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Blue Ox

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Part Number: BX1304

5249 Reviews | 8 Questions

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$579.64

Retail:$834.90

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2009 Ford Taurus

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Product Images

blue ox tow bar base plate removable draw bars completely hidden bx1304

blue ox tow bar base plate completely hidden kit - removable arms

blue ox tow bar base plate twist lock attachment completely hidden bx1304

blue ox tow bar base plate completely hidden bx1304

blue ox tow bar base plate removable draw bars twist lock attachment

blue ox tow bar base plate twist lock attachment bx1304

blue ox tow bar base plate twist lock attachment completely hidden

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SCHEDULE AN INSTALLATION

Custom designed to fit your vehicle so it can be safely towed behind your RV, this base plate has easily removable arms that offer a seamless look when you're not flat towing. Base plate bolts directly to your chassis, so no welding is required. Great Prices for the best tow bar base plate from Blue Ox. Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms part number BX1304 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.

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Blue Ox Tow Bar Base Plate - BX1304

Highlights

Custom Fit for Your Vehicle: Mounts to existing attachment points
Ready for Flat Towing: Creates secure attachment points so you can safely tow behind your RV.
Blends In When Not Towing: Hidden design with removable arms keeps the front end neat and seamless.
Fast Hookup and Removal: Twist-lock arms install or detach in seconds for quick setup at camp or on the road.
Built to Last: Powder-coated steel resists rust and corrosion for reliable, long-term towing use.
Even Towing Performance: Rigid brackets spread towing force evenly across the chassis for a smoother pull.

Features to know about

Made for a Clean Front End: Hidden Base Plate with Removable Arms

If you want your front end to stay clean when you’re not towing, this setup gets it right. The hidden design keeps bulky brackets out of sight, and the removable arms twist off easily for a smooth, factory look. Receiver covers plug into the empty sockets to keep out dirt and debris, so the arms slide in clean every time you hook up.

Blue Ox base plate kit installed on a vehicle with removable arms attached, showing hidden design and clean front-end integration for flat towing setups.

Blue Ox base plate shown with removable arms detached, revealing hidden receiver brackets for a clean front-end look when not towing.

Hook Up Fast Without the Hassle: Twist-Lock Arm Connection

Getting ready to tow is quick thanks to the twist-lock system. Each arm inserts into the receiver, rotates until it locks, and secures with a pin. When it’s time to unhook, just pull the pin, give it a twist, and remove the arm. It’s a simple setup that saves time in the driveway or at the campsite.

Close-up of Blue Ox base plate twist-lock mechanism showing removable arm being inserted and locked into place for flat towing connection.

Built Strong for Long Miles: Steel Construction That Spreads the Load

The base plate bolts directly to your chassis with no welding needed. Its sturdy design spreads towing forces evenly to reduce stress on your suspension. The durable steel is powder coated to resist rust and corrosion, so it stays solid through thousands of miles on the road.

Works with Your Favorite Tow Bar: Broad Compatibility and Adapter Options

If you already have a tow bar setup, you can keep using it. This base plate pairs directly with Blue Ox tow bars and can be adapted for use with Roadmaster (RM-031 or RM-031-5) or Demco (DM9523041) bars, all sold separately. Integrated mounting points make it easy to attach an electrical connector bracket to keep your wiring neat and ready.

DIY-Friendly Install: Bolt-On Design with Hardware Included

The bolt-on installation keeps things straightforward—no welding required. Everything lines up to your chassis using the supplied hardware for a secure mount. With a bracket distance of 22" and a bracket height of 13-1/2", it’s easy to plan your complete flat-towing setup around these specs. This makes for a solid weekend project you can take on with confidence.

Specs

Dimensions

Distance between brackets: 22"
Bracket height: 13-1/2"

Warranty

Warranty: 3-Year warranty

Diagram showing essential flat towing components including tow bar, base plate kit, safety cables, wiring, and supplemental braking system for safe vehicle towing behind an RV.

BX1304 Blue Ox Baseplate - Removable Tabs

Installation Details BX1304 Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles

2007 - 2010 Mini Cooper Hardtop - Base model

Customer Satisfaction Score:

89% were satisfied with this product

11% of customers were not satisfied

Wrong item was ordered
Alternate product found

11% of customers were not satisfied

Wrong item was ordered
Alternate product found

4.8

5249 reviews

5 Stars		(4522)
4 Stars		(506)
3 Stars		(104)
2 Stars		(47)
1 Star		(70)

by: Dan 01/23/2026

2010 Mini Cooper

Fast delivery! I really appreciate that etrailer had everything in stock.

by: Me Mac Mini 2009 cooper 05/02/2023

Well, I'm glad I'm good with tools, grinders, drills, and such. It was not just bolt-on dal. The car grill was able to be used any longer as it was too tight of a fit. Some of the lower fascia had to be trimmed and also removed OEM nuts from the front, the angle wouldn't allow the stock nuts to work. But in the end, I got to work out. So prepare to spend around 4-6 hours playing with it to get it to work. I am positive it's going to work as intended.

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Mr. C. One Year Later

5/3/2024

The tow bar is still working as intended, and there are no issues. I traveled over 10K miles towing my TOAD and planned another 5-7k this summer. The hardware is solid, and I am happy with the finished project.

by: Tony 10/09/2018 One Year Later

2012 Chevrolet Equinox

The eyelet holes that attach to the front of the vehicle didn’t even come close to matching up.

An install that should have taken 3-4 hrs took 11 hours - and the base plate didn’t fit through the bumper cover as shown.

by: Terry 09/14/2022

Life is easier with the new tow adapter. It takes 5 mins to be hooked up. The help on picking the right adapter was very helpful and the delivery to us in Canada was fast.

by: Bob 02/22/2022 One Year Later

Great product
Great price
Great service

by: Paul 09/15/2023 One Year Later

a little overpriced

by: Daniel 04/04/2023

2007 Mini Cooper

Service excellent de

by: William 06/07/2023

2009 Mini Cooper

Great product, great price, fastest delivery I've ever seen, nice people to deal with. I'm happy!!

by: Charles 06/10/2021

Superior product
Thank you

by: James 02/27/2021

Great service and quick delivery

by: Larry 10/14/2025

by: R James 01/11/2022

by: Ed V 04/27/2026

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!

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Heather A.

5/1/2026

The install looks great Ed! Where are you planning on taking the Encore? I will let Royce know you reached out.

Ed V.

5/1/2026

@HeatherA Taking a short trip up to Prova Utah in couple of weeks. Then California and hopefully Chicago in the fall. EdnJudy

Heather A.

5/1/2026

@EdV That sounds awesome. Utah is beautiful. Chicago is probably one of my favorite places to visit. Are you going to check out Wrigley?

Ed V.

5/1/2026

Not really, I grew up in Chicago, basically 45+ years. I have been to Wrigley many times as a child and adult. We lived about 1 mile from the park. Going to see my mom who is 95 years old. Our favorite place to visit in Chicago is Navy Pier. We try to make a day of it. Thanks for asking! EdnJudy

See All (4) Replies to Heather A. ∨

by: Mark 07/08/2026

2017 Jeep Wrangler

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.

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by: Douglas 09/06/2026

2026 Ford Maverick

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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Mike L.

9/9/2026

Thanks Douglas, nice truck you've got there! Nice job on the install.....

by: Charles 01/02/2026

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.

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Nick S.

1/5/2026

I am glad you were able to get it installed with no issues and a little help from our video! What kind of coach are you pulling the Kia Soul with?

by: Roger 12/10/2024 One Year Later

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.

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Roger One Year Later

12/12/2025

Still the same no issues...fine product

by: Matthew 10/07/2025 One Year Later

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!

Matthew One Year Later

10/12/2026

Its been two years since installation of the Blue Ox Baseplate. Since then, Ive flat towed the CRV from NJ to FL and back three separate times with many other shorter trips in between. Paired with a Blue Ox Tow Bar, the system has worked flawlessly since installation.

Jameson C.

10/12/2026

@Matthew that's great to hear!

by: Chris 12/17/2025 One Year Later

2013 mini Cooper

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

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Kate F.

12/17/2025

Thanks for the detailed review Chris, and the pointers! This will be most helpful to others. What was your favorite stop in those 7,000 miles? Where did you go, what did you see?

by: Perry 09/24/2025

2008 Ram 2500

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.

Perry One Year Later

10/1/2026

Follow up. Ive put about 8000 miles on the setup and its been great. A 34 ton suburban pulls nicely behind my Dutch star, and they dont have a steering lock so its nice not to have to retrieve keys when stopping for the night. I have used the safety cable attachment a few times for straight line pulls with a small shackle when working as a rally racing volunteer, its been fine but I wouldnt side pull on it.

by: Vertical Caver 12/06/2025

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.

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by: David 12/17/2025

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.

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by: Art A. 11/27/2025

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

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Nick S.

12/1/2025

I am glad it worked well for you! What kind of coach are you pulling that Jeep with?

by: Nick 02/11/2026 One Year Later

2012 Ford F-150

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.

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by: Lynn 08/25/2026

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

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

Do you have a question about this Tow Bar Base Plate?

Best Base Plate and Flat Towing Set Up for a 2008 Mini Cooper S
We do have a baseplate that will fit for your 2007 Mini Cooper S, however the Blue Ox item # BX1304 you mentioned will not fit. You will need the Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Kit item # 521877-1 which is confirmed to fit your 2008 Mini Cooper S. I have linked an installation video below. Along with these base plates, there are a number of other parts that will be needed so you can flat tow your Mini Cooper S. I have listed them below and linked some review and installation videos as well....
view full answer...
Base Plate and Flat Towing Equipment Recommended for 2007 Mini Cooper
If your 2007 Mini Cooper Hardtop Base is equipped with a manual transmission, it is capable of being flat towed. As far as ease of installation goes, I'd put them on an even level. Actually bolting the base plates to the vehicle isn't terribly difficult, the hard part is disassembling the vehicle by removing the grille assembly and bumper cover. For ease of use on a day-to-day basis, I'd recommend the Blue Ox # BX1304. The base plate is very well engineered, easier to use because it doesn't...
view full answer...
Recommended Blue Ox Base Plates for 2010 Mini Cooper Base with Hard Top and Manual Transmission
I was able to confirm with Blue Ox that the # BX1307 base plates you ordered are not the correct ones; you actually need the # BX1304, which is a confirmed fit on the 2010 Mini Copper Hardtop Base model with manual transmission.
view full answer...
Recommended Base Plate, Tow Bar and Accessories for Flat Towing 2009 Mini Cooper Base
If your Mini Cooper is the base hardtop, you'll want to use the Blue Ox # BX1304 you'd looked at. For a convertible, use # BX1306. For a non-binding tow bar, I'd recommend the etrailer SD Non-Binding Tow Bar, part # e47ZR which is self aligning. You won't need to have the Mini Cooper perfectly aligned behind the motorhome to hook up. Attach the arms and drive away. The arms will self align as you pull away. The tow bar is fully compatible with the Blue Ox base plates mentioned above and...
view full answer...
Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Fit for 2008 Mini Cooper S Hatchback
The Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms, # 521877-1, is a confirmed fit to the 2008 Mini Cooper hardtop S unless it has the sport suspension. The Blue Ox # BX1304 is a fit for the Hardtop Base model, and wouldn't work with S models. In addition to the base plates, you'll also need a tow bar, safety cables, a vehicle wiring harness, a supplemental braking system and possibly a high/low adapter if the 15.5 inch installed height of the # 521877-1 has a greater than 3 inch height...
view full answer...
Installation Videos For Base Plate On 2007 Mini Cooper
Hey William, thanks for reaching out. We haven't had the chance to shoot a video for the # BX1304 base plate yet, but we do have videos showing other base plates being installed on a Mini Cooper. We have one for the Blue Ox # BX1303 base plate which is for convertible models. We also have one for the Roadmaster # 521877-1 which is for hard top models. So not exactly the same as the # BX1304, but the process is still fairly similar, so it should still give you a pretty good idea of what...
view full answer...
Complete Flat Tow Set-Up For a 2007 Mini Cooper? What Parts do I Need to Flat Tow 2007 Mini?
Hello Jeff, I'd be happy to help get your Mini Cooper set up for flat towing so it's ready for plenty of adventures behind your motorhome. Just like the picture I attached =) Based on the information provided, these parts will work for the base model Mini Cooper. If your vehicle has a sport package or a special trim level, let me know and I'd be happy to verify everything and make any necessary adjustments. For the base plate, I recommend the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms...
view full answer...
Base Plate Kit for 2008 Mini Cooper S Model
We have a base Plate that will work for your 2008 Mini Cooper S model, it is the Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms, # 521877-1. The Blue Ox Base Plate Kit, # BX1304 that you linked to is not confirmed to fit the 2008 Mini Cooper S model, it is for the Hardtop Base model; there is a difference in the front facia and mounting points of the Mini Cooper S and Base Models. A complete setup to safely flat tow your Minin Cooper requires not only the base plates but, a tow bar,...
view full answer...

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