Community Forums

brobox · 03-09-2021, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave&ginny

Yes I have. They're dancing

Dave sorry about your situation. It will be interesting what BO has to say. When my BO Aladdin failed, they could have cared less. Another owner contacted me with the same failure. He suffered extensive damage to the MH and toad, his insurance company was suing BO and asked for pictures of my failure. I hope your contact with BO goes well.

dave&ginny · 03-09-2021, 08:26 AM

Here are some pictures

Gary.Jones · 03-09-2021, 08:29 AM

Dave

Take a serious look at the Demco Excali-bar. 10,000#, All steel, no aluminum, built like a tank. Have used mine now for 6-8 years and it is still as solidly built as it ever was...

DEMCO doesnt have the advertising budget that BlueOx does, obviously, but I can bet you a lot of money that DEMCO products are built and over-engineered beyond any normal use, and I would buy this particular towbar over again 100 times if I could live that long.

Their baseplates are also similarly over engineered.

Compare a DEMCO towbar to any BlueOx and you will see there is a huge difference in build quality.

Gary

dave&ginny · 03-09-2021, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

Dave

Take a serious look at the Demco Excali-bar. 10,000#, All steel, no aluminum, built like a tank. Have used mine now for 6-8 years and it is still as solidly built as it ever was...

DEMCO doesnt have the advertising budget that BlueOx does, obviously, but I can bet you a lot of money that DEMCO products are built and over-engineered beyond any normal use, and I would buy this particular towbar over again 100 times if I could live that long.

Their baseplates are also similarly over engineered.

Compare a DEMCO towbar to any BlueOx and you will see there is a huge difference in build quality.

Gary

I will Gary, Thank You

ECVB · 03-09-2021, 08:41 AM

Have you checked out the HERCULES TOW BAR @ 12,000 lb towing capacity which is all steel construction ?

I am currently using the READY BRUTE ELITE II but thinking of upgrading my toad from a jeep to a F150 and I am considering the Hercules tow bar.

Gary.Jones · 03-09-2021, 09:34 AM

One other issue, and this is for readers of this thread, and not specifically relevant for Dave , but I have seen motorcoach owners who back up with their tow cars connected. I watched a fellow back a good 100 to 200 feet with his tow car behind him. I presume he was careful, but backing up a tow car with a coach is completely the wrong thing to do. Backing up, if the angle of the coach to the towed car is not absolutely perfect and absolutely straight and remain ps perfectly straight and in-line then any difference would act to slide the front of toad to some degree sideways which puts incredible stress on the whole tow bar assembly.

If you are ever going to need to back up 10 or 20 feet, everything MUST BE PERFECTLY IN LINE or you are stressing the hell out of that equipment. I never back up .... not 3 feet. If I am in that position, I disconnect the toad fully, do what needs to be done with the coach, and then reconnect. My biggest decision anywhere I go is can I do what I need to do without any chance of needing to back up?? If I have to walk a truck stop to make sure I have a clear path forward before I move a foot, then that is what I do before moving a inch.

Secondly, I always try to make turns after I am moving.. I try NEVER to move the coach steering wheel sharply before I start moving with the toad connected. If you make a sharp turn beginning from a dead stop, you are doing the same bad thing..... you are forcing the front of your toad slightly sideways before the wheels have a chance to turn and pivot smoothly. Amazing levels of lateral stress applied!

Gary

Bigd9 · 03-09-2021, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mile Marker 42

I don't know, may be I'm having doubts on the crimp connectors on the curly cables.got a link to your straight cable?

I got the model 648 with hooks on both ends.
https://www.roadmasterinc.com/produc...afe_cables.php

My problem with the curly Q electrical or safety cables is they seem to drag on the ground objects more than my straight ones do. With my straight ones I use Ball Bungies cords to tuck the cables right up to the towbar arms. This keeps them from being damaged.

A problem with any plastic coated steel cable is hidden rust damage. If the plastic coating gets abraded, cut, nicked etc. water can get trapped next to the steel cable and rust. The rusty area is very hard to see through the coating.

Kid Gloves · 03-09-2021, 12:15 PM

Be sure to check the rating on any quick links that are attached to a cable loop or hook. This, quite often, will be the weak link.

Bigd9 · 03-09-2021, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kid Gloves

Be sure to check the rating on any quick links that are attached to a cable loop or hook. This, quite often, will be the weak link.

Good point.

A lot of times the rating is stamped right on the quick link.

Les1951 · 03-09-2021, 12:58 PM

I have been a little nervous about my 10 year old BO tow bar. Dave, you helped me make the decision to replace it ! I just ordered the Demco Excalibar 3 towbar with the Blue Ox adapter. Thanks ! Les

brobox · 03-09-2021, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Les1951

I have been a little nervous about my 10 year old BO tow bar. Dave, you helped me make the decision to replace it ! I just ordered the Demco Excalibar 3 towbar with the Blue Ox adapter. Thanks ! Les

Wise move. Mine failed at 10 years old, metal fatigue. I won't make that mistake again.

OldOwlsHead · 03-09-2021, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

I got the model 648 with hooks on both ends.
https://www.roadmasterinc.com/produc...afe_cables.php

My problem with the curly Q electrical or safety cables is they seem to drag on the ground objects more than my straight ones do. With my straight ones I use Ball Bungies cords to tuck the cables right up to the towbar arms. This keeps them from being damaged.

A problem with any plastic coated steel cable is hidden rust damage. If the plastic coating gets abraded, cut, nicked etc. water can get trapped next to the steel cable and rust. The rusty area is very hard to see through the coating.

I route my cables and electrical embillical cord over the top of the towbar; works for me.

hobart22 · 03-09-2021, 01:33 PM

I had BO base plates fail on my 09 dodge pu, I mean totally fail, went to demco 10,500 hitch and base plates, at least these I can check, won’t own another BO as long as I tow

Do26 · 03-09-2021, 01:47 PM

BO knows. The current design of what they call the shank uses straight pieces of metal welded on, not bent (not welding on a bent U, but two separate straight pieces). There have been similar threads online about how the part breaks at the bend. You can order a replacement shank, which will be the new style. You can try to get BO to comp they replacement.