Comparing Installation Difficulty Of The etrailer and Blue Ox Baseplates For A 2020 Ford Expedition

Published 07/23/2024

Products Featured in This Question

etrailer Invisible Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

(841)

$568.61

Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

(5253)

$487.47

etrailer XHD Non-Binding Tow Bar - RV Mount - 2" Hitch - 10,500 lbs

(241)

$838.17

Roadmaster 4-Diode Universal Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles - 7-Way to 6-Way Coiled Adapter Cord

(3627)

$183.38

Roadmaster Battery Charge Line Kit for Towed Vehicles

(1489)

$42.19

Roadmaster Brake-Lite Relay Kit for Towed Vehicles

(786)

$39.95

Demco Air Force One Flat Tow Brake System for RVs w/ Air Brakes - Proportional

(586)

$1450.00

Demco Stay-IN-Play Duo Flat Tow Brake System for RVs w/ Hydraulic Brakes - Proportional

(851)

$1285.50

Question:

Is there any difference in the difficulty of installing the Etrailer baseplate compatible with Demco tow bars to the Blue Ox baseplate on a 2020 Ford Expedition? Thanks!

asked by: Scott G

Expert Reply:

Hey Scott,

The installations differ slightly but are pretty much the same since both the etrailer # e86YR and Blue Ox # BO84FR replace the factory tow hooks. Of the two I prefer the etrailer baseplate because it sits in just slightly more for a more concealed look when not in use. You could pair it with the etrailer XHD Non-Binding Tow Bar # e94ZR to complete the physical connection between your Expedition and motorhome. If you haven't picked out the rest of your flat towing components then I have the following recommendations:

Tow Bar Wiring Kit: Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit # RM-15267. This diode kit will transfer your motorhome's traffic signals to the tail lights of the Expedition.

Braking System: If your motorhome has hydraulic brakes then you'll want the Demco Stay-IN-Play Duo # SM99251. This system has an indicator light that will tap in the purple/white brake light switch wire coming from the brake pedal on your Expedition to let you know when the brakes are being applied. If your motorhome has air brakes then you'll want to go with the Demco Air Force One # SM99243 instead.

If you find that the turn signal overrides your brake signal when towing then you'll also need to install a brake lite relay kit # RM-88400.

The battery in your Expedition will drain while you tow so you'll want to also install a charge line kit # RM-156-25 to keep the battery charged while you tow.