baseplate / towbar brand mix?

[deprived]

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!!

[deprived]

Thanks for all of the great info!!

[Executive45]

ReadyBrute and BlueOx...third toad with this combo. Zero problems...Dennis

[Bobbo]

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.

[rr2254545]

Been running demco baseplate and blueox tow bar for years
no adapter needed

[enblethen]

This link may help to understand differences.Roadmaster adapters

[rav]

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]

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]

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

[F1bNorm]

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.

[Dutch_12078]

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.