Roadmaster vs Blue ox

[Roscoe's Roadtrips]

Hello fellow travelers! I need a toe set up for my motor coach. I was leaning toward Blue Ox but baseplates have been very difficult to find. They found a Roadmaster base plate that will work but I have to switch to the Roadmaster setup. The sales person says that Road master is as goo of quality as Blue Ox.

Any opinions out there one way or the other?

Thank you all!

 

[Tom]

Hello fellow travelers! I need a toe set up for my motor coach. I was leaning toward Blue Ox but baseplates have been very difficult to find. They found a Roadmaster base plate that will work but I have to switch to the Roadmaster setup. The sales person says that Road master is as goo of quality as Blue Ox.

Any opinions out there one way or the other?

Thank you all!

They are pretty much equal model-for-model, and I'd recommend wither one. I've owned several Roadmaster but, at one time, I bought a Blue Ox. Used to be a couple of adapters were needed to use a Roadmaster baseplate with a Blue Ox tow bar. If you buy the baseplate and tow bar from the same manufacturer, this is not an issue.

 

[NY_Dutch]

The ReadyBrute tow bars can be equipped to work with any of the major base plates. The Elite version even includes a brake system.

Aluminum Tow Bars

NSA RV Products provides high quality aluminum tow bars. Our aluminum tow bar models include the Ready Brute II RV Tow Bar, and the Ready Brute Elite II RV Tow Bar. The Ready Brute Elite II features our ReadyBrake® supplemental breaking system. Our tow bars are covered by a lifetime warranty.

www.readybrake.com

 

[phil-t]

I use a Roadmaster, brother used a BlueOx. We both like what we have.

 

[John From Detroit]

They are pretty much equal model-for-model, and I'd recommend wither one.

I will go with Tom.. I've only owned Blue Ox but have looked at others.. Including roadmaster.
I will describe 3 tow bar systems
My Blue Ox "Stowed" on the motor home. only the base plate was on the car when not connected.
Roadmaster makes systems like that plus at least one that stows on the car.. I like the "Stow on motor home" better.
Ready Brute.. with Ready Brake.. includes a surge brake system with the tow bar.. This is an interesting system but there are two issues.

One.. there is a spring on the motor home end that may be a touch weak and need help this keeps the system from ativating when it is NOT needed.
Two the cable on the car is like a parking brake cable and witout a way to lube it it cans sieze up and cause your brakes (on the towed) to fail.. MOTORCYCLE shops know how to lube it.

 

[Isaac-1]

They make adapters to connect blue ox tow bars to roadmaster base plates, and vice versa. Depending on the exact setup this might be a different connector that mounts on the base plate, or a different end fitting for the tow bar. In my limited experience with each, I think Roadmaster has slightly better build quality, and sturdier design, but may be a little harder to install on some vehicles. As to Tow Bars, I am not impressed with Blue Ox, I started out with one of their tow bars, and switched to a Demco Commander last year and it just feels way beefier and a better design even though it has the same rating. You can really tell that Demco also makes farming equipment when you see the build quality of their tow bars, the thing looks like it would be at home on the back of a John Deere tractor.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Ditto. I've owned both brands and equivalent models are equally good. And with suitable adapters you can use one brand of tow bar with the other brand of base plate.

 

[Tom]

You can really tell that Demco also makes farming equipment when you see the build quality of their tow bars, the thing looks like it would be at home on the back of a John Deere tractor.

Our last (current) baseplate is a Demco, installed by a hitch shop. They installed adapters to hook up to my Roadmaster tow bar. I really like the ease with which a tow bar (or adapters in my case) hook up to the Demco baseplate; Insert those large/solid "pins" into the baseplate and rotate to lock.

 

[Roscoe's Roadtrips]

Wow! Lots of good info here. Thank you all! It makes me feel much better about the purchase.