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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
2028 Ram 2500
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Blue Ox

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Part Number: BX1697
In Stock
$469.72
Retail:$639.00
You Save: $169.28
Tow Bar Base Plate
Not Confirmed to Fit

2028 Ram 2500

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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. Great Prices for the best tow bar base plate from Blue Ox. Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms part number BX1697 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 - BX1697

Highlights

  • Custom Fit for Your Vehicle: Mounts to existing attachment points
  • Ready for Flat Towing: Creates solid connection points so you can safely tow your vehicle behind your RV.
  • Blends In When Not Towing: Removable arms twist off for a clean, factory-style look.
  • Built to Last: Heavy-duty, powder-coated steel resists rust and corrosion through long trips.
  • Even Pull Every Time: Sturdy design spreads towing force evenly across the chassis for stability.
  • Connects Fast: Twist-lock arms drop into place and secure with a pin for quick hookup.
Made in USA

Features to know about

Built for a Clean, Seamless Look: Hidden Base Plate with Removable Arms

When you’re not towing, you don’t want anything bulky or awkward sticking out from the front. This base plate keeps things clean with a hidden design that sits flush against the chassis. The removable arms come off with a simple twist, leaving behind only small receiver openings. Snap in the included receiver covers to keep dirt out and keep the front end looking tidy.

Blue Ox base plate with removable arms attached on vehicle front, showing clean installation and connection points for tow bar.

Blue Ox base plate installed on vehicle with arms removed, showing hidden design and low-profile receiver openings.

Quick Hookups Without the Hassle: Twist-Lock Arm Connection

Hooking up doesn’t have to be a struggle. Each arm slides into the receiver and locks in place with a twist, then releases by pulling the pin and rotating back out. It’s straightforward and repeatable every time you connect or disconnect. The distance between brackets is 20" and the bracket height is 14-1/4", so your tow bar lines up consistently for smooth, easy coupling.

Close-up of Blue Ox base plate twist-lock arm being inserted into receiver, showing quick attachment mechanism.

Strong Where It Counts: Steel Construction That Spreads the Load

This setup bolts directly to the chassis with no welding required. The heavy-duty steel design spreads towing forces evenly across the frame to help prevent stress on your vehicle’s suspension. Powder-coated finish resists rust and corrosion, so it stays solid through trips and seasons of use.

Ready for Reliable Connections: Compatible with Major Tow Bars

No need to change your whole setup if you already have gear you like. The sturdy lugs pair directly with Blue Ox tow bars for a secure connection. It’s also adaptable for use with Roadmaster tow bars with adapter RM-031 or RM-031-5 (sold separately), and with Demco tow bars using adapter DM9523041 (sold separately). Integrated mounting points make it easy to attach an electrical connector plug bracket so everything stays organized up front.

Specs

Dimensions

  • Distance between brackets: 20"
  • Bracket height: 14-1/4"

Warranty

  • Warranty period: 3-Year warranty

Diagram showing flat towing components including tow bar, base plates, safety cables, tow bar wiring, and supplemental braking system connecting a car and motorhome.

  • 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.
  • Base plates: 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.
  • Supplemental braking system: 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.

BX1697 Blue Ox Baseplate - Removable Tabs

Installation Details BX1697 Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Ratings & Reviews

4.8

5234 reviews
5 Stars
(4511)
4 Stars
(502)
3 Stars
(104)
2 Stars
(47)
1 Star
(70)
Review Sort Icon
by:
2012 Chevrolet Cruze
We purchased the baseplate to install on a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze.
Quality good and price competitive with other brands.
Unfortunately after installing the baseplate we discovered that our vehicle was unable to be flat towed. We read through all literature and there was nothing we read that said an automatic 2012 Cruze was unable to be flat towed, even our owners manual.
Therefore, after lo we removed the baseplate and are looking into other options.
Mike L. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

10/9/2025

Unfortunately, Chevy states in the owner's manual that the 2012 Cruze with the automatic transmission cannot be flat towed. I wish we had better news for you!

Gail profile picture

Gail

10/10/2025

@MikeL Thank you Mike for your response. Our owners manual stated otherwise, but after installing and verifying steps to flat tow, we determined there was an addendum/ supplement that was to be included in our manual. Thank you.
by:
2012 Chevrolet Cruze
Haven’t installed yet the shipping was outrageous. I’ll let you know more after I get it installed.
by:
I like it but it is difficult to remove the silver attachment from the vehicle when you want to take them off.
by:
Was very helpful and knew her stuff about vehicles
by:
by:
by:
2014 Chevrolet Cruze
by:
by:
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.
Mike L. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Mike L.

9/9/2026

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

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!
Heather A. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

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. profile picture

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. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

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. profile picture

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:
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.
by:
Well the blue ox base plate actually fits my turbo engine. The Curt didn't fit as advertised.
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.
Nick S. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

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:
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.
Roger profile picture

Roger

12/12/2025

Still the same no issues...fine product

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!
Matthew profile picture

Matthew

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. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Jameson C.

10/12/2026

@Matthew that's great to hear!
by:
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
Kate F. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

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:
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 profile picture

Perry

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:
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:
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:
2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. Good fit. Requires some cutting. Baseplate is heavy, so I paid an installer to do the job.
Nick S. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Nick S.

12/1/2025

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

by:
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.
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:
Very nice trailer.
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:
Strong and quality product. Installation was not hard, but follow the steps and look at the video as the written instructions are not all clear and miss a few templates for the air duct cut/trim out. I found the trimming needed for the bottom grill was minimal, only required for the round pieces that the adapter inserts into. Overall, an excellent product, good quality.
Andrew N. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Andrew N.

10/21/2026

Hey Luis, thanks so much for the detailed response and photos. Install looks great on your Mini Cooper! I know the instructions sometimes aren't perfect, but I'm glad you got it installed correctly!

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

  • Complete List of Parts Needed To Flat-Tow a 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco
    In order to flat-tow a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco you'll need a base plate kit, tow bar, safety cables, wiring harness, and a braking system. I have attached a list of these parts below. Blue Ox Base Plate Kit part # BX1697 Blue Ox Alpha 2 Non-Binding Tow Bar part # BX7380 Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit part # RM-15267 Roadmaster FuseMaster Fuse Bypass Switch part # RM76512 (QTY. 2) Brake Buddy Select 3 Portable Supplemental Braking System part # HM39524
    view full answer...

Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Written by:
Lindsey S
Employee Michael H
Expert Research:
Michael H
Employee Wilson B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Employee Mike S
Updated by:
Mike S
Employee Carrie F
Updated by:
Carrie F

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