BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
Serial Number
Torrent
(40,000 lb) Pintle Coupler
405-0111 Rev B Page 1 of 6 8/20/14
™
Tow Bar
BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
DO NOT INSTALL, OPERATE OR USE THIS EQUIPMENT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING
OPERATING AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN READ AND UNDERSTOOD.
1. Blue Ox tow bars should only be used with vehicles that are towable or have been equipped to be
towed.
2. Follow towing procedures in the vehicle owners manual.
3. Tow with steering wheel in the unlocked position.
4. Be sure the front end of the towed vehicle is properly aligned. Misaligned vehicles may cause
poor tracking or abnormal wear on the tires.
5. The use of safety cables or chains are required by law in most states of the United States
as well as Canadian territories and provinces. Follow state or territory recommendations.
Blue Ox strongly recommends the use of safety cables (BX88196, Class III or BX88197,
Class IV) and permanent safety cables (BX88207, Class III or BX88208, Class IV) with all
applications of towing. Please refer to their specic installation instructions for more
information.
6. Check clearance between vehicles in all turning situations. Check the height difference in your
towing set up and make appropriate adjustments by following the recommendations of the tow
bar instruction manual.
7. Rear lighting is required on the towed car. Blue OX offers lighting kits to cover all of your lighting
needs. Contact your Blue Ox representative for more information.
8. Prior to usage, inspect all towing equipment for cracked welds, missing or worn parts and loose
bolts.
9. Disconnect the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle before backing up. Do Not Back Up while
vehicles are connected! Damage to both vehicles and the towing system may occur. The towed
vehicle may jack knife causing abnormal stress to the tow bar, car chassis, baseplate and/or
pintle hitch of the towing vehicle. These abnormal stresses may cause damage that may go
undetected.
10. Avoid sharp turns and rough terrain. Check towing set up after any emergency situation and/or
periodically on a long trip.
11. Do not use the towed vehicle for storing luggage, etc.; which may cause you to exceed the
towing capacity of the tow bar, baseplate, and its accessories.
12. Ensure that your towing vehicle is of adequate size to properly control your towed vehicle.
The weight and braking capacity should be large enough to handle both vehicles in an
emergency situation. Check your towing vehicle manufacturers recommendations for
towing, hitch load, and braking capacities. The hitch, ball, motorhome chassis, and safety
cables (each individual cable) need to be rated at a minimum for the weight of the vehicle
being towed.
13. Dealer or installer be certain the user receives these instruction sheets.
CAUTION: As with any mechanical product, care
should be taken during installation and operation to
prevent your ngers from being pinched.
405-0111 Rev B Page 2 of 6 8/20/14
BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
Hooking Up to Towed Vehicle
1. Position the towing vehicle on a level surface with a straight driveway ahead and engage the parking brake.
Position the towed vehicle behind the towing vehicle in the approximate towing position.
2. Place the pintle ring onto the pintle hitch of the towing vehicle, close the pintle hitch lever and secure with
clip or lock. Loosen the two (2) leg bolts on the passenger side to allow free movement of the leg.
3. Partially extend one leg. The legs are held in with an internal “detent” latch. Pulling out on the leg will
disengage this latch. Place the lug between the attachment tabs on the baseplate, and secure with the
1/2” pin and quick pin. Be sure the 1/2” pin is installed correctly through the attachment tab with the nose
towards middle of the baseplate. Repeat for both legs.
4. On the towed vehicle, disengage the parking brake and set up the transmission for towing and unlock the
steering wheel. Pull forward with the towing vehicle until one or both of the locking handles are engaged
and locked. If only one locking handle is locked, turn the towed vehicle’s steering wheel towards the
unlocked tow bar leg approximately 1/2 to 3/4 turn, before continuing forward. Drive the towing vehicle
forward until the second leg locks into place.
5. Once the initial hook up is complete, the tow bar legs should be an equal distance from the centerline of
the pintle coupler. If the legs are not equal, adjust accordingly. On the passenger side leg only, fully tighten
the two (2) bolts so the leg will not pivot on the head assembly. Periodically check the passenger side
leg that the bolts are tight and the leg does not move.
Note: If the tow bar is going to be used on a baseplate with a different tab width than the initial setup, the
leg positions will need to be re-adjusted accordingly to that baseplate tab width.
CAUTION: It is important that the pintle ring be parallel to the ground when towing. If the pintle ring
is at an angle, damage or an accident may occur.
IMPORTANT: Check to ensure both legs
are latched properly and pins are secured
properly before towing. When properly
installed the quick pin ring will snap back
onto itself, and the chamfered side will be
facing outwards. The steering wheel on
the towed vehicle must be unlocked at all
times while being towed. Failure to do so
will create hazardous driving conditions.
Correct
Incorrect
Safety Cable Installation
1. Utilizing the hooks, attach the cables to a solid part of the chassis on the towed vehicle or the convenience
links of the baseplate. Verify the safety snap clicks back against the hook in order to prevent disconnection.
2. Adjust slack if needed. Cables should not come in contact with the ground, pintle coupler or the locking
handles; damage could occur! DO NOT USE DAMAGED CABLES! Route cables away from the locking
handles. Safety cable contact with a locking handle could cause the leg to become unlatched and collapse,
leading to major damage to one or both vehicles and towing equipment. DO NOT WRAP SAFETY
CABLES AROUND THE LEGS!
3. Verify the load capacity of cables or chains used that meets the needs of the towing set up.
405-0111 Rev B Page 3 of 6 8/20/14
BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
Tow Bar Unhooking
1. Park the towing vehicle with vehicle in tow, in a straight line, on a at, level surface to insure minimum
pressure is exerted on the tow bar legs. This will aid in the removal of the 1/2” pins. Engage the towing
vehicle parking brake. Place the towed vehicle either in park for automatic transmissions or securely in rst
gear for manual transmissions. Unhook the lighting and safety cables.
2. Disengage the leg latches by pulling up on the locking handles. DO NOT hammer or force the locking
handles to release. If difculty is encountered in releasing the locking handles, try the following: Turn the
towed vehicle’s steering wheel (with the engine running to make turning easier) all the way to the right, all
the way to the left, then bring back to center. This should relieve any pressure being placed on the tow bar
handles from the towed vehicle.
3.
Remove the quick pins and 1/2” pins attaching the lugs to the attachment tabs on the towed vehicle. You
may need to tap the 1/2” pin out if there is still pressure on it. Lay the legs on the ground.
4. Unhook the pintle ring from the pintle hitch. Lift the ring off the hitch and store the tow bar in a clean, dry
place.
Tow Bar Maintenance
1. This tow bar requires periodic maintenance. It will be subjected to road dirt and weather during use. The
following tips will help maintain the condition of your new tow bar.
2. Keep the tow bar covered when not in use, on or off of the towing vehicle. This will cut down on the dust
and dirt build up on the legs and latches of the tow bar.
3. Periodically clean the entire surface of the tow bar with a mild soap and water solution. Wipe dry with a
clean cloth.
4. Check and replace any loose, worn or damaged bolts.
5. Check for cracked welds and loose bolts on the baseplate of the towed vehicle and the hitch on the towing
vehicle.
Lubrication
1. When it becomes difcult to move the legs in and out you should wipe clean each leg and apply a light coat
of silicone to insure smooth operation.
405-0111 Rev B Page 4 of 6 8/20/14
BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
4
3
15
11
12
8
7
13
14
10
2
6
1
5
9
Item No. Part No. Description Qty.
1.................................61-6736 .............................40K Tow Bar Leg Assembly .............................................2
2.................................61-6737 .............................40K Tow Bar Pintle Assembly ..........................................1
3.................................102-7013 ...........................Latch Housing Cap ..........................................................2
4.................................104-0797 ...........................Latch Handle ...................................................................2
5.................................107-3109 ...........................Pintle Sleeve, 2.58” x 3/4” ...............................................4
6.................................200-1909 ...........................Pintle Lunette Ring Assembly ..........................................1
7.................................201-0846 ...........................1/4”-20 Socket Head Cap Screw .....................................4
8.................................201-0851 ...........................1/2”-13 x 3-3/4” Hex Head Bolt, Grade 5, ZP ..................4
9.................................202-0016 ...........................1/2”-13 Hex Dimple Lock Nut ..........................................4
10...............................202-0092 ...........................1/2”-13 Hex Jam Nut, ZP ................................................. 2
11 ............................... 203-0005 ...........................1/2” Flat Washer, ZP ........................................................8
12...............................203-0172 ...........................Bushing, 3/4” x 1/2” x 16Ga ............................................. 1
13...............................222-0091 ...........................Compression Spring, .6” x 2” x .49” ................................. 2
14...............................229-0788 ...........................1/2”-13 x 3/4” Plunger ...................................................... 2
15...............................299-0556 ...........................Latch Bar .........................................................................2
Important:
Use only genuine factory replacement parts on your tow bar. Do NOT substitute homemade or non-typical parts. If a bolt is lost or in need of
replacement, for your safety and the preservation of your tow bar, be sure to use a replacement bolt of the same grade (In most cases it will be Grade 5,
please reference the parts list above). Replacement parts may be ordered through your nearest Blue Ox® Dealer or Distributor. Failing to follow and/or
altering these installation instructions in either installation or required equipment will void the manufacturer’s warranty.
405-0111 Rev B Page 5 of 6 8/20/14
BX7540P
Torrent™ Tow Bar
Operator Manual & Installation Instructions
Tow Bar Tips
In normal straight line towing conditions, both legs will be in tension. Due to the design of the latch, both
handles will feel loose. During turning, braking or parking, one or both of the legs may be in compression.
This will make the handles feel stiff or tight. In different towing set ups and/or situations, the two locking
mechanisms could be in compression or tension or any combination of both. Having one lock in tension
and one in compression may cause the operator to think that one leg is locked and one is not. When the
legs are fully extended and the springs are holding the latch handles up, the legs are locked and ready to
tow whether in tension or compression.
CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMITMENT
Blue Ox® is committed to providing you with exceptional customer care throughout your lifetime
with our products. Our team is here to assist you with any questions you may have regarding the
performance of your product. Simply call (402) 385-3051 and you can speak with our customer care
team.
Additionally, please visit our website to see which rallies our Destination America team will be
attending. For a nominal fee, our service technician will service your towing system to ensure it’s in
proper working condition. Also, as a commitment to our customers, should you visit our factory, you
can stay at our full service Blue Ox® campground at no charge along with enjoying a factory tour.
Again, thank you for being our customer and for the condence you have shown in the performance
of our products. It is because of customers like you we enjoy the success we have today.
One Mill Road, Industrial Park
Pender, Nebraska 68047
© 2014 Blue Ox
Phone: (402) 385-3051
Fax: (402) 385-3360
www.blueox.com
405-0111 Rev B Page 6 of 6 8/20/14
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