Recently, our RV repair shop received the below email from Jerry regarding his Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bars:
I am looking at getting a Nighthawk tow bar for my dinghy tow.
The question I have has to do with folding it up to stow it when not in use. The videos I’ve seen show a 3-step process:
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1. Bring the arms together
2. Rotate the arms up 90 degrees
3. Rotate the arms clockwise or counterclockwise 90 degrees
Question: Is it possible to stow the tow bar reversing steps 2 and 3? So it would look like this:
1. Bring the arms together
2. Rotate the arms clockwise or counterclockwise 90 degrees
3. Rotate the arms in 90 degrees
You end up in the same place.
The reason for my question is that I want to use a dual-receiver attachment so that I can put my bike rack on the upper receiver.
If I have to stow the tow bar using the original sequence, I would have to take my bikes and the rack off to stow the bar. If the alternate sequence works, I would be able to stow the tow bar without taking my bikes or the rack off my RV.
Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Join me in this video as I sit down with my Service Manager, Zach. We share our thoughts on stowing a tow bar in a different order than the manufacturer recommends.
The short answer: Yes, yes you can
The reason the manufacturer recommends stowing the tow bars by rotating the arms up 90 degrees first and then rotating the arms clockwise or counterclockwise 90 degrees is because this option gives you the most leverage, which equates to ease of use. If you are comfortable switching steps 2 and 3, you can move forward with that progression—it won’t hurt anything.
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Roadmaster Products
- Roadmaster 747 LubeMaster Silicone Spray
- Roadmaster 9911 Voom RV Cleaner
- Roadmaster 056 Tow Bar Accessory Storage Bag
- Black Vinyl Heavy-Duty Grade Tow Bar Cover
- Roadmaster 4750 Tow Defender
- Roadmaster 910008-00 Large Pin with Cable and Linch Pin
- Roadmaster 910049 Tow Bar Base Pin – 3/4 Inch (Pack of 2)
- Roadmaster 910024 Quick Disconnect Linch Pin (Pack of 2)
- Roadmaster 146-7 Flexo-Coil 7-Wire to 6-Wire power Cord Kit
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Dustin owns and operates California RV Specialists, an independent RV repair shop located in Lodi, CA. He thrives on sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm of RV repair and maintenance with his team, customers, and virtual friends.
Be sure to check out his YouTube channel where he shares what’s going on in the shop and the product offerings in the store. Dustin is also very active on Facebook. Join his group, RV Repairs and Tips – What’s in the shop!
Dustin proudly operates the business alongside his wife, Ashley; but the true pair that run the show are their Boston Terriers, Arvie and Hitch.
