Forum Discussion

abzs's avatar
abzs
Explorer
Sep 03, 2016

ready brute tow bars

I currently have a tow bar which requires that the toad be close to perfectly straight to release any pressure on the latches/arms and disconnect the car easily. I am looking for a new tow bar with latches which will release if not straight to the MH. I am looking at the Ready Brute tow bar because of it's light weight. I am wondering if anyone has used the Ready Brute and how it's latches work when not straight or in a binding situation. I will appreciate any info.
  • I have over 40,000 miles of towing with our ReadyBrute Elite tow bar, and have never been in a situation where I couldn't easily connect or disconnect, regardless of the angle or tilt of the terrain. In a downhill situation, it's sometimes necessary put the toad in park and pull the coach ahead or back just slightly to unload the weight of the toad from pushing against the arm latches or connecting pins, but that's not hard to do.
  • I don't have as many miles on mine as Dutch (about 5k this year so far...), but haven't hit a situation where I couldn't disconnect. I do try to align myself pretty straight on to connect. Really like NOT having to move/store a brake box! ST
  • Another happy Ready Brute tow bar user here.

    I do wonder about the "light weight" portion of your message though. The Ready Brute would not be considered "light" by most folks. However; mine never comes off my coach so the weight doesn't matter (in terms of moving it around by hand).
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    I wanted to get away from a toad-mounted tow bar into a used coach-mounted one. Ended up with a Roadmaster Falcon All Terrain, and YES, it's easy to disconnect. The older toad-mounted one was often difficult.

    While shopping and waiting for a used tow bar to pop up on ads, I did some on line research. I didn't look at Ready Brute and Elite, but in Roadmaster I saw the "aluminum" ones were not all that much lighter than all-steel ones. Without going back and looking, something like 10%. For me, not enough to pay much extra for aluminum or call steel a deal breaker.

    There's still a lot of steel in an aluminum tow bar. That said, I'd believe their ARMS will feel noticeably lighter while you connect and disconnect a coach-mounted bar. Not only because the coach is balancing one end, but also because the coach end is massive and takes less advantage of aluminum in its coach mountings than it does in the arms.
  • Also have a Ready Brute and have not had a problem whatever the angle of the toad. Releasing the Latch on each arm first before pulling the pins on the toad makes disconnect a breeze.
  • We have a Ready Brute.

    As mentioned, even though it's partially aluminum, I wouldn't call it "light". I use one of the cheap HF platform dollies to move it from the garage to the MH.

    I use a semi rigid tool bag (also HF) to store all the hitch bits and pieces and it works well as a prop to hold the unattached arm off the ground. Makes it easier when working by yourself.

    The bag also contains a pair of work gloves, makes life a little easier and cleaner.

    Tying a lanyard on the pin retainers makes it easier to yank the retainer out of the pin.

    Do get an extra set of hitch pins. Once when re attaching the towd, couldn't find the pins, then noticed they were sitting on the license plate bracket. Luckily they hadn't fallen off while we had been sight seeing!
  • I have a Ready Brute. I have found that when I want to unhook the car, if I back the RV/car up an inch or so, it makes the car VERY easy to unhook. That is just enough to remove any pressure the tow bar is under.