If you’re planning on towing a vehicle behind your motorhome – a “toad” or dinghy, as many of us call it – then you understand how critical a reliable tow bar is. It’s the vital link between your RV and your car, and you absolutely want to have confidence in it.
Today, I want to share some of my experiences and insights on selecting the right Blue Ox tow bar for your setup.
After using various Blue Ox tow bars for over 20 years and more than 100,000 miles, I have found they are the most reliable tow bar in the industry. They are easy to hook up and easy to store. This isn’t just an opinion; it’s based on extensive mileage and a wide range of conditions.
Choosing the right tow bar isn’t just about picking one that fits. It’s about safety, ease of use, and ensuring it’s correctly matched to both your RV and the vehicle you’re towing. A mismatch can lead to problems down the road, which no one wants.
While several good brands of tow bars are available, I’ve gravitated towards Blue Ox for a few key reasons that have repeatedly proven themselves. Their reputation for quality and durability is well-earned.
When you’re connecting thousands of pounds of vehicle to the back of your motorhome, you want equipment that’s built to last and engineered for safety. I’ve found their designs to be robust and their manufacturing standards to be consistently high.
Another significant factor for me is ease of use.
When you arrive at a campground after a long day of driving, or when you’re ready to hit the road in the morning, the last thing you want is a complicated or finicky tow bar connection process.
Blue Ox tow bars, in my experience, are designed with the RVer in mind. The hook-up and disconnect process is generally straightforward, and their non-binding latches, a feature on many of their popular models, are invaluable when you’re parked on uneven ground.
I’ve seen many people struggling with other brands because their tow bar arms got into a bind – an issue I’ve rarely encountered with Blue Ox.
Finally, storage is an important consideration. When the tow bar is not in use, you want it to store neatly and securely. Blue Ox offers designs that fold away cleanly against the back of the RV, often with minimal effort.
When you’re looking at the Blue Ox lineup, there are a few models that are particularly popular and with which I’ve had good experiences. You can find these over at RVupgradestore.com:
The Ascent is a fantastic option, especially for those who might be new to towing or who appreciate a lighter-weight tow bar without sacrificing strength.
It’s rated for vehicles up to 7,500 pounds, which covers a wide range of cars, SUVs, and trucks that RVers typically tow.
It’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum, so it’s relatively lightweight and easy to handle, but still incredibly strong. I appreciate the Ascent for its smooth operation and the fact that it’s easy to connect and disconnect.
Buy Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar
The Avail is another top-tier tow bar from Blue Ox, and it’s a real workhorse.
It’s rated for vehicles up to 10,000 pounds, so it’s suitable for heavier toads. One of the standout features of the Avail is its longer legs, which can contribute to an improved turning radius and better maneuverability.
It also features those non-binding latches I mentioned earlier, which makes unhooking on uneven terrain much less of a hassle. I’ve towed with the Avail in all sorts of conditions, and it has always performed flawlessly.
Buy Blue Ox Avail Tow Bar
Choosing between models like the Ascent and Avail, or other Blue Ox options, comes down to a few key factors:
Don’t forget you’ll also need a good braking system for your towed vehicle and safety cables – these are essential components of any safe towing setup.
After all those miles and years, my confidence in Blue Ox tow bars remains unshaken. They represent a solid investment in safety, reliability, and ease of use for any RVer who wants to bring a vehicle along on their adventures.
Whether it’s the lightweight Ascent or the heavy-duty Avail, selecting the right model for your specific needs will provide peace of mind on the road.
Do your research, match the tow bar to your toad’s weight, and make sure you have all the necessary components for a safe and legal towing system. It’s the foundation for many great memories exploring beyond the campground.
I’m Bill Rowell, the founder of RVupgrades.com. In 2002, I launched the business to help fellow RV enthusiasts find unique and hard-to-find products. Over the years, it’s grown to offer more than 15,000 items, with a warehouse in Eastlake, Ohio. Having owned and repaired nearly every type of RV, I bring over two decades of hands-on experience to the table. For me, this isn’t just a business – it’s a passion and a way of life that I love sharing with the RV community.
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