5
gency brake, and chock one of the wheels.
5.
Remove the base pins and store the tow bar on the
motorhome by reversing
the connection procedure
(under “Connecting the tow
bar”).
ROADMASTER recom-
mends replacing at least
one of the linch pins with a padlock (part number 301, 302
or 308) to prevent accidental release or theft.
The tow bar can be stored on the motorhome with
the arms rotated to the left or the right. To avoid the
possibility of damage to the bushings, rotate the arms
away from the engine exhaust.
The bushings at the end of the tow bar arms can
be warped by heat from the exhaust. If the bushings
are warped, the tow bar arms will not slide easily, or
they may not slide at all — it may be difficult to con-
nect or disconnect the tow bar until the bushings are
replaced.
Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure
that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed.
Additionally, check the other components of your towing
system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.
Both tow bar arms must be locked before towing. If
they are not, the momentum of the towed vehicle will
apply excessive force to the tow bar arms and other
components of the towing system, which may cause
the towing system to fail, resulting in property dam-
age, personal injury or even death.
Do not tow a vehicle using tow bar mounting brack
-
ets, safety cables, or a hitch receiver rated less than
the actual weight of the towed vehicle.
If the brackets, safety cables, hitch receiver or any
supplementary towing equipment is not rated at the
weight of the towed vehicle and all its contents, it may
fail during towing, causing property damage, personal
injury or even death.
If the motorhome hitch receiver has an extension,
do not tow if the tow bar is more than three inches
out of level.
Receiver extensions cause the towing system to
swing much higher and lower than towing systems
without extensions. This enlarged arc of motion cre-
ates excessive strain on the tow bar, brackets and
frame, which can cause the towing system to fail, caus-
ing property damage, personal injury or even death.
Connecting the tow bar
continued from preceding page
Both tow bar arms must be attached to the quick-
disconnect bases and locked with a linch pin. Towing
vibrations will force the linch pins out unless they are
properly locked in place over the base pins on both
quick-disconnect bases, as shown in Figure 8.
Failure to properly install and lock both base pins
will result in the loss of the towed vehicle, which may
cause property damage, personal injury or even death.
6.
Now, swing the other arm to the opposite side and
connect it in the same manner.
7.
Attach the safety cables and plug in the electrical wir-
ing cord, according to the supplier’s instructions.
Before towing the vehicle, be sure the steering is un-
locked, the transmission is in the proper setting, and the
emergency brake is released. Remove the wheel chock.
Check the manufacturer’s specifications, the owner’s
manual, or talk to the installer for the proper towing
procedure(s) or requirement(s) for the vehicle to be towed.
Do not tow the vehicle until the tow bar is attached
with all pins or padlocks. Unless the tow bar is se
-
cured to both vehicles with all appropriate pins or
padlocks, the vehicle will detach, which may cause
property damage, personal injury or even death.
When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then
to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar.
DISCONNECTING THE TOW BAR
1.
Disconnecting the tow bar is essentially the reverse
of connecting it. First, always try to park on level ground,
with the towed vehicle in line with the motorhome. This
will eliminate most of the tension between the vehicles,
allowing for an easier disconnect.
2.
Disconnect the electrical wiring harness, safety cables,
and any other towing system accessories.
3.
Lift the release handles on each tow bar arm (Figure
9) to release the locking mechanisms.
(Usually, one of the handles will require more pressure
to release. This is the arm that has the majority of the
tension between the two vehicles.)
Always put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the
emergency brake and chock one of the wheels after
lifting the release handles, and before removing the
base pins. Failure to do so may result in a ‘runaway’
vehicle or may crush you between the towed vehicle
and the motorhome, causing property damage, per-
sonal injury or even death.
4.
Put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the emer-
Figure 9
