Heavy Duty Silicon

[inyoJohn]

Has anyone used CRC Heavy Duty Silicone on their Blue Ox Tow bar to make it move more freely?

[GaryKD]

Hi inyoJohn,
If you are referring to the ball and socket that the arms connect to, consider not using anything. Blue Ox recommends not using anything and so do I. Personal experience says anything you use will get dirty and make things worse. Then the ball and socket must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned.

[Mike8253]

Originally Posted by inyoJohn

Has anyone used CRC Heavy Duty Silicone on their Blue Ox Tow bar to make it move more freely?

Not sure which towbar you have, but I have the Alladin. I use standard Lithium Grease under the protective boot to enable smooth operation of the extension arms. Every winter I clean the previous year's lithium application with silicone spray, and after cleaning and drying each arm, apply new lithium to each.
IMO, Lithium is preferred over silicon. I believe it you look for BlueOx videos on the subject, they also recommend Lithium.

[inyoJohn]

Thanks, Mike, I do have the ball type tow bar. But the last time Blue Ox serviced my tow bar they returned it in a very stiff condition. So much so, it takes both arms to lift it out of the stowed position. It was suggested by a Blue Ox salesperson at this year's Quartzsite RV show to use a silicon spray as WD-40 will ruin the Teflon bearing. I too had been advised by Blue Ox not to lubricate the ball joint. I guess I'll keep up my upper arm strength by muscling it out or the stowed position.

[Mike8253]

Is it a matter of being over-torqued?

[inyoJohn]

Originally Posted by Mike8253

Is it a matter of being over-torqued?

Mike, when Blue Ox serviced my tow-bar, they are the ones that torqued it to the present value. Since the service, it has gotten marginally worse. Hence my inquiry about using Silicone lubricant. I should have paid the $50 to get it serviced again but didn't since they were responsible for the problem in the first place.