Community Forums

roblaura · 05-09-2022, 10:58 AM

Don't feel too bad - we did a similar thing. DW (I could have done the same thing) inserted the D ring safety pin into the ½" tow bar - base plate connection pin, and turned it over to lock it. However, she did not push hard enough and the ring was only partially down. Over time, road motion jiggled the ring part up which allowed it to jiggle out of the ½" pin. The ½" pin then worked its way out of the tow-bar base plate connection. The tow bar arm was thus disconnected, which put all the weight of the car on the other arm. It snapped off, swung wildly, and tore up the front of the tow vehicle. I felt the arm break away, looked in my mirror and saw part of the tow vehicle in the emergency lane. I stopped! The good news - the safety cables held and we were going up a slight grade, which prevented the tow vehicle from running into the back of the coach. We now double check each other on the tow bar connections. We are RVers and we learn from our mistakes - some more costly than others.

Marshalone · 05-09-2022, 11:13 AM

Great information here. We flat tow my wife's Equinox behind our MH and so far it has operated perfectly, however I will look at all of the suggestions listed in this forum with the hopes of safer travels. Happy Camping.

Todd8 · 05-09-2022, 12:42 PM

The newer Blue Ox adapters at the car have a feature that prevents the 1/2" pin from rotating, so the 1/4" keeper pin can't fall out. Though, we have had the 1/2" pins and keepers stolen while we were parked. I now remove the adapter and pins when parked.

Jack Hamer · 05-10-2022, 05:57 AM

I parked my Suburban with trailer at dr. office. I had material to pick up after that. Got load and 40 miles coming back ball came out of the receiver. No 5/8 pin. I hooked up the trailer I know I put a clip in the pin too. Some one had to have pulled the pin. Dr. office close to a bad side of town. Only time I ever had a trailer come off. I check it all the time after a stop.

Jchemie · 05-10-2022, 08:38 AM

Many years ago, before I got my first coach, I was stopped at the Cirracco summit rest stop on I-10 in CA. My passengers took a long break, I walked a short distance away in the opposite direction. Being a LEO, my attention was focused on the parking lot and my car. Soon saw a scuzbag checking for open car doors and looking at a hitch on someones toad. Took several pics with my cell phone of him, as he got close to my car I hit the alarm button and he slinked away to another car. Suddenly he ran off to a waiting car and they sped off on the freeway. A CHIPs patrol vehicle pulled into the lot shortly afterwards. I approched the offcer and identified myself. I was able to send him the photos which he was grateful to get, because it also included the getaway vehicle.

So the conspericy therory isn’t too far off, there are certainly bad people out there the rest stop lots. Still would like to know if a third person or vehicle was involved and where they were at.

hohenwald48 · 05-10-2022, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feiter

From day one of towing I have used the following.

https://www.blueoxtowbars.com/catego...Bar_Locks,1391

Using lock pings on both the RV side and Toad side of the Tow Bar prevents theft and disconnect from unwanted sources.

These are a must when your tow bar can go over $1500

Using locking pins also makes it extremely difficult to quickly unhook the toad in an emergency, like a toad or RV fire or a quick run in the middle of the night to the local ER.

You have to decide which risks you find acceptable.

I've been towing a dingy for nearly 25 years and 100's of thousands of miles with never a single pin missing. But I don't use a Blue Ox towbar either.

moisheh · 05-11-2022, 05:21 PM

There are some videos online about how easy it is to break any of the hitch locks. But if you have them the thief will look elsewhere. As part time long haul driver I can tell you that drivers are never happy when truck stop spaces are full of RV's. Drivers have to have a place to stop after 11 hours of driving. Rv'rs are having fun not working. But rest areas that are not marked trucks only are for everyone. I see a lot of vanners as well as homeless people in cars that sleep in trucks only lots. They should be towed away.

National 350 · 05-12-2022, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

There are some videos online about how easy it is to break any of the hitch locks. But if you have them the thief will look elsewhere. As part time long haul driver I can tell you that drivers are never happy when truck stop spaces are full of RV's. Drivers have to have a place to stop after 11 hours of driving. Rv'rs are having fun not working. But rest areas that are not marked trucks only are for everyone. I see a lot of vanners as well as homeless people in cars that sleep in trucks only lots. They should be towed away.

RV'rs also drive many miles and many hours, and are tired and know that it is dangerous to keep on driving.

hohenwald48 · 05-12-2022, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moisheh

As part time long haul driver I can tell you that drivers are never happy when truck stop spaces are full of RV's. Drivers have to have a place to stop after 11 hours of driving. Rv'rs are having fun not working. But rest areas that are not marked trucks only are for everyone. I see a lot of vanners as well as homeless people in cars that sleep in trucks only lots. They should be towed away.

It really doesn't matter if truck drivers aren't happy with RV's parked in truck stops. Truck drivers don't own the lots. The lot owners are the ones who get to specify who can park there and who can't and if they are ok with RV'ers then the truck drivers should mind their own business.

augerdogger · 05-12-2022, 10:17 AM

I used to exhibit dogs for a living and travel in an RV. I travel hundreds of miles a day and stop in rest areas, it not unusual to travel 6-700 miles per day, 12 hours on the road. I drive until I don't feel safe driving and find a place to pull over. We are not traveling for grins and giggles but we do encounter myopic drivers that feel they own rest areas, truck stops, Walmarts, etc.

fuelish · 05-19-2022, 04:58 PM

I've read every post and I must say, the posters in this thread; travel in far more dangerous circles than I do. I've never had trouble in 20ish years of RV travel. The young woman I bought my latest toad and set up warned against leaving the base plates (terminology?) on the car, because the person who installed it, said people steal them. She never had a problem.

I overnight in truck stops, highway rest areas, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels along with rv parks, even urban sketchy parks, where the rvs haven't moved in years. Never has anyone ever even looked cross-eyed at us. With that said, I believe I could tow without cotter pins as I have to hammer my pins out to release my car.

Thanks, you have put me on alert. Times are weird and I'm not sure why.

Mike

PS

I'm not sure of the terminology of the pieces involved, hopefully it is clear enough.

Cptcuffs · 05-24-2022, 05:01 AM

I pulled a tow dolly for a while and lost the pin securing the tilt portion a couple of times. I started carrying extra pins just in case. When I changed over to a tow bar I got extra pins to replace any I might lose on the road. So far I have not lost any but I too check after every time I stop because there are all sorts of people in the world.