DallasSteve
Jun 19, 2020Nomad
How To Fix Blue Ox Mistake
I installed a new Blue Ox baseplate on my Jeep Wrangler. I also ordered a Blue Ox Patriot II brake controller and it came with a breakaway switch. I looked at the diagram of the baseplate on how to install the switch and the tab on mine extends to the front and not to the back like in the diagram. I would post a photo here, but it has to be online and I don't have the time to put it online right now.
The bad part about the mistake is the breakaway switch has the mounting hole at the back so it will extend far out into the air in front of the baseplate. So I wrote Blue Ox and they called me. They admitted it is a one off mistake in the assembly of my baseplate. Their recommendation is to attach it to some part of the frame on the car. Easier said than done. I'm thinking of a few possible solutions:
1 - Mount it in the hole provided, but remove it when I'm not traveling.
2 - Buy some strap to attach to the baseplate that can then hold the switch.
3 - Buy a strap or plate I can attach to the frame and attach the switch to it.
4 - Buy a strong piece of metal with 2 holes and attach it to the existing tab to give me another hole behind the bar where it belongs.
This is the second screw up by Blue Ox. When I installed the baseplate it was missing 2 lock washers that I had to buy at OReillys. What does it cost them to put some extra washers, bolts, nuts in with their $500 baseplate? I wish I had picked a different brand. I thought I was buying high quality.
The bad part about the mistake is the breakaway switch has the mounting hole at the back so it will extend far out into the air in front of the baseplate. So I wrote Blue Ox and they called me. They admitted it is a one off mistake in the assembly of my baseplate. Their recommendation is to attach it to some part of the frame on the car. Easier said than done. I'm thinking of a few possible solutions:
1 - Mount it in the hole provided, but remove it when I'm not traveling.
2 - Buy some strap to attach to the baseplate that can then hold the switch.
3 - Buy a strap or plate I can attach to the frame and attach the switch to it.
4 - Buy a strong piece of metal with 2 holes and attach it to the existing tab to give me another hole behind the bar where it belongs.
This is the second screw up by Blue Ox. When I installed the baseplate it was missing 2 lock washers that I had to buy at OReillys. What does it cost them to put some extra washers, bolts, nuts in with their $500 baseplate? I wish I had picked a different brand. I thought I was buying high quality.