I bought a 012 Jeep Liberty. I already have a nice SS Falcon tow bar left from the '05 Liberty I had before. So alls I need it the 2 base plates that bolt to the frame.Has anyone built their own ?I just ain't payin no $3-500 for 2 little brackets that are worth 20 bucks each. Just because a bracket is engineered, doesn't impress me $400 worth.Anyone build their own? I don't know how to weld, but I can learn.Just kidding,....but I'm serious about making my own.On the last Jeep I modified the ones that came w/ the used TB, and it worked fine.All this after I find out I can't tow the 4wd Liberty on the Demco Caddy. I much prefer 2 down because I can back it up.

You can always order the bracket kit from Roadmaster, then use it as a pattern for the Jeep, and then send back the Roadmaster kit, and say 'Just kidding' I did not want it. At least you will know what to build, and what shape and thickness all that metal has to be.Roadmaster is located in Vancouver WA, near the boarder. Fred.

I'm a welder and fabricator yet I look at some manufactured items and consider the time and cost involved and there are those occasions when i just buy them. I have an aftermarket bumperon my 08 JK and I fabricated the plates to fasten the tow bar to. A good welding shop is going to cost as much as buying from the manufacturer.

As you know, the bumpers on a Jeep are cheesy to say the least. I knew when I bought it that I wanted aftermarket front and rear bumpers and settled on Shrockworks bumpers. After purchasing, I built a base plate from angle iron with a piece of plate welded in the middle with a hole for the pins of the tow bar. Worked great! I no longer have the Jeep, and bought the base plate for the CRV. I did however install the baseplate, which they said should take 4 hours according to the youtube video. Lots of plastic to take off and re-install. If I hadn't been retired, I would have paid to have it installed.

I helped install "base plate" on Hummer H3, little more than an S-10 pickup except with a metal bumper. On one side, half of the "plate" bolted to where a towing eye came off and wasn't replaced. On the other side, some bumper bolts came out, went through that half of "plate" then Bumper then the "horns" (flange) on front of Frame Rail. BUT!!! BLueOX added a heavy angle bracket bridging the backside of the Horns to the Side of the Frame. Holes had to be drilled crosswise through the Frame to attach those Brackets.This made it clear that engineers concluded that a tow ring mounting that serves for a few yards every few years (if ever) is NOT adequate for towing the truck day after day for year after year. Just download the instructions. You can see how a manufacturer who realizes that (like you) that liability attaches to towing, felt they were creating a reliable design. See if you want to build what their analysis called "adequate." Then figure the cost.

Build Your Own Baseplates Anyone | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

RJsfishin
Explorer
Apr 05, 2015
My base plates are all 1/4" steel, gusseted back to the main frame bolts. The frame steel is the thinnest metal, but not sure its the weakest point. The way the main frame tubes are built, and if the bolts stay tight, I can't see a weak link anywhere. But I would still think the law would call for the safety straps going to some part of the original main frame, and not just the bolted on components.
The last jeep I flat towed, I ran cable loops around the sway bar, only because I thought it was required. Now they will be hooked to 2 fabricated brackets that are bolted to the base plates.
Gjac
Explorer III
Apr 04, 2015
RJsfishin wrote:
Nicely done Tim.

To me, a lot of the base plate fabricating is overkill. But then genuine engineers know better it seems.
Speaking of the nut plates, (total of 4 in my case) why not weld the 1/2" nuts to the plates like I always do ?? Are the engineers too smart to figure that out ??
When I installed my Demco base plate, very noticeable to me was that the 1/2 plate steel base plate was much thicker than the frame it was attaching to. I think the frame of these unibody cars would be the weak point and any base plate you made with 1/2 plain carbon steel would be fine. I would worry more about the frame failing rather than you home made base plate.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Apr 03, 2015
Then I'm down at the Tow Pro Shop checkin on some cable loops for the coiled safety cables. And he informs me that they don't have to connect to the vehicle frame, only the baseplate. I asked, what if the base plate fails ? He said they don't care about that, only that if any part of the towbar fails.
So it don't matter if the base plate breaks free of the vehicle, as long as the base plate stays with the towbar. Does that make a lot of sense.....nonsense ??
So, if you see a Motorhome draggin a towbar (minus a Jeep) w/ a couple busted baseplates attached, its MINE !!
j-d
Explorer II
Apr 03, 2015
I just got a Roadmaster baseplate and part of the install is four 1/2" bolts. Two use nuts/lockwashers. The other two thread into a "nut plate" that's a plate with a hole in it then a nut welded over the hole. Just as noted above. I imagine I'll find the spots for the Nut Plates are a little hard to access with a wrench.

RM stuff looks less sophisticated than BlueOx. I don't know what Demco looks like but the RM baseplate looks like something we'd fabricate at home out of steel scraps. Carefully made with beautiful welds, but a "backyard" style while the BlueOx looks crafted.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Apr 03, 2015
Nicely done Tim.

To me, a lot of the base plate fabricating is overkill. But then genuine engineers know better it seems.
Speaking of the nut plates, (total of 4 in my case) why not weld the 1/2" nuts to the plates like I always do ?? Are the engineers too smart to figure that out ??
Hank85713
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
I have a ford ranger and looked for baseplates for it and they were in the $4-500 range. Not really complicated for fab or install, Went to a shop and they would not fab due to liability reasons. Said it was not worth the time. Another shop was going to do them but never seemed to have time to do. This was a actual trailer shop (horse) and a welding fab shop. The wife decided she did not want to tow the ranger so we got another vehicle. Bought the base plate from camp world and they installed for $39 I think it was. Paid about $150 more than I could have gotten off the net, but then was on hook to install my self or pay ($75/hr was lowest quote) to have installed and about 3-4 hr install time so it all came out as a wash. Even the trailer builder said the cost even if easy to fab is better as they then become liable if they fail not the builder user in most cases. Still want to get some for the ranger but that will just have to wait.
Healeyman
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
I DID build my own base plate and tow bar for my Miata.

http://tinyurl.com/qevfvzf

Tim
RJsfishin
Explorer
Apr 02, 2015
Base plates all fabbed and installed.
$7 for the material, and another $5 for nuts and bolts.
1 day to fab most of the brackets/parts
And most the day yesterday to R&R the front facia parts (harder than U-tube show)
and install the brackets.

This is not an average do it yourself'er job, but after playin w/ iron for 50 yrs,.......it was still quite a job :).
klutchdust
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2015
RJsfishin wrote:
I am also a long time welder fab, and I even having some engineering skills.
I agree, sometimes its easier, maybe even cheaper to buy it. Like the hitch receiever I installed on the back a couple weeks ago, $139 delivered to my door. And there is a lot of steel, and metal bending, and fitting around the spare tire and exhaust system, etc etc,.....no way would I attempt to build it myself for a lousy $139. If anything would be worth $400, it would be that receiver, But a couple $20 brackets for $400, it ain't gonna happen.
I thorouly checked it out yesterday, and it will be easier to build than I first thought. The hardest part is removing all the plastic stuff, bumper covers, grill etc etc.
The sad part is if ya spend the $400, the hardest part is still left to go, R&Ring all that plastic.
I still can't believe the rippoff prices for base plates, compared to rear receiver prices.
klutchdust wrote:
I'm a welder and fabricator yet I look at some manufactured items and consider the time and cost involved and there are those occasions when i just buy them. I have an aftermarket bumper

on my 08 JK and I fabricated the plates to fasten the tow bar to. A good welding shop is going to cost as much as buying from the manufacturer.

I agree on your comments fully. Not knowing what is exactly involved I was just throwing out a few comments. Hey,I purchased a 32 ft. gooseneck trailer and installed complete

living quarters in the first 12 feet of it.Man, what was I thinking. We enjoyed that trailer for many years hauling the jeep and off road equipment but now are in our c.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Mar 30, 2015
I am also a long time welder fab, and I even having some engineering skills.
I agree, sometimes its easier, maybe even cheaper to buy it. Like the hitch receiever I installed on the back a couple weeks ago, $139 delivered to my door. And there is a lot of steel, and metal bending, and fitting around the spare tire and exhaust system, etc etc,.....no way would I attempt to build it myself for a lousy $139. If anything would be worth $400, it would be that receiver, But a couple $20 brackets for $400, it ain't gonna happen.
I thorouly checked it out yesterday, and it will be easier to build than I first thought. The hardest part is removing all the plastic stuff, bumper covers, grill etc etc.
The sad part is if ya spend the $400, the hardest part is still left to go, R&Ring all that plastic.
I still can't believe the rippoff prices for base plates, compared to rear receiver prices.
klutchdust wrote:
I'm a welder and fabricator yet I look at some manufactured items and consider the time and cost involved and there are those occasions when i just buy them. I have an aftermarket bumper

on my 08 JK and I fabricated the plates to fasten the tow bar to. A good welding shop is going to cost as much as buying from the manufacturer.