tbmar10
Four Oaks, NC
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Joined: 01/21/2007
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We had a failure of the passenger-side push pin on our Blue Ox Aventa LX towbar. The failure occured on a busy interstate and we were able to get the toad off the highway with minimal damage to the vehicles and a major damage to the towbar. If anyone has the spring loaded push pins in use, I would send them back to Blue Ox. Here is a video of how easy the pin was to remove:
http://bec-ed.com/Blue%20Ox/
Thomas & Betty w/Bailey & Gypsy (our fur-bearing masters)
07 Bounder 35e (F53)
07 Nissan Frontier (toad) 2010 FLSTC (passenger)
Thomas, Betty and Bailey
07 35e
07 Frontier (toad)
FLHT and FLSTSC (luggage)
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Bobbo
Wherever I park
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Joined: 09/16/2007
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What did Blue Ox have to say about this?
Bobbo, Linda and the furry kids (1&1/2 German Shepherds)
2007 Winnebago Outlook WF331C on a Ford E450 Super Duty Chassis
2010 Subaru Forester w/BlueOx baseplate & Ready Brute Elite towbar
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JohnInAz
Arizona
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Joined: 03/20/2007
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I can't pull my pins out without depressing the spring pin. Maybe your spring got weak. Looks like something I should check each time I hook up so I don't loose a pin in the future.
2004 Rexhall Rose Air
2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
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Economical Handyman
S. California
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Joined: 02/19/2004
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Not the type I would use! I want one that can be locked.
DeWayne & Judy
04 3810 Dutch Star
ISL 370
Frank's autoformer
01 Sahara Jeep-toad
Blue Ox Aventa II
F 374382
This is not the "GOLDEN-YEARS", it is the "RUSTY-YEARS" !
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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Joined: 06/28/2003
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I'm sure glad I use a simple A-frame towbar, with inexpensive, nearly foolproof, hairpin retainers on the attaching pins.
That reminds me, one of the hairpins is bent; I need to stop at Tractor supply and get a new one.
Sure glad you got things stopped without too much damage.
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 275,000 Miles
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
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FC
Kitchener,Ontario, Canada
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I checked my pins and they too cannot be pulled out without actually depressing the tab. But to avoid a problem I went out and bought new regular pins with a Spring lock. And after using it for our last trip I like it better than the stock model as you do not have to put your fingers on the dirty pin all the time to get it to slide through the connector. Don't yhink I would go back to the origianl after trying the alternative.
JM2CW
2003 Georgetown 346DS Ford F-53
2008 Pontiac G6 Toad, Blue Ox Aventa LX
Family Campers & RVers--- Come Camp With Us
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Twomed
FL winters and then somewhere cool
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Locks are the answer...no way would I trust the H3 to quick release pins.
Happy Trails 
06 Monaco Dynasty
07 Hummer H3
FMCA 279843
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charwan
Dawsonville, Ga.
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Joined: 02/05/2004
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Twomed wrote:Locks are the answer...no way would I trust the H3 to quick release pins.
I second that. I have the old style with locks. Keeps me warn and fuzzy. I would never trust my car and every ones safety to them pins. If I were to use them I would use a wire ties thru the loop and around the knuckle.
CharWan
N4FAP
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tbmar10
Four Oaks, NC
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Joined: 01/21/2007
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If you have the the pins shown in the video get some new pins and send your old ones to Blue Ox. The first person I talked to with Blue Ox told me I was 2 months out of warranty and my only option was to buy a new tow bar. After the purchase of a new tow bar and continuation of our trip to the Fleetwood Rally, the Blue Ox reps at the rally bent over backwards to assist and they repaired the bar at no charge. Now I have two bars and enough pins to give to anyone I see with the defective pins.
Even if you think your pins are functioning properly take them out of service. I was lucky not to destroy my toad and Harley but that was the least of my concerns. If the pin failure had led to a loss of life or injury to an innocent person/s, the first name on the lawsuit would be Blue Ox regardless of warranty issues. I was told the only reason there was not a recall of this product was because they have no idea who has the defective pins. Throw them away.
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flibmeister
Gold Canyon, Arizona
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Joined: 03/03/2006
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tbmar10 wrote:Throw them away.
Good advice. When I bought a new Aventa LX (three years ago?), the spring on one of my pins failed (stuck in) as I was hooking up the car for the very first time. I called Blue Ox, told them I wanted the old style locking pins like I'd had on my original Aventa, and they overnighted two sets of them, for free; clearly it wasn't the first time they'd heard about the problem. I'm surprised they're stilling using them after all this time.
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