Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
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2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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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.
Features:
Specs:
This base plate's hidden design creates a clean and seamless look. The bracket arms are easily removable, creating a slick appearance when you're not flat towing. Because the arms can be removed, you also won't have to worry about banging your leg into any protruding arms when you walk by.
Attaching and removing the bracket arms is a breeze. To attach the arms to the base plate, simply insert them into the receivers and rotate them until they lock into place. Once you're finished towing and want to remove the arms, pull the pin to disengage the lock, rotate the arms, and remove them from the receivers. Finally, plug up the now empty receivers with the included receiver covers to help keep dirt and debris out of the base plate and provide a finished look.
Flat towing your vehicle is much more convenient than using a trailer or a tow dolly. These other options take up much more storage space, leaving you less room both at home and at the campsite. In addition, securing your vehicle to a trailer or tow dolly can be a hassle and more time consuming than hooking up with a tow bar.
There are 5 basic components needed when flat towing a vehicle: a tow bar, a base plate kit, a safety cable set, tow bar wiring, and a supplemental braking system.
The tow bar links your towed car to your motorhome. It attaches to the custom-fit base plates that install on the frame of your towed car. Safety cables ensure that your towed car does not separate from your motorhome in the event that your tow bar becomes detached. Tow bar wiring allows your towed vehicle's signal lights to sync up with your motorhome's tail lights, which is required by law in most states. Finally, the supplemental braking system - also required in most states - brakes your towed car when the brakes in your motorhome are activated, preventing wear on the motorhome and decreasing braking distance for your entire setup.
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Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today in our 2010 Chevy Silverado, we'll be installing the Blue Ox base plate kit with removable arms, part number BX1681. To begin our install, we'll first needto remove the manufacturer's towhooks. To remove the tow hooks, there are two fasteners on each side. We'll first go ahead and remove these bolts and nuts and set them aside, as they will not be re-installed. Then once the hardware is out of the way, we can pull the tow hook out of the frame. We'll go ahead and set itaside, asthe tow hooks will not be re-installed and the base plates will sit in this position.
Next well need to markout and cut out the front fasciato allow for the base plate.Using a paint marker, we'll go ahead and mark out the area and then use a rotary tool to cut out this section. Now, with our fascia cut out, we are ready to go ahead and install the base plate. Quick tech tip: it can be a tight fit between the base plate and the inner frame wall, so we'll go ahead and lubricate it with some penetrating oil. Now we'll go ahead and install the base plate. We'll need to work it into position and pull down on the fascia as necessary to get the base plate into place.
Once we have the base plate in the frame, we can then go ahead and secure it with the hardware provided. We'll be using the half inch bolt and split lockwashers. Note each fastener will get red lock tie as recommended by Blue Ox. Once we line up the holes in the frame, with the weld nuts in the base plate, we'llgo ahead and install each one of the fasteners and then tighten 'em down. Once we have 'emtightened down, we can torque to specifications as indicated in instructions.
Now with our driver's side done, we'll go ahead and repeat the same process on the passenger's side. With both base plates installed and secured, we're now ready to install the safety cables. For this application, it will be necessary to have four quick links. Two will come with the install kit and we'll add an additional two to this install, part number 49135. To secure the safety cable to the vehicle, we'll wrap it around the frame and use the quick link to secure it.
We'll run the other end over the cross two and up to the eyelet built in to our base plate. Then we'll use a quick link to secure the cable to the eyelet. Now with one side done, we'll repeat the same process on the other side. Now with our base plate installed and secured, we'll go ahead and go over operation of the removable arms.To install the arms into the base plate, simply pull back on the locking ring, slide the removable arm into the base plate and twist until it locks into place. Then, once we want to take out the removable arm, we'll simply pull back on the locking tab ring, turn and pull out to remove the arm. That does it for the install of our Blue Ox base plate kit with removable arms, part number BX1681 on our 2010 Chevy Silverado. .
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