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This versatile tow bar is easy to use, with arms that support their own weight while you hook up and swing to either side for storage. Integrated safety cables keep your setup streamlined and organized. Built-in rise/drop keeps tow bar level.
Features:
Specs:
Note: If you use this tow bar in the rise or drop position you may need to add safety cable extensions (sold separately) to reach your tow vehicle's hitch.
If you already have a Roadmaster Crossbar-Style base plate or are planning on getting one, this kit includes the needed brackets to make this tow bar compatible. This crossbar will replace the one on your base plate so the tow bar can connect. All the hardware is included.
The etrailer SD has a lot of smart features that give you the flexibility to hook up your toad (towed vehicle) to your RV, without the need for your vehicle to be perfectly level or in the exact right spot.
First of all, the arms are self-supporting, meaning that they hold themselves up without your help and won't fall to the ground when you let them go. They also move independently of each other, so you can focus on getting just one arm connected at a time. You'll never be stuck wrestling with a heavy tow bar.
Just slide the tow bar into your hitch and pin it in place. The telescoping arms will extend, pivot, and tilt to the needed length and angle to reach the tabs on your base plate. You can get hooked up and on with your adventure.
Once the tow bar's connected, slowly pull forward and the self-aligning arms will fully extend and lock into the towing position. Double check that the arms are properly latched and you'll be ready to hit the road!
The SD's arms are longer than average, giving you an above-average turning radius. You're going to be able to get around obstacles and make sharp turns with no worry of clipping the corner of your RV. Maneuver through gas stations and the campsite no problem.
It's important that your tow bar is as level as possible while you're flat towing, with no more than a 3" difference between where the tow bar sits in the hitch receiver and where the arms meet the base plate. It's fairly common for the hitch on an RV to sit too high in comparison to the toad, making it necessary to buy a high-low adapter.
With etrailer tow bars, the rise/drop is built right in, so it's less likely that you'll need an extra adapter. The head joint is also able to tilt up and down so you can make the tow bar level for your particular setup.
Uneven ground and sharp angles can put the arms of the tow bar in a bind and make them stiff and immoveable. Once you get to your destination, the last thing you need is to spend several minutes wrestling, yanking, and kicking at them to get your car disconnected.
Instead, get out of a bind in one easy step. Simply give the trigger on the arm of the SD a squeeze to disengage the internal latch. This releases the pent-up pressure so you can unhook and get on with your adventure.
Each trigger release latch is positioned on the side of the tow bar arm. This allows for a comfortable yet firm grip, unlike latches that are positioned on the tops of tow bar arms, which can be difficult to grab. This out-of-the-way placement also creates a clean look for the tow bar.
Two straight, vinyl-coated safety cables are integrated right into this tow bar, keeping them from dragging on the ground and getting damaged. They won't get lost or tangled either; your whole setup will be streamlined and organized.
These cables, required by law, will keep your toad behind your RV if there's ever an accidental disconnect while you're towing. The steel S-hooks on each end of the cables connect to the toad's base plate and the RV's trailer hitch, with spring-loaded latches to ensure that they stay connected.
The etrailer safety cables are rated at 14,000 lbs, regardless of the rating of the tow bar. While it's not necessary to have such a high rating, it's nice to know that in the event of an emergency disconnect, these heavy-duty cables will be more than capable of catching your vehicle. If all else fails, these safety cables won't.
The tow bar also offers a convenient storage rod for securing your coiled electrical cord (sold separately). The rod holds your power cord neatly out of the way and up off the ground.
The etrailer SD is incredibly easy to store on the back of your RV. Most RV-mounted tow bars require you to lift the heavy arms all the way up; they have to be fully vertical before you can secure them in the stowed position. With etrailer tow bars, all you have to do is raise the arms an inch or two - which you probably would do anyway while unhooking - and swing them to either side. When you lower them down again, the locking pin will automatically slide into the built-in tab. They can store to the left, right, or with one arm each way, however is convenient for you.
At etrailer, we're committed to the products we sell, and to helping our neighbors journey. We don't just sell it; we've installed it, we've wired it, and we've towed with it, so you're getting your answers straight from the experts. Our etrailer technicians perform flat tow installations on a daily basis, so they know all about your tow bar firsthand. For the life of your tow bar, our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via phone, email, and chat to help you with any questions or concerns.
Flat towing can be a much more convenient way to take your car RVing with you than using a trailer or a tow dolly. It'll save you storage space both at home and at the campsite, and it takes less time and hassle to hook up.
To flat tow your vehicle, there are 5 basic components you're going to need: a tow bar, a base plate kit, a safety cable set, tow bar wiring, and a flat tow braking system.
| For the RV | Between the RV and Towed Car | For the Towed Car |
|---|---|---|
| Hitch | Tow bar | Base plate |
| Wiring plug | Safety cables | Braking system |
| Wiring adapter cord | Wiring kit/diodes |
The custom-fit base plate installs on the frame of your toad so you can connect the car to your RV with a tow bar. Hook up safety cables between the vehicles to ensure that the toad does not separate from the motorhome if the tow bar becomes detached. Tow bar wiring syncs your vehicle's signal lights with your motorhome's tail lights, as required by law in most states. Finally, the flat tow braking system - also required in most states - activates the brakes in the toad when you hit the brakes in the RV, making for smoother, safer braking, and preventing wear on your motorhome.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (168 Customer Reviews)
This versatile tow bar is easy to use, with arms that support their own weight while you hook up and swing to either side for storage. Integrated safety cables keep your setup streamlined and organized. Built-in rise/drop keeps tow bar level.One word. Fabulous! The SD tow bar is a superior product. I don't want to say bad things about the most popular tow bar out there, but etrailer SD is just better engineering. Watch the video for the product. My Roadmaster base plate was installed by Dave C. Of [company] with great expertise. See the pics
The product worked as it was supposed to Josh at etrailer really help me out I highly recommend him
I purchased parts to turn my 2007 Minni Cooper into a toad. After selecting the items I was able to have an initial conversation to verify I had selected the correct parts. I had a few questions along the way and there were a couple pins missing from one item. All these conversations were super helpful and I achieved a perfect install. Thanks to the etrailer team. Best customer service I’ve ever experienced. Especially in the last few years.
We just got it on Wednesday, put it together and tried it out today, seems to work very well. Very easy, even a lawyer could do it!
Product was delivered on time and installed easily. This is a high quality product. I Have about 5000 miles of towing since my purchase last year, and it works great.
So much easier to hook up and unhook tow car with this towbar!
Outstanding product and even better customer service! Two backyard mechanics installed baseplate and braking system with just one call to confirm proper wire connection. Total package works great.
Loved this tow bar at first fit the Blue Ox base plate perfectly. Definately the easiest to use of all I have used in the past. But after less than 1 year the telescoping arms are rusting terribly even though we remove it and store inside the garage when not in use also the yellow "clips" to hold it in place for storage have bent. They are not very strong.
Ordering and shipping was fast and easy. Products arrived in good condition. I haven't installed them yet, but it all looks as advertised. Not my first order with etrailer and the customer service was outstanding as always. Why anyone would order from any place other then etrailer I cannot fathom.
Great tow system, does exactly what I needed. The flexibility of how the tow bar folds for use and storage allows me easy access to my bike rack. The tow bars can be stored on either side and fold away easily. I use this on my class C and set it up to pull my Jeep or my Equinox with Roadmaster base plate.
Great purchase and suggestion from etrailer. This thing is so easy to hook up to the Jeep and we couldn't be happier. We've only towed a few times, but already the wife has taken over hooking up the tow bar while I hook up the Brake Buddy in the Jeep. Easy to hook up, just as easy to disconnect after you arrive. I wish we had done this years ago!
2005 Country Coach Intrigue/ 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited
This tow bar works as advertised. We have towed with the unit several times over the last year. Very easy to hook up to the tow vehicle and haven’t had any trouble with binding when disconnecting. The articulation is nice which aids in hooking up and stowing. My only wish is that the telescoping bars would lock in position when stowed. I just run the safety cable through the ends and insert the pins to keep them from telescoping out when in the stowed position.
Self disclosure: We had a little incident. This was 100% our fault. We missed inserting one of the safety pins into the arm that goes into the base plate. While driving I noticed the Jeep wasn’t tracking correctly in the rear view camera. We just happened to be right at an exit of a rest area so I immediately exited and started slowing. While slowing the one arm that was still attached bent absorbing the energy of the Jeep. I believe this saved the Jeep and the RV from any damage whatsoever. The safety cables did their job very well! So, I whole heartily recommend this product for quality and safety!!! So much so we ordered this same unit as a replacement. I tried to upload photos of the bent arm, but keep getting upload unsuccessful.
1st, the package with “Blue Ox” plates did not include the 3/8-16 nuts ??. [I have doubled nutted the bolt].
The install was straight forward.
Ordered this tow bar for blue Ox Plates and it was missing the 1/2" attaching pins to connect to the toad. Called customer support and they insisted the pins should have been there, but finally, said they would send 2 replacements. Waited for 10 days and they sent the wrong item. I'll just have to get the pins myself as etrailer were not able to fix their issue and I really don't want to spend another hour on the phone trying to get them to understand such a simple thing.
After watching people fighting their regular towbars, I am glad we got this one. We parked in all kinds of positions and never had an issue disconnecting. I did have to get an extension for the safety cables.
I love this townar is is so quick and simple to hook up..
I would highly recommend this product
This purchase was based on my trust with etrailer and their products. I was looking at one of the market leaders and went with this base on trust and pricing. I have not been disappointed at all, this tow bar has worked really well and so far we have about 6000 miles on it with no issues. Solid design and all the power coding is holding up really well. I can recommend this item, we tow a 2016 Ford Expedition with no issues including when it is time to unhook.
I will not give you a rating at this time. Because in the box for the adapter-e98975 I am missing part #7 bushing for SD qty of 4. Hard to put together with part missing. I called about the part today on Friday talked to Payton hope something will be done.
Instructions for the adapter were incomplete, with no instructions on whether to torque the bolts or leave with some play. Haven't used the tow bar yet, but easy to assemble.
Quality is good. It did not include hitch pins so I had to run out and purchase them. They were shown in the pictures and the video so I was surprised when I did not see them. Additionally, the storing position is good except the arms do not lock in the short position so can come out and the connection point to the toad hang down. Both issues are resolved with a ratchet strap.
Great products. Installation videos extremely helpful.installation went as expected and perform great.
I love this tow bar, I have one that is probably 10 years old minimum and bought this one to replace it, easy to hitch and unhitch without binding!
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Dave
5/28/2023
We love the SD tow bar. With months of experience we can say its great.