This is not a joke my c/van engineer told me how as I did as you did. The bar is the brake plunger.
Bolts ready hitch ready at hand a thick pad for your stomach, a panel pin hammer thin handled . and a second person is helpful. Put the tow hitch back on the hitch tube line up the bolt holes Now on your knees in front of the A frame insert the pin hammer handle into the end ot the hitch tube you will feel it hit the brake plunger place the pad on your stomach and the head of the hammer on the pad. Push hard with your stomach eventually the brake plunger will retract keep going until you can get the bolt through the bolt hole nearest the caravan.Once that bolt is in the brake plunger will be trapped by the bolt. I hope I've got this right as its sometime since i did it.
I know the hammer bit is right it's the only way you can depress the brake plunger.
Nobby
April 2009