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mre · 12-27-2021, 09:23 AM

Are there any 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee owners (not Grand Cherokee) that have experienced any base plate related issues that may have damaged their Jeep?

This is a little back ground as to why I am asking this:

I have a 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk with Blue Ox base plates. I took it to the dealer for an oil change and to replace a shaved of skid plate bolt. The tech replacing the bolt found the damage. The Service Advisor brought me back and show me the damage. I was stunned not only because of the damage, but what could have happened if I had been travelling and this issue was not addressed. The Cherokee has 38K tow miles on it and it's last trip was to Alaska in 2019. The Coach was not used and as such the Cherokee was not towed in 2020 or 2021. Anyway the dealer can fix.

Isaac-1 · 12-27-2021, 12:37 PM

Do you know which Blue Ox base plate you have, they had 2 versions with different part numbers, the original version is known to cause these problems.

mre · 12-27-2021, 05:31 PM

I don't know for certain. The base plate in question was installed March 2016. I'm guessing it was the first version. Also the major issue they found was the original installer installed the base plates incorrectly. The base plate had six fastening points. Four on the vertical and two on the horizontal much like the current version. The two horizontal side were NOT bolted to the Jeep assembly leaving only the four vertical side to support the base plate. They felt that this is why the Jeep com

SuperGewl · 12-31-2021, 02:34 PM

I have the Roadmaster base plate system and there are no issues with it because they made sure to address the fact that just hooking up to where the tow hooks are will not work for long. you have to complete the triangle on both ends, the car and the tow bar itself. this is why I also don't have the issue of "The Dreaded Death Wooble" I also mad sure to install a Quiet Hitch to keep the tow bar from moving in the receiver.
Knock on wood, no issues here.

SuperGewl · 12-31-2021, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mre

I don't know for certain. The base plate in question was installed March 2016. I'm guessing it was the first version. Also the major issue they found was the original installer installed the base plates incorrectly. The base plate had six fastening points. Four on the vertical and two on the horizontal much like the current version. The two horizontal side were NOT bolted to the Jeep assembly leaving only the four vertical side to support the base plate. They felt that this is why the Jeep com

The lack of bolts is not the major issue, it's the design of the base plate that is the issue. Basically what they did was just hook up to the tow hooks which allowed the frame to twist or move independently of each other and cause too much stress on the connection points which have now started to separate from the car. A design flaw. It's like holding jump ropes and moving them up and down with the other end attached to the car. This is what actually was happening to the car the whole time. Simple physics.
Same thing happened to the 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington, once it starts you almost can't stop it.

This is why they have changed the design, too late on their Base plate.