Chevrolet Niva is one of the most popular domestic vehicles. This is greatly facilitated by its performance qualities. The machine is characterized as durable, which means that the installation of a towbar is quite possible. However, this may pose some difficulties.
Niva Chevrolet
The fact is that this device is specialized. It should be used mainly for towing not too heavy trailers. This constructive “gadget” is especially relevant in the summer season. But such a vehicle with a trailer places increased demands on its movement. Therefore, the choice of a towbar designed for a Chevrolet Niva must be approached very responsibly - for this brand of car it must have the appropriate standards.
Do-it-yourself towbar installation
The towing device is sold in a complete set, which consists of the towbar itself, a socket, wires, a cap on the ball, special nuts and screws (3 pieces each), 6 bolts, 6 spring washers and 6 regular graphite lubricants.
The basic set has everything you need, so there is no need to buy anything additional.
Before installing the towbar, the vehicle should be positioned so that you have access to its lower part. Also make sure there is good lighting so you can see all the mounting holes. Next you need to do the following:
- clean the mounting area from dirt and remove the factory tape;
- all elements intended for fastening must be lubricated with graphite grease;
- Carefully insert the bolts into the pre-prepared holes and tighten the nuts tightly in order to secure the towbar well. First, a transverse rail is attached to the spar, and then a longitudinal one;
- Lastly, install the removable ball.
Installation
Installation of the towbar is carried out in the following sequence:
- The car is driven onto an overpass or inspection hole. De-energize the vehicle wiring; to do this, disconnect the battery.
- Remove everything in the trunk. We are talking not only about personal belongings, but also a repair kit and a spare wheel. You should also remove the upholstery by disconnecting all the clips.
- Place the towbar at the installation site. Fix the device, correctly mark the places where the fasteners will be installed.
- Next, you need to drill holes wherever the fasteners will be installed. To avoid possible malfunctions in the future, the holes for fastening components must be treated with an anti-corrosion agent. This will help increase the service life.
- Using bolts and washers, install them into the holes and tighten them well using the appropriate wrench.
- Then, you need to make two more holes inside the trunk and at the bottom of the spar; use reinforcing pads while working. This will not only strengthen the fastening, but will also help relieve the load from the body.
- Next, the bolts are inserted and the linings are installed. The final stage will be the installation of the electrical part. To do everything right, we recommend that you listen to the tips you will learn about below. Choose one of two methods. You can learn more about installing a towbar in the video below.
Operational risks
For this reason, towbars were not produced either, which provoked the growth of all kinds of handicraft industries.
Their “products” suggested 2 types of do-it-yourself installation of a trailer hitch on a car:
- Attaching the towbar to the rear bumper guides;
- Attaching the trailer hitch to the side members and the car body.
The photo shows how to install the trailer hitch on the bumper brackets
In addition, the “handicraftsmen” also took into account the desires of the owners to equip their Nivas with gas cylinder equipment, which included installing a cylinder in the rear of the body. For this reason, the design of the trailer hitch attached to the side members looked rather unusual.
Installing a towbar on a Niva 21214 with gas equipment provided only this option
Note! Naturally, no one has carried out any dynamic tests of the trailer hitch, carried out according to GOST R 41.55-2005 standards. And car owners exposed their cars to danger, which often caused accidents.
Towbar attachment points that have been torn out “with meat” are a natural result of incorrect installation
Bumper towing options
Before purchasing a towbar for a Chevrolet Niva, you need to familiarize yourself with the manufacturing companies and the varieties of this part.
Among the companies that occupy leading positions in the production of towbars, it is worth highlighting such as “Bosol”, “Auto-Hack”, “Baltex”. Experienced motorists and specialists recommend choosing trailer hitches manufactured by these companies. The devices are characterized by high reliability and high-quality materials.
Towbars for Chevrolet Niva are divided according to the design of the product into:
- Removable.
Easy to install and dismantle. Mounted with 2 or 4 bolts, which are easy to remove. You can often find models with a removable ball on sale.
- Fixed.
They are a one-piece design. Installed on a reinforced car bumper. They are welded to the side members or attached to massive bolts.
- Quick release.
Often equipped with a folding mechanism. The ball is removed and stored separately from the trailer hitch. Used for transporting light loads in a trailer.
On the old-style Niva there are no standard mounting points for the tow bar. Experts do not recommend making special holes for mounting the trailer hitch yourself. In addition, it is impossible to find models of towbars for such cars on sale, and homemade towing devices do not have the proper quality.
After selecting a suitable towbar, we proceed to install the trailer hitch on the vehicle ourselves.
Recommendations for using the tow bar
If you have correctly installed the towbar on the Niva, you should adhere to the following recommendations for using the trailer hitch:
- It is prohibited to tow cargo weighing more than 1300 kg.
- It is necessary to adhere to a certain speed limit when towing a trailer (no more than 90 km/h).
- The load on the coupling ball should not exceed 50 kg.
- At each vehicle maintenance, it is necessary to tighten the connecting threads.
- If the load extends beyond the trailer by 1 meter at the front or rear, or 40 cm from the outer edge of the side light, it must be marked with special identification marks.
You should also adhere to the rules for placing cargo in a trailer. It should be evenly distributed, that is, the center of gravity should be above the axle (if we are talking about a single-axle trailer) or between the axles (if you are using a two-axle model).
These rules should not be neglected, since in a situation where the load is shifted forward, the load on the coupling device and the rear of the machine will increase, which will lead to poor traction with the road surface. It is also impossible to allow a shift back, otherwise the rear part of the car will rise, which will also worsen the vehicle’s handling.
Varieties
It is not difficult to install the metal component of the tow bar, that is, this entire structure, on the car. Plus, some cars come from the factory with a trailer hitch, that is, a towing device (this is our tow bar, but you already know that).
But you need to connect the towbar socket to the car. Otherwise, it will be impossible to connect the trailer. More precisely, you will perform a mechanical connection with a special lock. Only the trailer lights will not be able to function. If you drive out onto the road in this condition, you risk receiving a serious fine.
When buying a trailer plug or a car towbar socket, be guided by what type of connector they have. By purchasing everything at the same time, there will be no problems with the choice. And when purchased separately, the connector may turn out to be different.
In general, towbar sockets are of two types:
7-pin. This is a European standard scheme that is widely used on domestic cars and our trailers. The connection is quite simple, which is why this type of wiring has gained such popularity;
13-pin or 13-pin socket. A variation designed to connect a car's towbar to trailers such as a motor home. That is, towed devices that need to provide not only connection to lighting devices, unlike 7-pin ones.
Since in most cases a conventional trailer is installed for transporting goods, it is logical to use 7-pin connectors.
But don't be alarmed if the factory trailer plug or the standard towbar socket differ in the number of contacts. For such situations, a special adapter or adapter is provided according to the 7/13 or 13/7 scheme. Accordingly, if the pinout is the same, you won’t have to use any additional adapters.
What to choose
In this article, we specifically did not describe the technical characteristics of each product. The thing is that for the average person this information will be like an explosion in the head. All the numbers are intertwined there and you can get confused. We can give you advice on how to proceed easier.
Ask yourself what do you want from a tow bar? What will you carry on it?
If you are looking for a budget model, this is definitely the Trailer! One of the advantages is the price from 2500 rubles. and technical characteristics, the disadvantages are the short-lived coating
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The highest quality, toughest and most durable towbar is the Bosal VFM tow bar. But the price also corresponds, starting from 3200 rubles.
The average option, which combines good technical performance, reliability and durability, is Leader Plus. This manufacturer offers the maximum range of types of balls. The line includes a towbar for gas-cylinder equipment. Prices start from 2500 rubles.
Lada 4×4 3D М4х4 › Logbook › Tow bar bosal 1207-A VAZ Niva 2121,21213,21214,2131,2129
I thought for a long time which tow bar to buy, new or used. From time to time I looked at advertisements for the sale of used trailer hitches on various websites. There weren’t many of them, and the ones that came across, I didn’t like the design. I started to consider purchasing a new trailer hitch. It also has its own nuances: cheap and “not beautiful” or beautiful, but expensive) In the end, after looking at photos of the Niva with various towbars, the choice fell on bosal.
Price tag in the city: 2690 rubles - 1207-H (not removable ball); 2740r - 1207-A (with removable ball). As you already understand, I purchased a bosal hitch with a removable ball. For a difference of 50 rubles, I can remove the ball at any time (for various reasons) and move on, or not remove it. The towbar was delivered to order, on the 4th day. Go.
This box contained fasteners, a socket, a cap, and instructions. I don’t know how things work with the configuration of towbars from other manufacturers, but here is a complete set of fasteners, including a socket, 5-wire wires and a cap. Overall I liked it!
Freeing up space for creation. Subsequently, we had to remove the paneling completely, because... I had to drill a hole on the right side too
We attach the trailer hitch to the bumper brackets to mark the holes in the floor cross member
The holes are already drilled* But in order to drill the holes I had to remove the rod halfway. On the left we unscrew the bolt completely, and on the right we “loosen it”. As a result, the rod hangs and does not prevent us from drilling holes.
Holes in the process I first drilled with a 6 drill from the bottom, then on both sides with drills: 8.10 and then, from above, with a 16 drill + processing the hole with a roller cutter, for a diameter of 16.5 mm. And all for the purpose of getting the bushings through.
We lower it carefully, because the length of the bushing is less than the internal thickness of the cross member, and we can simply lose the bushing in it. Getting it is certainly not a problem, but it will waste time.
Bolt for additional fastening of the bracket to the body. Drilling must be done carefully, because We may subsequently rest the nut against the towing eye mounting bolt. You can, of course, drill a hole closer to the “standard” bolt securing the bracket to the spar, but then the additional bolt won’t be of much use. Or vice versa, closer to the rear apron, but apparently there is no additional patch there, which means the body metal there is thinner. Everyone has their own taste and color, but personally I approached the location of the additional bolt with such arguments.
The drilling stage is the same, from below with a long drill 6, after the drill 9...12 and on top 16 + a roller cutter (under the sleeve)
On the left side, in order to drill a hole, I had to “throw off” the muffler from the rubber band.
Wiring I inserted the harness through the elastic band at the bottom of the apron, which I had previously drilled. The cable itself was laid inside the apron and led to the left headlight.
_My execution_ of fastening the socket The instructions were like this:
Requirements for a towbar on a Niva Cheverol
The proprietary device that is planned to be installed on this car model must meet all the necessary standards. Typically, before it goes on sale, it undergoes tests that check metal fatigue and all important loads.
Before the towbar is installed on the Chevrolet Niva, you need to ensure that it meets the following requirements:
- Be sure to purchase an original tow hitch.
- Towing weighing more than 1300 kg is not allowed.
- When traveling, you must not exceed a speed of more than 90 km/h.
- It is imperative to monitor the load on the coupling ball - it should not exceed 50 kg.
- With each subsequent maintenance, tightening of thread connections is necessary - it is better to do this at a service station.
Towbar on Niva Chevrolet
Fine for a towbar installed incorrectly
It is considered a violation to purchase a “homemade” tow bar and then install it yourself. The law also prohibits the use of trailer vehicles without the appropriate documentation - certificates, etc. If this is discovered during the operation of the vehicle, in accordance with the current Administrative Legal Code, the driver risks earning a fine of 500 rubles.
A similar fine in the same amount will be imposed if the towbar installed on the Chevrolet Niva turns out to be faulty. The driver is obliged to monitor the condition of this device, since this can lead not only to a fine, but also to the immediate sending of the car to the impound lot until the problem is resolved.
Connecting the towbar socket
When connecting the towbar socket, you need to know the wiring diagram of your car. Usually it has 7 contacts, 6 of which are in a circle and 1 in the middle. But please note that in imported trailers there are 9 such contacts, of which 2 more are designed to provide additional lighting and operation of household appliances. Before connecting the equipment, check that there are no burnt contacts anywhere and disconnect the car battery. Further:
- strip the insulation on the wiring of the rear headlight;
- Carefully solder one of the wires to the contact in the socket using the pinout diagram, then solder the next 6 contacts;
- carefully wrap the wire insertion points with insulating tape;
- return the headlamp to its place and connect the battery.
Once completed, check all of the vehicle's lights.
Features of the socket connection
To connect the towbar to the vehicle's electrical wiring, we recommend using stranded copper wire. The ideal option is a wire in which each core has a cross-section of at least 1.5 square meters. mm. The wire must have a double layer of insulation.
After connecting the trailer according to our diagram and checking the functionality of its lighting equipment, it is advisable to take care of protecting the internal elements of the outlet from moisture. It would be a good idea to use graphite lubricant, which will also prevent oxidation of the contacts.
Manuals￫VAZ￫21213 (Niva) Electrical wiring for trailer electrical equipment
general information
Several types of towbar connectors are available with different terminal locations in them. The most common is the 7-pin connector, which provides two additional circuits, typically used to supply power to the reversing lights and electric trailer brakes.
When equipping a towbar, it may be necessary to replace the previous turn signal switch with a more powerful one in order to maintain the flashing frequency of the signal lights specified in the traffic regulations adopted in a particular region. Authorities in some regions also require the mandatory installation of turn signal repeaters on the instrument panel.
If the towbar connector socket does not match the size of the plug installed on the trailer, you should purchase one of the suitable adapter adapters available (see accompanying illustration).
- How to turn on high beam on a VAZ 2115
Installing a towbar connector
| To equip a trailer hitch with a towbar connector socket, the following are required (at a minimum): a socket corresponding to the trailer plug, a support bracket, a 7-core flexible cable, insulated connectors for connecting the wires and a rubber bushing. |
Necessary components for trailer power supply equipment using a utilux type towbar connector.
| EXECUTION ORDER | ||
Terminal No. | Circuit | Color |
| 1 | Left turn signal lamp | Yellow |
| 2 | Reversing lamp | Black |
| 3 | Weight | White |
| 4 | Right turn signal lamp | Green |
| 5 | Electric brakes | Blue |
| 6 | Brake light | Red |
| 7 | Side light lamp | Brown |
- If using a 6-pin type towbar connector, please adhere to the following standard color coding scheme:
| Terminal No. | Circuit | Color |
| 1 | Side light lamp | Brown |
| 2 | Left turn signal lamp | Yellow |
| 3 | Right turn signal lamp | Green |
| 4 | Brake light | Red |
| 5 | Auxiliary circuit | Blue |
| 6 | Weight | White |
- If using a 5-pin type towbar connector, please adhere to the following standard color coding scheme:
| Terminal No. | Circuit | Color |
| 1 | Left turn signal lamp | Yellow |
| 2 | Weight | White |
| 3 | Right turn signal lamp | Green |
| 4 | Brake light | Red |
| 5 | Side light lamp | Brown |
- Drill a suitable hole in the car floor panel and install the rubber bushing into it.
| Before drilling a hole, check to see if you can use any of the existing technology. The bushing must be installed without fail to avoid rubbing of the wires. |
- Insert a 7-core flexible cable into the hole with the grommet installed.
- Cut the cable to the required length and place the boot on it.
- Strip each of the cable cores from approximately 15 mm of insulation.
- Connect the cable cores to the receiving jack terminals, observing the standard color scheme and following the connector manufacturer's instructions.
- Assemble the socket and install the boot on its rear end. The components of the 7-pin brylite towbar connector are shown in the accompanying illustration.
- Install the support bracket as close to the tow ball as possible and high enough to maintain the vehicle's ground clearance.
- Install the connector socket into the bracket.
- Connect the trailer plug to the towbar socket to check that they are properly connected.
Trailer plug installation
| To equip a trailer with a towbar connector, the following is required (at a minimum): a plug corresponding to the connector socket on the vehicle, a 7-core flexible cable and insulated connectors for connecting the wires. |
The procedure for installing a plug on a trailer is similar to that for installing a receptacle socket on a car, taking into account the points listed below.
| EXECUTION ORDER |
|
By installing a towbar on a Chevrolet Niva, the motorist has the opportunity to transport trailers and other vehicles. The manufacturing plant of this model intends to make similar modifications to the design of the car, therefore it equips the car with standard places for attaching the trailer hitch. Installing a towing hitch has some nuances.
Electrical connection
An electrical connection is necessary for the operation of additional lighting on the trailer. For this purpose, a 7-pin socket is used, which is supplied with the towbar.
The socket connection diagram is in the towbar instructions and looks like this:
- Left turn signal.
- Fog lamp.
- Weight.
- Right turn signal.
- Reverse.
- Brake signal.
- Parking lights.
Connecting the socket to the wiring is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The rear headlight is removed and the insulation on its wiring is stripped.
- The wires are soldered in accordance with the pinout diagram.
- The places where the wires are inserted are wrapped with electrical tape.
- The headlight is installed in place.
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After completing the work on connecting the socket, check the functionality of the trailer lights.
Direct connection diagrams
If the towbar and trailer of a passenger car (and truck) are equipped with the appropriate connectors, then the electrical connection diagram will not be needed at all, since you just need to insert the socket into the socket.
Pinout of 7-pin trailer socket Euro and RF
- Left side turn signal.
- Reversing lamp.
- Earth.
- Right side turn signal.
- License plate light and right side marker light.
- Brake light bulbs.
- Right side marker light.
US 7 pin trailer socket pinout
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. In some models of American cars, there is no separation between side lights and brake lights (they run on one wire).
Pinout diagram for 13-pin socket
- Installation on VAZ 2108 and 2109 with a low torpedo instrument cluster from 2115
- Left side turn signal.
- Rear fog lamp.
- Ground for terminals 1 to 8.
- Right side turn signal.
- Left side of dimensions and number plate illumination.
- Brake light lamp.
- The right side of the dimensions and number plate illumination.
- Reversing lamp.
- Constant voltage 12 volts 35 amps.
- The voltage is 12 volts 35 amps, supplied after the ignition is turned on.
- Ground for terminal.
- Signal wire.
- Ground for terminal 9.
Useful: Pinout of diagnostic connector for VAZ cars
When the car is not equipped with a modern electronic control unit. Thanks to this, electrical wires can be directly connected to existing electrical circuits. That is, the wires that come from the connector are connected to those connected to the rear lighting equipment.
The emergence of a new Niva
Everything changed with the appearance of a new model in the AvtoVAZ lineup - the Chevrolet Niva:
- The manufacturer has provided attachment points for the trailer hitch;
- They have been reinforced and equipped with threaded connections;
- For operation without a towbar, the attachment points were initially sealed with special tape.
Factory instructions allowed towing trailers weighing up to 1300 tons
Note! The automaker entered into agreements with trailer hitch manufacturers, which led to the unification of parts for the coupling device, thereby protecting the cars and their owners. This applies not only to the Chevrolet family - installing a towbar on a Priora station wagon has also become safer.
Thanks to this, every owner of new AvtoVAZ cars can independently purchase and install a trailer hitch kit. In addition to towing, the towbar often serves as additional protection for the underbody, as well as making stickers for the headlights, protecting the glass from flying stones.
Results
Self-installation of a tow bar on a Niva Chevrolet SUV is not difficult, since the manufacturer has already provided technological holes for it in the rear of the car. If everything is done correctly, installing the additional trailer element will take about an hour.
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Installing the tow bar
The standard trailer hitch set for the Chevrolet Niva includes:
- set of wires and socket;
- screws and nuts (3 pieces each);
- 6 bolts;
- 6 regular washers and 6 spring washers;
- ball cap;
- graphite lubricant.
Having prepared everything you need, position the car so that you have access to the underside of the car and perform the following steps:
- Place the towbar against the mounting location to determine where the mounting holes are located.
- Clean the mounting points from dirt and remove the factory tape from them.
Healthy! There is no need to remove the bumper, which significantly speeds up the installation process.
- Lubricate all fasteners with graphite grease.
- Attach the hitch to the spar and apron, after which you need to insert the bolts into the holes and secure them tightly with nuts in the following sequence: first, attach the transverse beam, which is attached to the spar (inside the rear bumper), then this rail is connected to the longitudinal one.
- Install the removable ball.
This completes the mechanical installation. Now you need to connect the electronics responsible for the light elements of the trailer.
Installing a towbar Chevrolet Niva station wagon 2002-
The installation process of the towbar in photographs:
First you need to purchase a towbar. Choose a tow bar for your vehicle here. I have never seen a car on which you can install a towbar so quickly, within 10 minutes. Here, of course, we must pay tribute to AvtoVAZ. The standard body configuration already includes threaded holes for attaching a towbar, but they are sealed with tape. (In the photo, the taped areas are indicated by arrows).
You need to tear off the adhesive tape, place the towbar against the side members and the apron and tighten it with the mounting bolts (supplied), after lubricating them with graphite lubricant. That's it, the tow bar is in place!
Now you need to install the outlet. This will take much more time than installing a tow bar. For this:
- Disassemble the socket: remove the stopper from engagement with the body
- turn the contact pad counterclockwise
Near the area with the car body number, under the vibration-insulating layer, find a plug (in the photo, the area with the number and the plug are indicated by arrows).
Take it off. Make a hole in it with a punch.
Disassemble the right rear light casing (attached to two pistons). Disconnect the connector from it. Connect the towbar wiring harness.
Remove the standard wiring for the right rear light from the corrugated tube. Strip the necessary wires, about 2-3 cm, and tin them with tin.
The procedure for connecting the towbar terminals to the rear lights is as follows:
| Towbar socket | Right light wire color | Left light wire color | |
| contact No. 1 | left turn | —– | blue-black |
| contact No. 3 | weight | to the body | —– |
| contact No. 4 | right turn | blue | —– |
| contact No. 6 | stop signal | red | —– |
| contact No. 7 | dimensions | brown | —– |
Insulate solder joints. Connect both strands together and put a corrugated tube on them. Wrap it with electrical tape in two or three places.
Use the tow bar strictly for its intended purpose :))
The towbar installation instructions/diagram are for informational purposes only. Since towbars from all manufacturers are different. AutoDels.com.ua is not responsible for any consequences when installing a tow bar. We recommend installing towbars only from specialists!
To make an appointment for the installation of a towed Chevrolet Niva, please contact our specialized service station on the street. Kozatskaya, 126 by phone,
