Lada Largus has serious capacity, which is an important characteristic of a family car. In various configurations, Largus can accommodate from five to seven passengers, and the necessary cargo is placed in the luggage compartment with a volume of up to 560 liters. If desired, you can provide a cargo volume of 2350 liters by completely folding the seats, or install an air rack on the roof of the car. However, a car of this class is not purchased to find compromises between the number of passengers and cargo volume. The owner of a country house needs to comfortably place a family, children and a dog in the car, and then easily load five bags of cement, a refrigerator and seedlings into it. The problem of transporting such large cargo can be solved with the help of a trailer. To do this, it is necessary to equip the Largus with a coupling device - a towbar.
Characteristics of coupling devices
There are several types of coupling devices, classified according to their main performance characteristics. By design, the following types of spherical towbars for passenger cars are distinguished:
- types “A”, “H” (with a maximum load capacity of up to 150 kg);
- types “F”, “G” (load capacity up to 3500 kg with the ability to adjust the mounting height);
- type “V” (unregulated, with a load capacity of up to 2500 kg);
- type “VMA” (with quick-detachable vertical mount).
The most common option for installation on modern passenger cars is the latter type of tow bar.
According to the method of fastening, a distinction is made between fixed (non-removable) hitches, in which the hook is fixed by welding, and removable towbars, in which the hook is secured with bolts or using a special mechanism. To select a towbar suitable for the Lada Largus, you need to know the weight of the trailer and the approximate weight often transported cargo. Excessive loads on the coupling device are transferred to the car body, which leads to damage to body elements.
Recommendations for selection
When selecting a trailer hitch for your Lada Largus, rely on several criteria. They will help you make the right choice and operate the towbar itself and the trailer for it without unnecessary problems.
The main nuances of choice are:
- Load. Approximately estimate what kind of cargo you are going to transport so that the trailer hitch can withstand the corresponding loads;
- Design. Between fixed and removable, the choice is clearly in favor of the latter. This is not even discussed. Yes, they are more expensive, but the price is worth it;
- Manufacturer. Choose only well-established companies. Cheap Chinese or any other trailer hitches will only create unnecessary problems;
- Price. Depends on all the characteristics listed above. Sometimes it varies depending on whether you buy a trailer hitch in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the city of Krasnodar, or somewhere in the province. Each store makes its own markups on the factory price. Therefore, it is better to buy from official dealers;
- Compatibility with trailer. If there is already a trailer, then the trailer hitch is selected for it. Or vice versa. Even if the towbar socket and trailer plug do not match, an adapter is always available. Do not forget that on Largus with an on-board computer you will also definitely need a coordination unit.
Almost always somewhere you can buy a product at a discount, choose a suitable discount. Use part number or specific model to search.
I think that's enough. If you think there are a couple more wise tips, be sure to write in the comments and share your observations with our readers.
Installing the hitch
The procedure for installing a towbar on a Lada Largus is usually indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions for the coupling device and in general consists of the following steps:
- The trunk of the car is completely freed from luggage, tools and accessories, the spare wheel is removed from the mount.
- The car is installed on an inspection hole (if possible, you can use a stationary lift).
- To ensure safety, when working with the electrical system, the negative terminal from the battery is removed.
- To access the working area of the underbody, you need to remove the protective heat shield and, if necessary, loosen the muffler fastenings.
- To install tow bars of a compatible design on the Lada Largus, the manufacturer has made mounting holes in the rear side members, protected by plastic plugs. For universal models, additional holes may need to be drilled.
- The towbar is secured using the fasteners included with the product.
The towbar for the Lada Largus is a U-shaped structure, in which the “legs” are attached to the car body, and in the middle of the massive crossbar there is a place for attaching the hook. Some towbar models are supplied with reinforcing plates that are installed at the bolted joints.
The installation of the towbar on the Lada Largus Cross is carried out from the bottom, so to facilitate the procedure you will need the help of a partner. Bolts with bushings are installed in the holes of the side member; a tow bar bracket is placed on them from the outside of the car, which is secured with nuts (at this stage the fasteners are not tightened all the way). After installing all the fasteners, you need to make sure that the hitch does not touch the rear bumper and does not interfere with the operation of the exhaust system.
The mounting bolts are then tightened to securely hold the towbar in place and the muffler heat shield is installed in place.
Install a tow bar on a Lada Largus with your own hands
The Lada Largus station wagon was created with an eye on practical owners, for whom the car's capacity is in the foreground. Depending on the body version and configuration, this model can accommodate from five to seven passengers, including the driver. At the same time, the cargo space remains at 560 liters (5-seater version). If you fold the backs of the rear seat row, the useful volume for luggage increases to an unprecedented 2350 liters. When the owner doesn’t have enough space, he can easily install a luggage compartment on top of the roof.
Many Lada Largus owners do not want to sacrifice luggage compartment space for the sake of the desire to seat a “full complement” of passengers in the cabin. What compromise can be found in this situation? There is an exit! It's a trailer! It is connected to the car using a special coupling device called a tow bar. Therefore, many car owners are interested in installing a towbar, and even doing it themselves, and we’ll tell you about this.
Electrical connection
It is recommended to connect the hitch socket if you have a trailer that will be used with this machine, since many trailer models use a non-standard wiring diagram. The socket is installed on a bracket, the insulated wires are placed in a special metallized sleeve, which is fixed with ties.
The wiring of the coupling device is routed through a special technological hole into the trunk of the car. The hole is closed with a plug and is located in the muffler area between the wheel arch and the rear bumper and is connected to the standard electrical system.
Standard pinout of Lada Largus wires:
- orange wire - brake light;
- black – mass;
- pink – rear PTF;
- green wire – left turn signal;
- blue – dimensions.
- orange wire - brake light;
- black – mass;
- beige – reverse indicator light;
- green wire – right turn signal;
- blue – dimensions.
After connecting the electrical wiring, you should check the functionality of the trailer light alarm in all modes.
Features of the installation and connection process of the coupling device can be studied in the following video:
Every year the number of car enthusiasts who install a tow bar on their cars is growing. This is due to the fact that:
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- the number of organizations providing trailer rental services is increasing;
- Traveling with campers (caravan trailers) is becoming popular;
- the number of owners of hydro- and ATVs is growing;
- Carriages are widely used for transporting vehicles.
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Also, many motorists install towbars and universal electrical connectors (sockets) “just in case,” assuming that in the future they may use trailers.
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But with electrics it will be a little more difficult if you have not had similar experience before.
Electrics
First remove both tail lights. Your trailer hitch wiring is routed through the factory holes. Also drill the plug and insert the wiring into it. We will secure it to the towbar beam using the clamps that come with the kit.
The main thing here is to stick to the scheme. That is, connect the car’s wires with the wiring of your trailer hitch in the correct accordance.
Let's take the left connector. Here are the wires:
Types, pinouts and connection diagrams for towbar sockets
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Several types of connectors are used to connect trailers:
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- seven-pin (7 pin) European-type connectors;
- American-type seven-pin (7 pin) connectors;
- thirteen-pin connectors (13 pin);
- special connectors.
The most widely used 7-pin European style connector is found on most passenger car cargo trailers. Its diagram and appearance are shown in the figure:
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A special feature of the connector is that the receiving part and its mating parts have sockets of both types (“male” and “female”).
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This is done for reasons of safe connection of the circular connector in zero visibility conditions. It is almost impossible to install incorrectly or short-circuit the sockets with this arrangement.
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Each of the connector pins has a clear purpose. The table shows the areas of the minimum cross-section of wires that are used to connect to the required circuit element.
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Contact No. 2 may not be used on many trailers. It is used to provide constant +12 power supply to light duty trailers.
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Some car enthusiasts ignore the separation of the right and left side lights, combining them circuit-wise into a single wire. A slight “simplification” of the electrical wiring leads to a disruption of the “parking light” function (when the turn signal is turned on in the parking lot, the dimensions of the corresponding side light up). This function is used when parking on the side of the road.
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Pinout diagram for 7-pin American connector:
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A special feature of the connector is the presence of a reverse contact and the absence of separation between the right and left rows of side lights.
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In some models of American cars, there is no separation between side lights and brake lights (they run on one wire).
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In many cases, the set of towbar connectors already includes conductors of the appropriate color and cross-section.
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This greatly simplifies the electrical connection process.
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13-pin connectors are used to connect passenger trailers.
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The main difference between this connector is that there are several contacts for the negative and positive buses, and backup contacts for connecting additional devices (for example, a rear view camera).
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A special feature of the connector is that large currents can flow through its contacts, in particular, to power the household electrical equipment of a caravan trailer and charge an additional battery.
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Special connectors are sometimes used to connect to boat equipment. In this case, standard adapters are provided:
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Modern trailers of a higher class have their own electronic equipment: ABS, ESP systems, on-board computers. They are also connected to the vehicle’s on-board system using special connectors.
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Connecting the power supply
Attention! For many owners, this stage can cause the most difficulties. We recommend that you carry out the procedure for switching the socket of the coupling product in the “presence” of the trailer, which is to be used with the car. This is explained by the presence of a non-standard electrical wiring diagram in some trailer modifications.
We fix the socket on the bracket, and put the insulated cables in a metallized sleeve. It is subsequently fixed with ties.
Next, the wiring through the hole made in the body is laid inside the luggage compartment of the LADA Largus. This hole is initially blocked by a plug and is located close to the muffler, between the rear bumper and the wheel arch. Next, the cable outlets are connected to the on-board network.
Now we present the standard pinout of wires for the Largus station wagon.
- the orange wire is responsible for the brake light;
- black cable - ground;
- pink wire – PTF stern;
- green outlet - left turn signal;
- blue - dimensional lighting equipment.
- orange cable – second brake light;
- black wire – ground;
- beige outlet – reverse lamp;
- green cable – right turn signal;
- blue wire – side light.
Having completed the cable network switching, we check the functioning of the entire list of trailer lighting devices.
Features of the circuit connection of the towbar connector in modern cars
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Cars produced before 2000 used analog circuits for controlling rear light devices. The greatest difficulty during connection is the correct determination of the location where the corresponding conductor is connected.
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Many car enthusiasts carried out this work using the “poke” method, sequentially connecting the contacts of the trailer connector to the indicator lamp. With the advent of digital control circuits for lighting devices and other electrical equipment of the car, this method has become dangerous.
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Video - connecting the towbar wiring on a Nissan Note:
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Digital control of electrical equipment assumes that thick conductors do not go directly to the light devices from the steering “dragonfly”, “frog”, relays and other switches to the tail lights, stops and other light devices. The supply voltage and digital control signals are received there.
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A simple twist-type connection to the tail light conductors is inappropriate here. Even if you connect directly to the rear headlights, which are now mostly LED, it is not a fact that the electronics will not display an error message and turn off these lights altogether, since the current consumption will be exceeded.
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In this regard, matching units are used to connect the towbar electronics in modern cars.
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They are equipped with a set of necessary conductors and a connection diagram. The description of matching blocks must contain a list of cars with which the block is compatible.
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There are diagrams of homemade devices on the Internet. If you want to experiment, you can purchase an inexpensive amateur radio kit:
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The connection diagram for such blocks is shown in a generalized form. You have to determine the specific wire routing yourself.
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Video - UniKIT 2 connection diagram for Baltex tow bar:
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How to quickly clean spark plugs from carbon deposits: choosing the best method
But with electrics it will be a little more difficult if you have not had similar experience before.
Electrics
First remove both tail lights. Your trailer hitch wiring is routed through the factory holes. Also drill the plug and insert the wiring into it. We will secure it to the towbar beam using the clamps that come with the kit.
The main thing here is to stick to the scheme. That is, connect the car’s wires with the wiring of your trailer hitch in the correct accordance.
Let's take the left connector. Here are the wires:
Adviсe
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General recommendations when operating trailer electrical equipment:
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- avoid overloading the network, especially when using household appliances in passenger trailers, this can cause a fire;
- check the electrical equipment of the trailer before each trip, at least externally;
- before each season, check the quality of electrical connections outside the vehicle and trailer, protect contact areas and connectors with grease and other means;
- do not allow dangling wires, be sure to secure them to the structural elements with plastic clamps,
- If possible, retrofit your trailer with waterproof LED fixtures.
Read the article about the mass air flow sensor, signs of a malfunction and how to check its functionality.
What resistance should a working ignition coil have?
Video - installation of a tow bar on a LADA Granta and pinout of the socket:
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May be of interest:
From experience I can say that it is still better to install a socket using special electrical terminal blocks, rather than twisting and electrical tape. Firstly, everything looks aesthetically more cultural, and secondly, with prolonged use, the electrical tape begins to unwind over time, and the twisting of the wires weakens. As a result, the twisting area begins to spark, lose contact, and the dimensions with the brakes begin to blink, or even go out completely. And it’s also worth making sure that when traveling without a trailer, the socket is closed with a plug, otherwise dirt, moisture and sand will get clogged there. Especially in the autumn-spring period, otherwise you will have to spend several hours picking it all out with a sharp screwdriver.
Conclusion
As practice shows, many consider a towbar to be a useful element for coupling a car with a trailer, but today it is not an absolute necessity. Whether to install it or not is the choice of every car owner.
Any experienced motorist can confirm the following thesis: “Even a passenger car needs a tow bar.” Very few private vehicles are equipped with a tow bar from the factory.
You can purchase a Lada Largus car (any configuration) here - https://saloncentr.ru/catalog/vaz/lada-largus-u5. The domestic crossover is not equipped with a tow bar in production. But it can be purchased separately.
Installation
- Remove the spare wheel.
- Remove the protective screen above the muffler (3 nuts).
- Remove the plastic plugs from the side members (indicated by arrows in the photo).
- Enlarge the hole for the fasteners, removing the protective tape and mastic.
- First insert the front bolt and bushing, hang the bracket from the outside and attach it.
- Insert the rear bolt and push it from the outside into the side member. Insert the bushing, washer, and tighten the nut.
- Do the same on the right side.
Check that the towbar is pressed against the bumper, but does not touch the muffler. Tighten all fastening bolts and install the protective screen.
Design options
Let's start with choosing a trailer hitch and try to determine which one is better.
There is a wide selection of manufacturers and suppliers on the market. So the list of those in demand includes:
But you shouldn’t rely only on the brand, since a smart choice requires a comprehensive approach to the issue.
The various types of towbars available on the market are confusing to the buyer. Therefore, first of all, let’s understand this.
Based on the mounting method, all trailer hitches can be:
- fixed (Largus are equipped with these from the factory);
- removable (quickly and easily removed using a special mechanism);
- flanged (fastening is carried out by bolted connections on a special platform).
I will say right away that it is better to choose removable ones, since they are much easier to handle, easy to remove when not needed, but just as easy to put back in place if you are going to travel with a trailer.
TSU balls
There are also different types of balls that are used to attach a trailer hitch.
- Ball A. The load on it is up to 1500 kg;
- Ball N. The load is similar, but the price is lower compared to the previous option;
- Ball F and G. Load up to 3500 kg with the function of changing the fixation height;
- Ball V. Has a load capacity of up to 2500 kg, but is not adjustable;
- B.M.A. It has a vertical mount that is easy and quick to remove;
- Square mount.
The type A ball has recently become popular among Largus owners due to its practicality and ease of use.
I would call the main criteria horizontal and vertical maximum load. To calculate it, you need to understand what kind of cargo you are going to deal with and what trailers to carry with you.
It’s one thing when the tow bar has to support a Bee, and quite another thing if it’s a whole trailer, a motor home.
Manufacturers of removable trailer hitches
Manufacturers, using technological equipment in the manufacture of trailer hitches, have come very far. The end result is visible in complex tests and metal tests. Among the production leaders are:
- Westfalica with business class devices with high load capacity. Models are equipped with a complex system for locking the hook in the receiver.
- Bossal. In addition to quality, the company pays attention to design. And this is a field for creativity. As many bumpers as there are tow beams with hooks and balls.
- Thule combines Swedish quality with European standards. The company provides a serious warranty on the towbars it produces.
Among the European removable hooks, a particularly technologically advanced premium towbar from the Belgian-made Bossal Power company stands out. The decorative chrome plate, which is fixed to the top of the beam, is equipped with an illuminated "Bossal Power" lettering, connected to the side lights. The design is complemented by a quick-release hook. It is equipped with a key lock that, when turned, releases the locking handle. After turning the handle, the towbar pops down. Returning to the place is accompanied by the same actions in reverse order.
redBTR towbar
Among Americans, domestic towbar models with a standard lowering of 2 inches are popular. The black anti-corrosion coating ensures a decent service life. Versatility allows you to use balls of different diameters and extensions. It's a simple design that packs a punch.
Legal regulation in Russia
Many drivers are interested in whether it is necessary to register a towbar with the traffic police and what punishment awaits for illegal installation?
It is worth saying that installing a trailer hitch is a structural change in the structure of the car. There is a special list of design changes that do not need to be approved by the traffic police. This list also includes a towbar, but with some explanations. The design of the car must include the installation of a towbar. That is, the car must be designed for the installation of a trailer hitch. The vast majority of cars have this capability from the factory.
Vehicle registration
To avoid possible punishment, the driver must have the following documents with him:
- Certificate for tow bar. When purchasing any towbar in a specialized store, a certificate of conformity is issued with it. This is a document that confirms the quality standards specified by the manufacturer. The document also confirms that the product has passed the necessary tests.
- Document from a certified auto center. The installation of trailer hitches must be carried out in specialized auto centers that issue the appropriate certificate. This certificate (or a copy) confirms the quality of the work performed to install the product. The document must be certified by a seal.
If the purchased vehicle already has a trailer hitch installed, then you also need to contact a specialized auto center, which will carry out diagnostics and issue a certificate. The cost of the service is approximately 1,500 rubles.
If the car is not designed to use a trailer hitch
If the machine is not designed for installation of a trailer hitch from the factory, then it is possible to install it yourself, but you need to take the following steps:
- Purchase a tow bar with a certificate.
- Install the product in an auto center.
- Pass an examination at the traffic police to make changes to the design of the car. In turn, the traffic police will send the driver to the auto center for examination.
- Write down changes in the technical certificate and PTS about changes in the design of the car.
Fine for illegal installation
On the first violation for an illegal tow bar, the inspector may issue a warning. For a subsequent violation, a fine of 500 rubles is implied in accordance with Article 12.5 part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
A towbar is a really necessary thing if you intend to use a trailer
When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the product, its compliance with standards and the car. It is necessary to take into account the maximum transportable weight of the cargo that it can withstand. Also, the driver must have certain certificates and documents for the trailer vehicle in order to avoid possible punishment
Also, the driver must have certain certificates and documents for the trailer vehicle in order to avoid possible punishment.
