WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TUNED UP YOUR TOWBAR//

Having a discussion witha neighbour, I told him we have been motorhoming for 12 years and have towed a vehicle behind a Class A for 160,000 miles. I ask if he has had his vintage towbar inspected and tuned up. He didn't know what I was talking about.
Both Blue Ox and Roadmaster have a program for Tow Bar Tune ups.
Most frequently, the Towbar outfits will have representatives running around major rallies inspecting towbars on motorhomes.
They replace bushings and bolts commonly, that helps to limit slop in the towbar, at reduced cost or complimentary, and anything more serious they will post a note/tell the owner to bring it in to their booth setup at a rally. Then there could be a repair fee.
Both Blue Ox and Roadmaster say, at your expense, can ship your towbar to them to do the same tuneup done at rallies. Our local Blue Ox distributing hitch shop can also do these tune ups for a price, which was around 50 bucks.
In our personal case, we stopped at Blue Ox, and they tuned both of our towbars while we waited. Back in 2006, this was free.
We carry a spare towbar (Aventa II) just in case. We had a part failure in 2001, and had a part shipped from Blue Ox to a destinations down the road. After that experience we found another Aventa II used, at a reduced price. Since we have 2 motorhomes, we now have 3 towbars. Two for the bus, and one for the Airstream Classic 270-P-30 Chevy Chassis.
When was the last time you tuned up your towbar?.

Good post Jim, I like a lot of others never think of the tow bar (as long as it is working). But it really is a very important part of our coaches and toads. If that little puppy fails we are in some deep $h(()!

I had to replace mine after we returned from Alaska; my brother-in-law had an extra Roadmaster tow bar and he gave it to me free of charge. I just threw the old one away; it was bent and twisted so badly that I couldn't make it slide in the housing! Alaska can be tuff on the equipment (o.k. I was driving too fast thru the frost heaves)!

Good thread Jim this is really important and often overlooked. We had ours tuned up at Roadmaster in Vancouver last year, I stop there every couple years and have it done. Just gives me peace of mind

Just today while the toad was at GMC for part replacement I was underneath looking at our base plate and safety cables. Just asked the tech while on the rack ....no problem