base plate for toad is bent

[cdl2]

I'm towing a 2000 Chevy Tracker
I have Blue Ox base plate & tow bar.
The left side attachment tab is bent down
I have no idea how this happened
Any idea's how this happened & what I can do to fix it
I've contacted Blue Ox too
Thanks

[wildmanbaker]

cdl2 wrote:
I picked it up today......$28
The angle iron that connects the ends was bent.
I thought about just cutting the angle iron, but then I thought there's a chance I could pull the cars frame together.

Hey, good for you! Keep on RVen.

[dcbrewer]

I would bend it back to fit, and use new bolts, and not worry about it!!! Like I said, I bent one in a wreck, took it off beat it straight with a shop hammer, and used it another 5 years on another truck, with no problem.

[dcbrewer]

I had one on a S-10 pickup, that was hit in the front, it totaled the truck and bent the base plate. Took it off, used a shop hammer to straighten it back out. Put on another pickup and used it for about 5 more years, It had no cracks just bent. It is setting in the garage now. Might find another sq. body S-10, 5 speed to pull.

[cdl2]

I picked it up today......$28
The angle iron that connects the ends was bent.
I thought about just cutting the angle iron, but then I thought there's a chance I could pull the cars frame together.

[Effy]

Trop - I am not dying on this hill, but he clearly said there are no signs of bolts being sheared and that he found the nuts.

To the OP, Blue OX advised you not to bend it back. I would advise the same. It's structural integrity could be compromised. I personally wouldn't tempt fate. That's my opinion.

[tropical36]

Pirate wrote:

tropical36 wrote:

Effy wrote:
Trying to follow this thread and somewhere it got really confusing. If I am following correctly; OP had bent baseplate, the assumption was that it was a part failure, Blue OX is offering to replace, in the meantime OP realizes that perhaps it's not a failure at all but that bolts may have backed out - this would mean user error from not checking the bolts. Unclear as to whether the OP has updated Blue Ox on this or not.

The rest of the thread seems like a lot of noise. Personally I think something as critical as a bent baseplate towing your car, using some of the suggestions here to bend it back is a huge mistake. I have worked with metal a lot especially steel and bending it compromises the structural integrity. Bending it back makes it worse, let alone any cracks that may have happened in the process - especially if there are welds.

You could take it to a metal shop, but by the time it's either bent or cut and re-welded, ground and painted I am not sure you'd save a lot of money or be any better off from a safety perspective.

Amazing how folks that spend so much money on RV's and cars and towing and everything else that goes with the RV life, get so cheap on things that can have such an impact on safety. I don't think safety is the time to get cheap.

I believe the OP said that it was $430 plus labor to replace, so doesn't look like B. Ox is offering anything. Also that the bolts were sheared off, so.........again, my suggestion would be to replace, but with something else other than what he has now.

Waiting on you to eat your words against Blue Ox as OP clearly stated it was install fault. What say you?

What the OP clearly stated and in it's entirety, is this .......
I'm towing a 2000 Chevy Tracker
I have Blue Ox base plate & tow bar.
The left side attachment tab is bent down
I have no idea how this happened
Any idea's how this happened & what I can do to fix it
I've contacted Blue Ox too
Thanks
I never back up with the toad hooked up.
I would have known if I hit something.
I looked for mark's on the tab, but I couldn't see any.
If somebody hit me, I'd think there would be a mark on the tab????
The tow bar connection.
It's bent down.
I did have one panic stop on the interstate.
I do have a brake buddy in my toad.
Isn't there a site that sells used base plates?
Thanks for the link
I too am thinking someone hit me
Busy weekend, but I'll take a closer look today.
The cost of a new Blue Ox base plate is $430.00
And then I have to remove the front of the car to put it on.......LOL
I just looked at it real close.........all three bolts are gone, or sheared off.
I'm going to have to remove the grill & bumper cover to see what has happened.
It's hard to believe the bolts fell our after being in there for 6-7 years.
Kinda figured they'd have been rusty by now.
I tried to find out if the bolts were sheared off.
I'll try something else next
Blue Ox says to use grade 5 bolts
Can I use grade 8?
I'm going to order the bolt kit from Blue Ox......its $40.
When it gets here I'll remove the front end pieces
I'm pretty sure I can get the base plate to line up again
I got the bolts & nuts from Blue Ox, & finally removed the grill cover & the bumper cover.
The left side(drivers side) of the base plate is bent down.
I tied to push it up & get the holes to line up.
No luck with that.
A new base plate is $430.
Tropical36......Thanks
But I'm starting to think it might be my fault, at least in part.
I managed to recover 2 of the nuts from inside the cars frame.
Neither had the remains of a bolt, that rules out sheared bolts.
Now I need to figure out if I can bend the base plate back up.
I'm sure I can't do it while its on the car.
Wildman......a bottle jack was my first try.....didn't get it even close.
Plus I was worried about the load on the base plate after I got the bolts in.
What kind of shop would you suggest?
I'm going to remove the base plate today.
Sonora......what about a automobile frame straightening shop?
Thanks everybody!!!!!
Blue Ox said not to bend it back & something about heating it up would not ber good.
It's only bent 1/4-1/2 inches.
It looks like the bolts fell out....so my fault....I didn't use Loctite red.
I can't believe it took 10 years for the bolts to fall off, they should have been rusted solid by now
What other base plate would you suggest?
I found a place that said they could bend it back.
I guess they fix farm equipment.
I'll pick it up in a day or two.......
and I still stand by statements in that it shouldn't have bent or sheared any bolts off and/or fell off after 10yrs of getting rusty, no matter!

[cdl2]

I found a place that said they could bend it back.
I guess they fix farm equipment.
I'll pick it up in a day or two.

[Mile_High]

Definitely a lot of chest beating in this thread. In the end the OP resolved it himself. Probably sorry he asked 🙂

[Pirate1]

tropical36 wrote:

Effy wrote:
Trying to follow this thread and somewhere it got really confusing. If I am following correctly; OP had bent baseplate, the assumption was that it was a part failure, Blue OX is offering to replace, in the meantime OP realizes that perhaps it's not a failure at all but that bolts may have backed out - this would mean user error from not checking the bolts. Unclear as to whether the OP has updated Blue Ox on this or not.

The rest of the thread seems like a lot of noise. Personally I think something as critical as a bent baseplate towing your car, using some of the suggestions here to bend it back is a huge mistake. I have worked with metal a lot especially steel and bending it compromises the structural integrity. Bending it back makes it worse, let alone any cracks that may have happened in the process - especially if there are welds.

You could take it to a metal shop, but by the time it's either bent or cut and re-welded, ground and painted I am not sure you'd save a lot of money or be any better off from a safety perspective.

Amazing how folks that spend so much money on RV's and cars and towing and everything else that goes with the RV life, get so cheap on things that can have such an impact on safety. I don't think safety is the time to get cheap.

I believe the OP said that it was $430 plus labor to replace, so doesn't look like B. Ox is offering anything. Also that the bolts were sheared off, so.........again, my suggestion would be to replace, but with something else other than what he has now.

Waiting on you to eat your words against Blue Ox as OP clearly stated it was install fault. What say you?

[wildmanbaker]

Pirate wrote:

wildmanbaker wrote:
I guess I know my place now.

No, you had a good point but towing 3-5K lbs at 65mph should call for no compromise on safety. Your belief is great for the tractor or something like that.

A tractor? What do you think the stresses are when pulling a bottom plow are? Have you seen a large truck shop bend a "I" beam axel, or rear-end for camber?
To the OP: I see no reason it can't be bent back into shape. It is heavy square tubing and flat steel. This is not Ti, or T-11 that is used on the blades of dozers and loaders, or armor plate. If you are worried about it, spent another $20 and have it mag particle tested.

[cdl2]

Thanks everybody!!!!!
Blue Ox said not to bend it back & something about heating it up would not ber good.
It's only bent 1/4-1/2 inches.
It looks like the bolts fell out....so my fault....I didn't use Loctite red.
I can't believe it took 10 years for the bolts to fall off, they should have been rusted solid by now
What other base plate would you suggest?

[Effy]

tropical36 wrote:

Effy wrote:
Trying to follow this thread and somewhere it got really confusing. If I am following correctly; OP had bent baseplate, the assumption was that it was a part failure, Blue OX is offering to replace, in the meantime OP realizes that perhaps it's not a failure at all but that bolts may have backed out - this would mean user error from not checking the bolts. Unclear as to whether the OP has updated Blue Ox on this or not.

The rest of the thread seems like a lot of noise. Personally I think something as critical as a bent baseplate towing your car, using some of the suggestions here to bend it back is a huge mistake. I have worked with metal a lot especially steel and bending it compromises the structural integrity. Bending it back makes it worse, let alone any cracks that may have happened in the process - especially if there are welds.

You could take it to a metal shop, but by the time it's either bent or cut and re-welded, ground and painted I am not sure you'd save a lot of money or be any better off from a safety perspective.

Amazing how folks that spend so much money on RV's and cars and towing and everything else that goes with the RV life, get so cheap on things that can have such an impact on safety. I don't think safety is the time to get cheap.

I believe the OP said that it was $430 plus labor to replace, so doesn't look like B. Ox is offering anything. Also that the bolts were sheared off, so.........again, my suggestion would be to replace, but with something else other than what he has now.

No, per the OP about 5 posts ago:

Tropical36......Thanks
But I'm starting to think it might be my fault, at least in part.
I managed to recover 2 of the nuts from inside the cars frame.
Neither had the remains of a bolt, that rules out sheared bolts.
Now I need to figure out if I can bend the base plate back up.
I'm sure I can't do it while its on the car.

[tropical36]

Effy wrote:
Trying to follow this thread and somewhere it got really confusing. If I am following correctly; OP had bent baseplate, the assumption was that it was a part failure, Blue OX is offering to replace, in the meantime OP realizes that perhaps it's not a failure at all but that bolts may have backed out - this would mean user error from not checking the bolts. Unclear as to whether the OP has updated Blue Ox on this or not.

The rest of the thread seems like a lot of noise. Personally I think something as critical as a bent baseplate towing your car, using some of the suggestions here to bend it back is a huge mistake. I have worked with metal a lot especially steel and bending it compromises the structural integrity. Bending it back makes it worse, let alone any cracks that may have happened in the process - especially if there are welds.

You could take it to a metal shop, but by the time it's either bent or cut and re-welded, ground and painted I am not sure you'd save a lot of money or be any better off from a safety perspective.

Amazing how folks that spend so much money on RV's and cars and towing and everything else that goes with the RV life, get so cheap on things that can have such an impact on safety. I don't think safety is the time to get cheap.

I believe the OP said that it was $430 plus labor to replace, so doesn't look like B. Ox is offering anything. Also that the bolts were sheared off, so.........again, my suggestion would be to replace, but with something else other than what he has now.

[Effy]

Trying to follow this thread and somewhere it got really confusing. If I am following correctly; OP had bent baseplate, the assumption was that it was a part failure, Blue OX is offering to replace, in the meantime OP realizes that perhaps it's not a failure at all but that bolts may have backed out - this would mean user error from not checking the bolts. Unclear as to whether the OP has updated Blue Ox on this or not.

The rest of the thread seems like a lot of noise. Personally I think something as critical as a bent baseplate towing your car, using some of the suggestions here to bend it back is a huge mistake. I have worked with metal a lot especially steel and bending it compromises the structural integrity. Bending it back makes it worse, let alone any cracks that may have happened in the process - especially if there are welds.

You could take it to a metal shop, but by the time it's either bent or cut and re-welded, ground and painted I am not sure you'd save a lot of money or be any better off from a safety perspective.

Amazing how folks that spend so much money on RV's and cars and towing and everything else that goes with the RV life, get so cheap on things that can have such an impact on safety. I don't think safety is the time to get cheap.