Leaving tow bar connected to MH

wa8yxm wrote:
The cons are:
Weather exposure if the RV is stored outside
Legs.. If it not bolted on and locked (As in with a key) it the can grow legs .

It would be in a protective covering, and it would be locked. The motor home is backed in between our house and a block wall so the motor home (let alone the tow bar) is not noticeable.

Installed with a locking pin, sprayed with silicone lubricant according to manufacturer's instructions, and kept covered when not in use. Goes on when MH comes out of storage, comes off when MH goes to storage. No problems at all.

I have a Blue Ox tow. bar, keep it on MH, covered with accessory vinyl cover. Remove it from MH once a year for cleaning, inspecting, and new grease on bars. Always clean and lube receiver before reinstall.

Other than occasionally removing the tow bar for cleaning/lubing, it stays in place year round since we travel year round. I do install a weather cover when we're parked for awhile.

I have the Blue Ox and I always leave on. I place a cover on when I return home and detach the tow. Blue Ox has the rubber grommets and plastic spacers which enable movement of the tow bar these certainly would be affected by the heat and sun but once covered I think they're ok.

Mine was put on the current coach 7 years ago... hasn't come off since.

One possible con not mentioned is if you forget to put the locking pin in after you fold it can fall and drag on the road if no tow car is attached. This happened to me once when I went to get gas for the MH, thankfully a passing car told me that sparks were coming off the tow bar. I now use a bungee cord to keep the two legs from extending when no car is hooked up as well as the locking pin. Another minor problem is if left on for several years the lock going through the pin can rust and penetrating oil is need to open the lock.