Number of Labor Hours for a Towed vehicle install?

I had the Equinox done this spring. Blue Ox base plate and wiring on the toad was about 6 hours. Another 2 hours on the coach changing the 4 round to a 7 flat and running a charge line to the plug.

I installed the Blue Ox base plate on my Wrangler, took 3 hrs. Had to remove the bumper. I installed the Air Force 1 unit in the Wrangler, took me 6 hrs between work and watching the You Tube presentation. My mechanic installed the air reservoir on the coach for AF1, took 1.5 hrs.

If you can't do it yourself you are completely at the mercy of someone who can. You need to get multiple estimates from folks you trust (that's important). Then, shell out the bucks and get on with your adventures!

I’ve checked prices at RV places before and never used them. I’ve done I think four tow set ups since my first RV. I took one of my Jeeps to the body shop at the Chrysler dealer. They had never done one before so I gave them the instructions and all the parts and they installed it about half price what the RV dealer wanted. And even though it was his first one, it was an auto body guy that did it so I trusted he knew better what he was doing than a guy at the RV dealer. My current Jeep Wrangler I went to a small shop that does 4x4 mods. They do lift kits, and roll bars, and bumpers and winches and all that stuff. They also did the install for about half what an RV dealer wanted.

It depends on the mods needed to be made to the vehicle. Some are easy...bolt swap and no grill trimming for the brackets, comvenient place to mount the brake box and easy access for wiring runs, tail light diods, etc. Others are a real PITA and can easily be an 18hr task. Seen it both ways.

Generally speaking I think 14.5 hours is high. If they quoted that high it tells me they might not do many of them.

I installed the base plate, Roadmaster invisibrake and light wiring myself in my toad. The base plate suggested about 2 hours, the brake system information said about 5 hours and he wiring was another couple hours.
It took me longer than that as I needed to read the directions several times, decide where to install the brake components, remove and replace several interior panels and ensure it works properly.
A qualified shop with this kind of experience should be quicker but will probably take at least a full day and then some time to test and adjust everything.

Did they tell you they will keep the vehicle for two days?
The time seems a little high but maybe they know about the skill level of the "technician in training" better than we do.
Personally I would think that they can get things done in one day. I had a Blue Ox face plate and the diodes for the lights installed in about 4 1/2 hours and they had to basically take a lot of the front end apart on my Chevrolet HHR. I watched them for awhile and it was obvious that the technician knew what he was doing.
Every vehicle is different and I did not have a braking system installed. As far as installing the tow bar, 15 minutes is plenty of time to push it in to your hitch and install the pin. A little longer if you install the anti rattle type lock with it.

Blue Ox says 3.5 hours for the base - looking at the instructions I'd believe that.

The Air Force one System looks to me like it might take about the same.

Figure an hour for the lights (probably less, but figure that) and you're looking at 8 hours. A smart shop would give themselves a little extra time on that, so a 10-12 hour quote doesn't seem way out of line.

My question would be is the install price a firm quote or an estimate? If they estimated 14 but did it in 6 how are you being charged? Same with if it goes bad - if they say 14 and it takes them 18 are you paying more?

The web sites for the equipment you mentioned, usually have installation instructions that can be printed out. Maybe print them out and take them to the installer for a true estimate.