There is little doubt that we are a country of towers. Horse floats and caravans, camper trailers and work trailers or trailers to move the boat and jet skis or even just to take those pesky palm fronds to the tip, Australians love them all.  Here on the Sunshine Coast, there's no end to weekend activities that require hitching up a trailer - so how do you use your Genuine Toyota tow ball safely? 

And while it is tempting to just hitch the trailer to your car and be on your merry way, the reality is that it is a bit more complicated than that with rules that have to be met to ensure you and your family and those drivers around you are safe.

The same complexities exist when choosing a tow car in the first place. While manufacturers are quick to advertise towing capacities especially in dual-cab utes, 4x4s and SUVs, you often have to look beneath the surface to determine your vehicle’s true towing capability.

What is my car's towing capacity? It's a numbers game!

Your car's towing capacity is determined by the manufacturer and the maximum trailer load is specified to ensure that the combination is controllable, safe and efficient. This information is available in your vehicle handbook and the label attached to the doorjamb of the driver’s door. Make sure you read it carefully as vehicles can differ greatly, with differences also possible between variants of the same model. Testing

Another key point to remember is that currently, the legislation around how this towing capacity is quoted by car manufacturers allows for some flexibility. It is important to remember that different car manufacturers use different methodologies when arriving at a towing capacity for their vehicles. Some manufacturers quote increased towing capacities in preference to enabling the vehicle to carry its full payload at the same time (i.e. you need to carry fewer people or load in the car to be able to tow to the full quoted towing capacity). What does