To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.
When you’re not towing, this base plate keeps the front of your vehicle looking clean and uncluttered. The hidden design means the brackets won’t stick out past the front end, and the removable arms come off with a quick twist. Once removed, you can plug in the included receiver covers to keep dirt and debris out and maintain a finished look.
Attaching your tow bar takes seconds. Each arm slides into the receiver, rotates until it locks, and secures with a pin. To disconnect, just pull the pin, twist, and remove. It’s a simple, repeatable motion that makes hooking up easy whether you’re in your driveway or at a campsite. The base plate’s bracket distance is 24" with a bracket height of 15-1/2", so you can match your tow bar height precisely for a level setup.
This base plate is built from durable steel, powder coated to resist rust and corrosion. It bolts directly to your chassis—no welding required—and spreads towing forces evenly across sturdy mounting points to prevent stress on suspension components. It’s designed for long-term reliability through thousands of miles of towing.
Already have a tow bar you trust? This kit pairs directly with Blue Ox models for a secure connection. If you’re using Roadmaster or Demco tow bars, it adapts to them with optional adapters (RM-031 or RM-031-5 for Roadmaster, DM9523041 for Demco; sold separately). Integrated mounting points make it easy to attach an electrical connector bracket so your lighting cable stays organized and accessible.
You don’t need special tools or welding gear for this job. The kit includes hardware for a secure bolt-on installation right to the vehicle’s frame. Clear instructions guide you through the steps so you can complete the setup confidently over a weekend and be ready to tow soon after.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
99% were satisfied with this product
1% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
My order came quickly, etrailer staff were very helpful on getting me the correct parts for my vehicle. Mt Blue Ox base plate was easy to install with their video instructions, etrailer saved me a lot of money compared to purchasing and having a shop do it
Product went in like a charm and just like the last Blue Ox baseplate I installed years ago. The etrailer video was very very helpful. I have yet to tow the vehicle but assume that it will be just fine just like the last baseplate.
My E-trailer experience was outstanding! From the great selection guide to the delivery to the installation support. The installation videos were very helpful. I had two installation issues that were answered with a prompt phone call. One call was on a Saturday morning. I highly recommend E-trailer!
The Blue Ox Base plate kit is outstanding. With the connection pins removed it's not even noticeable that our vehicle is ready to tow. The equipment is perfect for towing our 2014 CR-v. Very safe and reliable!
Perfect fit, easy to install if you have any mechanical background other wise I would advise taking it to your service garage. It is very well made and I had no problem installing it. I do have mechanical experience. The installation video was also very helpful.
Base plate is virtually invisible after installation.
Pat C. in customer service was very helpful and courteous, she did followups to make sure the product arrived OK.
I highly recommend Blue OX, e trailer, and the CSR's at e trailer.
After a year, works great for my 2013 CR-V. Had my mechanic do the install so can’t comment on that. But it looks great and works like a charm. Very easy to use with the Blue Ox Ascent Tow bar. After a couple of hook-ups, it’s a breeze. Love the fact that that when not towing, it doesn’t look like a toad with this bar being under the front fascia. Highly recommend!
The base plate overall is extremely well built. Installation is very doable as a DIYer. The install video defenitely helped along the way. Dont think I would have
ventured into installing this without the video. The install was done without even lifting the car. Can certainly be done without a jack.
I have also purchased the "Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit
Item # RM-15267" to connect the RV to the CRV for brake and turning lights. Wiring to the back of the CRV was also done without lifting the car. Get yourself
extra zipties.
Do not skip out on the loctite. Vibration overtime will certainly loosen the screws. Loctite will prevent this.
Removing the front bumper is a pain, even worse is reinstalling the whole thing back. Do yourself a favor and purchase extra plastic stubs for reinstallation.
There are fours holes that do not line up as noted in the video. You will need a 1/2 in drill bit to widen the holes.
The base plate was fairly easy to install on our 2013 Honda C-RV. The videos on etrailer are very helpful, giving us the confidence to do the job in our own garage. The only problem with installation was that the holes didn't quite line up after removing the bumper. I think that was noted in the instructions. The removable arms work well and we have had no issues. We have been using this product towing our car behind our motor home for over 15K miles in the last year without incident. I recommend this product.
I ordered several items to equip my Honda CRV for towing....BlueOx baseplate, lighting kit and a receiver tube (to carry bicycles). Good prices and expeditious shipping. Can't complain about anything....was very happy with their customer service. They certainly will be my go-to source if I need anything in the way of towing or hitch equipment.
Product had good installation instructions and fit very good. Have used it numerous times and it works very well. I would highly recommend this brand and product.
Oredering and shipping was fast and easy. Products arrived in good condition. I haven't installed them yet, but it all looks as advertised. Not my first order with etrailer and the customer service was outstanding as always. Why anyone would order from any place other then etrailer I cannot fathom.
Well made, fit perfectly. The written instructions furnished by BlueOx could have been better, ie, larger pages and color pics.
Saving grace was etrailer video, I used that. Of course he just made it seem much easier than it actually was. Suggest you provide a time range for the average diy person. Also suggest one buy some xtra body clips as you can easily mangle a few. Also recommend purchase of the clip remover tool, and better than the flat blade screwdriver. Only real difficulity was removing the fog lite connectors, very hard while on car, but dropping the front clip made removal easier. FYI, I’m 79 yrs old so if I can do it, most anyone can.
Great product. Well designed and easy to install. Only difficulties during the installation are those plastic fasteners on vehicle-- suggest buying about six to have on hand for re-installation, as no matter how careful you are ...plastic is plastic, if you know what I mean. Very informative installation video that will assist anyone thinking of buying or installing this unit. If you're handy with tools, go for it! Note: I took the text from the video and created a simple instruction "list" for buddy and I to follow along, to be ensure we didn't miss any steps as pictures on actual instructions were not too useful.
Tall P.
9/21/2016
ETrailer customer service rocks!Thank you for the follow-up.To date, base plate was installed using your VERY helpful tutorials andvideo clips, which saved me cost of installation.No towing as of yet... baseplate was installed as pre-plan to pendingretirement.Thanks
Great product. Well designed and easy to install. Only difficulties during the installation are those plastic fasteners on vehicle-- suggest buying about six to have on hand for re-installation, as no matter how careful you are ...plastic is plastic, if you know what I mean. Very informative installation video that will assist anyone thinking of buying or installing this unit. If you're handy with tools, go for it! Note: I took the text from the video and created a simple instruction "list" for buddy and I to follow along, to be ensure we didn't miss any steps as pictures on actual instructions were not too useful. Also, the baseplate comes with a nice step bracket for easy break-away switch mounting, which was a plus.
Tall P.
9/21/2016
ETrailer customer service rocks!Thank you for the follow-up.To date, base plate was installed using your VERY helpful tutorials andvideo clips, which saved me cost of installation.No towing as of yet... baseplate was installed as pre-plan to pendingretirement.Thanks
It worked well and was easy to install
Baseplate went in with very little trouble thanks to your video. I had it installed in less than a day. Thank You!
Arrived in the morning and was towing late after!
Instructions good with two exceptions. Page five, step eight, no need to do this step as whole fascia comes off. Next you need a reciprocating saw to remove the nuts in step fourteen. No mention in tools needed for install.
Product looks nice.
The holes could have been a little better alignment.
The 3 holes on front rt.
Had to read out .
Holes on side i was ready for.
After the cussing it all looked great.
etrailer you are my go too.
For hitch a towbar needs.
Thanks
Beautifully built, high quality. When following instructions my RV repair guy installed it with no problems.
I have used e trailer before .always ha ppy.
Jeff
11/9/2025
Great. Easy to install
This heavy kit was packaged very well and arrived in great condition. I appreciated how this was mostly a bolt-on affair; the only "major" issue that I had to take care of was some factory holes in the bumper support tubes that didn't line up with the base plate, but that was easily and quickly taken care of with a 1/2" drill bit. Do yourselves a favor and watch etrailer's installation video multiple times if you plan on doing the installation yourself. The installation manual that came with the base plate isn't as clear as I would've liked. Note the torque specs for the particular fasteners and compare the packing list with what you received. Otherwise, go off of etrailer's video. If you're not towing the car the base plate all but disappears once you remove the tabs. I ended up spray painting the two bolts that fasten the 6-pole connector to the base plate black so it blends in even more. After about 2,100 miles of flat towing the CR-V over the course of 2 weeks in the Western US with a whole bunch of climbs and curves I can comfortably say that this base plate is solid.
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!
Works just like it should, easy installation, great price.
Very well designed. And while I can’t say it was super easy to install myself, it was certainly doable. Borrowed a torque wrench from an auto parts store.
Victoria H.
4/14/2025
Thanks for including photos with your feedback Jeffrey! Way to get the job done :) Hauling anything fun?
Do you have a question about this Tow Bar Base Plate?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Tim
11/7/2023
After one year, I couldnt be happier. etrailer never disappoints!