Blue Ox Avail tow bar

[Freebird1958]

Has anyone had the opportunity to review or use the new tow bar from Blue Ox Avail model?

[Pigman1]

I might be reading the instructions wrong, but it appears you'll have to move the coach one or more times until both of the arms lock. Only then can you put your locking clevis pin in the hole. Also the bar needs the coach and toad to be level and aligned in a straight line before disconnecting or connecting.

Not for me thanks. My Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 can be hooked up with one arm and the second will automatically lock on pulling forward. In addition it can be released when toad and coach are in a turn (unaligned) and one or both of the arms are under tension.

I dumped a Blue OX Aventa after repeatedly finding excess play and wear in all joints and pin/bolt connections. It got so bad I replaced the worn parts once and had to use steel shim stock twice. I wouldn't say that a Chinese product was garbage, but I won't own another one of them. I used to pull with Blue Ox and had no problems with over 75,000 tow miles on their old unit. I started seeing unacceptable wear on the Aventa after less than 20,000 miles and my bar was serviced annually at Quartzsite.

[Online_17]

Originally Posted by Freebird1958

Has anyone had the opportunity to review or use the new tow bar from Blue Ox Avail model?

Just purchased one. Arrived last week but won't actually try it until May. But I purchased based on blue ox company reps saying it is by far the best to tow my jeep.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Pigman1

I might be reading the instructions wrong, but it appears you'll have to move the coach one or more times until both of the arms lock. Only then can you put your locking clevis pin in the hole. Also the bar needs the coach and toad to be level and aligned in a straight line before disconnecting or connecting.

Not for me thanks. My Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 can be hooked up with one arm and the second will automatically lock on pulling forward. In addition it can be released when toad and coach are in a turn (unaligned) and one or both of the arms are under tension.

I dumped a Blue OX Aventa after repeatedly finding excess play and wear in all joints and pin/bolt connections. It got so bad I replaced the worn parts once and had to use steel shim stock twice. I wouldn't say that a Chinese product was garbage, but I won't own another one of them. I used to pull with Blue Ox and had no problems with over 75,000 tow miles on their old unit. I started seeing unacceptable wear on the Aventa after less than 20,000 miles and my bar was serviced annually at Quartzsite.

Where are you reading that you must "move the coach one or more times until both of the arms lock. Only then can you put your locking clevis pin in the hole" ?
From Blue Ox Instructions:

Partially extend one leg. The legs are held in with an internal “soft” latch. Pulling out on the leg will disengage this latch. Place the triple lug between the attachment tabs on the baseplate, and secure with the 1/2” pin and quick pin. Be sure the 1/2” pin is installed correctly through the
attachment tab with the nose towards middle of the baseplate. Repeat for both legs.

Pull forward with the towing vehicle until one or both of the locking handles are engaged and locked (When locked they will “pop” up). If only one locking handle is locked, turn the towed vehicle’s steering wheel towards the unlocked tow bar leg approximately 1/2 to 3/4 turn, before continuing forward. Drive the towing vehicle forward until the second leg locks into place.

From Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 Instructions:

When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar. Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed

Looks like to me both sets of instructions look the same.

And Blue Ox is Chinese made???? If that is so, what are they making at their factory in Pender, NE? When I was there touring the factory all of the workers looked like Americans and I'm pretty sure Pender was in the USA!

BTW, Blue Ox factory does have a nice campground with full hookups including WiFi.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Freebird1958

Has anyone had the opportunity to review or use the new tow bar from Blue Ox Avail model?

I was just looking at the new model. It is 2" longer than the Aventa LX and I'm also looking at getting the longer shank wish is 4" longer than the standard. I'm trying to make room for my bike rack on the back of the coach without hitting the car in a tight turn.

I will be interested in any thoughts of others that have ordered and/or installed it.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by Online_17

Just purchased one. Arrived last week but won't actually try it until May. But I purchased based on blue ox company reps saying it is by far the best to tow my jeep.

Why did they say it was the best for your Jeep? Any particular reason?

[WYRon]

I can't speak from actual experience because we're just getting our Class A in a few months. However, I am getting our Honda CR-V ready, and researched quite a bit. I had decided on Blue Ox baseplate and tow bar, and then spoke with the Blue Ox reps at the Tampa RV show. They were really proud of the new Avail, and showed me all the new features they liked. Included easier hook-up (no, you don't need to move your toad...the moving of toad or coach is related to when the bars lock in place after connecting), tighter turn radius (hence the longer arms, I believe), and increased load capacity.

Have the new Avail sitting in a box in our garage, and am getting the base plate installed next week. Won't know how everything works for a few months.

[Route 66]

The nonbinding latches are great improvement...........if they really are.

[Online_17]

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

Why did they say it was the best for your Jeep? Any particular reason?

I just gave them all my details and that was their recommendation. They did say it's wider and longer than other models which will make manuavering around gas pumps ( corners ) a breeze. Hook up is all terrain style so for the guy who said they have to be lined up exactly was incorrect. It's rated for 10,000 lbs so any size Jeep is covered. I also have a Blue Ox motocycle carrier rated for 1,000 pounds and will take both so since I purchased the best motorcycle carrier years ago and had zero issues, I wanted the same results from towing my jeep.
And yes...non-binding is correct.
Hope that helps....

[Online_17]

Here's how it looks when it arrives....

[MisterT]

Bike rack between DP and Toad...

Last August when we purchased our 2014 Thor Palazzo 33.3 DP bunkhouse, we also purchased a Reese dual receiver and a Allen 4bike rack, both off-the-shelf at Walmart.
The dual receiver allows the bike rack to be positioned between the DP and the toad. We've experience no problems with any contact between the bikes(we carry 4 full size) and our 2014 FordFiestaSE toad. We use the BlueOxAlpha towbar system, and it also works great.

Everything is good. : )

The Turners, 19k miles and across country twice

[Wild Willy]

We had a Blue Ox Alpha tow bar that worked great until we had a wreck on an icy overpass on New Years Day this year. Our Jeep flipped upside down and was totaled - but still securely attached to the RV. New Jeep, new DP on order, and new Blue Ox Avail sitting in a box in the garage.

The Avail looks great and promises to perform better than previous models, but I can't tell how it's stored on the RV when not used. My Alpha had a pin that locked into the base of the tow bar when tilted up and over - securing it in a horizontal position close to the RV bumper. The Avail doesn't seem to have this - looks like it will just lay on the ground when not hooked up to the toad. Am I missing something?

[jrwitt]

Originally Posted by Wild Willy

We had a Blue Ox Alpha tow bar that worked great until we had a wreck on an icy overpass on New Years Day this year. Our Jeep flipped upside down and was totaled - but still securely attached to the RV. New Jeep, new DP on order, and new Blue Ox Avail sitting in a box in the garage.

The Avail looks great and promises to perform better than previous models, but I can't tell how it's stored on the RV when not used. My Alpha had a pin that locked into the base of the tow bar when tilted up and over - securing it in a horizontal position close to the RV bumper. The Avail doesn't seem to have this - looks like it will just lay on the ground when not hooked up to the toad. Am I missing something?

To store it, check page 5 of the install instructions. It folds straight up (vertical) and then rotated to either side to the horizontal position. Here is the URL for the instructions:

http://blueox.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BX7420.pdf

Hope this helps. I don't own one of these, just happened to see the instructions yesterday when I was researching info on the Avail.

[Wild Willy]

Just hooked it up to my truck to see how it stores. It's a different mechanism than the other Blue Ox tow bars, but it works well. Can't wait to hook it up to the DP and pull the Jeep to the West coast this Summer!