Roadmaster Blackhawk 2 All Terrain User manual

Tow bar rated
at 10,000 pounds
ROADMASTER, Inc. 6110 N.E. 127th Ave. Vancouver, WA 98682 800-669-9690 Fax [phone] www.roadmasterinc.com
Owners and installers
must read the
installation instructions
and carefully note
the warnings!
Quick-disconnect parts list:
(2) quick-disconnects
(parts “A” and “B”)
(2) safety plates (“C”)
All mounting hardware
Figure 1
This tow bar is equipped with a “quick-disconnect” (or, “QD”) system.
Before connecting the tow bar to the vehicle, first install the compo-
nents of the QD system to the mounting brackets.
Note: the quick-disconnect system is not used with ROADMASTER
‘MS’ or ‘MX’ series mounting brackets. If the towed vehicle has MS or
MX brackets, proceed to “Connecting the tow bar.” The quick-disconnect
system should be reserved, however, for subsequent vehicles which may
not have these brackets.
1. First, attach the quick-disconnects (“QDs,” parts “A” and “B” in Figure
1) to the tow bar mounting brackets. Attach the QDs so that the vertical
pin on each is pointing up, as shown in Figure 1.
Attach part “A” on the passenger side, and part “B” on the driver side.
Use the supplied ½" x 1¾" bolts, the two safety plates (parts “C”), and the
flat washers, lock washers and nuts, as shown in Figure 1.
Note: both QDs have an extra hole — “D” in Figure 1 — for safety cable
attachment. Mount parts “A” and “B” so that the “D” holes are to the out-
side.
Do not tighten any of the bolts — leave them loose for now — they will
be tightened later.
Use all mounting hardware and both safety plates. If all supplied
materials are not used, the quick-disconnects, the quick-disconnect
bases or other components may vibrate loose, which may cause prop-
erty damage, personal injury or even death.
2. Now, test-fit the crossbar — lower the crossbar (Figure 2) over the quick-
disconnects. The vertical pins at the top of both QDs should fit through
the top holes at the ends of the crossbar (Figure 2), and the vertical pins
at the bottom of the crossbar should fit through the lower holes on the
quick-disconnects (Figure 2).
3. Both quick-disconnects must be positioned so that the crossbar is cen-
tered to the front of the vehicle — measure the distance between the side
of one QD and the side of the mounting bracket it is attached to. Then,
make certain there is an equal distance between the other QD and the
other mounting bracket.
The quick-disconnects must be centered on the mounting brackets.
If they are attached too far to the left or the right, the tow bar will
not be centered on the towed vehicle, which will cause excessive tire
wear and other consequential, non-warranty damage.
4. Once the crossbar slides on and off easily, torque the four bolts to 75
ft./lbs.
Again, test-fit the crossbar over the QDs, to verify that the crossbar
slides on and off easily. If it does not, adjust the QDs again.
5. Both linch pins must be inserted through the upper holes in the vertical
pins in parts “A” and “B,” as shown in Figure 2.
Both linch pins must be locked. The rings are spring-loaded — they must
be snapped over the pins, with the curved side of the linch pin touching
the ring, in order to keep the QD bases secure.
Towing vibrations will force the linch pins out unless they are proper-
ly locked in place over the vertical pins on both quick-disconnects.
Failure to properly install the linch pins will result in tow bar mal-
function, loss and damage to the vehicle and property, personal injury
or even death.
Figure 2
1
Installing the ‘quick-disconnect’ system
Installation Instructions
All specifications subject to change without notice
853329-04 12/11

Towing with a motorhome-mounted tow bar which has an upward or
downward slope puts undue strain on the entire towing system. For that
reason, do not tow if the tow bar is not within the ‘Safe Zone’ — no
more than three inches above or below level.
Towing a vehicle with a tow bar that is not within the Safe Zone will
result in significant wear and tear on the tow bar and brackets, sig-
nificant wear and tear on the vehicle’s suspension and frame, and the
eventual failure of the towing system.
To determine if the tow bar is within the Safe Zone — first, con-
nect the motorhome and vehicle on level ground.
Next, measure the distance from the center of the motorhome receiver
down to the ground. Then, measure the distance from the center of one
of the base pins down to the ground.
Compare these two measurements. To be within the Safe Zone, they
cannot be more than three inches apart if the base pin is above or
below the motorhome hitch receiver.
If the tow bar is not within the Safe Zone, you must purchase a hitch
accessory to raise or lower the hitch receiver. ROADMASTER has three
accessories available — Hi-Low Hitches, Hi-Low Drops and Dual Hitch
Receivers — which will raise or lower the hitch receiver from two to 10
inches, depending on the model.
Towing with the tow bar more than three inches above or below level
will void the ROADMASTER warranty.
Failure to follow these instructions may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
2
• Stress to the owner that the tow bar must be within the ‘Safe Zone’
— no more than three inches above level or three inches below level.
Towing with an out-of-level tow bar will cause significant wear and tear
on the tow bar and mounting brackets, and on the towed vehicle’s sus-
pension and frame. (See the section titled “Stay within the ‘Safe Zone’”
for further information.)
• Show the owner how to properly operate the tow bar. Familiarize
yourself with the features of the tow bar. Demonstrate them to the owner,
and ask the owner to connect and disconnect the tow bar and other
components of the towing system, until the owner is comfortable with its
operation.
• Advise the owner to always use safety cables when towing. The
safety cables must connect the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle, frame
to frame.
• Caution the owner to choose safety cables based on the weight of
the towed vehicle.
•If the towed vehicle and all its contents weigh 6,000 pounds or less, use
6,000-pound rated safety cables. There are several choices in this range
— call ROADMASTER (800-669-9690) or visit www.roadmasterinc.com.
•If the towed weight is between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds, use 8,000-pound
capacity safety cables (double- or single-hook, part numbers 648 or
649).
•If the towed weight is between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds, you must
use 10,000-pound rated safety cables or chains.
The weight capacity of the safety cables must meet or exceed the
towed weight, or the safety cables will fail.
•The BlackHawk 2 All Terrain tow bar is rated at a maximum of 10,000
pounds carrying capacity; therefore the weight of the towed vehicle and
all its contents cannot exceed 10,000 pounds. Above 8,000 pounds,
10,000-pound capacity safety cables or chains must be used. In addition,
the receiver hitch and all supplementary towing equipment must be rated
at no less than the weight of the towed vehicle and all its contents.
Installer’s safety checklist
• The tow bar must be attached to a bracket which is bolted to the
towed vehicle’s frame or unibody. In order to be towed, virtually all
vehicles require a tow bar mounting bracket that is connected to the
frame, unibody or chassis and extends beyond the bumper.
• Caution the owner to secure the tow bar with linch pins (or optional
padlocks) before towing. Unless the tow bar is secured to both vehicles
with all appropriate pins (or padlocks), the towed vehicle will detach.
• Read the instructions thoroughly before installing the ‘quick-dis-
connect’ (‘QD’) system and its components.
The tow bar will be attached to the QD system. If the QD system is not
properly aligned, centered and positioned on the towed vehicle, the tow
bar will not be centered on the towed vehicle, which may cause exces-
sive tire wear and other consequential, non-warranty damage.
• The installer must be sure that the vehicle is suitable or adaptable
for towing. Some vehicles must be equipped with a transmission lube
pump, an axle disconnect, driveline disconnect or free-wheeling hubs
before they can be towed. Failure to properly equip the vehicle will cause
severe damage to the transmission.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the proper procedure(s) to
prepare the vehicle for towing.
• The installer must NOT use the tow bar as a ground for welding.
Connecting a ground to the ‘A-frame’ of the tow bar will cause current
to flow through the locking spring, which will detemper the spring and
destroy the locking mechanism.
• Under no circumstances should the tow bar be welded to the vehicle,
nor should any of the pre-punched mounting holes be altered. Any weld-
ing or altering of the tow bar will void the owner’s warranty.
Failure to follow these instructions may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
Stay within
the ‘Safe Zone’
Connecting and
disconnecting
Use caution when handling the tow bar — if your hands, fingers or
any part of your body are caught between moving components, they
can be pinched, cut or otherwise injured.
Connecting the tow bar
1. First, attach the tow bar quick-disconnects — refer to “Installing the ‘quick-
disconnect’ system” on page one.
Note: the quick-disconnect system is not used with ROADMASTER ‘MS’
or ‘MX’ series mounting brackets. Instead, the tow bar is connected directly
to the mounting bracket with the base pins and linch pins.
With this exception, the instructions below apply.
2. Drive the vehicle within three or three-and-a-half feet of the motorhome
hitch receiver. The vehicle does not have to be perfectly centered to the
hitch receiver, just close. Then, put the vehicle in gear (park), set the
emergency brake and chock one of the wheels.
3. With the tow bar in the folded position, insert the stinger into the motor-
home hitch receiver, and attach the stinger to the hitch receiver with the
hitch pin and clip.
Attach the tow bar so that the locking mechanisms and the release
latch are pointing up. Components of the tow bar may be damaged if
the tow bar is attached with the release latch and the locking mecha-
nisms pointing down.
4. Hold both tow bar arms firmly, and rotate them up, so that they are
vertical.
Never release the tow bar arms when they are in the vertical posi-
tion. The arms can fall and cause severe personal injury.
5. Push the release latch forward, to bring both arms down to a horizontal
position.
Standing to one side, swing both arms away from you. Then, align
continued on page three

Connecting the tow bar
continued from page two
the holes in the outermost arm with the holes in one of the tabs on the
quick-disconnect base.
Attach the tow bar arm to the quick-disconnect base with one of the
included base pins. Attach the arm so that the head of the shoulder bolt
on the collar is facing up. Lock the base pin with a linch pin or optional
padlock.
The linch pin must be locked. The ring on the linch pin is spring-loaded
— it must be snapped over the pin, with the curved side of the linch pin
touching the ring, in order to keep the base pin secure.
Both tow bar arms must be attached to the quick-disconnect bases
and locked with a linch pin. Towing vibrations will force the linch pins
out unless they are properly locked in place over the base pins on
both quick-disconnect bases.
Failure to properly install and lock both base pins will result in the
loss of the towed vehicle, which may cause property damage, personal
injury or even death.
6. Now, swing the other arm to the opposite side and connect it in the
same manner.
7. Attach the safety cables and plug in the electrical wiring cord, according
to the supplier’s instructions.
Before towing the vehicle, be sure the steering is unlocked, the trans-
mission is in the proper setting, and the emergency brake is released.
Remove the wheel chock.
Check the manufacturer’s specifications or the owner’s manual for the
proper towing procedures or requirement(s) for the vehicle to be towed.
Do not tow the vehicle until the tow bar is attached with all pins or
padlocks. Unless the tow bar is secured to both vehicles with all ap-
propriate pins or padlocks, the vehicle will detach, which may cause
property damage, personal injury or even death.
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 com-
ponents of your towing system, to ensure that they are fully engaged.
Both tow bar arms must be locked before towing. If they are not,
the momentum of the towed vehicle will apply excessive force to the
tow bar arms and other components of the towing system, which
may cause the towing system to fail, resulting in property damage,
personal injury or even death.
Do not tow a vehicle using tow bar mounting brackets, safety cables,
or a hitch receiver rated less than the actual weight of the towed
vehicle.
If the brackets, safety cables, hitch receiver or any supplementary
towing equipment is not rated at the weight of the towed vehicle and
all its contents, it may fail during towing, causing property damage,
personal injury or even death.
If the motorhome hitch receiver has an extension, do not tow if the
tow bar is more than three inches out of level.
Receiver extensions cause the towing system to swing much higher
and lower than towing systems without extensions. This enlarged
arc of motion creates excessive strain on the tow bar, brackets and
frame, which can cause the towing system to fail, resulting in property
damage, personal injury or even death.
Disconnecting the tow bar
1. Disconnecting the tow bar is essentially the reverse of connecting it.
First, always try to park on level ground, with the towed vehicle in line
with the motorhome. This will eliminate most of the tension between the
vehicles, allowing for an easier disconnect.
2. Disconnect the electrical wiring harness, safety cables, and any other
towing system accessories.
3. Lift the release handles on each tow bar arm to release the locking
mechanisms.
(Usually, one of the handles will require more pressure to release. This is
the arm that has the majority of the tension between the two vehicles.)
Always put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the emergency
brake and chock one of the wheels after lifting the release handles,
and before removing the base pins. Failure to do so may result in a
‘runaway’ vehicle or may crush you between the towed vehicle and
the motorhome, causing property damage, personal injury or even
death.
4. Put the towed vehicle in gear (park), set the emergency brake, and
chock one of the wheels.
5. Remove the base pins and store the tow bar on the motorhome by
reversing the connection procedure (under “Connecting the tow bar”).
ROADMASTER recommends replacing at least one of the linch pins with
a padlock (part number 301, 302 or 308) to prevent accidental release or
theft.
The tow bar can be stored on the motorhome with the arms rotated
to the left or the right. To avoid the possibility of damage to the
bushings, rotate the arms away from the engine exhaust.
The bushings at the end of the tow bar arms can be warped by heat
from the exhaust. If the bushings are warped, the tow bar arms will
not slide easily, or they may not slide at all — it may be difficult to
connect or disconnect the tow bar until the bushings are replaced.
Safety cables are an integral part of your towing system. They are a
secondary safety device, required by law in many states. This section,
and the section titled “Proper installation of safety cables,” will acquaint
you with how to use them properly.
•Choose safety cables based on the weight of the towed vehicle. The
weight capacity of the safety cables must meet or exceed the towed
weight, or the safety cables will fail. Refer to the “Installer’s safety
checklist,” on page two, for further information.
• The safety cables must connect the towing vehicle to the towed vehicle,
frame to frame.
• Pull the safety cables so that all the slack is at the motorhome. Make
sure there is enough slack in the cables at the motorhome to allow
for sharp turns — if there is not enough slack, the towing system will
be severely damaged when the motorhome turns a sharp corner.
•The safety cables must be the correct length…
•Make sure the cables are not too short — if you use a receiver hitch
extension or other equipment that extends the distance between the
towed vehicle and the motorhome, the standard cables may be too
short. If the cables are too short, the towing system will be severely
damaged when the motorhome turns a sharp corner.
(Safety cable extensions in a wide variety of lengths are available from
ROADMASTER.)
•Make sure the cables are not too long — the cables should not hang
down to the extent they may catch on obstructions, or drag on the
ground. This much slack could cause damage to the towing system,
the towed vehicle or the motorhome.
If the cables are too long, wrap the excess cable around the tow bar
continued on page four
3
The BlackHawk 2 owner’s manual…
…contains additional illustrations to accompany these instructions, as
well as important safety information, the limited warranty and other infor-
mation to make your towing experience safe and pleasant.
Read the owner’s manual cover to cover before towing a vehicle.
How to use safety cables

Proper installation of safety cables
Do not use the cables if they show any signs of wear or damage —
immediately discontinue towing and replace the cables.
Failure to follow these instructions will result in cable failure, which
may cause property damage, personal injury or even death.
If the quick links are not completely tightened, with the loop closed,
the safety cables may detach. In the event of a towing system failure,
the towed vehicle will detach, which may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
If your towing system requires two sets of safety cables, always use
both the long and the short safety cables. Connect them as shown in
Figures 3 and 4. Otherwise, in the event of a towing system failure,
the towed vehicle will detach, which may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.
Some ROADMASTER tow bar mounting brackets with removable arms,
such as the ones in Figures 3 and 4, use both a long safety cable and a
short safety cable on each side.
Each long safety cable runs from the towing vehicle to a quick link
attaching it to one of the quick-disconnects. This quick link is also an
attachment point for one of the short safety cables; another quick link
attaches the short safety cable to the mounting bracket.
Unscrew the nuts on each quick link to connect the safety cable loops.
Finger-tighten the nuts firmly, until the loop is completely closed, to secure
the attachment.
Do not substitute carabiners or other devices for the quick links — the
quick links are designed to hold the weight of a towed vehicle; carabiners
or other devices are not.
Only ROADMASTER bracket kits with removable arms have these short
safety cables. Other bracket kits are bolted directly to the frame of the
towed vehicle and do not require short safety cables.
If your ROADMASTER bracket kit contains short safety cables, refer to
the installation instructions for complete information.
The safety cables must be carefully routed so that they cannot be-
come pinched, frayed, scraped or otherwise damaged, and so they
will not drag when going over dips or low spots.
4
Figure 3
Figure 4
How to use safety cables
continued from page three
to take up the slack. Make sure there is enough slack in the cables
at the motorhome to allow for sharp turns.
Damage caused by using safety cables of an incorrect length is not
covered under warranty.
•Always cross the cables under the hitch receiver, as shown in Figure 3
under “Proper installation of safety cables” (above). In the unlikely event
the tow bar separates from the motorhome, crossing the cables will help
prevent the tow bar from dragging on the ground, which can cause the
tow bar to “pole vault” the towed vehicle.
• Some ROADMASTER tow bar mounting kits with removable arms use
two safety cables on each side. If two sets of safety cables are required,
both must be used. This is required by law. Refer to “Proper installation
of safety cables” (above) for further information.
Failure to follow these instructions may cause property damage,
personal injury or even death.