Blue Ox Tow Bar Safety Cable question

[GringoPhil]

So I've got my Blue Ox Tow bar 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 newell is two cables, Wouldn't the toad whip around back there and land on its roof skidding down the highway?

Just asking.

Gringo

[NewellCrazy]

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

[RussWhite]

Even if it whipped around back there and landed on its roof, wouldn't that be better than it crossing the mediam and taking out an innocent family?

[prairieschooner]

I would much rather that it was still attached. If for no other reason than I would not negatively effect someone else! Think about it.

[Archie T. Hogan]

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



Thank God for the safety chains.
Maneuver 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 non done to the rv.

[The Newell]

Your cables should go back and fasten to the frame of your toad. 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 toad came loose. Lucky I was just pulling in to a parking spot so I got by with no damage.

[David Carrol]

According to the Blue Ox website you're 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 eight loop.

[GringoPhil]

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....