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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
2026 Audi A5
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Blue Ox

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Part Number: BX1698
In Stock
$476.24
Retail:$734.85
You Save: $258.61
Tow Bar Base Plate
Not Confirmed to Fit

2026 Audi A5

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etrailer Installation
We'll connect you with nearby partnered installers who know this exact setup.
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 BX1698 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 - BX1698

Highlights

  • Custom Fit for Your Vehicle: Mounts to existing attachment points
  • Ready for Flat Towing: Creates secure attachment points so your vehicle can be safely towed behind your RV.
  • Blends In When Not Towing: Removable arms twist off for a clean, factory-style look with no protruding parts.
  • Built to Last: Durable steel construction with powder coat finish resists rust and corrosion over time.
  • Spreads Force Evenly: Sturdy design distributes towing load across the chassis for added stability and protection.
  • Simplifies Setup: Twist-lock arms insert and remove easily, with receiver covers to keep debris out when not in use.
Made in USA

Features to know about

Made for a Clean Front End: Hidden Design with Removable Arms

If you like a setup that disappears when you’re not towing, this base plate keeps things clean. The hidden design tucks the mount points out of sight, and the removable arms twist off easily for a seamless look. With the arms gone, there’s nothing sticking out to bump into, and the included receiver covers keep dirt and debris out for smooth operation when you hook up again.

Blue Ox base plate kit installed on vehicle front with removable arms attached, showing seamless fit and hidden design for flat towing setup.

Blue Ox base plate on vehicle front with arms removed, showing hidden design and flush installation for a clean look when not towing.

Blue Ox base plate kit fully installed on car front with removable arms attached for flat towing connection.

Front view of vehicle with Blue Ox base plate installed and arms removed, showing sleek hidden design when not towing.

Hook Up Fast Every Time: Twist-Lock Connection with Pull Pin

Connecting your tow bar is simple and secure thanks to the twist-lock attachment. Just insert each arm into the receiver, rotate it until it locks, and secure it with the pin. When it’s time to remove them, pull the pin, twist, and slide them out—no tools or fuss. The brackets are spaced 20" apart with a bracket height of 14-1/2", making setup easy to plan around.

Close-up of Blue Ox base plate twist-lock arm being attached or removed, illustrating simple connection mechanism for flat towing setup.

Close-up photo showing user twisting Blue Ox base plate arm into locking position on vehicle mount for easy attachment.

Built to Handle the Miles: Durable Steel, Bolts to the Chassis

This kit bolts directly to your chassis with no welding required. Its sturdy steel construction spreads towing forces evenly to help prevent stress on your suspension. The powder-coated finish resists rust and corrosion so it stays solid through long-haul use. Everything you need for a secure mount comes in the box, ready for reliable miles behind your motorhome.

Keep Using Your Favorite Tow Bar: Compatible Setup Options

Already have a tow bar you like? This base plate pairs directly with Blue Ox tow bars for a secure connection. It’s also adaptable for use with Roadmaster tow bars using adapter RM-031 or RM-031-5 (sold separately) and Demco tow bars using adapter DM9523041 (sold separately). Integrated mounting points let you add an electrical connector plug bracket (sold separately) so your wiring setup stays clean and easy to access.

Specs

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Universal fit: Designed to fit a wide variety of towing setups for both heavy-duty and standard applications.
  • Durable construction: Made from high-strength steel for long-lasting performance under load.
  • Easy installation: Bolt-on design allows for quick setup without the need for welding.
  • Corrosion resistance: Finished with a powder coat to withstand harsh weather conditions.

SPECS

  • Gross towing weight capacity: 16,000 lbs
  • Tongue weight capacity: 3,000 lbs
  • Hitch ball size: 2-5/16"
  • Pintle hook capacity: Matches GTW rating
  • Mounting hole spacing: Standard 3-1/2" center-to-center

Dimensions

  • Distance between brackets: 20"
  • Bracket height: 14-1/2"

Illustrated towing basics diagram showing connection between motorhome and towed vehicle with labeled components: tow bar, base plates, safety cables, wiring, and supplemental braking system.


Warranty

  • Warranty: 3-Year warranty

BX1698 Blue Ox Baseplate - Removable Tabs

Installation Details BX1698 Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Ratings & Reviews

4.8

5149 reviews
5 Stars
(4437)
4 Stars
(493)
3 Stars
(104)
2 Stars
(46)
1 Star
(69)
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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.

by:

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



by:

solid and simple kit for the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. It really appears that the only reason the entire front trim has to come off is to drill two additional 1/2" holes in the truck frame to allow solid attachment of the base plate. If GM provided these, this kit would be sooo fast to install. :)



by:

I had to slightly modify mounting holes as they did not line up with the vehicle. This is the 7th base plate I have installed on various cars and trucks and by far the most challenging.



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:

This Blue Ox Baseplate was easy to install and fit great. etralier sent me a video of my same make and year car showing the baseplate installation. Armed with the knowledge the video provided really made my installation job easy. Quality parts and quality service by etrailer.

An added bonus was that the baseplate and tow bar I ordered arrived in 2 days.



by:

Instructions could have been better but was straight forward and easy to figure out. Had to widen two holes on vehicle a tiny bit to align up with plate. Was shorted two connectors to attach the safety cables to the vehicle and base plate. None mentioned on inventory but two were included. Picture showed using four.



by:

Installation was fairly straightforward. Only thing I would add the video doesn’t mention. The hole that needs to be drilled on passenger side. I put a piece of 1x4 wood between the radiator hose and the frame when I was drilling as the hose is pretty close to the frame and could be damaged if you drill too deep. I also put the bolt heads inside engine bay with the threads sticking to roadside as I felt again to close to radiator hose. I removed washer bottle completely to give easier access.
I wasn’t real happy about how much bumper I had to trim . The activ model has a different bumper c er than the RS. The studs for mounting wiring connector wound up really gut under the tag bracket so that was a win.
The bracket seems heavy duty and well made . Follow directions in the etrailer video. Very simple install. Drilling the hole was the hardest part.



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:

The 2025 Trax license plate frame sits lower than shown in the instructions provided with this kit, to the point where it obstructs access to the 7-way electrical connector. An alternate scheme for mounting the plate will be required if your state requires the front plate to be displayed.



by:

The Blue Ox base plate kit was installed without a hitch on our 2024 Maverick Hybrid. It was a perfect fit! It was installed by Fantasy Truck, a referred installer of etrailer, in Odessa, MO. Brett was very easy to work with and did an excellent job! I highly recommend the Blue Ox baseplate and Brett @ Fantasy Truck!



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:

The safety Cable installation left a little to be desired. I'm not sure if I installed it as designed. The cables we're really long enough to go aroiund the frame rails on our Jeep, under the Radiator mount, Aluminum Frame, I was only able to go around the Raditor mount on both sides. Didn't really seam like it was the right way, but I suspect it's only for if something comes loose that there isn't a catastrophic breakaway.



by:

I was given a Blue Ox Tow Bar and needed Base Plates for my Ford F150. In my online search, E-Trailer had the best price, so I ordered them. Delivery was a few days earlier than expected. I read the installation instructions and it sounded fairly simple to install, so I decided to tackle it myself. I began it about six pm and had the job completed and cleaned up in just over two hours. The job required removal of the bumper and tow hooks and drilling of two holes. Also William at E-trailer was of great help in the correct parts and keeping me informed of the delivery.



by:

After installing over 500 baseplates on various vehicles, this one was probably the toughest one . It had the off road package on it . But it fit great after I had to remove a lot that had been bolted up for 27yrs.



by:

Tried to install this baseplate. It was a challenge to say the least. It did not fit the frame of my Jeep YJ without making modifications to the mounting plates on the driver side. I had to use a cut off wheel and remove 3/16 of an inch from the driver side spacer (which is too long. See pictures) in order to get it to clear the frame. Also, instructions say to drill an additional 1/2 inch hole in the frame for a third mounting bolt. BUT....the internal frame construction doesn't allow the nut on a stick to pass under the existing reinforcements for the bolts that mount the steering gear to the frame. Nut is way too thick to pass under the internal tubing in the frame from manufacturer (AMC).



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:

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



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:

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:



by:

The base plate I ordered fit perfectly no modifications nessasary and the price was affordable. Thanks!



by:

I honestly think that for the price that your instructions should be better.
Fit was tight which I appreciate since it removes all movement.
However the nuts your supposed to use wouldn't go in the holes you wanted cut in the front Bumper so in order to connect it you have to drill across the whole frame then go buy your own longer mounting bolts.


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

  • Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2012 Chevy Cruze 2LT with Manual Transmission
    For the 2012 Chevy Cruze it looks like there are base plates for various models. If your 2LT does not have fog lights and is not an RS model then I recommend the Roadmaster base plates # 523168-1. If you have an Eco model with active air shutter system, go with # 523170-1. And for an RS model the only option is # BX1698. For either of the Roadmaster base plates I recommend the Falcon 2 tow bar # RM-520. If you need the Blue Ox base plates then go with the Avail tow bar # BX7420. For safety...
    view full answer...
  • Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2016 Chevy Cruze Limited 1.8 Liter Gas, Not Turbo, with Falcon 2 Towbar
    The Roadmaster base plates will not fit the naturally aspirated models of the 2016 Chevy Cruze Limited. But there are base plates that will work. I understand you have a Falcon 2 tow bar # RM-520 so we will be able to get you set up. The base plates that fit though are Blue Ox, # BX1698. To use them with the Falcon 2 tow bar you will need adapter # RM-031. If you do not already have safety cables I recommend # RM-643. The coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground. For lighting...
    view full answer...
  • Comparing Blue Ox Base Plates And Complete Flat Towing Setup For A 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
    The only difference between the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit # BX1698 & # BX1695 which is NLA from the manufacturer, is that # BX1698 will work with the RS models of the Chevrolet Cruze, whereas # BX1695 will not. For your 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit # BX1698 will work great for you. If you're looking for a complete flat tow setup, you're also going to need: -A set of tow bars like # e47ZR. -A braking system like # RM-9060. -A wiring kit like # RM-152-98146-7. & You're...
    view full answer...
  • Base Plate for a 2012 Chevy Cruze that Will Fit a Blue Ox Aventa II Tow Bar
    Yes, the Aventa II BX7335 will fit the Blue Ox Base Plate kit part # BX1698. For lighting you can use the diode kit, # RM-15267, and not have to worry about cutting into the taillight housing. This will splice into your taillight wiring to allow your tow vehicle to control the taillight assemblies of the towed vehicle. This comes with a round 6-way connector that you will install on the front of your towed vehicle and enough coiled wire to go from there to the RV. And finally, most states...
    view full answer...


Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Written by:
Lindsey S
Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Employee Adele M
Updated by:
Adele M
Employee Wilson B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Employee Mike S
Updated by:
Mike S
Employee Michael B
Updated by:
Michael B

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