Roadmaster Vs. Blue Ox?

We just got a 2005 Winnebago Journey 34H.  We want to start towing for the first time ever.  We used to own a class C, bvut never towed.  Luckily we own a 2007 Honda Cr-V so we can flat tow.  Several people recommended the Blue Ox.  When I called a friend of mine who works at Camping World, he said they have used both and recommend the Roadmaster.  Does anyone have any opinion or experience with this?  Is there much of a difference?  I know nothing about any of this, but am trying to learn.

Steve:

We have a Roadmaster and a lot of friends with Blue Ox and they are both fine tow bars that will provide good service for years.

Camping World recommends Roadmaster as that's all they sell.  But either one will be a good choice.

I have had several bad experiences with Blue OX and the "articulating ball" design of the Adventa Tow Bar. I recommend the Roadmaster. Better design. 

Steve

I am in then process of buying a 2007 36 journey, and I purchased a blue ox. the braking systems are many, but I was directed
in the direction of air force one for air brakes. Good luck

Jim W

Just retired.

I have been towing for a few months now and our Roarmaster has worked fine.  If you search here you will find many comments about both types.  Ours has the push pin type of release and others have a handle release.  I do not know the proper term but I would get the lever release next time.  I sometimes have to hit the push release with something to get it to release.

I looked at both before I bought.  I finally settled on Blue OX. Seemed to be Cleaner and simpler.(No cross bar). After 50,000 Mi
I have not been disappointed. I have a Blue Ox Avanta (old Style) towing a 07 Saturn.

I am on my second Roadmaster. The first lasted 18 years with trouble free operation. I have 2 friends with Blue Ox one has had trouble the other loves his. As stated above, sometimes you have to hit the pin release with something when the car is in a bind with the MH. I think both are fine with the Roadmaster Falcon2 being cheaper. They both do the job! I like the SMI braking system which works fine and is easy to install. Forgot to mention the origional Roadmaster I rebuilt and gave to my son and he is using it.

Just to confuse the issue, look at the new design DEMCO tow bars.  I just bought the "Commander" and like it so far.

Camping World Sells Roadmaster, Thus they Recommend Roadmaster.

My Dealer Sells Blue Ox, care to guess what he recommends.. Yup, Blue Ox

Do you see a pattern

I have Blue Ox, I have seen several Roadmaster units, and I have an opinion.

That opinion is: Not much to recommend one over the other to be honest, both are very good companies, with very good products..  That said. I like my blue Ox

Why: The unit I have "Stows" on the motor home. ON the car there is nothing but the baseplate connectors.

SOME roadmaster units,, Stow on the towed.. I find those not as nice looking.

And to really stir things up, several of us here on the forum use the Ready Brute tow bar that combines a tow bar and brake in one unit. You can check it out here http://www.readybrake.com/tow-bars.html  Better price too.

And I'll add an "X2" to what Sarge said. Our ReadyBrute Elite towbar/brake combo has performed flawlessly. I chose to use a Blue Ox base plate on my RAV4, in part because the location of the towbar eyes put the towbar within 1" of level with the motorhome receiver. The Roadmaster base plate would have meant using a drop adapter. In other applications the reverse may be true, so it's something well worth checking out before making a decision. NSA will supply connections for the ReadyBrute towbar that mate with Blue Ox, Demco, or Roadmaster base plates on request.

Thanks for all the advice.  I have asked my friend that works at camping world for an idea of what it would cost to get set up to tow.  He said ballpark around $ 2500.00 for the the entire set up including a braking system.  Since I am NOT a handy guy at all, I have to hire pretty much everything done.  Does this seem like a pretty average price for the whole set up?  I just want to make sure I'm not getting ripped and I do trust this guy.  We will be flat towing a Honda Cr-V.

Steve that is a pretty good ball park figure for tow bar, base plates, lighting, and brake system installed if the brake system is a top of the line model.

Steve N Dee said:

He said ballpark around $ 2500.00 for the the entire set up including a braking system. 

Click to expand...

Not to disparage CW, but check that number very close, itemize it, and make sure it is a turn key solution, cabling, safety chains, etc. CW wanted $5400 to do my Honda. They did not get the business.

I agree with skyking4ar2, I would question the quote from Camping World having a braking system included with that $2500 quote.  That seems a bit low.

Just to add in on this discussion.  We bought an Roadmaster Sterling.  One of the reasons is that it is so light weight; it's aluminum.    If I have to connect the car to the coach, it's really easy for me to handle.  However we did exchange the safety chains with ones that have hooks with safety clips.  I just didn't feel comfortable with the "ball end" type safety cabling.

Marsha~

SargeW said:

I have had several bad experiences with Blue OX and the "articulating ball" design of the Adventa Tow Bar. I recommend the Roadmaster. Better design.

Click to expand...

I have one of these. What kind of issues did you have?

I'm actually glad to hear you being concerned the price from CW is too low.  The person I know who works there is high up enough that he can give me a discount.  I was just double checking that it was a low price for a first class set up, which it sounds like it is.  I guess we'll soon give birth to a toad!

mrschwarz said:

I have one of these. What kind of issues did you have?

Click to expand...

Well, 3 failures actually. The first one was one of the connecting arms bent. The rod portion that connects to the vehicle. Called Blue Ox and sent them pics. They said that they would send me a replacement, and to ship mine to them. If their inspection showed that it was my fault, that they would bill me. I agreed. Never heard from them.

The second was the articulating ball that attaches the two arms was slowly working it's way apart. It can't be tightened from the outside. Called Blue Ox sent pics. They again sent a replacement, same conditions. Never heard anything.

The last time was the most spectacular. During a hard brake situation from about 45 MPH, felt a "thump" didn't know what it was. Looked in the back up camera, the Jeep was missing! Looked behind me, it's sitting in the middle of the street, about 100' behind me. Later determined that the connecting "bolt" that secures the articulating ball that the tow arms hook onto, and holds the ball to the main body of the tow bar snapped off. This was troubling enough, but the safety cables that attach the MH to the Jeep via the eyelets on the Blue Ox tow bar ripped out leaving the cables intact, attached to the MH.  My brake system locked the toad brakes preventing a major crash on a heavily traveled 6 lane highway at rush hour. 

I called Blue Ox, sent pics of tow bar and base plate. I get ignored for about a week. Finally I get a hold of some one at Blue Ox who sends me to a dealer about an hour away. I take him my tow bar and he is floored. He gives me a replacement and says he has to get it authorized with Blue Ox for the trade, but is sure that there will be no problems. He calls me the next day and says that Blue Ox is denying to cover it because the serial # on the tow bar shows that the MANUFACTURE DATE MADE IT TWO WEEKS PAST THE WARRANTY DATE.  Not the day it was sent to a dealer, or sold to me.  I was furious. The Dealer I went to called a few more of his contacts at Blue Ox until he found someone that would agree to warranty the failure. 

I took the new tow bar and immediately sold it on e-bay. My Jeep still has the base plate with the ripped out eyelets. My new Ready Brute tow bar has Blue Ox ends on it. I connect the safety cables to 2 WARN D-hooks that are mounted next to the winch.  I use the base plate to show others the quality of their base plate. 

Sorry for the rant, I have not posted this before but I was asked. See why I recommend Road Master or some other brand of tow bar?

This was troubling enough, but the safety cables that attach the MH to the Jeep via the eyelets on the Blue Ox tow bar ripped out leaving the cables intact, attached to the MH.

Click to expand...

First of all. I think the above sentence should read like this:

This was troubling enough, but the safety cables that attach the MH to the Jeep via the eyelets on the Blue Ox baseplate ripped out leaving the cables intact, attached to the MH.

Secondly, that must have been some kind of hard stop!  What kind of supplemental braking system did you have in the Jeep at that time?  And was it working properly?