Summertime Towing: Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar

The Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar debuted at SEMA 2017 to much fanfare, and it’s easy to see why. Sharp looking and easy-to-use, it’s an excellent product option for travelers seeking a safe and simple dinghy hook-up.

While that RV might feel like a true “home away from home” when you’re on the open road, it can also feel like a literal house when trying to maneuver around your destination. Traveling small town roads and making quick trips for supplies is not exactly easy when you’re operating a 40-ft motorhome. Hence why many RVers opt to “dinghy tow” a smaller vehicle behind their camper.

Dinghy towing, sometimes called “flat-towing” or “four-down towing,” offers much more versatility for exploring. Obviously, however, it comes with a few added safety concerns. Namely, how you plan to attach and safely tow your vehicle.

“When you are flat towing a vehicle, the most important component is the tow bar, and they’re not all created equal,” cautions Blue Ox, experts in the fields of recreational, commercial, and industrial towing. Luckily, the company offers a variety of quality crafted options to suit your needs. The newest of which is the Ascent Tow Bar.

Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar Rises to the Challenge

Rated for an impressive 7,500-pound towing capacity, the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar weighs only 31 pounds! The secret is in its aircraft-grade aluminum construction, which allows it to remain light-weight and easy to handle but strong enough to stand up to some serious towing.

The unit is self-aligning, with a 3-axis swivel design that makes hook-up a breeze. The legs are a full 2” longer than the standard tow bar, which also aids in hookup and makes maneuvering tight corners go a little more smoothly. Off-set triple lugs make attaching the legs to the tow vehicle simple. And the company’s patented non-binding latches, which debuted on the bigger Avail Tow Bar, allow the legs to easily extend and collapse, as well as release under any conditions—including inclines and uneven ground.

There’s no centering pin, so the unit is easy to fold up and store. And your purchase comes complete with safety cables, rubber boots, and a 3-year warranty.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar doesn’t just perform well—it looks pretty fresh, too. The unit is finished with a Diamond Vogel metallic powder coating that not only offers protection from the elements, but also complements a lot of modern coach design.

Exceeding Customer Expectations

We know that good towing equipment doesn’t come cheap—and it shouldn’t. Safe towing is so important to both you and all the other people on the road. That means, a quality, comprehensive tow bar and baseplate setup could easily set you back a few thousand dollars. That’s why we recommend you really take the time and do your research before you make a decision.

Despite the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar being an awesome product, it’s very possible it simply won’t fit your needs. Luckily, Blue Ox offers excellent customer service, and can help you decide what setup is best-suited for your vehicle and motorhome. (The company can also help you maximize safety by setting you up with a proper supplementary braking system, like the new Patriot 3.)

Visit Blue Ox!

Instead of making a boring phonecall, go straight to the source for advice! Located in Pender—a rural community in North Eastern Nebraska approximately 30 miles from Sioux City, Iowa—Blue Ox actually has its own RV park adjacent to its factory. Free to Blue Ox customers, you can also have your products serviced there.

The company also sends its service technicians to expos and events around the country, where they will inspect your tow bar head to toe, and replace any lost or damaged parts. In fact, Blue Ox is the only towing manufacturer who offers complete tow bar service at events nationwide.

Learn More

If you want to learn more about the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar, we highly recommend talking to someone at the company. But we also suggest you take a look at this incredibly detailed video, compliments of Andy Pargh, the Gadget Guru. Best known for his syndicated column and more than 500 segments with NBC’s Today Show, Pargh runs a blog and YouTube channel dedicated to properly informing new RV owners on safe driving, correct operation and maintenance, new product reviews, and no-nonsense editorials.

Here, he sits down with Jeff Jubin, the Dealer Development Manager of Blue Ox, and breaks down in exceptional detail the installation and use of the Blue Ox Ascent Tow Bar.