In the traditional configuration, the Lada Granta does not have a tow bar. When purchasing a trailer, car owners are faced with the need to install it. In some machines, this requires drilling mounting holes or making other modifications. If you lack experience, the procedure should be entrusted to the employees of the nearest car service center. The owners of the Lada Granta liftback car were luckier - towing coupling devices were developed especially for their car, fastened with just a few bolts. True, you will have to tinker a little with the electrics.
Details on how to install a tow bar on a Lada Granta can be obtained from specialists. But even a novice car enthusiast can cope with this. The finished towing device for this vehicle is a U-shaped metal frame with a towbar attached to it. The structure is completely ready for installation, and there are already holes for bolts on the side members of the car and behind its bumper.
The towbar installation process consists of several steps:
- Fixing the car over the pit with a parking brake;
- Complete shutdown of all electrics - you need to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery;
- Installation of the towbar and securing it in its standard places;
- Connecting the towbar socket to the on-board power supply.
- Let's go through these steps in more detail.
How to install a tow bar on a Granta sedan and what is needed for this?
To do this, the car enthusiast will need a ratchet wrench. In most cases, no other tools are needed (at least at this stage). The installation process is simple - we take the trailer hitch frame and combine it with the standard holes. Next, we take the bolts included in the kit and screw them into the standard holes, from which the protective film is first removed. There are six bolts in total - four of them are screwed into the side members, two more are screwed behind the rear bumper. The place here is not the most convenient; there is a possibility that you will have to struggle with choosing a key.
Types and selection criteria
It is not difficult to find different types of trailer hitches for the Lada Grant on the market. This is explained by the fact that several companies are engaged in the production of these devices for the VAZ 2190 car. Among the companies, it is worth noting such as “Leader-Plus”, “Bosal” and “Trailer”. As for the traction coupling devices themselves, they, according to the type of design, are divided into:
The device has a removable coupling ball. It is attached to the car using bolts. After dismantling the ball, a coupling slightly protrudes from under the vehicle bumper.
As a rule, it has a non-demountable design. It is welded to the fastening points or screwed with powerful bolts. Dismantling such a towbar is quite a long and labor-intensive task.
This type of trailer hitch includes flanged towbars with two and four mounting bolts. In addition, retractable traction devices can be found on sale. They have a special vertical mechanism, and if necessary, after dismantling the ball, such a hitch can be removed under the bottom of the car.
Towbars are also divided into:
- Having low load capacity. This type of trailer hitch allows you to transport a loaded trailer weighing up to 1500 kg.
- With increased load capacity. This type of trailer hitch makes it possible to tow a trailer with a curb weight of 3000 to 3500 kilograms.
Purchase and installation of towbars on a hatchback
Here is a drawing of a coupling device designed for hatchbacks:
These towbars fit all berry hatchbacks
Here the fastening differs from that discussed above. For example, nothing is screwed to the side members. The towbar is attached to the rear channel, and three screws go through the holes in the niche. It, that is, the niche, is intended for a spare wheel, and the holes in it are closed with plugs.
The holes on triangle 2 will be closed with rubber plugs
There are a large number of towbars on the market, the installation of which requires that the “spare wheel” niche has to be drilled out. As a rule, three holes will have to be made in the niche, and two more on the underside of the channel. It may be better to buy a device that fits the standard body holes. We will let the owner make the choice.
So, we will be guided by the manufacturer's instructions. Installation is easier to perform by driving the car into a pit:
- The rubber plugs from the holes in the niche must be removed;
- The towbar is positioned along the central axis, aligning the holes in the “ears” with the holes on the rear channel;
- Then, the device is fixed with M10 bolts, not forgetting to install the washers. The bolts are screwed into the threads of the rear channel;
- Having installed the missing fasteners (M12 screws are screwed into the nuts), you need to tighten all the fasteners with a wrench. The force should be 30-50 N*m.
Anyone who decides to drill the rear channel will encounter difficulties: access to the nuts will be blocked by the bumper. This unit, that is, the rear bumper, will have to be dismantled. It makes sense to choose towbars that are secured with five bolts. Then, the bumper will remain in its rightful place.
Where to buy a towbar for Lada Granta
- removing the trunk cover;
- removing all plugs;
- drilling out factory holes for a towbar standard;
- securing the trailer hitch;
- tightening nuts.
Depending on the type of towbar, the type of installation may also differ and require both drilling and bumper cutting.
A more detailed description can be found in the instructions.
Schematic drawing of a tow bar for Lada Granta from Bosal-Autoflex
LADA GRANTA (2190, 2191)
Figure 2-10 shows the main version of the trailer hitch installed on the LADA GRANTA.
- Instructions for installing and connecting a tow bar on a Chevrolet Niva with your own hands
Figure 2-10 – Design and delivery set of LADA GRANTA trailer hitch (2190, 2191): 1 – rod assembly with brackets; 2 – socket box; 3 – hook
Remove the rear bumper.
On the inside of the cross member 2, Figure 2-11, the floor of the rear, right 1 and left 3 rear side members, clean the embedded threaded holes 4 (flat-head screwdriver) from the PShM layer.
Note: The design of the rear suspension of the main muffler for vehicles manufactured before 2021 allows the trailer hitch bar bracket to be attached to the left side member of the body in two places if there is an additional mounting hole on the bar bracket.
Figure 2-11 – Location of standard threaded holes for attaching the trailer hitch: 1 – rear right floor spar; 2 – rear floor cross member; 3 – rear left floor spar
Install the rod onto the body and secure, without tightening, with the bolts supplied.
Tighten bolts 2, Figure 2-12, fastening the rod 3 to the floor cross member, then bolts 1 of the brackets to the body side members (wrench 17, replaceable head 17, wrench).
Figure 2-12 – Installation of the trailer hitch rod: 1 – bolt securing the rod bracket to the spar; 2 – bolt securing the rod to the floor cross member; 3 – trailer hitch bar
Install hook 3 on the rod, see Figure 2-10, and socket 2 (wrench 19, replaceable head 19, knob).
- Step-by-step installation of a towbar on a Chevrolet Niva with your own hands
Install and connect the electrical equipment of the trailer hitch.
Install the rear bumper.
Tow bar kit for Lada Kalina station wagon
Nowadays, such products, which can be purchased in specialized stores, are classified as collapsible devices. This option has a number of advantages over competitors, namely:
- easy transportation;
- simple installation;
- convenient storage.
The set of towed products for the hatchback includes:
- technical certificate;
- protective cap;
- fasteners;
- wires;
- socket with seven contacts.
Towbar kit for Lada Kalina 2 station wagon
Important to know! It is quite easy to purchase similar parts for Kalina station wagon, since they are sold in almost every car store. But, device models can differ significantly from each other in design and price terms. The cost of trailed products ranges from $25 to $30.
Connecting the socket
In order for the lights on the connected towbar to work, you need to connect the tow bar to the vehicle wiring. When performing this operation, use the following installation scheme:
- A black and blue wire is connected to the first contact. It is responsible for the operation of the left turn signal on the trailer.
- A black-brown wire is connected to the second contact, which is responsible for the operation of the fog lamp.
- The third contact is used to connect ground.
- The fourth contact with a soldered blue wire is responsible for the operation of the right turn signal.
- The green wire is soldered to the fifth contact. It ensures the functionality of the reversing light.
- The brake signal is located on the sixth pin; a lilac wire is used for operation.
- The seventh contact, together with the yellow-brown wires, is responsible for the operation of the side lights.
After the pinout has been completed, the socket is powered from the taillight connectors. At the end of the work, the wires are laid along the bottom of the luggage compartment of the car, the socket is assembled and treated with sealant. If water gets inside, a short circuit may occur.
Installing a tow bar on the Lada Granta
Using a towbar makes it possible to use a trailer, trailer, or transport other vehicles. Before installing the trailer hitch, it is necessary to clarify whether the vehicle design requires the installation of this part. After equipping the car with a tow hitch, the modification is registered with the traffic police. This will avoid fines and problems with passing a technical inspection of the car.
When operating the Lada Granta, you may need a towbar. It is a towbar type device (TSU), which is used to tow light trailers, as well as trailers. This metal device consists of 3 components:
- cross members, which are mounted in body holes;
- a ball-type unit that is attached to the beam;
- electrical circuit.
Towbar for LADA Granta liftback
This device for the Lada Granta (liftback) will definitely come in handy for those who:
- engages in the sale and transportation of small-sized cargo (vegetables, some types of furniture);
- travels, transporting sports equipment, boats and various tools on a Lada Grant;
- wants to protect himself in case of an accident. There is an opinion that this device should take most of the impact if it is from behind. However, traffic regulations in various countries prohibit driving with a towbar without a trailer, since such a design, on the contrary, increases the likelihood of serious damage to the body.
What exactly do you need to buy for a station wagon?
Let's turn to the official documentation, more precisely, to the catalog of assembly units. In this document, one of the drawings shows the body frame:
Rear floor frame, station wagon
All parts, in addition to the 12th, make up the floor frame. A towbar must be attached to parts “14” and “3”, as well as to channel “13”. These parts are provided with holes (their total number is 6).
The distance from part “13” to the first side hole in our case is 145 mm, to the second – 245 mm. For the “first Lada Kalina” these distances were different. Towbars suitable for the VAZ-1118 are not necessarily suitable for the Kalina-2. However, there are also universal solutions. A drawing of one of them is presented below.
A universal tow bar will have 4 or 5 holes on the sides:
LADA KALINA, GRANTA (1119, 2192)
Figure 2-14 shows the main version of the trailer hitch installed on the LADA KALINA (hatchback).
Figure 2-14 – Design and delivery set of trailer hitch LADA KALINA, GRANTA (1119, 2192): 1 – left trailer hitch bracket; 2 – rod; 3 – right trailer hitch bracket; 4 – socket box; 5 – hook
Remove the rear bumper in accordance with the requirements of section 1 TI 3100.25100.20470 for car 1119 and section 2 TI 3100.25100.20568 for car 2192.
On the inside of the cross member 2, see Figure 2-11, the floor of the rear, right 1 and left 3 rear side members, clean the embedded threaded holes 4 from the PShM layer, two on each body element, including on the left side member (flat-head screwdriver) .
Install bracket 1 on the left side member, see Figure 2-14, on the right side side member bracket 3 and secure the brackets with the bolts supplied, without tightening.
Install the rear rod 2 on the floor cross member and secure it with the bolts supplied, without tightening.
Connect the brackets to the rod using the bolts supplied, without tightening.
Tighten the bolts securing the rod to the rear floor cross member, then the brackets to the body side members and to the rod (replaceable head 17, 19, knob).
Install hook 5 and socket 4 on the rod (spanner 19, replaceable head 19, knob).
Install and connect the electrical equipment of the trailer hitch.
Install the rear bumper.
Review of Manufacturer Prices
| № | Name / OEM part number | Price, rub.) |
| 1. | Leader-Plus (101030) | from 2500 |
| 2. | VFM (844947MS) |
Lada Granta Liftback / Lada Kalina
*prices are as of September 20, 2018.
The cost of a towing coupling device ranges from 2500 to 4200 rubles.
Obviously, in the first case, this is a budget option, which is purchased by most motorists. The quality and service life are at an average level, not comparable to top-end options made from high-quality steel.
A little about the car
Before we talk about what trailer hitches you can take for the Grant, it’s worth saying a few words about the car itself.
Oddly enough, Granta has gained enormous popularity in the Russian market. Largely due to how much such a car costs.
The Lada Granta model is a comparative novelty for AvtoVAZ. The car first appeared only in 2011. The only problem is that it’s not 2021 or even 2021 anymore. And during this time, no improvements or global changes occurred. The car was the same as it was almost 10 years ago, and is still sold in this form. Although it is worth being fair and saying that in 2013 AvtoVAZ pleased us with a conditional novelty in the form of a liftback body. As a result, buyers are offered a choice of liftback, sedan and station wagon. And 2021 introduced us to the restyled version. Alas, nothing significant.
But a Cross version appeared. In fact, this is a slightly raised Grant with a crossover appearance, but the filling of a classic passenger version.
I can't say it's a bad car. It's definitely worth the money. And there aren’t really any alternatives. That’s why Granta’s popularity is prohibitive.
Connecting the Lada Granta tow bar (electrical)
As you know, most towbars have a special connector for connecting electrical wiring. In order to be able to connect electrical appliances to it (for example, for a trailer with headlights, brake lights, etc.), it is necessary to stretch the wires and connect them correctly. It is best to lay the wires through a special technical hole located behind the rear bumper of the Granta on the left side. Pass the wires through the rubber seal.
Next, the procedure is as follows:
- On the left side, remove the trim, as well as the plastic trunk lining.
- Next, you need to connect the towbar socket connector to the power supply circuit for the rear lights. To make the correct connection, please read the instructions included with your product.
Click to enlarge
- After connecting the outlet, return the trunk trim to its original condition.
- We install the trailer hitch ball and secure the fastenings for the sub-cutter.
This completes the installation of the product.
“Take note! When the towbar is installed on the Lada Granta, apply a layer of lubricant to the coupling ball. Thus, you will reduce its friction and premature wear during operation. In addition, we recommend that you treat the connecting contacts of the socket with a special liquid insulation agent. This way you will avoid oxidation of electrical connectors.”
Documents for a car tow bar
In 2021, the technical regulation of the customs union TR CU 018/2011 On the safety of wheeled vehicles is in force in Russia. It is this document that vehicles and the equipment installed on them must comply with.
Let's consider paragraph 77 of section 4 of chapter V of the technical regulations:
77. Vehicles are not subject to inspection in the following cases:
1) when installing components on a vehicle:
- intended for this vehicle and have undergone conformity assessment as part of this vehicle, which is confirmed by the documentation of the component manufacturer;
- provided by the vehicle manufacturer in the operational documentation;
2) when serial changes are made to the design on the basis of design documentation developed and approved in the prescribed manner, if on its basis an assessment of the conformity of the changes made was carried out.
So, there are 2 cases in which the towbar does not need to be registered with the traffic police:
Do-it-yourself coupling device for a passenger trailer
- When making serial changes to designs. In this case, we are talking about installing a trailer hitch at the factory.
- When installing a towbar as additional equipment, if 2 conditions are simultaneously met: The manufacturer has provided for the installation of the towbar in the operational documentation. In this case, we are talking about the instruction manual, which is issued when purchasing any car. Open this document and look for the section on using a trailer. If there is such a section, then everything is in order.
- The towbar must have manufacturer documentation confirming that it is intended for use on your vehicle model and has passed a conformity assessment.
Thus, the list of necessary documents for using a tow bar:
- Vehicle Operation Manual.
- Documents for the towbar confirming that it is suitable for the vehicle of the required model.
- A certificate for the tow bar confirming that it complies with the requirements of the Technical Regulations.
Please note that you are not required to carry these documents with you and present them to traffic police officers. You can also store them at home
Just if a traffic police officer has questions about the towbar, immediately tell him that you have all the necessary documents and the towbar was installed legally. Usually this is enough. If the policeman nevertheless decides to issue a report, you will be able to challenge it based on the available documents.
