Tow Bar Safety Cables

[Fredward]

So I've got my Blue Ox Towbar and I've installed the plate on the tow vehicle. Aside from keeping the law officers appeased, what good do the safety cables do if the tow bar, in fact came unattached? If the only thing attaching the toad to the bus is two cables, that toad is going to whip around back there and land on its roof skidding down the highway isn't it?

Just asking.
Fred

[Len Silva]

The main idea is to keep the tow car or trailer from crashing head on into a car in the other lane. Protecting the tow car is secondary.

[bevans6]

The castor in the steering of the toad is going to keep it going straight behind the bus.  It won't whip around, unless it whips around when you are driving it normally.  Shorter cables are better than longer cables.

Brian

[HighTechRedneck]

Having experienced a tow bar failure myself, I have three things to say about it.

• Thank God for the safety chains.
• Manuever gently and come very slowly to a stop.
• When connecting, always criss cross the safety chains under the tow bar.  (don't ask how I know)

Mine broke loose during a turn.  I stopped smoothly but a little too quickly and did damage to the front corner of my toad. (barely scratched the bus)

[Jeremy]

On a caravan (travel trailer to you) the safety chain is a fairly lightweight cable which is attached to the caravan's handbrake. As I understand it, it isn't necessarily intended to keep the caravan attached to the tow vehicle should the towbar fail, rather it's purpose is to pull the brakes on and prevent the caravan running amok. It wouldn't be difficult to fit such an emergency braking system to a toad (hole through the car's bulkhead, cable to the brake pedal) in conjunction with the normal safety chains for extra peace of mind

Jeremy

[JLL]

Your cables should go back and fasten to the frame of your towd.
I learned the  hard way.  I had mine installed by a so called expert and he hooked them on to the tow bar.  It was OK for a long time until the tow bar cracked and the towed came loose.  Lucky I was just pulling in to a parking spot so I got by with no damage. The day before I was up in the canadians rockies.

Leo L.

[belfert]

Safety chains/cables in the USA are in addition to the lightweight cable that activates the brakes in case of breakaway on a trailer equipped with brakes.

Be sure to attach your safety chanins/cables somewhere besides the hitch in case the hitch breaks.  Most folks just use the loops provided on the hitch.  (I am guilty of this.)

[gumpy]

Blue Ox has changed their installation procedures. You're now supposed to wrap a cable around the base plate and attach it to the frame of the toad. I think they show it wrapping around the frame, and around the base plate in a figure of eight loop.

I haven't done that on mine.

I had a Blue Ox base plate break on me after 10000 miles of towing to AK and back. Only the side bolts were holding it to the car, and they were both loose.

[Fredward]

Good Point about the caster aspect of the toad. I suppose maybe it would keep going. I'm using the factory supplied cables; just wondering about the theory of operation....

FRed