bing tracking image
  1. Tow Bar Base Plate
  2. Roadmaster
  3. Fixed Draw Bars
  4. Visible
THIS ITEM IS NOT A FIT FOR
2001 Audi A4
etrailer Installation
We'll connect you with nearby partnered installers who know this exact setup.
Roadmaster

Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit - Fixed Arms

Part Number: 317-2
In Stock
$670.00
Retail:$742.50
You Save: $72.50
Tow Bar Base Plate
Not Confirmed to Fit

2001 Audi A4

Will this fit?

To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.

zoom in icon
slider vertical icon
zoom out icon
Comment field cannot be left empty.
Name field cannot be left empty.
By submitting this form, you understand and agree to our Terms of Sale, Website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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.

Product Images

Customer Photos

etrailer Installation
We'll connect you with nearby partnered installers who know this exact setup.
Base plate brackets attach to your vehicle's frame to provide fixed attachment points for your tow bar. Great Prices for the best tow bar base plate from Roadmaster. Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit - Fixed Arms part number 317-2 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
  • All Info
  • Reviews (171)
  • Q & A (0)
  • Photos

Roadmaster Tow Bar Base Plate - 317-2

Highlights

  • Custom Fit for Your Vehicle: Mounts to existing attachment points
  • Ready for Flat Towing: Creates fixed attachment points so you can confidently tow behind your RV.
  • Built to Last: All-steel, computer-cut brackets with black powder coat resist corrosion and wear.
  • Stays Secure: Fixed-bar design keeps arms permanently in place for a sturdy, no-loosen setup.
  • Reliable Connection: Works with Roadmaster tow bars using quick-disconnect crossbar (910021-00).
  • Straightforward Setup: Includes mounting hardware and instructions for a complete installation.
Made in USA

Features to know about

Built to Handle the Miles: All-Steel Construction with Black Powder Coat

This base plate kit is made from computer-cut, all-steel construction for exceptional strength. The solid build spreads towing forces evenly and gives you confidence on long trips. The black powder coat finish adds durability and corrosion resistance, keeping the brackets protected from road grime and weather over time.

Simple and Reliable Connection: Crossbar-Style Design for Secure Hook-Up

The crossbar-style setup gives you fixed attachment points that stay ready whenever you need to tow. The fixed-bar design means the front arms cannot be removed, so there’s nothing loose to keep track of. When paired with a Roadmaster tow bar and quick-disconnect crossbar (910021-00, sold separately), the connection stays solid and predictable every time you hitch up.

Confident Fitment: Custom Base Plates for a Perfect Match

These brackets are custom-built to ensure a perfect fit for your vehicle’s frame. The precise alignment helps make installation straightforward and keeps everything square when you torque it down. Clear instructions and mounting hardware are included so you have what you need to get the job done right.

Flexible Setup Options: Works with Roadmaster Tow Bars and Accessories

If you already use a Roadmaster tow bar, this kit works seamlessly when combined with the quick-disconnect crossbar (910021-00, sold separately). You can also use car side quick disconnects (RM-222, sold separately) or add lighting with the RoadMaster Tail Light Wiring Kit (RM-154, sold separately) for a complete towing setup.

Ready for DIY Installation: Straightforward Mounting with Optional Fishwires

Everything bolts on using the supplied hardware, and the included instructions walk you through each step. For a full installation, fishwires (C58400, sold separately) are required to help route bolts cleanly through the frame during setup. It’s a steady weekend project that ends with a solid, dependable towing connection.

Specs

Construction and Design

  • Base plate type: Crossbar-style base plates
  • Design: Fixed-bar design – front arms cannot be removed
  • Material: Computer-cut, all-steel construction
  • Finish: Black powder coat finish that is durable and corrosion resistant
  • Fitment: Custom base plates ensure a perfect fit for your vehicle

Compatibility

  • Tow bar compatibility: Compatible with Roadmaster tow bars with use of quick-disconnect crossbar (910021-00 - sold separately)

Included Components

  • Included: Instructions and mounting hardware

Origin and Warranty

  • Made in: USA
  • Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty

Note

  • Note: Fishwires (C58400 - sold separately) are required for complete installation.

317-2 Road Master Standard Base Plate Kit

Installation Details 317-2 Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Ratings & Reviews

4.7

171 reviews
Review sort icon
Base plate brackets attach to your vehicle's frame to provide fixed attachment points for your tow bar.

by:

I received the Towbar and brackets complete this morning. During the interim I tried to get the bumper off to put onto my drill press once it arrives. A the Torx screws were rustlocked onto the Jeep and created a massive amount of pull to get off. First they didn't budge so I heated the screw to 700 degrees using a soldering gun (torch would also work) then I soaked for two days using WD40. To get the T55s to turn required taking the handle off the floor jack to and place the handle of my 1/2in ratchet in the handle. It worked -Just a note you will struggle with getting the bumper off. Once out and the bumper is off, put the screws in upside down about 3 threads and pour WD40 to soak in the hole.
This will help you later in re-installing. Use the brackets as a template using whiteout and draw a line thru the center. You will need to start with a small still 1/2 then 3/8 then 1/2 and finally 17/32 to mount. Its easier to control the walking small bit with a centerpunch.

Just a little tip to help out with the product. Biggest drawback with the bar is you cant back up (reverse thrust on the bar). Unhook and turn around then rehook. This happens where turnarounds are required and no space to make a turnaround.



by:

Very well made. Easily put together with decent instructions. Etrailer.com a perfect partner for an RVer.



by:

Well made , heavy duty construction. Easy to install following instructions. Hardest part was drilling the holes, but that wasn't bad. With these, and the roadmaster towbar, and safety cables, I know my Tracker will still be there when I arrive!



by:

Product was as advertised. It arrived earlier than expected. The installation instructions were simple and easy to follow. The install had no problems. You need to center punch where you are going
to drill because the surface to be drilled is not flat. You need to drill a pilot hole to ease drilling the larger hole.
On the my '93 Ranger Splash the bumper came off with only the removal of 4 easy to reach nuts. A wrench is not required on the bolts as they were welded to a metal strip between them that made re-installation simple. The plastic air-dam on the bottom of the bumper can be removed easily to cut holes for the base plate to extend thru. Don't replace it until the bumper has been re-installed.



by:

I received the "Classic" base plate kit (model 1528-1) for my 2000 Honda CRV about a week ago, but just had it installed by a local mechanic. Prior to installation, I inspected the package contents, and found it to contain all of the required parts. The material from which the parts were manufactured appear to be somewhat heavier and more substantial than I anticipated. The fit to my car frame was very good, and although the attachment points on this model are not the quick-release design, they are not overly obvious. I can't speak concerning performance, as we haven't had occasion to actually use it yet.



by:

I purchased a 'tow package' for my Jeep so I could pull it behind my motorhome, along with a trailer hitch for the Jeep.

All products fit perfectly, and were easy to install. We traveled about 6K miles, and did not have an issue.

Thanks!



by:

This is an excellent, strong product, that fit my older model Honda CRV perfectly. We just drove cross country. Combined with a basic rigid tow bar, this is a reliable, economic light vehicle tow set up, just be sure your hitch is at the correct height so the tow bar is level, otherwise you will have twisting problems in tight turns.



by:

The Real Story - The real story regarding what it takes to install the base is that it takes about 4 hours and . .

- You will need a small sledge hammer to pound the unit into the frame cross tube such that the attach points are solid against the frame and align properly at the center point bottom of the frame.

- You will need to remove the wheels to gain access to the side of the vehicle’s frame for drilling the attach points.

- You may need to jack the car up for ground clearance, to drill the bottom hole.

- I had to cut an access hole through the bumper cover to get the backing plate into the frame channel.

- You will need to pry off the frame mud guard, if your car has one.

- You may need to make a ruler like metal shim to hold the back plate while you screw the bottom bolt.

- A 6 ft pole lever is needed to force the front of the base down and thereby pivot the back flange up to align it to the slot like hole in the frame. This area is critical so make sure the hole you drill is match centered!!

- Drill small attach point holes first to make sure you have sufficient clearance on the back side, for the large washers and proper hole alignment with the base flange

- If it all goes well . . plan on a 4 hour job.

- The base is a real beast and could haul a Mac Truck!

- It is by far the easiest base to install, of any I evaluated.

- Would you recommend etrailer.com to a friend? Oh hell yes!



by:

Very happy with the service I received, and so pleased with the base plate easy to install. Pics soon. Thank you etrailer



by:

Delivery of the products was EXTREMELY fast.
The
installation instructions referred to a page with adjustment instructions but the page was not included and I couldn't find the missing page on-line either. Installation was a bit more complicated than I thought it was going to be.
Very sturdy product. It should do a great job for me.



by:

made strong took about 3 hours my tow hooks on my suzuki samural were bent out so that slow me down a bit i used 5 pound sledge out bang them straight then bolts went in i turn the front wheels to the right so to drill the hole in the frame used small bit then went for larger one work out well follow direction they did work but lacking illustration .works good



by:

A little scary at first but went on my Geo Tracker easily. Extremely solid once installed. Made the tow from CA to Ohio a breeze. I did have to make some adapters to fit my towbar but that's not the fault of your product.



by:

The product was received as expected. The brackets aligned with all points and bolted up first time. The hardware was great, except two lock washer short (but not a problem as I had extras in my parts bins) and double the number of flat washers (extras for the next project). But is was great to have all optional bolts, washers and nuts supplied. Instructions were easy to follow and complete with one excepting. I need a bracket part from the old brackets and that was not included in the instructions, but was clear as I aligned everything in the pre assembly.



by:

High Quality Product. Install instructions don't go into enough detail in step by step. A little vague for the Non-Expert installer. Nut Plates provided for rear mounting bolts are wider than the holes available in sub-frame for install. Had to mill sides of pads to get them into the frame for install. No instructions or fish wires to get them into place. Had to manufacture own fish wire system to get the plates in place for install. Once mods were completed and hardware designed and built, installation was pretty much straight forward. I would not consider this kit for a novice installer. Sorry I didn't take pictures of the "wide" nut plate situation and my redesign (width reduction)



by:

The product fits perfectly. Installation is somewhat easy except drilling the opening on the frame. The arms are holding down very strong, good quality.



by:

Did have to cut off factory tow hook with a hack saw. Straight forward install otherwise and good quality.



by:

Perfect fit for my 2005 Jeep Wrangler TJ using a Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000.



by:

Remove bumper and front wheels. Bracket B is the only hole to be drilled for installing. Bracket C bolts thru existing steering box bolt hole. Bracket E bolts from main bar A to existing rigging eye in your samurai to anchor and secure the base plate. (See pictures) hope this helps. Only negative for me is the base plate sticks out in front instead of below bumper. All parts needed for installation where in the box.



by:

installed the tow brackets per the instructions - the pictures in the instructions were small and weren't real helpful so I contacted Customer Service which sent me detailed photos of an installation on a similar vehicle - helped a lot! Thanks! Within a week we were off on a cross country trip down to Mexico, put on 6000 miles and then retorqed the bracket bolts. This is a good product, easy to use, and we've used it pretty hard - no problems so far!



by:

Very easy to install and well built product. Instructions made the job go smoothly. With the tight tolerance on the backing plate bolt spacing, I had to do a small amount of filing on the 1989 Jeep Cherokee frame holes so that the plates would slide easily through. Other than that, no real problems. As mentioned in the instructions, I had to cut small sections out of the top and bottom of the bumper for the new brackets but the install looks really clean.



by:

This thing is a really frustrating. For $xxx it should be a lot better even from the beginning where people understand the install situation. It isn't really a bolt on as step one is cut and grind off the factory tow hook. This isn't mentioned by RM. The instructions are a joke - they mix up front and back all the while telling you to read the instructions closely. And the support is really frustrating. If you have 3 questions with photos, etc, they answer only one question per email. You should stop selling this unit until you install it with a video on some vans of maybe different years and maybe RM will listen to you and update their instructions and as far as I can tell so far the hardware needs at least some different hardware. Until then sell the RM Westy front bumper with Clevises already on it for about the same money.



by:

I am super happy with this and the base plates for it. I am impressed that these parts were bought separately and fit like a glove together!



by:

Very heavy duty, bullet proof product. Used it for a while with cheap tow bar. Recently purchased a road master tow bAR and it worked superbly for both.



by:

I finally have my parts today,I waited 5 Days but I Guess that's How It Is.The Set up was Not Hard at all,I had all the parts to Install it ,And Yes I will buy Again if I Need something else!



by:

Everything is perfect! There was no problem with fit, durability or quality! I am very happy with the products you sent me!

Bob profile picture

Bob

8/26/2025

It’s been great. I only use it to tow my huntn’ rig and never a problem. I’m 87 now and can load and unload by myself.


25
25

See what our Experts say about this Roadmaster Tow Bar Base Plate

  • Will My Tow Bar Cross Bar Work with a Roadmaster Base Plate Kit # 317-2 on a 1997 Nissan Pickup
    If the tow bar you have is a Roadmaster tow bar or you have a cross bar adapter to Roadmaster base plates then, yes, the Roadmaster Classic Base Plate Kit, item # 317-2, for your 1997 Nissan Pickup will work with it. You will most likely need a set of car side quick disconnects, item # RM-222, to connect the cross bar to the base plates, if you did not retain the car side brackets from your 1991 Nissan. If you have a different brand of tow bar, and do not have a Roadmaster tow bar adapter,...
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 1996 Nissan Pickup Truck Behind a Motor Home
    To flat tow a vehicle behind a motor home you will need base plates, tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking. For a 1996 Nissan Pickup there are several base plates available. For a 2 or 4 wheel drive model you can use fixed base plates # 317-2 and they will always be visible at the front of the vehicle. Or you could use removable base plates # 317-1 and once the arms are removed they will be basically invisible. Either base plate set will be compatible with all Roadmaster...
    view full answer...
  • Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 1995 Nissan Pickup
    To flat tow a vehicle you need 5 primary items, Base Plates, Tow Bar, Safety Chains/Cables, Supplemental Braking and a Wiring Solution that provides indicator lights on the vehicle in tow to match that of the RV. The Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit, # 317-2 that you identified is a confirmed fit for the 1995 Nissan Pickup and a great choice. This is a crossbar-style base plate and the Roadmaster Falcon All Terrain, Non-Binding Tow Bar, # RM-522 will fit very well for with these...
    view full answer...
  • Parts Needed to Tow a 1997 Nissan 4x2 Pickup
    For your 1997 Nissan Pickup you would need a base plate kit, tow bar, lighting and safety cables to tow your pickup. We have Roadmaster Base Plates part # 317-2 for your vehicle which are custom base plate brackets that attach to your Nissan pickup's frame to provide fixed attachment points for your tow bar. You will not need any other parts or fabrication to install the base plates. For a tow bar you can use the Roadmaster Tracker Tow Bar, part # RM-020, which you reference. Part # 63180...
    view full answer...


Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Written by:
Lindsey S
Employee Robert G
Expert Research:
Robert G
Employee Adele M
Updated by:
Adele M
Employee Wilson B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Employee Mike S
Updated by:
Mike S
Employee Isabelle B
Updated by:
Isabelle B

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.


Product Experts Available Now!
Call 1-800-940-8924