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Is your tow bar level when connected?

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Neal

Staff member
RVF Administrator
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11,477
Location
Midlothian, VA
RV Year
2017
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Ventana 4037
RV Length
40' 10"
Chassis
Freightliner XCR
Engine
Cummins 400 HP
TOW/TOAD
2017 Chevy Colorado
Fulltimer
No
I saw a picture in one of the motorhome Facebook groups today with a jeep behind a motorhome. The jeep connection was significantly higher than the motorhome causing the tow bar to be below the toad hookups. Have you looked at your setup when on level ground to see that your tow bar is on the same plane as your toad connections? In this case in an emergency braking situation the toad could jump over the tow bar and into the back of the motorhome. I have a 2 inch riser on mine, can't remember if it's inverted, but I needed this on my setup as well.
 
With a 4 inch drop hitch, the towbar centerline is 1.25" below the hitch centerline. Well within the +-3" range for the Blue Ox recommendation
towbar elevation.jpg
.
 
Yes mine is fairly level, within 1” using 4” drop.
 
Was their coach at ride height when you noticed this? Did the Jeep have a lift kit installed?
 
The tow bar between our coach and the towed Honda CR-V is absolutely level. If it wasn't, I would make the appropriate adjustments to ensure that is was. I don't need pole vaulters or submarines behind me if I need to make a sudden stop!

TJ
 
One of the reasons I chose the tow bar mounts on my previous Jeep, 2016 JK, and current 2020 Gladiator. I wanted the mount below the bumper to keep the amount of hitch riser needed to a minimum.

The JK had a Currie base plate that doubles as a skid plate. The Gladiator has Maximus 3 mounts. A winch cannot be mounted between the front frame rails using a Blue Ox type tow bar mount.
 
After I bought our coach, took it to a parking spot with the air bags inflated and measured the height of the hitch receptacle and than the height of the toad connectors. Had to buy a lowering adapter to make the tow bar horizontal.
 
Our 2017 GMC Terrain "Blue Ox" is level when towing. It required a 6" drop adapter. The Terrain tows like a dream.
Looks like I'm going to need a 2" rise adapter for the 2017 Chev Colorado ZR-2, & it will be level. Got to get the baseplate installed.
But due to moving to Florida, selling house, packing, & getting rid of "stuff", has pushed back the schedule. Looks like I'll wait til I get to St. Augustine to get it installed!
Hopefully it will toe just as well as the Terrain.
 
Our Blue Ox tow bar is pretty level best I remember. I'll have to go look. We were towing a Ram 1500 but now our toad is a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Both the motor home AND the Jeep have air suspensions. That might be an issue. I'm not sure if the suspension is aired up when I tow or not since the key is turned off. :unsure:
 

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