First Tow: Blue Ox Aventa - One arm not locked after 10 miles

[Sayonara]

Friends,
I hooked up and towed for the first time with my Blue Ox Aventa and the Suburban. All went well but as I turned I noticed something that did not feel right. My first thought was that one of the arms was not locked extended as I thought it was. When I stopped I checked and noticed one lever was tight and the other was lose.

When hooking up, what is the best way to ensure that both arms lock in the fully extended position?

Thanks!

[Sayonara]

Ok, i just read the manual again and caught the part about turning the wheel 1/2-3/4 turn toward the lose bar then pull forward again.......ill try it in the morning.

.....i thought this 4-down towing was supposed to be easier than a dolly.....

[Chuck 1935]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sayonara Ok, i just read the manual again and caught the part about turning the wheel 1/2-3/4 turn toward the lose bar then pull forward again.......ill try it in the morning. .....i thought this 4-down towing was supposed to be easier than a dolly.....

It all depends on the equipment you are using and how easy or complicated it is.

[Norm4015]

The locking arm will only be tight when there is forward pressure on it. If both arms are extended upward they are locked in place, just don't feel like it. There is a slight amount of play when the arm is locked but the arm is tight only with froward pressure on the tow bar. (Hope this makes sense.)

[Sayonara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm4015 The locking arm will only be tight when there is forward pressure on it. If both arms are extended upward they are locked in place, just don't feel like it. There is a slight amount of play when the arm is locked but the arm is tight only with froward pressure on the tow bar. (Hope this makes sense.)

Okay, I understand. Maybe I was alright and I just thought that since the one was easy to release it was not locked.

[pameridan04]

After you hook up, as you pull out just turn you wheel to the right, then to the left, they will lock automatically.

I hook up on the level. When I am finished I just give my 2010 Jeep Sahara a push backwards and you will hear the CLICKS as they lock.

When you unhook, the lever may seem hard to push down sometimes to unhook, just give it a wack with your hand or foot.

Very good tow system. Don't forget to use your break away cables also.

PAM04

[Sayonara]

Thanks, ill give turning each way as i pull away a try. I sure do have the cables and breakaway all hooked up!

[wa8yxm]

if you towed 10 miles It should have been locked no matter.

I never had problem.. Now one thing I did do on rare occasios was use the towed brakes

For example.. One place I hook up I"m facing down hill. So I pull up, set the parking brake on the towed, hook everything up, then using the service brakes release the parking brake and gently let the car roll foreward (Yes, I know that's the wrong way) then get in the motor home, use the remote for the US-Gear (TC-6000 brake controller) to "Set" the service brakes on the towed and let the motor home gently roll forward (Manual override on the towed/trailer brakes.. the towed is, legally, a trailer) till I feel the things set, With a 4,000 pound towed, and a 26,000 motor home I actually FEEL the ams lock in place.

[paz]

I don't trust moving the coach to lock the tow bar arms. There isn't always room to turn the wheel of the motorhome far enough when pulling out. We tried it a couple of times, and the toad wanted to run off to the side before I could get the other arm to lock. One time, I thought the arms were locked, and when I stopped before pulling out of the campground to wait for traffic to pass, the toad ran to one side and I thought it was going to hit a post beside the driveway.

The procedure we always use now is that DW backs the toad to lock the arms right after we hook up. That way, I can HEAR them both lock, and I can SEE them both lock.

The levers of a Blue Ox tow bar will be in a higher position when they are locked, so you should be able to tell if the arms are locked by looking at it.

[sfischer]

I do the same as Paz and let the wife back the toad. That way I, too, can see AND hear them lock into position.

[Dixieray53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paz The levers of a Blue Ox tow bar will be in a higher position when they are locked, so you should be able to tell if the arms are locked by looking at it.

Had this happen today..left the campground and one arm would not lock. Stoped about a mile down the road and one lever had not come up...Locked the lever by pulling it up and all was well....D

[Stillwater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sayonara Ok, i just read the manual again and caught the part about turning the wheel 1/2-3/4 turn toward the lose bar then pull forward again.......ill try it in the morning. .....i thought this 4-down towing was supposed to be easier than a dolly.....

This method works well. simply hook up both arms, back up until one arm lever pops up and locks. Turn the wheel of the toad towards whichever arm did not lock and just pull ahead with the coach. The front of the toad will turn and lock the remaining arm. Usually DW watches to make sure the second arm locks. Works every time so far.
BTW you can't even compare the ease of 4 wheel down to dolly towing

[wa8yxm]

I used to push the towed back by hand (if possible) to lock them,, Since I used an axle lock.. As I said, I used the brakes one time when I had to.

but 10 miles of towing both arms should be locked no matter. If they are not I'd be calling Blue-OK or.. Visiting Pender, NE.. Which by the way I have done, Great company, nice littel campground (Free by the way) only bad thing was when the wind changed and we found our selves downwind of the stockyards... Wife objected to "That good old country air" (I grew up on a dairy/swine farm.. Smelled that aroma before, does not bother me nearly as much as it does city girl her)

[GaryKD]

Hi Sayonara,
Like others have posted, I get everything connected and then back the toad until the arms lock.