Community Forums

Pushrod · 02-23-2016, 08:14 PM

Okay, simple question, how do you know if the arms are actually locked on an All Terrain Falcon tow bar. Used my new AT bar first time today, worked fine. I'm used to my old Falcon II bar with the locking pins popping up when the arms were locked. The instructions on the AT bar say to go left and right so the arms will lock, is there any visual clue to confirm they are locked?

LarrytheBear · 02-23-2016, 08:26 PM

I have the Falcon AT bar and I do not know of a visual that indicates that it is locked. It has never failed to lock after driving 15 or 20 feet.

After hooking up I push my toad back and that is usually enough to lock it, but if it does not lock with the push back it has never failed to lock within a few feet of driving.

**NLOVNIT** · 02-23-2016, 08:26 PM

We've got the AT's & there's an audible "clunk" sound when the arms lock. No visual indicators. However, there are times when, due to angle, one of the arms doesn't lock when I've put the Jeep in reverse to pull on them. In those instances, when we're leaving, Dave will, very slowly, turn the coach back & forth as we're going forward to get the unlocked arm to pull out & clunk into place.

Lori-

**NLOVNIT** · 02-23-2016, 08:36 PM

I will add there's also the clunk sound made by the tow bar when it moves against the brackets it sits on & another clunk sound the drop-hitch makes when it moves against the locking pin holding it in the receiver on the coach. They're pretty much all sounding at the same time. It's only taken me nearly 11 seasons of RV-ing to discern the difference.

Lori-

l1v3fr33ord1 · 02-24-2016, 05:01 AM

Pushrod-

It's been a year since I watched our Roadmaster Sterling All-Terrain go through the motions, but I seem to remember that as the arms reached the fully extended position the release levers would pop up once and then go down and lock. Whichever one of us assigned to check that the lights were working correctly on the coach and toad would stand near the towbar as the other person eased the coach forward, looking for the "pop." I believe the Sterling and Falcon All-Terrain locking mechanisms are similar.

NLOVNIT-

You might be able to eliminate a clunk by putting a Quiet Hitch on the drop receiver. I used them; they work as advertised.

avid_dk · 02-24-2016, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

You might be able to eliminate a clunk by putting a Quiet Hitch on the drop receiver. I used them; they work as advertised.

The Roadmaster tech told me I needed two since I have a drop hitch. One is used at each connection. They definitely tighten up the otherwise sloppy situation.

**CountryFit** · 02-24-2016, 04:17 PM

i once tore it up to fix an issue of arm un-retractible. you saw the flip-up levers, right? under there, there is a spring plate pressing against the arm. when the arm is fully extended, the spring plate drops and stops the arm from retraction. when you flip up the lever, the lobe of the lever pushes the spring plate away from the position so you would be able to push the arm in.

it hardly ever fails from locking, but more than not the lever lobe could be worn out. if that ever happens, disassemble the channel and weld up the lever lobe.