The ROADMASTER difference 1. ‘Hands-on’ design and manufacturing — ROADMASTER doesn’t outsource. All of our core products are designed, engineered and manufactured at our plant in Vancouver, Washington, with virtually every process done under the same roof. The reason for ‘hands-on’ manufacturing is simple: quality. Quality starts on the inside, and when you control the process, you control the quality.
Table of Contents The basics of towing..................... 2-3 Tow bars........................................ 4-7 All-Terrain tow bars....................... 4-5 Falcon, BlackHawk 2 and StowMaster All Terrain...................4 Sterling All-Terrain.........................5 Falcon 2...........................................6 StowMaster.......................................7 Tracker.............................................7 Tow bar mounting brackets.......... 8-9 What is FEA testing?.........
The basics of towing… What to know before you tow. If you’re thinking about towing your car, truck or SUV, you’ve come to the right place — most everything you need to tow is on these pages. There are four major components to any towing system — the tow bar, the mounting bracket, supplemental brakes and towing accessories. ROADMASTER offers a wide range of product choices within each category.
Glossary of towing terms Step 3 — A supplemental braking system Supplemental brakes are required in most states, and for an excellent reason — the laws of physics. At highway speeds or during a panic stop, the inertia of a towed vehicle’s weight significantly increases stopping distance. Oftentimes, the difference between a severe accident and a close call is just a few feet.
Tow Bars Non-Binding Tow Bars Our premium line of tow bars, with the exclusive Freedom Latch™, patented storage latch and built-in cable guides. • Solid stainless steel inner arms • Powder-coated finish • Most durable and rust-free tow bars in the industry U.S. patent number 6,957,824 Freedom Latch™ A patented cam design inside the Freedom Latch transforms linear motion into rotary motion at a 400-to-one ratio — five pounds of force against the latch equals 2,000 pounds of force against the lock.
World’s Strongest Aluminum Tow Bar! The Sterling All Terrain was designed, tested and manufactured to the highest standards. The Sterling All Terrain weighs just 35 pounds, yet pulls up to three tons. Steel and stainless steel at every critical point ensure superior strength and structural integrity. The Sterling All Terrain is easy to connect, and its stainless steel inner arms telescope, center and automatically lock as you pull away.
Tow Bars 6,000 pound weight capacity motorhome-mounted tow bar • The use of stainless steel in virtually every moving component allows for smooth, trouble-free operation and prevents corrosion that binds. • Autowlok locking mechanism — allows both tow bar arms to extend or retract for a quick connection. Then, as you drive away, the arms self-center and automatically lock. • A patented latching mechanism ensures secure, easy storage on the back of your motorhome.
STOWMASTER ™ America’s Best-Selling Car-Mounted Tow Bar StowMaster mounts on the towed vehicle and can be easily removed in seconds! Note: MX brackets will not accommodate the StowMaster tow bar. 6,000-pound weight capacity car-mounted tow bar • Stainless steel in virtually every moving component for smooth, trouble-free operation. • Autowlok locking mechanism — allows both tow bar arms to extend or retract for a quick connection. Then, as you drive away, the arms self-center and automatically lock.
Mounting Brackets Why are our brackets rated #1? • Every bracket design is subjected to computer-simulated “Finite Elemental Analysis” (see below) to ensure structural integrity. We were the first towing products manufacturer to use computerized testing to ensure structural integrity.
XL, EZ and MX Hidden Mounting Brackets • They’re virtually invisible — improved aesthetics. • Easy to install — ROADMASTER brackets use existing attachment points on the vehicle’s undercarriage. • Through-the-grille installation — no scraping brackets in dips or curbs. • Easy to remove — convert from towed car to road car in seconds! XL™ bracket Now you see ‘em... EZ Twistlock™ bracket ...
Combo Kits Combo Kits contain all the necessary accessories you need, matched to your ROADMASTER tow bar. Tow bar Combo Kits for StowMaster™ and Falcon 2™ For the ROADMASTER All Terrain series of tow bars (see pages 4 and 5).
EZ Hook Safety Cables Both EZ Hook and Standard safety cables have drop-forged steel hooks and spring-loaded clasps for maximum strength and security. Safety Cables straight coiled Standard Safety Cables Our aircraft-type, galvanized steel safety cables are continuously tested to ROADMASTER’s exacting standards. Each comes fitted with heavy-duty, drop-forged steel hooks with spring-loaded latches. Vinyl coating prevents the safety cables from scratching or chipping the tow bar.
Electrical By law, a towed vehicle’s turn signals, running lights and brake lights must mimic the motorhome’s. There are three ways to accomplish that: 1) installing a wiring kit with diodes 2) installing a wiring kit with bulbs and sockets 3) adding a magnetic tow light kit to your towed vehicle Each method has its advantages. Whichever one you choose, we have a kit with all the necessary components and step-by-step instructions.
Flexo-Coil™ and straight electrical cords Hy-Power™ diodes Whatever electrical system you choose, you’ll need a cord to connect electricity between the towed vehicle and the motorhome. ROADMASTER’s are the best — the wires are water-, oil- and chemical-resistant, and the plugs are injected with silicone to prevent corrosion. Flexo-Coil cords expand to more than eight feet and conveniently contract for storage; use a straight cord kit for ROADMASTER All Terrain tow bars.
Protection and Storage Protect your towed vehicle and RV against dings and rock chips! The Guardian is crafted from rotationally-molded, high-impact polyethylene to absorb the impact of rocks, gravel and road debris — instead of ricocheting it back at the motorhome. The Guardian can be attached and removed in seconds, and fits all ROADMASTER tow bars equipped with quick-disconnects (Note: MX brackets will not accommodate the Guardian).
Tow Defender A bumper-to-bumper blanket of protection! The Tow Defender’s all-weather, heavy-duty screen deflects rocks, gravel and road debris down and away, protecting your towed vehicle’s finish, headlights and windshield against chips and dings. The vinylcoated mesh lets air through, keeping it low and over the road. Fully extended, both Tow Defenders offer 20 square feet of protection, and are held in place with shock-absorbing steel struts.
Tow Bar and Crossbar Covers These tow bar and quick-disconnect crossbar covers are made of heavy-duty marine-grade black vinyl, handcrafted at the ROADMASTER plant for a custom fit. The quick-disconnect crossbar cover is designed to cover the car-side brackets and crossbar when the tow bar is disconnected.
Towing Accessories EZ Twistlock™ receiver inserts XL™ receiver inserts Safety cable guide Designed for ROADMASTER EZ Twistlock series brackets, these heavy-duty rubber caps help keep out dirt, gravel and grime when your Twistlock brackets are removed. Each insert is stamped with the ROADMASTER name and will give your towed vehicle that finished look. Designed for ROADMASTER XL series brackets, these heavy gauge steel caps help keep out dirt, gravel and grime when your XL brackets are removed.
Tow Bar Adaptors To adapt other manufacturers’ tow bars to ROADMASTER brackets… Adaptor bars shown in white 025 025 Adapts Reese, Valley, Eaz-Lift, Draw-Tite and Husky carmounted tow bars to ROADMASTER brackets (see notes 1 and 2). 032 and 033 adapt motorhome-mounted Blue Ox tow bars (Aventa, Aventa II, Kar Bar, Aladdin, Alexxa, Acclaim), as well as Blue Ox “A frame” tow bars (with one- or three-pronged attachments) to ROADMASTER brackets.
Pins, Clips, Cables and Links rl Fa wk Ha ck g Bla rlin Ste ker c Tra r te as wM 2 Sto lcon Fa rain Ter n All errai r T in te ll as ra A k wM Ter Sto Haw All rrain ck e n Bla alco ll T A F g Ste in It’s bound to happen — a part gets lost or misplaced. Here’s a partial list of the parts and accessories we have available. If it’s not listed here, call us at 800-669-9690, tell us what you’re missing, and we’ll find what you need.
Hitch Accessories The leading cause of tow system failure is an “out of level” tow bar — when the tow bar is at an upward or downward slope. The accessories in this section will allow you to connect your tow bar at a safe, level height. 048-4 048-6 048-8 048-10 048-2 Hi-Low Hitches Use a Hi-Low Hitch to level the RV hitch to the tow bar. These hitches have a solidsteel shank, allowing a 10,000-pound capacity and 400-pound tongue weight. Available in two-, four-, six-, eight- and 10-inch drops.
071-75 7½” Hitch Receiver Extension 076 6” High-Low Drop 070 4” High-Low Drop 071 12” Hitch Receiver Extension 072 2” High-Low Drop Hi-Low Drops and Hitch Receiver Extensions The shanks on the Hi-Low Drops can be turned up or down, for low- or highground clearance. Available in two-, four- and six-inch models. The hitch receiver extensions provide 7½ and 12 inches, for those towing systems which need a little more reach.
Supplemental Braking Systems Why do you need a supplemental braking system? Here are five reasons… 1. Safety first! Supplemental brakes… • …take the load off the motorhome, and the motorhome and the towed vehicle brake in tandem, taking significantly less time and distance to come to a controlled stop. • …relieve stress on the tow bar and the mounting brackets — a panic stop without supplemental brakes is a leading cause of tow system failure.
Weight limits for towing without supplemental brakes It’s required! The states in red require supplemental brakes if the towed weight exceeds 3,000 pounds. The color key for the other states, as well as state-by-state weight limits, is listed below. Source: American Automobile Association Digest of Motor Laws, 2010 edition Specific Weight Limits — United States If the towed weight exceeds the following, a supplemental braking device is required. 1,000 pounds (New York) 1,500 pounds (Cal.
Portable Pre-set Braking Efficient, effective…and EASY! Push-button control — the 9700 is a preset system with three braking preferences — light, medium or heavy braking. Or, the 9700 may be set to activate only in an emergency break away. The 9700 uses the electrical connections already in place on your towed vehicle (the towed vehicle’s electrical harness) to brake when you brake the motorhome — the same electrical signal that activates the towed vehicle’s brake lights also activates the 9700.
A revolutionary innovation in supplemental braking — nothing. Progressive Braking Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nothing. Nada. Nil. That’s what you have to do to connect and disconnect InvisiBrake. There’s nothing to take in and out of your towed vehicle and there’s nothing to push, pull, set, adjust, activate or deactivate.
Portable Proportional Braking Portable Proportional Braking System Even Brake…Even Safer. Even Brake is the ultimate portable, proportional towed vehicle braking system. It automatically increases or decreases braking pressure in direct proportion to the motorhome. In other words, it brakes evenly — at the same time, and at the same intensity, as you brake the motorhome.
Exclusive Features Even Brake’s monitor gives you complete, continuous braking information — at a glance. Even Brake stays in constant communication with the motorhome, and with you. It reports any braking activity, or a change in system status, to a wireless monitor in the motorhome. The monitor shows you — • An LED display across the top of the monitor illuminates when Even Brake is applying the brakes or if there is any change in the braking system.
“Direct” Proportional Braking BrakeMaster… ™ • …works in virtually any motorhome. • …works in virtually any towed vehicle with power brakes. • …easily disconnects from the brake pedal — from towed car to road car in seconds! • …includes a break away emergency braking system. • …meets U.S. and Canadian braking requirements. What is BrakeMaster? U. S. patent number 5,915,798 Made in the U.S.A. 28 BrakeMaster is ROADMASTER’s ‘direct’ proportional braking system.
BrakeMaster Accessories See the next page for a listing of accessories for all ROADMASTER braking systems. Accessories for Even Brake and the 9700 Seat adaptors — 88XXX Provide a vehicle-specific mounting location to pin the BrakeMaster. Available for most vehicles; required on some applications. Check online at www.roadmasterinc.com to see if one is required for your vehicle. 104 Air cylinder storage bag Protect your air cylinder when you’re not towing.
Braking Accessories for All ROADMASTER Systems (BrakeMaster, Even Brake, InvisiBrake and the 9700) 8603 Break away cable A self-supporting, coiled design provides lift off the road surface while still allowing plenty of slack for cornering. Extends to eight feet and conveniently retracts for storage. Ideal for virtually any break away system.
Adjustable Tow Dollies The RoadMaster (shown on this page) is our premium dolly; the RM3477 (see the next page) is the economical alternative. Both dollies are easily adjustable, to accommodate a wide range of towed vehicles — simply adjust the ramps in or out. There’s no need to buy a new dolly every time you change towed vehicles. Both are ideal for anyone who wants to tow multiple vehicles without having to install a tow bar mounting bracket.
Accessories for both tow dollies Part number 2050-1 the economical adjustable Features • Slideable ‘Easy-load’ ramps — • Slideable ramps quickly adjust your dolly to tow vehicles ranging from ultra com pact cars all the way up to full size trucks • Unique TrueGrip laser-cut pattern on ramps provides positive traction in both directions for safe loading and unload ing • Accu-Lube™ hubs — easily repack the wheel bearings with a grease gun • Built-in electric brakes for safer stops • Deck
Care and Cleaning Voom™ RV The newest cleaning technology in Voom RV allows you to use only one cleaner for all of your RV’s cleaning and maintenance. From top to bottom, front to rear, inside and out, Voom RV is the only cleaner you will ever need. Voom RV is an all-purpose cleaner that’s safe for all surfaces not harmed by water. And it’s safe for the planet — Voom RV is biodegradable and contains no petroleum distillates.
Dual Tire Inflators Dual tires out of sight? Out of reach? Out of air? Safe travel begins with safe tires. • On average, one out of every four vehicles on the road today is being driven with under-inflated tires. • A tire can lose up to half its pressure without appearing to be under-inflated. • Tires can lose one to two psi per month in normal conditions. • Driving with under-inflated tires is the number one cause of tire wear and catastrophic blowouts.
Valve stem support, valve extenders and lug nut covers Rubber valve stem support Does your 16” wheel have a rubber valve stem? Rubber may be insufficient to support an aftermarket air extension hose or extender. Easy to install, the valve stem support clips to the wheel and attaches to the factory valve stem — no tools required. The bracket supports and strengthens the valve stem against the extra weight and rotation force while in motion. For all 16” wheels with rubber valve stems.
‘Spare Air’ tire inflation system and tire pressure gauges ‘Spare Air’ tire inflation system Tire pressure gauges When you need your spare tire, wouldn’t it be nice if it were fully-inflated and ready to get you on the road? With the Spare Air tire inflation system, you can easily check your pressure and inflate the air in your spare tire. Our under-chassis system includes a 36” stainless steel hose that attaches to under-chassis spare tires found in trucks, vans or SUVs.
Mirrors and trailer levels ‘Level Master’ trailer levels Innovative solutions for performance, safety and beauty ‘Vision Plus’ portable side view mirrors Mount these portable mirrors quickly and easily on the door or fender of your tow vehicle. Each mirror extends up to 17” so you can see to back up and monitor how your trailer is tracking.
Suspension Solutions We’re the suspension experts. Do you need a custom suspension component? Motorhome manufacturers make your RV “livable.” We help make your motorhome “drivable.” Very few people would say they bought their motorhome (or truck, van or SUV) for the suspension. For most of us, the suspension is out of sight and out of mind — even though your driving performance, safety and comfort are all riding on those components.
Stabilizers and Trac Bars REFLEX RSS suspension products are vehicle-specific. To find the stabilizer and/or TruTrac bar for your vehicle, visit www.roadmasterinc.com or call 800-669-9690. Steering Stabilizers When control is an issue... Reflex Steering Stabilizers are a safety feature for Class A and C motorhomes, SUVs, vans and emergency vehicles.
Anti-Sway Bars Why fight it? Does your suspension have the best of you?…beat you down?…control you? Driving your RV should be an enjoyable experience. And it can be. Adding a set of RSS anti-sway bars to your suspension has an immediate effect on stability and cornering control.
Anti-Sway Bars About RSS anti-sway bars… RSS currently manufactures more than 100 different anti-sway bars for large vehicles such as pickup trucks, vans and SUVs, and on up to full-size motorhomes. Whether you’re driving a Ford F350 or a 40-foot Class A motorhome, we make an anti-sway bar for you.
“I swerved to avoid a collision with a truck in the wrong lane, and veered off the road into the brush. I could see my Ford Explorer in the motorhome’s rear view camera, whipping back and forth. I thought for sure it was going to roll on its side. I know a little about physics, and I was amazed that your Falcon 2 tow bar held it in place. You folks make a damn good product.