Roadmaster Base Plate Installation - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu

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Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

375 reviews

Code: 523145-5

Retail: $485.00

Price:  $434.11

• Base Plates
• Removable Drawbars
• Twist Lock Attachment

• Roadmaster

Roadmaster's EZ Twistlock series brackets are virtually invisible, easy to mount and simple to remove. Brackets install on your vehicle's frame to provide attachment points for your tow bar.

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How to Install Roadmaster Base Plates on a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu

Today on this 2011 Chevy Malibu were going to install part number 523145-5 from Roadmaster. First thing we need to do is get up underneath the hood and we need to remove the shroud from the radiator cover. There will be a variety of fasteners that well have to remove all the way around the edge of it. Therell be combination of bolts and plastic rivets. Next well go down by the fender well and remove three plastic fasteners that attach the fender liner to the corner of the fascia. Well also remove a 10 millimeter bolt attaching the corner of the fascia to the fender and the bolt will be pointing upwards at a little bit of an angle so its a little bit hard to see.

When were done with the drivers side well repeat the same process over on the passenger side. Now well go underneath the vehicle. There will be nine bolts that we have to remove and two plastic fasteners along the edge. Once those are removed well go to the center splash shield and therell be two more bolts that we have to remove and three plastic fasteners. Well remove the splash shield and thatll give us access to two more plastic fasteners so we can remove the shroud on the bottom.

Actually on the drivers side therell be two plastic fasteners attaching the bottom of the fender liner to the inner fender liner. Done with the drivers side well repeat the same process over on the passenger side. At this point we can go head and remove the bumper cover. Its a good idea to have an extra set of hands to help do this. First well go ahead and pull the bumper cover away from the wheel well.

Well pull it back and then on the top edge of the head light get a hold of the bumper cover there and pull straight up. Now well go ahead and take the bumper cover and put it out of the way for now. Next we got to loosen up the inner fender liner to the bumper core. There will be two fasteners there and then well remove the fasteners underneath going towards the back of the vehicle to loosen it up. It wont completely remove it, but just enough to get it out of our way and pull down on it.

Were done with the drivers side well repeat for the passenger side. Now we can go ahead and start installing the hardware into the frame of the car. Well take the square block with the square hole thats in the center and a carriage bolt and well install into the existing holes that in the bottom of the frame. Its a rectangular hole. To help us do that well be using a wire pull, part number 80101-1. Were done with the drivers side well repeat the same thing on the passengers side. Well go ahead and put the base plate into place. Then well mark our holes for the bumper structure. Then well lower out of our way and then drill out our holes and install our hardware. Well start with a couple of pilot bit holes and then work our way up to a half inch. Now well go ahead and install our hardware. Well us a block with the square hole thats offset. Well hold it to the bottom of the bumper structure so you can see how its supposed to fit on the inside. Then well take our bolt leader once more out it through the hole we just drilled out, through the block and onto the bolt. Well push the two together. We put the whole assembly in at an angle so we can pull through the bumper structure and out through the hole until its a very tight fit. With our hardware installed we can go ahead and install the base plate once again. Well go ahead and attach our base plate. Well also use some thread lock tight to help secure the bolts and the hardware. Well put the base plate up and well install the lock washer and a nut. Once we have our hardware loosely installed well go ahead and tighten it down and torque them down as specified in the instructions. Now there are only four more holes that we have to install. Again we use the hitch as a template. We will drill a pilot hole out first and then well work our up to a half an inch. Then well install our hardware. Now on the backside of the frame well get a small plate with two round holes and well install our two hex bolts. Then put out lock tight and lock washers and our nuts. Then well go ahead and tighten them down and torque them down as specified in the instructions. Next we need to go ahead and trim the splash shield on the side. Well hold them in place up against the base plate and well use a marker and well mark out what we need to cut out. Then well take a rotary tool and trim them as needed. Now the bumper cover, our fascia needs to be trimmed as well. Well measure about three inches from the edge of the grill towards the center of the fascia. Then well go ahead and mark it and then cut it. Now well go ahead and reinstall the bumper cover. Make sure everything fits okay well go ahead and leave it in place and go ahead and start reattaching it. Then well work our way from the bottom and work our way back up to the top. With all our components reinstalled we can go ahead and install the front braces. Well be installing them into receiver tubes and rotating them 90 degrees to lock them in place. Then its ready for your choice of toolbar. Now well go ahead and install the safety cables. The bracket has holes located on the receivers to attach our quick link and our cables. Thatll finish it for our install of part number 523145-5, on our 2012 Chevrolet Malibu.