Large Towing Heads

When the scale increases, so does the importance of reliability. Brewis Engineering’s Large Diameter Towing Heads are engineered to keep major trenchless installations moving — delivering secure attachment and trusted performance on even the biggest pipe pulls.

Designed and manufactured by Brewis, these heavy-duty towing solutions are built to withstand extreme forces and challenging ground conditions commonly found in large infrastructure projects.

Whether your specification calls for a Fuse-On, Bolt-On, or Weld-On configuration, our engineering team can build to suit your exact pipe diameter, SDR, material and operational requirements. From concept and CAD modelling through to CNC machining and final inspection, every unit is produced with the strength and precision you expect from Brewis.

Considerations for Pipes Above 400mm

As pipe diameters increase beyond 400mm, several critical engineering factors influence towing head selection and design:

SDR-specific gripping
At larger diameters, the bore size difference between SDR11 and SDR17 becomes too great for a universal gripping arrangement. Large Towing Heads are therefore typically designed for a single SDR, although interchangeable grippers can often be fitted to the same main body to maintain flexibility.
Wall thickness and roundness variation
Larger PE pipes can exhibit greater wall thickness tolerance and sometimes deviate from perfect roundness. The towing head design must accommodate these irregularities to maintain a secure, even grip during pullback.
Emergence of thinner-wall pipes
Modern manufacturing trends mean SDR21 and SDR26 pipes are increasingly used at larger diameters. To ensure safe load transfer and avoid pipe damage, a support sleeve or clamping reinforcement is often recommended for these thinner-wall sections.
Application demands matter
Installation risk and loading scenarios vary dramatically by project type. A short 20m pull beneath a railway has very different requirements to an 800m ballasted sewer installation across an estuary — towing head configuration must reflect the environment, load path, and operational constraints.As pipe diameters increase beyond 400mm, several critical engineering factors influence towing head selection and design:

We stock standard towing heads for 400mm, 450mm, 500mm, 560mm and 630mm, available in SDR11, SDR17.6 and SDR21. However, due to the variables involved at larger diameters, we strongly recommend discussing your project objectives and pipe specifications upfront.