Roadmaster Sterling All Terrain User Manual
Quality Towing Systems since 1974
Entire contents of manual must be read by owner
Owner's Manual
Welcome to the ROADMASTER family!
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the installation, operation, care and maintenance of your tow bar,
and to provide you with important safety information.
Read your owner’s manual cover to cover. Understand how to install and operate your tow bar, and carefully follow
the instructions and safety precautions.
Your tow bar has a one-year limited warranty. To qualify for your warranty, fill out and return the enclosed product
registration card within 30 days of purchase. As a bonus, we’ll extend your warranty to a total of two years at no
additional cost, if we receive the product registration card within 20 days of purchase.
We thank you for your patronage and greatly appreciate your discerning taste.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Safety Definitions
Statements in this manual identified as follows are of special significance:
WARNING
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in property
damage, serious personal injury, or even death.
CAUTION
CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in property damage, or minor or moderate personal injury.
CAUTION
CAUTION used without the safety alert symbol indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, may result in property damage.
NOTE
Refers to important information and is placed in italic
type. It is recommended that you take special notice of
these items.
Table of Contents
Safety definitions ................................... inside front cover
Safe towing practices ..................................................... 2-4
Installer’s safety checklist ............................................. 4-5
Installing the ‘quick-disconnect’ system...................... 6-8
Connecting and disconnecting
Connecting the tow bar ........................................... 8-11
Disconnecting the tow bar ......................................... 12
Wiring instructions
Wiring a four-wire system ..................................... 13-14
Your tow bar serial number…
…is located on a label on the inside of the driver’s side
tow bar arm. You will need this number when you fill out
your product registration card.
Write down the serial number in the space below and
retain for future reference.
Serial number:
Wiring a six-wire system ....................................... 14-15
Safety cables
How to use safety cables .......................................... 16
Proper installation of safety cables ..................... 17-18
Stay within the ‘Safe Zone’ ............................................ 19
Care and cleaning ........................................................... 20
Limited warranty .............................................................. 21
Tow bar components ......................................... back cover
WARNING
Read all instructions before installing the tow bar,
or before towing a vehicle. Failure to understand how
to properly install or operate the tow bar could result
in property damage, personal injury or even death.
1
Safe Towing Practices
To ensure your safety and that of your passengers, as
well as the safety of others on the road, follow these safe
towing practices at all times.
CAUTION
Do not back up the motorhome with the towed ve-
•
hicle attached.
Backing up with the towed vehicle attached will
cause the towed vehicle to “jackknife,” which will
damage the tow bar, the mounting bracket, the receiver hitch, the towed vehicle's front end, and/or the rear
of the motorhome. Backing up with the towed vehicle attached is the primary cause of tow bar damage
and will void the warranty.
Be sure the vehicle can be towed before taking it
•
on the road. 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 vehicle manufacturer’s instructions for the
proper procedure(s) to prepare the vehicle for towing.
2
The tow bar must be within the ‘Safe Zone’ — no
•
more than three inches above level or four 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 suspension and frame.
(See the section titled “Stay within the ‘Safe Zone’” for
further information.)
The steering wheel must be unlocked and free to
•
turn when towing.
and equipment damage. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the proper towing procedure(s).
The towed vehicle and all its contents cannot ex-
•
ceed 6,000 pounds.
rated at a maximum of 6,000 pounds carrying capacity;
therefore the towed vehicle and all its contents cannot
exceed 6,000 pounds.
In addition, the receiver hitch, the safety cables, and
all supplementary towing equipment must be rated at no
less than the weight of the towed vehicle and all its contents.
The tow bar must be secured with linch pins (or
•
optional padlocks) before towing.
is secured to both vehicles with all appropriate pins (or
padlocks), the towed vehicle will detach.
Inspect the system before towing — check the
•
mounts, brackets, fasteners, bolts, wiring, the safety cables, and all other components each time before towing.
Failure to do so can cause severe tire
The Sterling All Terrain tow bar is
Unless the tow bar
continued on next page
Safe towing practices
continued from preceding page
Additionally, check the tow bar bracket every 3,000
miles — inspect for any fractures or cracks in the steel,
or any visible damage. Do not tow if the tow bar bracket
is damaged.
Additionally, check the torque on all bolts. (To find the
torque ratings, refer to the installation instructions for the
mounting bracket and the tow bar.)
Never tow a vehicle with one of a comparable
•
weight.
40 percent of the towing vehicle’s weight.
the towed vehicle to override the towing vehicle, resulting in “jackknifing,” “leapfrogging,” or “fishtailing.” Serious damage to both vehicles, as well as the towing system, could result.
•
motorhome as possible when releasing the tow bar
locking mechanisms.
able arms, or put any part of your body between the adjustable arms, when releasing the tow bar — always stand
to one side. Because the towed vehicle may jerk forward
when the locking mechanisms are released, face the
towed vehicle and stand as close to the back of the motorhome as possible before releasing the locking mechanisms, to keep from being hit by the towed vehicle.
•
The towed vehicle’s weight should never exceed
Towing a vehicle with one of similar weight will cause
Always stand to one side and as close to the
Never stand between the adjust-
Always use safety cables when towing. The safe-
ty cables, which are provided with the Sterling All Terrain, must connect the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle frame to frame.
If the safety cables are ever replaced, use only 6,000
pound or heavier rated safety cables.
Additionally, check to ensure that the safety cables
are the proper length. Refer to the sections titled “How
to use safety cables” and “Proper installation of safety
cables” for further information.
Check the motorhome turning radius. Some motor-
•
home chassis have such a tight turning radius that you
can damage your motorhome, towed vehicle, or tow bar
while turning too sharply. Before getting on the road with
your towed vehicle, you should test your turning radius
in an empty parking lot.
With the towed vehicle attached, have someone
watch as you slowly turn sharply to see whether you have
this potential problem. If you do, note how far you can
safely turn the motorhome’s steering wheel, and be sure
not to turn it further when towing. Damage that results
from turning too sharply is not covered by warranty.
Never use the tow bar to tow more than one ve-
•
In some states it is legal to have one vehicle tow-
hicle.
ing more than just one vehicle (for example, a truck which
is towing a trailer which is towing a boat). However, when
continued on next page
3
Safe towing practices
continued from preceding page
using a tow bar, never tow more than one vehicle, or nonwarranty damage or injury may result.
The tow bar stinger fits motorhome hitch receiv-
•
ers with 2-inch inner diameters.
receiver is a larger size, attach a 2-inch adaptor sleeve
(not supplied) to the hitch receiver.
Damage to the tow bar stinger or other components
of the tow bar, abnormal wear patterns on the towed
vehicle’s tires, as well as other, consequential damage
may result if an adaptor sleeve is not used.
Keep the tow bar clean and well-lubricated. As is
•
the case with most precision equipment, frequent cleaning and care results in better performance and longevity. Refer to the section titled “Care and cleaning” for further information.
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause
property damage, personal injury or even death.
4
If the motorhome hitch
Installer’s safety checklist
The following safety checklist is provided to the installer with the instructions for installing the Sterling All Terrain tow bar. It is repeated here for your information.
As a precaution, verify that all safety requirements
have been followed before towing the vehicle.
Stress to the owner that the tow bar must be with-
•
in the ‘Safe Zone’
level or four inches below level. Towing with an out-oflevel tow bar will cause significant wear and tear on the
tow bar and mounting brackets, and on the towed vehicle’s suspension and frame. (See the section titled “Stay
within the ‘Safe Zone’” for further information.)
Show the owner how to properly operate the tow
•
Familiarize yourself with the features of the tow bar.
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.
Caution the owner to use a receiver hitch rated
•
higher than the actual weight of the towed vehicle.
The motorhome receiver hitch must have a minimum
capacity of no less than the weight of the towed vehicle
and all its contents.
(The Sterling All Terrain tow bar is rated at a maxi-
— no more than three inches above
continued on next page
Installer’s safety checklist
continued from preceding page
mum of 6,000 pounds carrying capacity; therefore ROADMASTER has used 6,000 pounds as a standard for rating the weight capacity of all supplementary towing equipment, as well as the towed vehicle and all its contents,
throughout this manual.)
The tow bar must be attached to a bracket which
•
is bolted to the towed vehicle’s frame or unibody.
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.
tow bar is secured to both vehicles with all appropriate
pins (or padlocks), the towed vehicle will detach.
Advise the owner to use 6,000 pound or higher
•
rated safety cables.
cables are provided with the Sterling All Terrain; if the
safety cables are ever replaced, use only 6,000 pound or
heavier rated safety cables.
Read the instructions thoroughly before installing
•
the ‘quick-disconnect’ (‘QD’) system and its components.
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 excessive tire wear and other consequential, non-warranty
The tow bar will be attached to the QD system. If
Six-thousand pound-rated safety
Unless the
In
damage.
The installer must be sure that the vehicle is suit-
•
able or adaptable for towing.
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.
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
mounting holes be altered. Any welding or altering of the
tow bar will void the owner's warranty.
Connecting a ground to the ‘A-
, nor should any of the pre-punched
Some vehicles must be
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause
property damage, personal injury or even death.
5
Installing the
‘quick-disconnect’ system
Your ROADMASTER tow bar is equipped with an exclusive “quick-disconnect” (or, “QD”) system. Before connecting the tow bar to the vehicle, first install the components of the QD system to the mounting bracket.
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 the
next section — “Connecting the tow bar.” The quick-disconnect system should be reserved, however, for subsequent vehicles which may not have these brackets.
Figure 1
Quick-disconnect parts list
(2) quick-disconnects
(parts A & B)
(2) cable anchors (E & F)
(2) safety plates (C)
All mounting hardware
6
vehicle
mounting
bracket
passenger side
quick-disconnect
A
vertical
pin
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 1½" bolts, the
two safety plates (parts “C”), flat washers, lock washers
and nuts, as shown in Figure 1.
Both QDs have cable anchors — parts “E” and “F” in
Figure 1 — designed for safety cable attachment. Bolt
continued on next page
vertical
pin
driver side
vehicle
mounting
bracket
B
quick-disconnect
C
safety
plate
F
cable
anchor
safety
C
plate
quick-
disconnect
base
E
cable
anchor
disconnect
quick-
disconnect
base
quick-
crossbar
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