Ford Escape hybrid with Roadmaster baseplate FYI
I recently installed a Roadmaster direct connect baseplate on my 2021 Ford Escape hybrid and I'm towing it with a Roadmaster Falcon towbar. After installation I was just looking things over and thinking about how best to lock it when I discovered I can rotate the removeable arms in the baseplate and pull them right out while fully attached to the towbar and motorhome! With the towbar arms fully extended and latched in the towing position all you have to do is release the telescoping latch and then rotate the baseplate arm 90 degrees and with a little wiggling you can pull the baseplate arm right out of the baseplate as the towbar arm telescopes in. This would seem to negate the padlocks supplied to lock the clevis pins. Since the car is in flat tow mode while towing it is then easily pushed back away from the motorhome. I am a bit disappointed it is so easy to unhook the towed vehicle this way. While it is not obvious this could be done just by looking at it, someone who knows the procedure could have the towed vehicle separated from the motorhome in 2 minutes or less. Yes I know the car is still locked and disabled and could not be driven, but it could be pushed and steered simply by breaking the drivers window. Has anyone else noticed this and come up with a good way to prevent it?
__________________
2020 Thor Hurricane 29M
2021 Ford Escape Hybrid Toad
2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide Ultra
|