Honda CR-V and Blue Ox Baseplate

[JL7456]

This is a questions for owners of a 2012-14 Honda CR-V who use a Blue Ox baseplate and tow bar. In the instructions for installing the baseplate it says to remove the bumper and it will not be re-installed. Is this true? I am also going to call Blue Ox and ask them about this. I checked a few other makes of cars and all of the fascia and bumpers are reinstalled after the baseplate is mounted. Any help to clear this up would be appreciated. I am considering buying a new CR-V and want it to look like every other CR-V and have a bumper. Thanks!

[docj]

The installation looks great, but one thing to decide is where you want the electrical connector for the umbilical cable. I was already using the Blue Ox 6-wire cable and the installer and I decided it would look better to put the socket in the black bumper cover rather than on the painted piece above it. This means that the socket is slightly tilted downward and I have to stoop down to plug the cable into it. The cable stays in place fine from friction and I haven't felt that plugging it in is all that difficult. Putting the socket on the painted trim would have resulted in it being hit if you bumped into anything.

[cochise49]

Have a Roadmaster setup and the CRV bumper is in a cabinet in my garage at the S&B.Probably give to the scrap collector next time he is in the neighborhood.

[JL7456]

Thanks for the replies to my question. It is reassuring to know that the look will be the same except of course for the two pins for attaching the tow bar. I appreciate the quick response.

[Beverley_Ken]

Its the steel bumper bar behind the plastic fascia visible bumper. Yes, the base plate replaces the Honda bumper bar.
Edit added, all visible Honda pieces are replaced untouched/untrimmed.

Beverley and Ken

[docj]

The bumper is not reused but the baseplate includes a piece that does the same thing. Don't worry; the vehicle looks exactly as it did before except it now has towing points. We have a 2014 with a Blue Ox and it looks just fine.