We finally bought a 4 down toad. Been looking for the right one for months and we bought it yesterday. It's a 2011 CRV EX FWD. So now it's time to sell the dolly and buy some bars. Pretty much made up my mind that I want to go with the ready brute bars with the integrated ready brake. As far as plates go I need some help. If I read right, Ready brute does not makes plates but will marry up to a few other manufacturers. So I am left trying to decide between Roadmaster, Demco, and Blue ox ( there may be others.) I would like the easiest to install as well as the easiest to hook to the bars and the ones that blend in with the vehicle the most. Also, how does the CRV lighting work? I would imagine using the ready brake, the brake lights would activate as normal, but what about night driving? Are supplemental lights needed? In the manual for towing it states to put the key in the acc position but turn off radio etc. Does this mean I don't need a battery disconnect? Thanks for any help.

NSA does make ends for their Ready Brute to match any of the three you mentioned. You have to decide beforehand which baseplate mfg you're going to use so they can provide the right ones. If you buy used, not to worry, cuz the ends are changeable....for a price. I've used the Blue Ox baseplates on my last three vehicles for one simple reason. When you're not towing, they're virtually invisible. The tow pins turn 90 degrees and you pull them out and the rest is not really noticeable. The roadmaster seemed to be pretty bulky. I've been happy with the BlueOx but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them...personal choice. My coach came with a 7 pin wiring harness as I'm sure yours did. The 7 pin harness includes wiring for the brake lights, turn signals and taillights, with an additional blue wire for 12V hookup if necessary. I don't use one myself but I don't do much night driving. You'll need some diodes installed to prevent backfeed to your coach. Easy to wire up. If there's room, you could drill a hole inside the taillight housing and snap in separate bulbs which would negate the need for the diodes as you'd be bypassing all the SUVs electrical system. I did that with my Saturn, but wired the HHRs and the Equinox through their systems.Whichever baseplate you choose, please also install the ReadyStop. You may save a life if you're toad ever separates from your coach.....Dennis

Executive wrote:Whichever baseplate you choose, please also install the ReadyStop. You may save a life if you're toad ever separates from your coach.....DennisThanks Dennis. For $100 it seems like a no brainer.

Just installed a Blue Ox base plate on a 2005 CRV that I got off Amazon. Very easy and nearly invisable for my CRV model year. Don't have pics at the moment. The lights took a bit more since the CRV has seperate brake and turn signals. Rather than cutting holes and installing seperate lights I used a signal splitter (THIS ONE).I also added a rear camera and wireless video link back to the coach monitor so I can see out the back of the CRV when going down the road. My monitor will accept two video inputs that I can switch between.

We have a 2012 CRV. I too used Blue OX base plate because of the removable pins and a Blue OX tow bar. The wiring is simple if you use this kit --> http://www.amazon.com/Roadmaster-155-Taillight-Wiring-Kit/dp/B003VAPEHA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427464799&sr=8-1&keywords=Roadmaster+155+Taillight+Wiring+Kit You don't have to cut into your cars wiring with this and risk messing something up. This has it's own set of bulbs so you just drill an extra hole in the back of the taillight and install the bulbs.

Effy,I just went through this exercise, or shall I say "going through" since I have not done the install yet. But if you want to save a few bucks, I bought a blue ox Aladdin off CL for $200. It's in like new condition. I went with the blue ox baseplate, and the ready brake system with break-away. Note, if you go with blue ox, there is a small adapter you need to buy for the ready brake. It's cheap. I see various base plates for sale on CL. I ended up buying the end plate new from Hitchsupply. They beat everyone's price and their customer service is excellent.

Got the Toad now I need bars and plates | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Mar 28, 2015
Effy wrote:
Rwake901 wrote:
Effy wrote:
So if I have the ready brute elite with the built in ready brake, won't the brake lights work when activated? And if so I and I get the roadmaster 155 wiring for the brake lights and signals won't I have double brake lights? Nothing wrong with that I suppose but seems redundant, all I really would need it turn signals.

Turn signals and tail lights...

Yes, I'll have the stock brake lights from the ready brake activation and brake lights from the roadmaster 155.

It is true I'll have the turn signals from the 155 but I will also have 2 sources of brake lights. The stock toad brake lights and the 155 supplemental brake lights. That's what I meant. 2 brake lights and one source of turn signals.

I'm not sure about the vehicle that you plan to use but on my Chevy HHR, the stock brake lights DO NOT work when the vehicle is being towed. When the ginition is turned off, it also kills the brake lights. ON my vehicle you have to remove a fuse so that the key can remain in the acc position, but ALL electric is turned off so that the digital odometer does not register miles towed.
What they did on my HHR was to drill holes in the factory lights and install ADDITIONAL light bulbs that are powered by my RV when we are traveling. This gives me running lights, turn signals, and brake lights, just like a trailer. My stock brake lights do nothing since the power is off to them while towing.
Mr_Mark1
Explorer
Mar 28, 2015
Effy, the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V's were the same style (we had an '07). If your Honda has the Navigation, then you will need to have a fuse disconnect installed or pull the fuse manually which is not fun.

We had to have the same done on our 2013 Honda CR-V as we have Nav.

Both of our Honda's were set-up with the Blue Ox base plates, etc. Very clean set-up (looks). I had both done professionally so I don't know how difficult it was.

The M and G supplemental braking system was on the 2007 but wouldn't fit well on the 2013 so we went the SMI Air Force One system. Both work virtually the same.

Good luck and happy towing!
MM.
Effy
Explorer II
Mar 28, 2015
mtrumpet wrote:
Effy wrote:
Looks like the blue OX base plate requires cutting the bumper and metal attachment pieces on the frame. Not that I am adverse to that but do the others have this complex of an install as well? Blue ox does seem the one that becomes mostly invisible when installed.

This is why I prefer Roadmaster Base Plates. They have a full selection of "hidden" base plates for most vehicles and are much easier to install overall. Now having said that, Blue Ox also makes some "hidden" base plate setups, but I don't believe that they have quite the selection of them as does Roadmaster.

On my first towed, I had Blue Ox base baseplates In which I had to remove the entire front bumper and cowling, then do a lot of cutting and trimming. Not so with the Roadmaster baseplates that I now have (on two vehicles). Installation time of my Roadmaster baseplates was a fraction of the time of the Blue Ox. At least, on the set ups that I had/have. Different vehicles may differ based upon what is currently available.

You make a good point. I researched the road master and their attachment points remove just like the blue ox, so the end result is pretty much the same as far as aesthetics. The main difference being not having to cut away the bumper ends and brackets with a sawzall and widening 2 holes as opposed to drilling several new holes in the frame with the blue ox. Oh it's also cheaper. In a lot of the reviews they claim how easy it is to install as opposed to the blue ox. hmm. Might change my mind. And Ready brute has brackets that will fit it as well.
mtrumpet
Explorer
Mar 27, 2015
Effy wrote:
Looks like the blue OX base plate requires cutting the bumper and metal attachment pieces on the frame. Not that I am adverse to that but do the others have this complex of an install as well? Blue ox does seem the one that becomes mostly invisible when installed.

This is why I prefer Roadmaster Base Plates. They have a full selection of "hidden" base plates for most vehicles and are much easier to install overall. Now having said that, Blue Ox also makes some "hidden" base plate setups, but I don't believe that they have quite the selection of them as does Roadmaster.

On my first towed, I had Blue Ox base baseplates In which I had to remove the entire front bumper and cowling, then do a lot of cutting and trimming. Not so with the Roadmaster baseplates that I now have (on two vehicles). Installation time of my Roadmaster baseplates was a fraction of the time of the Blue Ox. At least, on the set ups that I had/have. Different vehicles may differ based upon what is currently available.
Rwake901
Explorer
Mar 27, 2015
Effy wrote:
Looks like the blue OX base plate requires cutting the bumper and metal attachment pieces on the frame. Not that I am adverse to that but do the others have this complex of an install as well? Blue ox does seem the one that becomes mostly invisible when installed.

My CRV is one year newer but I didn't have to cut anything when I installed our Blue Ox base plate. I did have to drill a few holes but it was no big deal. The worst is figuring out how the front end comes apart. Once it was off and out of the way the rest was easy...
Effy
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2015
Looks like the blue OX base plate requires cutting the bumper and metal attachment pieces on the frame. Not that I am adverse to that but do the others have this complex of an install as well? Blue ox does seem the one that becomes mostly invisible when installed.
Rwake901
Explorer
Mar 27, 2015
Effy wrote:
Rwake901 wrote:
Effy wrote:
So if I have the ready brute elite with the built in ready brake, won't the brake lights work when activated? And if so I and I get the roadmaster 155 wiring for the brake lights and signals won't I have double brake lights? Nothing wrong with that I suppose but seems redundant, all I really would need it turn signals.

Turn signals and tail lights...

Yes, I'll have the stock brake lights from the ready brake activation and brake lights from the roadmaster 155.

It is true I'll have the turn signals from the 155 but I will also have 2 sources of brake lights. The stock toad brake lights and the 155 supplemental brake lights. That's what I meant. 2 brake lights and one source of turn signals.

I have the Brake Buddy system and it depends on how hard you brake weather it works or not. If you have just a slow steady brake then it isn't needed so it doesn't activate. Which is why you may or may not have double brake lights.
Effy
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2015
Rwake901 wrote:
Effy wrote:
So if I have the ready brute elite with the built in ready brake, won't the brake lights work when activated? And if so I and I get the roadmaster 155 wiring for the brake lights and signals won't I have double brake lights? Nothing wrong with that I suppose but seems redundant, all I really would need it turn signals.

Turn signals and tail lights...

Yes, I'll have the stock brake lights from the ready brake activation and brake lights from the roadmaster 155.

It is true I'll have the turn signals from the 155 but I will also have 2 sources of brake lights. The stock toad brake lights and the 155 supplemental brake lights. That's what I meant. 2 brake lights and one source of turn signals.
Rwake901
Explorer
Mar 27, 2015
Effy wrote:
So if I have the ready brute elite with the built in ready brake, won't the brake lights work when activated? And if so I and I get the roadmaster 155 wiring for the brake lights and signals won't I have double brake lights? Nothing wrong with that I suppose but seems redundant, all I really would need it turn signals.

Turn signals and tail lights...
Effy
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2015
So if I have the ready brute elite with the built in ready brake, won't the brake lights work when activated? And if so I and I get the roadmaster 155 wiring for the brake lights and signals won't I have double brake lights? Nothing wrong with that I suppose but seems redundant, all I really would need it turn signals.

Forum Discussion

Got the Toad now I need bars and plates

20 Replies

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

base plate for toad is bent

Hidden toad vehicle Plate

License plates

Capture plate?

Vanity Plates