Having trouble getting arms to lock

I have the Demco Aluminator took it apart cleaned tied lots of lubricants the best was ATF mercon 5 that was what I had on hand. Only takes a minute to pop it apart wipe clean and pour ATF on it.

dan-nickie wrote:

Raymon wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:

RicJones wrote:

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock. It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

I tried that a couple of times without success, maybe you'll have better luck.

From the Roadmaster User Guide:
When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then
to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar.
Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure
that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed.
Additionally, check the other components of your towing
system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.

This is what Ready Brake recommends. If only the left side does not lock in place, slowly pull forward while turning the MH to the left. The left draw-bar will then lock in. It is just the opposite if only the right side does not lock in. Works every time for me.

Ray

Yea, I wonder if all the posters missed that barnrt is trying to lock the arms by "Backing Up the Toad".....or if they really do it that way?

Because mine never lock until I pull the MH forward.

I may be wrong, but I think he is saying that after hooking everything up and with the MH in park and the emergency brake applied, he slowly backs up the toad to take the slack out of the arms and to see if the arms properly lock in place. I also use this procedure to see if the arms properly lock in place. If not, then I proceed as I posted earlier. I don't believe he is actually pulling the MH backwards using the toad.

Ray

Ray

Demco, the mfg. of the OP's towbar recommends the backing up of the toad method vs the pull the MH forward method.

Raymon wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:

RicJones wrote:

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock. It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

I tried that a couple of times without success, maybe you'll have better luck.

From the Roadmaster User Guide:
When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then
to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar.
Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure
that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed.
Additionally, check the other components of your towing
system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.

This is what Ready Brake recommends. If only the left side does not lock in place, slowly pull forward while turning the MH to the left. The left draw-bar will then lock in. It is just the opposite if only the right side does not lock in. Works every time for me.

Ray

Yea, I wonder if all the posters missed that barnrt is trying to lock the arms by "Backing Up the Toad".....or if they really do it that way?

Because mine never lock until I pull the MH forward.

dan-nickie wrote:

RicJones wrote:

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock. It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

I tried that a couple of times without success, maybe you'll have better luck.

From the Roadmaster User Guide:
When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then
to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar.
Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure
that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed.
Additionally, check the other components of your towing
system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.

This is what Ready Brake recommends. If only the left side does not lock in place, slowly pull forward while turning the MH to the left. The left draw-bar will then lock in. It is just the opposite if only the right side does not lock in. Works every time for me.

Ray

Try using anti-seize compound on the lock pins (after cleaning of course)

RicJones wrote:

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock. It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

I tried that a couple of times without success, maybe you'll have better luck.

From the Roadmaster User Guide:
When you drive away, steer briefly to the left and then
to the right, to extend, self-center and lock the tow bar.
Always stop at this time. Check the tow bar to ensure
that both arms are locked before assuming highway speed.
Additionally, check the other components of your towing
system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock. It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

I tried that a couple of times without success, maybe you'll have better luck.

Instead of backing the toad, drive the MH forward to get them to lock.
It will center the toad and even out the arms as you pull forward.

RicJones wrote:
I've found that if I clean the arms with WD-40 then spray with a silicon spray they work better. I usually work them in and out a few times and clean off any excess spray on the arms.
With that said, I have at times had to extend the bars and hook them up like they were a solid bar.

X2. A constant PITA:M The procedure outlined in the manual for cleaning is not too difficult. Lately I have just resorted to soaking the locking collars with silicone spray and working in into the collars themselves. Then lock and unlock them a few times to loosen things up. Mine don't have the rubber boots like the newer ones so it's a bigger problem.