit sends braking signals to the trailer brakes via the trailer wiring. When adjusted correctly, the tow vehicle and trailer can be slowed as quickly as if the vehicle was stopping by itself.
Electronic Brake Controller
If the trailer is hitched correctly to the vehicle, the trailer should tow level with the vehicle or slightly nose down. Bear in mind that the down-force applied by the trailer will reduce available travel of the vehicle's rear suspension and this should be factored in when negotiating bumpy roads.
The trailer should be loaded so that the majority of the weight is sitting over the axle(s) and sits as low as possible. Overloading a trailer with too much weight toward the rear will cause the trailer to sway. Overloading a trailer with too much weight toward the front will cause it to oversteer.
Trailer Wiring
Vista Hire's 4WD vehicles are typically wired with either "7 pin round small", "7 pin round large", or "7 pin flat" connectors. Some information is shown to help you identify the connector you need. Please note that all pin numbers and wiring for connectors listed below are viewed from the cable entry side.
Trailer Circuit Wiring
7 Pin Flat Wiring (cable entry view) and Vehicle Socket
7 Pin Round Large Plug and Socket Wiring (cable entry view)
7 Pin Round Large Vehicle Socket
7 Pin Round Small Plug and Socket Wiring (cable entry view)
7 Pin Round Small Vehicle Socket
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Need more information on hiring a vehicle with a tow bar / tow hitch?
Vista Hire can supply your 4WD hire vehicle with the tow kit you require. If you would like more information or would like to discuss options for your hire vehicle, call us on 1300 993 767 or complete the request a quote form.
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