Importance of a Level Tow Bar/Base Plate Connection

[Murphcrud]

Good Morning,
I am just about to embark on a 'new to us', 'old to you', adventure of towing a vehicle behind our 30 ft 2008 Fleetwood Jamboree. We will be towing a small 2007 Nissan Versa, with manual transmission. We have purchased a Blue Ox BX1838 Base Plate and we also have a BX7445 Tow Bar (yes, the tow bar is overkill for this vehicle, but what will we tow next???). We have a braking system as well and the electrical harness for it. All will be installed this weekend. The RV has towed a vehicle, by the previous owner, and is ready to accept the new tow bar and be plugged in, ready to roll. I hope that I have given enough info for the knowledgeable Guru's in our midst, to answer my questions as follows:

It would seem to me that low positioning of the base plate on the small Nissan, will create a fairly steep angle when the tow bar is attached to the RV. Is this setup acceptable or is there some sort of a drop bar 'step down' attachment required to level out the tow bar and base plate points? What would be an acceptable angle (if there is one) from the attachment points of the base plate to the RV hitch? I realize that the base plate attachment points can accept the tow bar arms at various steep angles, but how steep is safe?

[CLIFFTALL]

I believe Blue Ox recommends no more than 4 inch . There are various drop down bars that will help you accomplish this angle.
Here’s a brochure that shows the different drop down receivers.

http://www.blueox.com/wp-content/upl...Resolution.pdf

[inlineskater]

I was at a rally recently where Blue Ox had a booth, they said no more than 3 inches up or down. I have a 6 inch drop receiver on mine to get my CRV to an acceptable level. Be sure to buy a strong enough one, (10,000 lbs) a good friend of mine broke his hitting a frost heave in the Yukon. His was a 5,000.

[Gumpster808]

3 inches from level is what I got when getting our blue ox setup installed.

There was a thread on another forum where they didn’t have that, hit a heave in the road and their Toad jumped, went to the side and slammed into the back of the rv.

[johnhicks]

The usual maximum is three inches either way. I just attached a new toad using a Roadmaster four-inch drop receiver, rated at 10k. That thing is _heavy_.

[Dale & Mark Bruss]

We had to use an 8" drop adapter on our Bounder to get the tow bar in range on the Equinox.

The importance of being within the 3" range is that in a panic stop, the rear of the coach is rising and the toad nose is diving, and the toad could under-run the coach snapping the tow bars.

We use 10,000 lb tow bar, safety cables, and hitch adapter for a 3400 lb toad. We like safety margins.

[Tom N]

From my Roadmaster Sterling manual.

[Tpguess]

We just had a Blue Ox Base plate installed on our 2019 Jeep Cherokee Overland... and the same tow bar you are using.

I talked at length with Dave at San Diego Trailer Supply about this very issue. San Diego Trailer Supply is the Local Blue Ox Dealer. They have almost 30 years of experience and I was incredibly impressed with their knowledge. Their absolute primary concern is Safety. They said Blue Ox recommended no more than a 3" difference. Mine was 3.5" and we installed a 3" drop receiver. The installation is clean and in a panic stop... the Toad is not going to try and ride under the back of the Coach.

[NeHardRock]

I went with one of these. Some may say it is overkill. Some think they are too expensive. But I think better safe than sorry!
https://genyhitch.com/shop/10k-drop-hitch/

[Sweetbriar]

I used a 4" drop for a late model Honda Accord. As a bonus I used a Roadmaster dual hitch with a 2" or 4" drop which gave me a place for the bike carrier rather than adding something to the Accord.

Just watch the weight limitation of any thing you add. You'll probably be OK with the Versa but the drop receiver might become the limiting item concerning you're total towing capacity. For me the Roadmaster dual hitch capacity (10,000 lbs) exceeds the coach capacity (5000 lbs).

Roadmaster Inc. - Tow Bars, Braking Systems & RV Accessories

[Dale & Mark Bruss]

Not quite as expensive 8" drop 10K Roadmaster

[Incessant]

Originally Posted by Tpguess

We just had a Blue Ox Base plate installed on our 2019 Jeep Cherokee Overland... and the same tow bar you are using.

I talked at length with Dave at San Diego Trailer Supply about this very issue. San Diego Trailer Supply is the Local Blue Ox Dealer. They have almost 30 years of experience and I was incredibly impressed with their knowledge. Their absolute primary concern is Safety. They said Blue Ox recommended no more than a 3" difference. Mine was 3.5" and we installed a 3" drop receiver. The installation is clean and in a panic stop... the Toad is not going to try and ride under the back of the Coach.

Just curious, in the picture it looks like your safety cables are wraped around the tow bar arms and your electrical and break away cables are on top of the tow bar. Is this what the installer recommended?

Also is the karguard 2 on top of all the cables when installed?

I thought the safety cables went under the tow bar and from lack of knowledge i have been routing the electric and break away under the bar also.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Tpguess]

Dave at San Diego Trailer Supply (Blue Ox dealer in our area) said that this is the way he hooks his up.... and I went with it. In my original post i said we had a 3" drop receiver... but it is only a 2".

The safety cables are wrapped around the arms of the tow bar... and Dave told us this is the best way to do it...

The break away cables on top is also what he recommended.... said that nothing would ever catch on them and cause unwanted events...

By Karguard 2... I think you mean my Roadmaster Tow defender. Yes it is on top of the towbar.... and all of the cables.

I am no expert. I have 36 miles of toad under my belt. Leaving in two weeks for 2,700 miles... will get back to you after that :-) But.... I trust these guys.... and I am a 72 year old excellence advocate that was blown away by their experience... and attention to detail. So until anything they suggested proves wrong... I'm in!

[purrin along]

Originally Posted by Tpguess

Dave at San Diego Trailer Supply (Blue Ox dealer in our area) said that this is the way he hooks his up.... and I went with it. In my original post i said we had a 3" drop receiver... but it is only a 2".

The safety cables are wrapped around the arms of the tow bar... and Dave told us this is the best way to do it...

The break away cables on top is also what he recommended.... said that nothing would ever catch on them and cause unwanted events...

By Karguard 2... I think you mean my Roadmaster Tow defender. Yes it is on top of the towbar.... and all of the cables.

I am no expert. I have 36 miles of toad under my belt. Leaving in two weeks for 2,700 miles... will get back to you after that :-) But.... I trust these guys.... and I am a 72 year old excellence advocate that was blown away by their experience... and attention to detail. So until anything they suggested proves wrong... I'm in!

Thanks for the info on brake, and safety cables.I am very new at flat towing,and always looking for new advice.