Community Forums

Latitude · 03-04-2008, 02:31 PM

On your towbar after you are hooked up how do you fully extend and lock arms????

I have 'Heard'
Back up the Toad
Pull the Coach ahead
Push the Toad back with foot
Do S turns while driving ahead with Coach

So????? How do you 'Do It'

Rick

Latitude · 03-04-2008, 02:31 PM

On your towbar after you are hooked up how do you fully extend and lock arms????

I have 'Heard'
Back up the Toad
Pull the Coach ahead
Push the Toad back with foot
Do S turns while driving ahead with Coach

So????? How do you 'Do It'

Rick

RotorWing · 03-04-2008, 02:40 PM

I ease my coach forward about ten feet while watching the toad in the rear view camera and then come to a stop to go out and double check everything.

Chris

**NLOVNIT** · 03-04-2008, 02:43 PM

Rick,

This is what we were taught to do by our dealer: With the coach in park & with it's parking brake on, I put the toad in reverse & SLOWLY back up until the bars extend fully & lock in place.

Sometimes, one bar won't lock. In that instance, once everything is hooked up & Brake Buddy is tested, usually pulling out, slowly, making a right or left turn (depending on exit from site or CG) onto road makes the unlocked bar lock into place.

L-

Route 66 · 03-04-2008, 02:48 PM

I mash the accelerator to the floor of the coach and lock the tow bar like you're setting the hook on a 6 lb trout!

Seriously, I slowly back the toad up until at least one of the arms lock.

If only one side locks, I turn the steering wheel of the toad about 1/4 turn toward the unlocked side.

Then, like Chris, I slowly pull forward, stop, go out and check everything.

Latitude · 03-04-2008, 03:20 PM

How 'bout a 9Lb Trout!!!!
IMG]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f150/Rick-ont/IMG_1172.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks Guys I think!! hook one side and Pull the Coach ahead OR hook one side and back up the Toad

Does it really matter???
Rick

Latitude · 03-04-2008, 03:26 PM

"OR"

Route 66 · 03-04-2008, 03:31 PM

I prefer to back up the toad, as it locks at least 1 arm, gives me more control over locking one or both arms, and lets me turn the toad wheel if only one arm locks.

BTW, I guess it's OK if you hijack your own thread.

Latitude · 03-04-2008, 04:40 PM

Hey Dirk!! So Lock one arm and then turn the wheel to unlocked side???

Sounds 'Good'

Rick

JavaJelly · 03-05-2008, 02:47 AM

While it was not intentional, I have "set the hook" in my toad before. The jolt on the bar and baseplate have to be enormous.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding but, I believe you would turn the coach wheel the opposite way of the unlocked arm.

DriVer · 03-05-2008, 03:08 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Latitude:
So Lock one arm and then turn the wheel to unlocked side??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Rick, As you pull forward with your coach the tow bar will self align and lock. You can actually hear the "click" most often through the speaker in your back up camera.

bldrbob · 03-05-2008, 03:34 AM

I also back the toad till at least one side locks.Then I can go thru the gears and not ride up on the coach.I then get in the coach and test the lights while DW watches.I then slowly pull forward while she watches the other arm lock.I do wait till she gets in before pulling out.
BOB

GaryKD · 03-05-2008, 03:40 AM

Pull forward slowly until at least one arm locks. The other arm has always locked before we leave the CG.

Route 66 · 03-05-2008, 03:43 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Hey Dirk!! So Lock one arm and then turn the wheel to unlocked side??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, about 1/4 turn of the wheel is sufficient.

It forces the toad to pull on the unlocked side and extend it to the locking position.

It locks the arm a little quicker than just pulling ahead, which will work also.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You can actually hear the "click" most often through the speaker in your back up camera.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those of us with diesel pushers can only hear the engine, and I don't use that feature for that reason.