Blue-OX Base Plate Bolts on Grand Cherokee

[subford]

Has anyone installed the Blue-OX BX1115 base plate on the 1999-2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
It comes with four 3/8-16 x 2” Hex Bolts, Grd. 5 to hold it on.

This does not sound like much to me, the 1986 BII I was towing had four 12MM-1.75 X 50MM (near 1/2" bolt size) HEX BOLT GD.8.8 ZP to hold the base plate on.

Is anyone towing the 1999-2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee with these 3/8" grade 5 bolts and have you had any problems with the bolts?

Has anyone replaced them with grade 8 bolts?
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[mchero]

I have the Blue Ox baseplate on my 2005 Jeep Grand Chrokee for the last three years. Prob. have about 10K on the towbar w/o issues.

[larry_cad]

I have a Blue Ox tow plate on my 2000 Grand Cherokee with over 100,000 tow miles and last I checked, the Jeep was still there, behind my coach. Even survived an accident in Buffalo a couple years ago where I hit/got hit by a chevy cavalier.

BTW, I believe it is 2000-2004 year model.

[aztortuga]

I put one on my grand cherokee and probably have towed it 40,000 miles without any problems. The factory bolts are just fine. Good Travels!

[Daveinet]

I have heard that you do not want to use grade 8, as they are too hard and do not absorb shock. We live in the bigger is better American culture, but in this case, I believe grade 5 is better for the application. I would also suggest that the metal it is attached to is pretty thin, and I think that would tear out long before either bolt would break. Kind of reminds me, I've not inspected that in a while. I do not actually have a Blue Ox, but used their instructions as a guide for what to bolt to, when I custom built mine. I think they use large washers on the top side, I made up a whole backing plate, figuring it would be less likely to tear out.