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baseplate / towbar brand mix?

deprived
Explorer
Explorer
I'm going to buy a tow bar and baseplate for our 2013 Honda CRV AWD. I always see tow bars and base plates for sale locally on Craigslist and the prices are so, so much better than new.

Usually the listing is for just a base plate or just a tow bar. Sometimes it's a Demco or Blue Ox or Roadmaster. I've even seen a few brands I don't immediately recognize.

My question is this: can you mix brands? Will a Demco base plate fit a Blue Ox tow bar, for example? Are they universal, like a ball-hitch? Or does a Blue-Ox tow bar only work with a Blue Ox base plate?

THANKS!!
10 REPLIES 10

deprived
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for all of the great info!!

Executive45
Explorer III
Explorer III
ReadyBrute and BlueOx...third toad with this combo. Zero problems...Dennis
We can do more than we think we can, but most do less than we think we do
Dennis and Debi Fourteen Years Full Timing
Monaco Executive M-45PBQ Quad Slide
525HP Cummins ISM 6 Spd Allison
2014 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ W/ ReadyBrute
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR TRAVEL BLOG

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have a Blue Ox baseplate and a Ready Brute Elite tow bar with built in surge brake.

If buying again today, I would get the same.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

rr2254545
Explorer
Explorer
Been running demco baseplate and blueox tow bar for years
no adapter needed
2012 Winnebago Journey 36M Cummins 360
2014 Jeep Cherokee
492 Campgrounds,107K miles driven in our Winnebago motor homes and 2360 nights camping since we retired in July 2009, 41 National Parks

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
This link may help to understand differences.Roadmaster adapters

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

rav
Explorer
Explorer
we have a Roadmaster base plate and blue ox aventa tow bar. check out etrailer- they have the adapters, that's where I got ours.

kalynzoo
Explorer
Explorer
The connection point at the end of the towbar is sort of brand specific. It will have one-two-or three pins. I had a custom baseplate (a whole long story in itself) and a Demco Aluminum towbar with a ReadyBrake end. With my new toad, an Explorer the shop installed a BlueOx baseplate (I think) and changed the endpoint on my existing Demco towbar to match the baseplate. Simple switch out. I still use the ReadyBrake also. I am not sure if the newest models of the towbars are as interchangeable. But for me, it worked out fine.
Happy Trails.

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Each brand makes adapters.
Blue Ox and Roadmaster make many going both directions.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

F1bNorm
Explorer
Explorer
Dutch_12078 wrote:
No, they're not universal. Depending on the brand/model mix though, there may be adapters available that will let you mate them. The ReadyBrute Elite tow bar that I use is sold with a choice of arm end fittings to match the popular base plates, but that's an exception.


X2 - In addition,I would check the MH hitch height against the base plate attachment point. You want the tow bar close to level.
F1BNorm

Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Explorer II
No, they're not universal. Depending on the brand/model mix though, there may be adapters available that will let you mate them. The ReadyBrute Elite tow bar that I use is sold with a choice of arm end fittings to match the popular base plates, but that's an exception.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate