Just being careful, is there any way to tell if a tow bar and/or toad brackets have reached the point where they are worn out and should be replaced?

I have a Roadmaster Tow set up and have been careful to keep everything a s clean and lubed as possible, but recently when I took off my toad brackets after an extended use, a bunch of rust flakes came out of the inside of the brackets.  I could not tell if there was too much lost metal, still looks to be about 1/4" thick.

So just to ensure that I don't have a failure on the road, what have others found on how long these expensive things last?

Best Regards!

I doubt if some rust will be a problem, but when is some rust too much?

You could contact Roadmaster at http://roadmasterinc.com/ and see if they have any advice for you.

I talked to them last fall about a little problem I was having, and they were very friendly and helpful at that time.

Jim

Generally speaking these things are engineered to have a very long service life and you shouldn't be concerned with a little surface rust coming out of recessed spaces. It might be a good idea though to visit an auto supply store and get some rust inhibitor to treat the rusting areas. Most likely your hitch will need replacement when the areas of attachment begin to wear sufficiently and you experience a sloppy fit.

Both Roadmaster and Blue Ox go to many large rallies, including Escapees Escapades, and they will check and adjust their towbars for free. You just have to sign up, tell them where you are parked and leave the towbar unlocked. If you are in the Portland, OR area then you can go to Roadmaster yourself. Blue Ox is in Pender, NE and has a very nice free campground for their owners.