Please excuse the lack of expert/correct terms in this post. I am DW of a newly disabled DH so I'm taking on all kinds of new RVing things never before in my purview. But I am learning :)We are newbies to towing a toad behind our new-to-us MH but have been rving in a 5th wheel for 8 years.We have a shiny new Blue Ox tow bar and are towing a Saturn Vue. The pins that attach the car to the tow bar are often very hard for us to remove when trying to unhook. They are simply stuck, cannot be pulled out by hand. We have resorted to banging a similar-sized pin with a hammer against the attached pin to get it through the hole and forced through enough to remove it. I have never seen others doing this! Surely there must be something we're doing wrong or some easy solution that we're not aware of.Any tips would be most appreciated, as we feel like idiots getting out our hammer to unhook our car :o

I usually do all the unhooking of our BlueOx Tow Bar. Try first to have the car lined up as straight as possible with the motorhome and as level as possible. Then, if tension on the pins is still there, press down on the Blue Ox handle on the tow bar. This should release the tension and pins should be easy to get out. In three years, I have had to only beat the pins out 2 times.If automatic transmission car, make sure car is in park or if manual, put chocks under the tires, usually chock one tire, front and back. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions on this.Edited by Barb.

If the pins are tight. Turn the steering wheel to the right or left. It should remove some tension from the pins for easier removal. Do the same for each pin. I use to have the same issue, until I read about turning the steering wheel. Haven't had a problem since. It works for me.Make sure you are as level as possible and the toad is as straight as possible.

To take the pressure off the pins all you have to do is pull you car forward a small amount. Then put in park and put the emergency brake on. This will remove the pressure on your pins. -Tom

I don't have a Blue Ox, so I know someone will answer more fully.After setting the brake on the toad, there is handles on the tow bar arms that release the pressure on the pins.

just a suggestion here > When we first got into this addiction many years ago and started towing it was a PIA to unhook just as you describe. I went to a tractor supply shop and bought to pins with loop handles on them. Exact same diameter as the BO pins, but with a larger hole in them to accommodate a locking pin. Now if there is a release problem I can usually use the handle to pull the pin, that otherwise would require manipulation of the steering wheel.

Trouble Unhooking Toad | Good Sam Community

tropical36
Explorer
Jul 05, 2013
water witch wrote:
Please excuse the lack of expert/correct terms in this post. I am DW of a newly disabled DH so I'm taking on all kinds of new RVing things never before in my purview. But I am learning :)

We are newbies to towing a toad behind our new-to-us MH but have been rving in a 5th wheel for 8 years.

We have a shiny new Blue Ox tow bar and are towing a Saturn Vue. The pins that attach the car to the tow bar are often very hard for us to remove when trying to unhook. They are simply stuck, cannot be pulled out by hand. We have resorted to banging a similar-sized pin with a hammer against the attached pin to get it through the hole and forced through enough to remove it.

I have never seen others doing this! Surely there must be something we're doing wrong or some easy solution that we're not aware of.

Any tips would be most appreciated, as we feel like idiots getting out our hammer to unhook our car :o

Try moving the toad just a little, once the bars are unlocked and if all else fails, use a hammer and driver to knock them out.
AS for locking pins, we found some large pins that still fit and with a loop large enough to really get your finger in. Otherwise use pliers to pull and even to install them. There are also other pin and locking pin versions that you might find acceptable by going through the drawers at Home Depot or Lowe's. We always carry backups and they're not necessarily all the same.
traveylin
Explorer
Jul 05, 2013
My standard approach is to set the brake, press the handle on each arm and pins should pull easily. But I do have a set of channel lock pliers and a rubber mallet to whack the pins with if they are not free. Most often the problem is not having the two vehicles perfectly aligned or being on not level surfaces. If I did not have to set the brake it would be easier,,,but the vehicle could roll away prior to engaging the drive shaft disconnect and that would be upsetting and likely to attack more attention than whacking the pins.
Canadian_Rainbi
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
Tom N wrote:
To take the pressure off the pins all you have to do is pull you car forward a small amount. Then put in park and put the emergency brake on. This will remove the pressure on your pins.

-Tom

And don't let the car roll back to its original position.

But this doesn't always work if the motorhome and car are not in a straight line on level ground.

Twist in the motorhome/tow car lineup can usually be relieved by turning the steering wheel as others have already mentioned.
fcooper
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
rmmpe wrote:
I use small bungee cords wrapped tightly around the the locking pin levers and tube, start the car and move the wheel back and forth until I hear the levers snap down and finally move the TOAD an inch or two forward. The pins are then easily removed by hand (don't beat on the pins or force the levers down under load).
Remember to always set the parking brake before removing the pins.

I like this solution. This will work much better than the velcro straps I've been using after releasing the locks. Thanks.

Fred
rmmpe
Explorer
Jun 28, 2013
I use small bungee cords wrapped tightly around the the locking pin levers and tube, start the car and move the wheel back and forth until I hear the levers snap down and finally move the TOAD an inch or two forward. The pins are then easily removed by hand (don't beat on the pins or force the levers down under load).
Remember to always set the parking brake before removing the pins.
wilco
Explorer
Jun 26, 2013
Twelve years Blue Ox experience. The most IMPORTANT thing is to make sure you are aligned as straight and level as you can be. If you are close, the pins will usually just come right out after releasing the locks. If you have any significant angle between the MH and the toad, one side or the other will be a bear to remove. I usually seek out a spot to unhook where the above conditions are met. Even on pull-thru sites, if I'm going unhook, I do it on the street before I turn in since you often don't have the room to get perfectly straight once on the site.
fcooper
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
Bobbo wrote:
If the pins are too tight to remove easily, I unlock the arms of my towbar. NOTE: BE SURE YOU DON'T SKIP THAT STEP! Then I get in the toad and pull forward about an inch. voila!

Agree, but on my blue ox towbar, those locks are spring loaded and will lock again before you can move the toad. I use two long velcro straps to hold the locks unlocked to do what Bobbo suggests. Of course if you have a helper, one can hold the locks and the other one can move the toad.

Fred
Bobbo
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2013
If the pins are too tight to remove easily, I unlock the arms of my towbar. NOTE: BE SURE YOU DON'T SKIP THAT STEP! Then I get in the toad and pull forward about an inch. voila!
rk911
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
water witch wrote:
Please excuse the lack of expert/correct terms in this post. I am DW of a newly disabled DH so I'm taking on all kinds of new RVing things never before in my purview. But I am learning :)

We are newbies to towing a toad behind our new-to-us MH but have been rving in a 5th wheel for 8 years.

We have a shiny new Blue Ox tow bar and are towing a Saturn Vue. The pins that attach the car to the tow bar are often very hard for us to remove when trying to unhook. They are simply stuck, cannot be pulled out by hand. We have resorted to banging a similar-sized pin with a hammer against the attached pin to get it through the hole and forced through enough to remove it.

I have never seen others doing this! Surely there must be something we're doing wrong or some easy solution that we're not aware of.

Any tips would be most appreciated, as we feel like idiots getting out our hammer to unhook our car :o

have the toad be as straight and level as possible when you begin the unhooking process. if the pins won't release try this: start the toad's engine and turn the steering wheel back and forth. turn off the engine and see if that hasn't loosened one or both pins. that usually works for us but when it doesn't I re-start the toad's engine and carefully, very carefully, nudge the toad forward about an inch or so. that will take the pressure off and allow the pins to be removed.
water_witch
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
Thanks, all! We are homebound at present but will try all these great tips when we head out again in two weeks. Looking forward to putting away our hammer :D

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