Roadmaster Falcon 2 - Care and Cleaning

8
CARE AND CLEANING
Spray cleaner through the opening and over the lock-
ing mechanism, then use a wire brush to remove any dirt.
Repeat until the locking mechanism is clean. Allow the
mechanism to air dry.
Repeat for the other locking mechanism.
Now that you have a clean, dry tow bar, use a dry
silicone lubricant, such as LubeMaster (part number 747),
to lubricate the tow bar — spray a liberal amount of the
silicone into all moving parts. Flex the tow bar compo-
nents, to work the lubricant in. LubeMaster sprays on wet,
then dries in seconds, so it won’t attract dirt or debris.
(Using a silicone lubricant on the base pins will make
them easier to pull out, and also creates an oxygen barrier
which helps prevent corrosion.)
Spray silicone lubricant inside both of the locking
mechanisms. After the lubricant has dried, push the
Autowlok buttons up and down to work the lubricant in.
CAUTION
Always clean the locking mechanisms, as described
above, before lubricating them. Silicone coats and cov-
ers in a thin layer. If it is not removed, it will reduce
the clearance for the locking mechanisms, preventing
proper operation.
Extended storage —
before storing your Falcon
2 tow bar for an extended
period of time, be sure to
clean and lubricate it as
above.
Store the tow bar in its
cover (optional, part num-
ber 055-3), to protect it
from the elements.
Note: to remove scratch-
es and restore luster on the
stainless steel arms, we
suggest that you use ex-
tra fine (0000) steel wool,
3M “Scotch Brite” (fine
pad) or a similar product.
Figure 10
As is the case with most precision equipment, frequent
cleaning and care results in better performance and lon-
gevity. Use the following guidelines to keep your tow bar
clean and well-lubricated.
Always clean the tow bar before lubricating. Use a
water-soluble cleaner such as ROADMASTER Tow Bar
Cleaner (part number 9932).
Clean all moving parts, paying special attention to the
tow bar arms and the locking mechanisms. No matter what
part is being cleaned, the method is the same — 1) spray
a liberal amount of cleaner over it; 2) flex the component
back and forth to work out any accumulated dirt; 3) wipe
it down; and 4) repeat until clean.
To clean one of the tow bar arms — with the tow bar on
the motorhome, remove the black cap at the end of the
tow bar arm. (It may be necessary to move the tow bar
arm to the left or right to gain clearance.)
Note: the inside of the cap is beveled on three sides,
and straight on one side. It must be reinserted into the
tow bar arm with the straight side parallel to the notch at
the end of the tow bar arm. See Figure 9.
Next, raise the arm and spray cleaner at the top of the
inner/outer arm assembly (Figure 10). Move the inner arm
(Figure 10) up and down to flush out dirt from the bottom
of the assembly. Wipe the dirt off and repeat until the arm
is clean. Repeat for the other arm.
CAUTION
Do not use petroleum-based products to clean or
lubricate the tow bar. Petroleum will attract dirt and
dust, which will impede the operation of the sliding
arms and/or other components. Certain petroleum
products may also corrode non-metallic components.
Damage caused by using a petroleum-based prod-
uct to clean or lubricate the tow bar is not covered
under warranty.
After cleaning the tow bar, wipe any remaining cleaner
away.
To clean one of the locking mechanisms, first
spray cleaner into the mechanism, then raise the
tow bar arm. Push the Autowlok button up and down
to flush out dirt from the bottom of the assembly.
Close the arm. This will bring the internal locking
components close to the opening that was covered by
the black cap.
Figure 9