Specifications

Safety cables are an integral part of your towing system. They are a
secondary safety device, required by law in many states. This section, and
the following section, will acquaint you with how to use them properly.
• The safety cables must connect the towing vehicle to the towed vehicle,
frame to frame.
• The safety cables must be rated at 6,000 pounds weight capacity per
pair, or higher. This is the maximum weight capacity of the tow bar — the
towed vehicle and all its contents cannot exceed 6,000 pounds.
• Pull the safety cables so that all the slack is at the motorhome. Make
sure there is enough slack in the cables at the motorhome to allow
for sharp turns — if there is not enough slack, the towing system will be
severely damaged when the motorhome turns a sharp corner.
• The safety cables must be the correct length…
• Make sure the cables are not too short — if you use a receiver hitch
extension or other equipment that extends the distance between the towed
vehicle and the motorhome, the standard cables may be too short. If the
cables are too short, the towing system will be severely damaged when
the motorhome turns a sharp corner.
(Safety cable extensions in a wide variety of lengths are available from
ROADMASTER.)
• Make sure the cables are not too long — the cables should not hang
down to the extent they may catch on obstructions, or drag on the ground.
This much slack could cause damage to the towing system, the towed
vehicle, or the motorhome.
If the cables are too long, wrap the excess cable around the tow bar
to take up the slack. Make sure there is enough slack in the cables at
the motorhome to allow for sharp turns.
Damage caused by using safety cables of an incorrect length is not
covered under warranty.
• Always cross the cables under the hitch receiver, as shown in Figure
4 under “Proper installation of safety cables.” In the unlikely event the tow
bar separates from the motorhome, crossing the cables will help prevent
the tow bar from dragging on the ground, which can cause the tow bar to
“pole vault” the towed vehicle.
• Some ROADMASTER tow bar mounting kits with removable arms use
two safety cables on each side. If two sets of safety cables are required,
both must be used. This is required by law. Refer to “Proper installation
of safety cables” for further information.
Failure to follow these instructions may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
3
Connecting the tow bar
continued from page two
snapped over the pin, with the curved side of the linch pin touching the
ring, in order to keep the base pin secure.
Both tow bar arms must be attached to the quick-disconnect bases
and locked with a linch pin. Towing vibrations will force the linch pins
out unless they are properly locked in place over the base pins on
both quick-disconnect bases.
Failure to properly install and lock both base pins will result in
the loss of the towed vehicle, which may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
6. Now, swing the other arm to the opposite side and connect it in the
same manner.
7. Attach the safety cables and plug in the electrical wiring cord, accord-
ing to the supplier’s instructions.
Before towing the vehicle, be sure the steering is unlocked, the trans-
mission is in the proper setting, and the emergency brake is released.
Remove the wheel chock.
Check the manufacturer’s specifications or the owner’s manual for
the proper towing procedure(s) or requirement(s) for the vehicle to be
towed.
Do not tow the vehicle until the tow bar is attached with all pins
or padlocks. Unless the tow bar is secured to both vehicles with all
appropriate pins or padlocks, the vehicle will detach, which may cause
property damage, personal injury or even death.
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. Additionally, check the other com-
ponents of your towing system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.
Both tow bar arms must be locked before towing. If they are not,
the momentum of the towed vehicle will apply excessive force to the
tow bar arms and other components of the towing system, which
may cause the towing system to fail, resulting in property damage,
personal injury or even death.
Do not tow a vehicle using tow bar mounting brackets, safety
cables, or a hitch receiver rated less than the actual weight of the
towed vehicle.
If the brackets, safety cables, hitch receiver or any supplementary
towing equipment is not rated at the weight of the towed vehicle and
all its contents, it may fail during towing, causing property damage,
personal injury or even death.
If the motorhome hitch receiver has an extension, do not tow if
the tow bar is more than three inches out of level.
Receiver extensions cause the towing system to swing much higher
and lower than towing systems without extensions. This enlarged
arc of motion creates excessive strain on the tow bar, brackets and
frame, which can cause the towing system to fail, causing property
damage, personal injury or even death.
Disconnecting the tow bar
1. Disconnecting the tow bar is essentially the reverse of connecting it.
First, always try to park on level ground, with the towed vehicle in line
with the motorhome. This will eliminate most of the tension between the
vehicles, allowing for an easier disconnect.
2. Disconnect the electrical wiring harness, safety cables and any other
towing system accessories.
3. Lift the release handles on each tow bar arm to release the locking
mechanisms.
(Usually, one of the handles will require more pressure to release.
This is the arm that has the majority of the tension between the two ve-
hicles.)
Always put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the emergency
brake and chock one of the wheels after lifting the release handles,
and before removing the base pins. Failure to do so may result in a
‘runaway’ vehicle or may crush you between the towed vehicle and
the motorhome, causing property damage, personal injury or even
death.
4. Put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the emergency brake, and
chock one of the wheels.
5. Remove the base pins and store the tow bar on the motorhome by
reversing the connection procedure (under “Connecting the tow bar”).
ROADMASTER recommends replacing at least one of the linch pins
with a padlock (part number 301, 302 or 308) to prevent accidental release
or theft.
If you choose to store the tow bar on the back of the motorhome
— The bushings at the end of the tow bar arms can be warped by heat
from the exhaust. If the bushings are warped, the tow bar arms will
not slide easily, or they may not slide at all — it may be difficult to
connect or disconnect the tow bar, or you may be unable to connect
or disconnect it, until the bushings are replaced.
The tow bar can be stored on the motorhome with the arms rotated
to the left or the right. To avoid the possibility of damage to the bush-
ings, rotate the arms away from the engine exhaust.
How to use safety cables