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  1. Tow Bar Base Plate
  2. Blue Ox
  3. Removable Draw Bars
  4. Twist Lock Attachment
  5. Completely Hidden
THIS ITEM IS NOT A FIT FOR
2012 Ford Fiesta
etrailer Installation
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Blue Ox

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Part Number: BLU87ER
$570.34
Retail:$609.00
You Save: $38.66
Tow Bar Base Plate
Not Confirmed to Fit

2012 Ford Fiesta

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etrailer Installation
We'll connect you with nearby partnered installers who know this exact setup.
Get a secure, nearly invisible connection for flat towing! This heavy-duty Blue Ox base plate features removable arms, easy bolt-on installation, and integrated safety chain attachments for added security. Great Prices for the best tow bar base plate from Blue Ox. Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms part number BLU87ER can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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  • Reviews (5221)
  • Q & A (0)
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Blue Ox Tow Bar Base Plate - BLU87ER

  • Removable Draw Bars
  • Blue Ox
  • Twist Lock Attachment
  • Completely Hidden

Get a secure, nearly invisible connection for flat towing! This heavy-duty Blue Ox base plate features removable arms, easy bolt-on installation, and integrated safety chain attachments for added security.


Highlights

  • Provides a secure, custom fit Ensures a strong connection between your vehicle and tow bar for safe and reliable flat towing.
  • Hidden design Bracket arms remove when not in use for a clean, factory-like appearance.
  • Durable steel construction Built to withstand long-term towing with superior strength.
  • Simple, bolt-on installation No welding required, all hardware included.
  • Integrated safety chain attachments Designed for an extra layer of towing security.
  • Compatible with Blue Ox tow bars Ensures a smooth, hassle-free connection.

Features to know about

Custom Fit and Secure Connection

Designed for a strong and seamless integration, this base plate kit provides a secure attachment point for your tow bar, ensuring a safe and stable flat towing experience. Its precision-fit design allows for easy installation with no welding required.

Low-Profile Design

Keep your vehicle looking clean when not towing. The removable bracket arms maintain a nearly invisible appearance, so there's no bulky hardware left behind.

Heavy-Duty Build for Long-Term Use

Constructed from high-strength steel and finished with a durable powder coat, this base plate is built to handle the rigors of the road, providing superior resistance to rust and corrosion.

Designed for Easy Installation

Comes with all necessary hardware for a straightforward bolt-on installation. No welding required, making it easier to set up and get on the road.

Seamless Tow Bar Compatibility

Works with Blue Ox tow bars for a smooth, hassle-free connection. Engineered for reliability, ensuring your vehicle tracks effortlessly behind your motorhome.

Secure Safety Chain Attachments

Integrated safety chain attachment points provide an extra layer of security, ensuring compliance with towing regulations.

Comprehensive Flat Towing Essentials: Integration Points for Extras

No flat towing setup is complete without integrating additional essentials. This base plate kit has integrated mounting points to easily attach an electrical connector plug bracket (sold separately). This feature makes it simple to integrate your tow bar wiring and supplemental braking systems, streamlining your towing configuration.

Specs

Dimensions

  • Bracket height: 18-1/2"
  • Distance between brackets: 26"

Warranty

  • 3-Year warranty

Towing Compatibility

  • Works with Blue Ox tow bars
  • Includes removable bracket arms for a clean look when not in use
  • Integrated safety chain attachment points

Installation

  • All mounting hardware included
  • Drilling required: Minimal
  • Professional installation recommended for best results


BX1156 Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms



This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Ratings & Reviews

4.8

5221 reviews
5 Stars
(4501)
4 Stars
(499)
3 Stars
(104)
2 Stars
(47)
1 Star
(70)
Review sort icon
Get a secure, nearly invisible connection for flat towing! This heavy-duty Blue Ox base plate features removable arms, easy bolt-on installation, and integrated safety chain attachments for added security.

by:

Part fit like a glove, a tight one (a hammer gets it in place so no need to clamp after), but lined right up with the factory holes. I only had to do some minimal drilling to make the bolts slide through. Instruction guide was very helpful with only some minor differences, but it is pretty obvious what to do once you get into it.



by:

Arrived is a short time. Just picked up the car from having it installed and will tow it this weekend for a trip! Great quality too!



by:

First, the packaging is first rate - super-heavy duty cardboard box, stapled together, not taped! Filled w/industrial grade packing paper - lots of it! Way to go, Shipping!!! Secondly, after thoroughly reading the Installation Instructions before dinner this evening, I decided that at 76 years old, maybe I should drive down to my Chevy Dealer and have a chat with my Service Manager about an after-market, add-on job!!! Looks a bit too involved for me (these days, anyway)!



by:

Perfect fit! The only issue I encountered was drilling the upper anchor hole on the driver's side. It's not in the instructions, but I decided to remove the windshield washer fluid reservoir and headlight to drill without damaging it.
This was very easy to do, and I am very pleased with your product!! I would definitely recommend Blue Ox to anyone looking to tow behind your motorhome!



by:

This was instilled on a 2024 Chevrolet Colorado Z71 truck. I watched your video online with this exact model truck and the words I remember most was “and we did not have to do any trimming”. Well my truck was certainly different than what was on video. Guess it’s because it’s a late build 2024 (end of September 2024) and the grill system was maybe what would appear on the 2025 models? There was lots of trimming involved. I also will tell you the mounting holes both for the frame and the bumper back plate did not line up and required some modifications to fit. I would like to say this job is not for the faint of heart. I luckily have a mechanical/machinist background so was able to get the job done. Have not tested it yet but will be soon. Good luck to those of you who are planning on installing it yourself. Just remember it can be done. Just take your time.



by:

So here is an honest review of the Blue Ox base plate. I ordered this base plate because I already have a Blue Ox tow bar. After watching the video of the Ford Fiesta install it didn't look too bad. In the video of the guy suggest ordering a different brand and after the install I understand why. Taking apart the front end of the car is easy the problem lies in the way Blue Ox decided to use welded nuts on bendable rods it is very difficult to get these aligned after drilling the holes. My advice for anyone who's going to do this is be prepared and have patience. After removing the headlights in front fascia cut out the edges of the plastic as noted in the video and then Mount the bar measure the half inch gap on one side and put a clamp on it. Here's where it gets annoying instead of just putting holes in it using a drill bit that would be in any 10 to 15 piece drill index they decided to use a 13/32 bit which you will only find in large quantity indexes. Here's what I found makes this job easier after drilling the first two holes in the base plate install the top bolt only and then tighten it down if you do both you're going to have two wires hindering your movement when you go to do the rear plates. Same thing when drilling the hole in the rear plate put the top bolt in first and this leaves you more room to work with. Prepare to be frustrated the system they use was not thought out very well there was plenty of room to drill all the way through to the other side of the frame and use a through bolt to simplify this whole process. It probably would have cost him a few more dollars to get larger bolts whatever the reason was this system of nuts welded the wires is nothing but a headache. Once you get past this point and it's time to install the safety cables in the video it shows him just wrapping around the rear side of the backing frame the cables in this kit are far too long to be of any use if the front bumper disconnects the way the cables are routed they can slip around the Mainframe there's enough slack that you can actually wrap it around the inside of the base plate mounting attachments to take up the slack. Other than the method of installing this the bar itself is well built. Getting the bumper put back on and cut out for the attachment points is tricky to say the least I ended up cutting out a little bit too much of the grill but I may just order another Grill now that I know exactly where it ends up when it's fully mounted. I would imagine it cost quite a bit to have one of these installed as what could be a straightforward install takes several extra hours of fighting alignment of the nuts on a wire system. Want thank e-trailer as they have the best price and it was shipped in a timely manner.



by:

Well built and relatively easy to put on. I have a 2020 Jeep Mojave, and there was an issue with leaving my skim plate on the bottom. There were some existing bolts that wouldn't allow the base plate to sit if the remained. After watching the video and reading paper instructions, the bolts weren't addressed. It was a non - issue since zi dont need the skim guard.



by:

Items arrived in 2 days, free shipping. All appeared in new undamaged condition.



by:

Fast delivery, perfect fit at a good price for a quality product. Thank you!



by:

Review is more about e-Trailer than a the Blue ox tow system! (Which was fine) I contacted trailer in a panic after an amazon seller cancelled my order for this same product after 6 weeks of waiting! Etrailer, had the product to me in Canada in 4 days of the call! Awesome!



by:

Very nice trailer.



by:

Not for the impatient, but everything is provided. I had the front end of my Jetta all over the lawn. It’s definitely a 2 day job, but the instructions are thorough.



by:

It's a great system, it's on a 1998 Holiday Rambler Imperial, pulling a 2012 Ford F150 4x4. Last summer I pulled the truck for over 3000 miles without any problems, didn't feel like the truck was behind me. etrailer did me right on this set up.



by:

2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Good fit. Requires some cutting. Baseplate is heavy, so I paid an installer to do the job.



by:

Great products from etrailer. The videos were very helpful as I was determined to do the install myself. I’m 72 years old and thought I could do it and I did with the help of my lovely assistant, my wife. The tip on running the taillight wiring through the frame rail was great. The one problem I had was that I was never able to unplug the taillights no matter how hard I tugged on them so I had my wife hold each light while I spliced in the diodes. Very happy with the Blue Ox products and the finished look on my Jeep. Thanks again etrailer.



by:

Well designed and solidly built base plate. Very good product support from Etrailer and Blue Ox.
The four 1/2 inch by 1 3/4 inch bolts are category 5 bolts. I had a bag full of identically sized bolts which were category 8. But I did not have any whizz nuts that were category 8 nuts so I stayed with the standard Blue Ox Hardware. We used POR 15 rust preventing paint at every location where we cut the steel or drilled holes. The distance from the center of the attachment tab assembly holes to the ground is 20 inches on our 2025 Wrangler Rubicon JLU with "Xtreme" 35 inch tire package. Easy five stars for Blue Ox and etrailer.



by:

I got a used set for a great price and it worked out well. my only caution is that some of the holes in my 2008 2500 suburban had to be drilled to 9/16 due to misalignment with the tapped holes in the brackets. This minor adjustment made it all go togehter easily though. Be aware, you won't have tow hooks anymore if that is something you use a lot.



by:

Fits my 2013 mini cooper non turbo. Does take a few hours to install this Fit was good. The hardest part is removing the front bumper and reinstalling it. You do have to cut the lower bumper grill in three places take your time locating the exact spots for cuts. I have pulled Mini Cooper about seven thousand miles now with this Blue Ox and has worked great



by:

I installed this myself on a 2012 CR-V EXL AWD. The directions are straightforward. The system works very well and is easy to use.
Fair warning .. because the car is older, just about every clip that holds the grill and bumper in place broke when taking them off. Replacing all those clips with OEM parts is expensive!
BUT, that doesn't retract from the quality of the baseplate or it's use ability.
This is the third different Blue Ox baseplate system I have bought and installed and all of them were excellent!



by:

2019 Ford Ranger baseplate worked and fitted fine for me. 73 yrs old took me a couple hours but took many breaks. Younger could do it less than hour I'm sure.
Also works fine with my Blue Ox tow bar.



by:

The Blue Ox base plate for my 2015 Kia Soul is well manufactured and, with a little bit of mechanical skill, easy to install. It fit perfectly without issues. Brad from etrailer provides a step-by-step installation video that is outstanding and nicely guides through the process from beginning to end. I highly recommend this Blue Ox base plate from etrailer.



by:

Well the blue ox base plate actually fits my turbo engine. The Curt didn't fit as advertised.



by:

Super high quality baseplate for towing by Blue Ox. Instructions, videos, shipping (one day!) and overall experience was awesome. A bit pricey but their quality and the additional support by E Trailer cannot be beat! BTW (E Trailer) the baseplate fits three different Jeep configurations but did not call out the Recon package. After looking at other brands which showed there's to fit the 3 variations AND the Recon, I figured it would fit and it DID. You should definitely upgrade to include the Recon Edition.



by:

lways great to shop at etrailer, especially the tech experts. Royce did an awesome job with our order. Everything fit perfectly and the help video provided the guidance I needed.

We installed the baseplate on our 2023 Encore GX AWD as well as the light harness and breakaway switch. A couple of items were incorrect but Royce corrected the issues with no problems.

Thanks again etrailer!



by:

I looked into every brand/model available and this was the beefiest. There is cutting and trimming required on all brands, so why not get the strongest? If you're slightly handy with a toolbox, you can easily do the install yourself and save thousands.


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See what our Experts say about this Blue Ox Tow Bar Base Plate

  • Will the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit # BLU87ER Fit a 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit?
    Hello Ernie, Yes! The Blue Ox Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms # BLU87ER is designed to fit the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, including the Summit model. Since this is currently available for preorder, fitment has already been confirmed by Blue Ox, but availability is dependent on the initial production run. If you're planning to flat tow your Grand Cherokee once it's available, placing a preorder is a good way to reserve one. What other flat tow components do you have already? Are you...
    view full answer...

Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Edited by:
Lindsey S
Employee Katherine B
Updated by:
Katherine B
Employee Alex H
Updated by:
Alex H
Employee Amanda K
Written by:
Amanda K

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