Blue Ox clean and lube
Perhaps of limited need to know, but I had a friend ask how to solve. This is what I found. He has the same tow bar as we do, the Blue Ox Aventa tow bar, rated 10,000 lbs.
It has a ball joint as a swivel point (see photo) and it had gotten quite difficult to turn it by hand, especially up or down to pull it down and to the stowed position but somewhat sideways as well. Blue Ox admonishes to not oil or grease that ball joint. Soapy water is allowed. I used hot water/detergent as a cleaner, poured it through that joint about eight times, moving the ball joint back and forth. Lots of black water in time came out the bottom. Now it swivels much easier. Blue Ox said that if that just does not work, I could use a very slight amount of silicone lube spray but the goal is to avoid anything that would attract or hold dirt.
There is also an area where Blue Ox folks say I can use a silicone lubricant and a method to lubricate the slip arms. Their other instructions follow in response to other specific questions I had, with my comments in parenthesis.
"Silicone spray can be used on the washers (my blue tape photo). Sometimes they get worn out and can be replaced.
Check the silver pins (attaches the tow bar to the toad) for wear. You may start seeing some wear on them more than the lynch pins (my concern was for the pins). I would suggest buying a kit once you start seeing this wear. Its 84-0140. You get 2 silver pins and 2 lynch pins.
Yes under the rubber boots the grease needs to be changed probably once per year. You can use Moly Lithium Grease or
Wheel Bearing Grease. You can break the back zip tie off (see bottom of first photo) and extend the arm. Push the boot forward and clean the old grease off and apply another thin layer onto the arm. Push it back in and re-zip tie it again.
The levers need no lubrication."
Mike
Topic: Blue Ox clean and lube