Community Forums

spinn · 10-17-2015, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsheetz

On my blue ox tow bar, rotating the steering wheel way left or way right will usually move the toad forward/backward enough to relieve pressure on the connecting pins. If this fails, I then use a bungee to hold down the lever and move the toad forward a couple three inches. One of there two methods works for me every time.

X2 !

**CountryFit** · 10-17-2015, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leesdx1

OP, stated... Falcon All Terrain tow bar

oh, what my eyes!! i need to change my glasses

Doc Vegas · 10-17-2015, 11:35 PM

OK guys, I got it unhooked! First, I tried turning the wheel of the car side to side (lock to lock), that actually allow me to get the "stuck" Falcon lever to pop up all the way. Then, I could get that side off. However, the other side was still tight (even though the lever on the Falcon easily came up). I pushed on the car and tried to rock it forward, the pin was still right, but I could turn it now by the ring attached. I basically "unscrewed" the pin and finally it came out. WOW. Should I put some white lithium grease on it next time?

So, using the Falcon All Terrain tow bar, what is the maximum angle (turn angle) you think is still "reasonable" to get it unhooked?

Thanks again

l1v3fr33ord1 · 10-18-2015, 04:37 AM

Doc Vegas-

I have the Roadmaster Sterling All Terrain towbar, and have reviewed the instructions for the Falcon All Terrain. According to my admittedly quick review, these two towbars operate similarly.

A couple of warnings first:
1) You should not use a mallet on your towbar
2) You do not need to grease the pins connecting the towbar to the bracket at the front of the car

The towbar arms extend and lock when you pull forward with the motorhome after hooking up. In fact, the instructions say to check this locking action every time you hook up.

The inability to release is due to loads on the arms when the motorhome and car come to rest. Pulling UP on the release levers (not pushing down, as with other towbars) is supposed to release the locks and the loads on the arms. Most often, one arm will release and the other will not. Under that condition, you will need to:

1) Get in the car and start it up
2) With someone holding the release levers UP, gently move the car forward a few inches. This will move the arms past the lock position.
3) Put the car in park
4) Set the parking brake
5) Turn the car off

Whoever is holding the levers up can confirm that the arms move freely (that is, the locks are released) before you perform steps 3) through 5)

In my experience, you can release the locks for horizontal angle differences up to 10 degrees easily and then with more difficulty up to the maximum (say 30 degrees, but I have never measured). You may want to scout your parking places (at RV parks and elsewhere). Sometimes it's better to connect and disconnect away from the where you'll park the RV.

If you towbar does not work with ease (and it's new), then I'd call it broken, and look for a repair or replacement.

Mark

mymyst · 10-18-2015, 09:11 AM

I have a falcon all terrain as well; first time out i could not get the right side to release at all, felt like it was 'welded in place'! What I've learned is that if you drop one side loose and out, the bars will tend to rotate and "drop" to that side, causing the remaining and still connected rod and knuckle to bind in place. I've found that by simply lifting the loose side back up to the same level as the one still connected, it relives the "torsion", or "twist", on the remaining knuckle, and it will then release normally. I usually enlist the wife to hold the loose one "up", while I release the other.
You can also try rotating the steering wheel all the to opposite stops while in place, causing the front end of the car to "shift" slightly to the right or left. This will sometimes relieve the tension on the attachment knuckles.
first time I got it into a bind, I actually had to have a tech come to CG and show me how to get the binding tension released off the knuckles.
We've all been there!

**CountryFit** · 10-18-2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

1) Get in the car and start it up
2) With someone holding the release levers UP, gently move the car forward a few inches. This will move the arms past the lock position.
3) Put the car in park
4) Set the parking brake
5) Turn the car off

this is exactly what i have been doing, except i made a string in the right length and pull the levers toward the storage latch (vheetz uses a rubber band, good too). easy and one person's job. i keep the string on the tow bar.

Davdeb1 · 10-18-2015, 10:04 AM

You could avoid many of these problems by just unhooking toad before you pull into a space. When we get to a CG, we check in, unhook toad, then go park. Same thing goes for parking in driveway. Pull up on street, click on flashers, unhook.
We have a Ready Brute Elite hitch, this hasn't happened in over 2 years.

Doc Vegas · 10-18-2015, 10:04 AM

Thanks, all great info! I don't think anything is wrong with the tow bar. The above should solve my issues (I hope). Mymyst made an astute observation, indeed the "loose" side does drop. I am a bit sad that the above techniques generally require two people, we have small kids so the wife is usually making sure they do not get out of the RV while I am disconnecting/connecting.

I'll go give it a look again, but time to store it until the next trip. Cheers

Doc Vegas · 10-18-2015, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davdeb1

You could avoid many of these problems by just unhooking toad before you pull into a space. When we get to a CG, we check in, unhook toad, then go park. Same thing goes for parking in driveway. Pull up on street, click on flashers, unhook.
We have a Ready Brute Elite hitch, this hasn't happened in over 2 years.

Ha, this was my next question, but here are my thoughts. At the CG in question, it is very busy. There is no where we could readily see to pull over to disconnect the car. You have to pull the car through the gate, or pay extra (it is a state park). In retrospect, I would pull in front of my site straight, disconnect, then back the RV into the site.

At home, it is actually more complicated. We pull into our cul-de-sac from a relatively busy road (not safe to stop in the middle and no run-offs). I have the first house on the cul-de-sac and I am not confident I could turn it around in the cul-de-sac. The road is narrow with a few bends too. I think the angle is not that bad and with the info above, I think I can do it next time OK.

Thanks

nothermark · 10-18-2015, 10:41 AM

I would handle it the same way we handle back in sites with the dolly. Pull in toward the campsite and unhook near the site not at the gate blocking folks. First flat level space available or be prepared to pass your site and circle around again. It should not take that long to do it. Most of the other people there have similar issues so only a real moron would complain. ;-)

mymyst · 10-18-2015, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Vegas

Thanks, all great info! I don't think anything is wrong with the tow bar. The above should solve my issues (I hope). Mymyst made an astute observation, indeed the "loose" side does drop. I am a bit sad that the above techniques generally require two people, we have small kids so the wife is usually making sure they do not get out of the RV while I am disconnecting/connecting.

I'll go give it a look again, but time to store it until the next trip. Cheers

Doc, if you are fairly ambidextrous, you will be able to hold up on the loose side while removing the pin on the opposite bracket. It just takes a little practice to get adept at it!

BPoland · 10-18-2015, 05:49 PM

Just a word of caution. When you are releasing the tow bar arm locks, have somebody sitting in the toad, OR have the parking brake on in the toad. If you are on any kind of down hill slant, releasing the tow bar arm locks will allow the car to roll forward as the arms collapse. This could cause problems if your knee or leg is against the bumper. I found this out the hard way. I was able to move my knee before it hyperextended.

walt2137 · 10-24-2015, 09:37 PM

Doc there is a BlueOx video that covers that problem, I can't post the link ?? But do a search on blue ox video on hooking and unhooking tow bar . I think this video will solve your problem
It's BlueOx towing part 2
I know you have a Roadmaster setup but this will work on either

SpaceNorman · 10-25-2015, 08:50 AM

We're using the Roadmaster Sterling tow bar which looks to have a tension release mechanism that's similar to what you're using. We pull a 2012 Jeep Liberty - which has a "neutral" button that completely disengages the transmission which must be set in order to pull it - and then turned off in order to reengage the transmission before the jeep can be driven again.

I've found that if I re-engage the transmission - and put the Jeep into drive (just enough for the vehicle to have a little forward pressure) prior to releasing the tension on the extended tow bar arms will leave the pins loose enough to easily pull them out.