TAG

Who makes TAG towbars

TAG started in the late 1970s as a small fitting shop in a brick shed in Slacks Creek, Brisbane, under founder Phil Barnes. The first employee was a 17-year-old named Laurence Day. Decades on, it's still Australian owned, still building locally, just now with 3D scanning, CAD design, CNC plasma and laser-cutting tools, and full in-house ADR compliance testing before anything leaves the factory. The Extreme Recovery (XR) range, which most of this collection is built around, is aimed at tradies, tourers and fleets who need more than a standard hitch: a genuine recovery point rated for soft-shackle work, not an afterthought bolted onto a regular towbar.

What makes the Extreme Recovery (XR) range different

The XR towbar is built around:

• Two WLL 4500kg load-rated recovery points, built into the side-arms with bevelled edges to suit soft shackles
• An 89mm x 89mm reinforced crossbar in a textured powder-coat finish
• Dual top-mounted trailer and Anderson plug mounts, kept clear of ground strikes
• A flush, chassis-mounted profile that protects your departure angle off-road
• On many XR models, a matching Extreme Duty Drop Hitch and zinc tow ball included in the box

These figures apply to the XR range specifically. TAG's standard 4x4 Recovery Towbar (without the XR badge) still carries a genuine recovery-rated point, just without the extra hardware bundled in, so check the individual listing for what's included before you buy. If you're setting up for a recovery, browse our recovery gear range for compatible soft shackles and straps.

Towbar-only or towbar-and-wiring

Most models in this range come two ways: towbar-only, or towbar bundled with a direct-fit or universal wiring harness. If you're carrying over a wiring setup from a previous vehicle, or running your own auxiliary battery wiring, towbar-only saves paying for wiring twice. If you're starting from scratch, the bundled kits are usually cheaper than buying the two separately and get your trailer plug wired in the one job.

Choosing the right fitment

This collection currently spans Toyota (Hilux, Prado 150, LandCruiser 75, 78 and 79 Series), Ford (Ranger, Everest), Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X, Mitsubishi Triton and Pajero Sport, Nissan Patrol Y62, Volkswagen Amarok, LDV T60 and Jeep Gladiator, with cab chassis and styleside/tub variants listed separately because the crossbar shape differs between them. Get the body style right before you order, for example our Extreme Recovery Towbar & Wiring for the Hilux Styleside is a different fitment to the 78 Series Troopy towbar. If your ute has had a tray or canopy fitted since new, check with us first, since a factory-fit towbar won't always suit an aftermarket tray.

ADR compliance and what the rating label means

Every TAG towbar is tested against Australian Design Rule 62/02 (Mechanical Connections Between Vehicles) 2007, and comes with its own rating label showing the maximum ball load and trailer weight it's tested to. That figure is a ceiling for the towbar itself, not a guarantee of your vehicle's towing capacity. Your vehicle's own rating, in the owner's manual or on its compliance plate, always applies if it's lower than the towbar's rating. Never exceed whichever number is lower. TAG also has a series of fitting and feature walkthroughs on their YouTube channel if you want to see the XR range in action before you order.