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If you want your vehicle to keep its clean look when you’re not towing, this kit makes that happen. The brackets sit tucked behind the grille, and the removable arms come off with a simple pull and twist. Once they’re out, the front end looks stock again, with no bulky hardware sticking out to bump your knees or catch dirt.
Getting ready to tow shouldn’t take forever. The twist-lock design lets each arm snap in and lock with a quick twist, so you can hook up your tow bar without wrestling with pins or crossbars. It’s a direct-connect setup that keeps the process simple and solid every time you roll out.
No one wants to worry about rust or weak welds when towing across the miles. This heavy-duty steel base plate mounts right to the frame and carries a black powder coat finish that resists corrosion and wear. It’s built to hold up through long hauls and harsh conditions without losing strength or good looks.
This kit bolts straight to the frame so there’s no welding required. The custom-fit design lines up for a clean install while keeping your vehicle’s structure intact. It’s straightforward work if you’re tackling it at home, leaving you with a strong, ready-to-tow setup when you’re done.
If you’re already running a Roadmaster tow bar like the Nighthawk, Falcon, or Blackhawk, this kit connects directly for a secure setup. There’s no need for a crossbar, which keeps everything streamlined and easy to manage when you’re hitching up or parking after the trip.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
96% were satisfied with this product
4% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
Good product. If you are reasonably handy and have some tools, you can install this yourself in a few hours. I'm a mechanic, it took me a little over 2 hours to install on my own toad. The fit is good, there are 4 holes you have to drill, otherwise it is plug and play. When you insert and twist lock the tow bar mounts into their sockets they feel a little sloppy but they are secure, and i never noticed any rattle when towing. Overall i give it a 4 out of 5 for easy install and clean look after install. Pic included of installed base plate.
This was a bit of a challenge to install on a 2026 Chevrolet Colorado Z71. One item to be aware of, as you take off the front Facia of the truck for the install, there are two Facia "brakets" that attach to the front fenders that seem like they are use once plastic snaps. Three of the 4 snaps broke off on both sides when I removed the facia. These are about $35 a piece from Chevy and prevent you from making this a 1 day job. Additionally, there are 2 7mm screws/bolts that connect one of the coolers to the back of the bumper support and these are a real problem to get back in - over an hour of time and every 1/4" tool in my arsenal was needed to find a way to get these started. Finally, one of the Connecting Plates (Passenger side) needed to holes to be elongated to enable all the bolts to be started. Finally - you need to put the Brakaway bracket on the driver side, to have enough cable to reach you brake system. Probably have 4 hours in the disassembly and installation of the Direct-Connect Plate. Now waiting a couple days for the plastic brackets from Chevy to complete the install. Good Luck!!
It mounted up just as the instructions said it would. From previous research I was not surprised when some of the mounting did not align perfectly. Had to use a dremel tool to make it work. The product looks very sturdy from its design. I’m happy with it and look forward to RV traveling.
Excellent base plate, just as my wife requested, she didn’t want too much metal visible in front of the bumper. Installation instructions were a bit confusing for me, but I’ll clarify, for me.
2002 Honda CR-V. Easy to install. Two and a half hours, and stopped to eat a sandwich. To install the spacers inside the roll frame on the car I used an extension magnet to reach in there and position them. As you can see NO cutting was needed on the bumper cover!
Now I have to figure out the easiest way to run the wiring for the lights.
Thanks Lauren A for your help!
Awesome instructions! Install was fairly easy. Product is very high quality and solid construction. Thank you E Trailer!
I installed this base plate on a 2018 Miata RF. I think I recall something about it taking 3.5 hours and my initial estimate was 3.5 days. It actually took a bit longer than that, but I was not pushing myself and did not have the luxury of having the vehicle on a lift but had it up on two ramps for the front wheels.
The order came pretty quickly, probably about 4 or 5 days between the time I placed it and UPS delivered it. The parts were well packaged and it came with a printed set of instructions. I had watched the video install on another Miata and if it weren't for that I'm not sure I would have tried it. I'm not a pro mechanic by any means but have worked on my own vehicles now for over 40 years. And I'm not a spring chicken either, so all the up and down working on the car can tire me fairly quickly. But if you are not in a rush and go carefully it can be done.
It took a day to do most of the disassembly. I removed both headlights and the intake tube on the passenger side. That tube came out much easier then it went back in.
The next day I got the baseplate mounted which helped to start visualizing how it all would work. All of the holes for the 6mm bolts did not quite line up with the holes in the frame. I had to file one sides worth for a bit of extra clearance. From my experience on this install you really want to leave all the bolt on the loose side till you get everything situated.
A couple of days off for rain and the then I got to work on the bracing. Initially I though I didnt need to cut the top lip of the frame but I decided to go ahead and do it anyway since that part didnt seem to sit flat when bolted from the back end. I'm still not sure its really necessary as the hump clears the metal lip without cutting it.
I also ordered a 14" long 1/2" drill bit to cut the holes in the frame. It was a Bosch bit, wasnt very expensive and it went through the metal like the proverbial hot knife. I managed to get all the big bolts installed in a day with a great sense of satisfaction.
The next day I torqued down all the bolts and the mount felt very solid. They stress that you need to install all the bolts, but honestly I can't see the 6mm bolts doing much compared to the half inch bolts that do most or all of the work. But I put them in and tightened them all the same.
A couple of days spent to install the tail light wiring and then I got back on to putting the front clip back on. My car must have had an aftermarket grill since it did not match the pictures or the video. I tried to position it carefully to see where the parts that were going to stick out would be so I didnt cut out more than I needed to. So there was a good amount of back and forth, cut and fit. In the end I had to make some extra cuts for clearance for the safety cable tabs as well as the mount for the 6 wire connector. Until I made the extra cuts the lower part of the front clip would not seat correctly. Getting the clip in the right position so it fits under the lights also takes some finagling.
Figuring out where all the bolts go back in can be interesting. Take pictures where you can. Dont be too aggressive when working with plastic parts. Overall I'm satisfied with the install, but I have yet to try and hook it up to tow.
Easy to install needed to replace some fasteners as they broke removing front grill was able to get them from Amazon cheap
I bought and installed this tow plate one year ago on my 2013 Jeep Wrangler. I bought this particular plate due to the jeep having a Barricade off-road bumper. This plate attaches a bit lower than other plates and prevented having to modify the bumper. Installation was easy involving only hand tools. The plate comes with all needed bolts and attachments. I have towed this Jeep several thousand miles behind my RV with absolutely no issues. As an aside, I use a Roadmaster Night Hawk tow bar which is also an excellent product. Both are expensive, but I believe cheaping-out on safety is no a good idea. I highly recommend this product.
This works perfect with my Roadmaster tow bar. It was a little difficult to install since I had to remove the front end of the Trailblazer, but with the good directions that came with it and some you tube videos made the installation easier.
Etrailer comes through again! This was a great savings as a used kit, but it was even better than the description online. I have installed (4) baseplates on and etrailer.com has given me great videos to watch and good instructions to follow. Couldn't be more pleased with the quality, service and delivery times.
Baseplate parts were loosrly put in a homemade box wrapped in cardboard shredded paper. These heavy arms bounced around and scratched the powdercoat off down to bare metal in several places. See pics. Definitely going to cause premature flaking/rusting.
Be prepared to get all of the powder coating out of all with the bolt holes and probably a little more. Driver side fit really well passenger side, not so much. If you watch the 2025 Ranger raptor install video they referenced, It is nothing like the other trim levels. They’re way more complicated.
Kate F.
2/18/2026
I am very sorry to hear you had a difficult time with the install K. I am surprised by they first sentence , I have not heard of this issue with the powder coating before. Did you happen to get a picture of it? I would like to send it over to my contact at Roadmaster.
This is a Roadmaster product - NOT etrailers - so the review for the product is average. Only because of the poorly written instructions, hole alignments, and…… the 1st solution I got directly from Roadmaster was spec’s to the wrong vehicle. Very frustrating.
etrailer shipped the product pronto - via a horse and carriage. Ordered on Tuesday and it arrived on Saturday to Idaho. That part should be faster. It’s 2026! Should only take 3 days for anything to cross the country.
Also, I already have the tow equipment on the Motorhome - however now I have to readdress the safety cables and the rock guard from the current Roadmaster system to fit the new receivers installed on the new vehicle. Another frustration.
Should add - moving from a Jeep Wrangler to a new Ford Ranger 4x4.
Had these installed at Lester’s Automotive in Boerne,Texas…First class service all the way. Paul and his crew worked through lunch for over 4 hours to install these on our 2026 Ford Ranger. Also ran the wire and hooked up my auxiliary tow lights. The price for this was very reasonable and would highly recommend them for all r.v. needs even if not real close to the Boerne area. R.V park within reasonable distance if needed.
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Lazer S.
10/7/2025
Sorry this arrived to you in this condition, Mark. Was the box also torn up when it arrived? Or was it from the parts moving around in transit? Either way, something like Rust-Oleum spray paint will cover those up and keep any rust from starting. We can also credit you for that can of paint. You will have a good amount of extra left over that you can use for other stuff that needs touching up if needed. : )