Canadian Toad Regulations

[rfoster]

Talk about timing, today on the run home from Mytle Beach SC, I lost a pin out of the Blue ox tow with an H2 Hummer. All this in bumper to bumper traffic and thank God 55 mph instead of 65 or 70mph. I made a hole real quick with a H2 scooting down the road sideways and bouncing off the retaining wall of a bridge. Looked like Kyle Bush getting a Darlington stripe according to eye witnesses.

It was a miracle no one was hurt - nor the bus and not even the hummer. Safety chains and the remaining drivers side pin held it all together. Somehow the violent back and forth cut the electric cord into two short wires.

Fortunately I was able to fire up the Hummer, back up a few feet, retrieve a new pin from the extra pin drawer, hookup, and resume the trip. After changing my pants.

I will definitely be getting some new pins, locking that is.

[rickdesilva]

Thanks for all the info and offers of help. I'm going to get some type of toad braking device before I venture into Canada, I don't need the drama at the border.

Damn Roger, you are one lucky ole redneck! Maybe you should go back to the Mini. After all this happened did you stop at the BVD outlet in Myrtle and buy a dozen pack of Boxer Shorts?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

You cannot buy excitement like that. Any idea how a pin with the retainer could come out? Somebody vandalizing?

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Happy it all turned out OK Roger.

Wondering Jon, does the recording camera you installed have a provision for a rear camera? Thinking as I type, I guess not. One would probably have to have a second camera to record tampering in the rear area.

In these times the have and have-not confrontations become an ever present concern.

I am thinking there might be an easy and inexpensive way to retain the tow bar in the socket with a safety cable. I have not removed my tow bar since installation and if it were not quick and clean to remove, I would not care. My draw bar contains the swivel and does not have a conventional ball on the end of the draw bar and a ball socket on the tow bar. If one had a cable that prevented the draw bar from leaving the socket if the pin should sheer or by some means be removed the draw bar would stay in the socket and control would be maintained.

[truk4u]

You hear about these missing pins quite a bit. I know of one guy who stopped in a rest area at night and someone removed one of his pins and he suspected a Trucker who didn't much like RV's by his recent CB yacking.

I use locks instead of the clip pins, but you still have the baseplates that can't be locked, at least Blue Ox you can't.

[Pete]

I try to check all of my pins ect. at every stop, and have considered locks but are concerned about getting the tow car away from the coach in case of an emergency. Damned if you do or damned if you don't.

Roger, what a lucky guy that no damage happened. Maybe someone should ride in the Hummer in case it happens again! Since Micki drives, looks like it might have to be YOU. Loc will probably hire someone to sit in his tow from now on.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I agree with Pete. When we had the bus fire I burned my hand disconnecting the Jeep from the rear of the bus, but got it away without any damage. If I had to deal with locks I am not sure I could have. I guess if there is more risk of vandals than fires I would have to go with locks.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I use locks instead of the clip pins, but you still have the baseplates that can't be locked, at least Blue Ox you can't.

Truk, I guess I don't understand your comment about not being able to LOCK the Blue Ox to the base plates ? With my Adventa Blue Ox set up, my locking pins work great. Some of the other set ups won't allow these type of pins.

I have 4 locking pins all keyed alike. Two of them go into the base plates on the hummer, and the third locking pin is on the reciever hitch on the bus, and the 4 is on the back of the hummer, to KEEP MY POG badge secure in my hummer reciever !

Gary S.

[truk4u]

Sponge,

I have no way to install a lock on the base plate, but I suppose if the tow bar is attached and locked, there would be no way to pull the ring and twist the base plate to remove.

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[GDeen]

So is there a nice slightly beat up Hummer on the lot at Parkway now?