binding — When the tow bar is difficult to detach because of excessive pressure, the tow bar is said to be “bound.” ROADMASTER All Terrain tow bars have a patented latching mechanism which eliminates this problem.
car-mounted — refers to a tow bar that is designed to be mounted and stored on the towed vehicle.
crossbar — a ROADMASTER exclusive, the crossbar is necessary to support many vehicles, especially passenger cars, while they are being towed. See Why the crossbar? for more information.
curb weight — the total weight of a vehicle when not loaded with either passengers or cargo.
diode — Diodes allow the towed vehicle’s brake and turn signal lights to mimic the motorhome’s (which is required by law) without damaging the towed vehicle’s electrical system. They allow current to flow in only one direction, thereby eliminating electrical feedback, which could damage the towed vehicle’s wiring, fuses, or other electrical components.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (or “GVWR”) — the manufacturer’s weight capacity for towing equipment. For example, a tow bar may have a GVWR of 6,000 pounds, which means it can safely tow up to 6,000 pounds.
hitch (or “receiver hitch”) — the tubular shaft extending from the motorhome which is used to attach a motorhome-mounted tow bar to the motorhome.
motorhome-mounted — refers to a tow bar that is designed to be mounted and stored on the motorhome.
mounting bracket (or “bracket”) — connects the towed vehicle to the tow bar. All mounting brackets are bolted to the towed vehicle.
proportional braking — A supplementary braking system (see below) which brakes at the same time and intensity as the motorhome is said to be “proportional.” ROADMASTER manufactures two proportional systems — a direct system (BrakeMaster) and a portable system (Even Brake).
removable bracket arms — All mounting brackets have arms which extend out from the vehicle. ROADMASTER’s XL, MX and EZ brackets have arms that can be easily removed, making the bracket virtually invisible.
quick-disconnects (or “QDs”) — the components which attach the tow bar to the bracket. All ROADMASTER tow bars (except Tracker) include these components. The quick-disconnects allow the tow bar to be quickly connected and disconnected. There is one QD for the driver’s side and one for the passenger side. Quick-disconnects are also used to mount accessories such as the Guardian rock shield and the Tow Defender protective screening.
quick links — used to attach the safety cables. They look like one link in a chain, and have a nut which can be threaded up or down to open or close the link.
safety cables — Required by law in most states, safety cables connect the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle. They are a secondary safety device to hold the vehicles together, if the towing system fails.
stinger — the tubular shaft extending from the tow bar which is used to attach the tow bar to the motorhome. The stinger is attached to the “hitch” (see above).
supplemental braking — an independent braking system for the towed vehicle.