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Designed for use with motor-home-mounted tow bars, the direct-connect brackets are virtually invisible, easy to mount and remove, and they eliminate the need for a quick-disconnect crossbar on your tow bar. Installs on your Chevrolet Malibu's frame.
Features:
Note: Roadmaster direct-connect base plates will only work with Roadmaster tow bars that slide into a trailer hitch, such as the Nighthawk, Sterling, Blackhawk, Blackhawk 2, Falcon, or Falcon 2. These base plates will not work with tow bars that require a hitch ball.
The drawbars, or front arms, on this base plate kit are supremely easy to mount and remove. Just insert them into the brackets and twist to lock them in place. To remove each arm, simply tug the built-in pull pin to disengage the lock, twist the arm back and pull it out of the bracket. Once the drawbars have been removed, the remaining brackets are virtually invisible. On most automobiles, the brackets are mounted within the grille, where they remain not only unseen, but protected from scrapes and scuffs as well.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today on our 2014 Chevrolet Malibu we're going to be taking a look at an installing the Roadmaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms, part number RM-523178-5. Here's what this base plate is going to look like once it's installed on the vehicle. As you can see it maintains a very nice clean look on the front. All you're really able to see that stands out is these safety chain connections points here and they don't come out very far past the fascia here. Everything is going to stay pretty well hidden when it's not in use. You've got your two mounting rods for your electrical connection here in order to operate the vehicle's lights.
Here tucked back in the fascia is where you'll see the mounting tabs for the removable arms. What's really nice about this base place is that it is so well hidden and so low profile against the front of the vehicle, as opposed to some of the other options available for it. What I like most about this is it features these removable arms so whenever you're ready to use it, you can take these arms, slide them into place until it snaps and locks in and then you're ready to hook your tow bar up and go. Whenever you're ready to remove them in order to maintain that clean look on the front of your vehicle, you pull the ring here in order to pull that pin out, rotate it and pull it right back out. Overall, this base plate is going to do a great job of making it very easy to hook up your tow vehicle behind your motor home and it's going to really cut down on the time needed to get this all set up. Now, let's show you how to install it. To begin our installation, we'll need to begin removing our front fascia and we'll start underneath the hood by removing our torque screws that are here along the edge.
You need a T-20 torque bit to remove these. On the inside of the front fender there's going to be three screws that we need to remove. We use a T-15 torque bit. On the inner fender well there's this little flap that you can use a flat head screw driver to pull out, then directly up from there there's going to be a screw with a 7mm head that we'll need to remove. We'll go to the other side and do that same thing. Underneath we'll start by removing the push pin fasteners that are across the back edge of this panel here.
You can take a flat head screw driver, just get it underneath the open edge of it there and once you got the center of it worked out, the body should pop right out. I'll remove the 7mm screws that we need to in order to loosen the fascia under here. Then we'll go to the other side and remove those same screws. Now, we're ready to begin removing our fascia. It's a good idea to grab an extra set of hands to help you with this. We'll start at our fender and begin pulling outwards so that those tabs can unlock and then we'll pull it towards the front of the vehicle.
If you've got fog lights you will need to disconnect them. You can squeeze down on the tab there and pull that connector right off. Then we've also got the connector for our ambient sensor. We'll lift that tab up and pull that out as well. Once you're free of all electrical connections, you can take your fascia and carefully set it off the side so it won't get scratched. Now, we'll remove our wire loom for our ambient temp sensor from this air dam over here. You can just pull that right out. We'll pull that wiring out of the way for now. Then this deflector has three push pin fasteners that we're going to have to remove in order to remove the deflector itself. If a screw driver doesn't work you can also use a pair of side cutters to get underneath it, if you don't have a trim panel tool. The final one is right on top of the bumper core. Now we'll take that deflector and remove it. Then we'll remove the air deflector on the other side the same way. Now, we'll need to remove our headlight, need a 7mm socket in order to remove the screws. On the passenger side, it'll have five screws but on the driver side it'll have four, it just won't have this screw, but the others will be in the same locations. In order to remove the headlight, you want to begin pulling it forward towards the front of the vehicle to work it loose. Then you'll need to lift up on the back to release that tab and you'll pull it out. Our connector here at the back of the taillight, it's got this red tab, you'll need to pop that red tab up and then you can squeeze down on the tab in order to release that connector. Carefully set your headlight aside and do the same thing on the other side. Now, we'll be removing the tubing for our air intake. There's going to be three push pin fasteners, start with one over here. We'll have to rotate this down and carefully take it and set it aside. Now, in order to give us room to work over here on the driver's side so that we can get to the edge of the frame rail here, we'll need to remove this horn bracket. We'll need a 13mm socket to take that nut off and I'll take this entire bracket, just set it up out of the way. It's a good idea to grab a second set of hands to help get this up into place and support it. Slide this, and these are just on the outside of the frame rails, and you can take jack stands and put them just underneath the edges to hold it in place. Now, with our base plate held up into position with this bottom side flush against the bottom of the frame rail and the plates on the front flush against the front of our bumper core, here on the side we'll drill out a pilot hole through the center. I'll take a longer drill bit in order to drill through to the other side and I'm going to put a block of wood up behind it to make sure that once I get through to the other side I don't hit any components like an AC line or the radiator. Now I'll set up drill bit sizes until I reach the final size necessary to be able to fit the bolt through. Now, I'll take our 4-1/2" long, 1/2" bolt and we're going to put red Locktite on it because we're going to be putting red Locktite on all of the fasteners that we'll be installing to secure our base plate to the vehicle. If you need some of this red Locktite, you can get this on our site, part number LT37420. You don't need a lot, but just enough to get into a few of the threads there. Then we'll take this bolt and insert it from the outside of the frame rail through so that it comes out the inside of the frame rail. Then on the inside of the frame rail, we'll take a flat washer, split lock washer, and a 1/2" nut, install them onto our bolt. Once we've got that bolt started, we'll go to the other side and do the same thing. On the front side of our base plate, drill those out using a pilot bit, going all the way through this bumper core. Again, with these, depending on the length of your drill bit, you will possibly want to put a block of wood back there to make sure that you don't drill into the condenser or radiator. Then just like before, we'll step up drill bit sizes until we've reached the final size. For these front holes we'll take our 3-1/2" long 1/2" bolts, put Locktite on them, and slide them through. With both bolts in place, we'll put on our securing hardware, first the flat washer, then the split lock washer, then the nut. Then we'll do that same thing on the other side. Now, using a 3/4" socket and wrench, we can begin to tighten up all of our hardware. You want to be sure to torque all of the fastening hardware to the specification listed in the instructions. Next we'll reinstall our horns. Next we'll reinstall the tubing for our air intake. Then we'll reinstall our headlights. On the inside of our front fascia, we'll need to remove this foam absorption pad. It's held on with two clips. You can take some needle-nose pliers, press that down and just slide it up over and it'll be the same thing on the other side. Then you'll remove it and it will not be reinstalled. It's a good idea to grab an extra set of hands to reinstall our fascia. Now, we'll trim it so our tow hook connection points can come through. With our fascia better seated we'll be able to cut out so that we can access our tabs where our arms will go. We'll do that on both sides. Also, cut out around our electrical connection posts so there isn't that pressure on the grill. Then we'll finish reinstalling our fascia. Now we'll continue reinstalling all the fasteners for our fascia. That's going to complete our look at and installation of the Roadmaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms, part number RM-523178-5 on our 2015 Chevrolet Malibu.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (2083 Customer Reviews)
Designed for use with motor-home-mounted tow bars, the direct-connect brackets are virtually invisible, easy to mount and remove, and they eliminate the need for a quick-disconnect crossbar on your tow bar. Installs on your vehicle's frame.Easy to install, took me 3hrs total , only reason is I stopped to have lunch close to being finished lol.
I bought and self installed this on my 2021 GMC Sierra Duramax 1 year ago. Install took about 5 hours and wasn't difficult...I could problty install it in 2-3 hours after leaening the tricks. Weve towed the truck all over the USA since then (over 10,0000 miles) and it works great! I've used other brands and highly recommend Roadmaster tow systems over the competition.
I reported that one of the removable tow arms was missing to etrailer within hours of receiving the baseplate. This was due to the shipping box being damaged during transit and likely just fell out. After four business days with no communication from etrailer I contacted Roadmaster. A couple of emails and they shipped the part. Very disappointed having to do etrailer's legwork. For this I will give etrailer one star.
The baseplate RM 524473-5 for a 2023 Ford Escape fit as expected sorta. Had to apply a 3 pound hammer as the mounting brackets were tweaked a little likely from welding and pulling a little out of square. I felt the instructions had a lot of reading between the lines, a couple of times I just about picked up the phone and called them to see if my interpretation was correct. But I just consulted with my analytical 15 year old grandson and we figured it out. (His 18 year old brother served to knock me to the floor and pull me back up again, faster than calling a crane service.)
My big complaint was that they could have provided actual measurements where to drill the Tupperware where the arms go through, there is a couple of reverence points that could be used. There was a few minor things that didn't/did need to be done but likely could easily be because of running production changes. (And better packing of 45 pounds of steel by RM)
The tow bars hook up easily to my dinghy car, a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid. I like that the arms dis-attach easily and can be stored elsewhere. The tow arms attach quickly and easily to the baseplate arms. I do like this system. The installers put it in, so I cannot comment on how easy that was. I know the installers contacted etrailer for their questions, so I was glad to hear that.
Everything went pretty good except for the reinstall of the PAD. Had to mount it on an angle because wire to short. Love it versus the crossbar I had on Santa Fe 5 speed. Also had to wire 12v outlet and emergency brake switch wiring into drivers side which was fairly easy. And 12v charging circuit for battery. My grandson Seth made it look easy.
Good product. If you are reasonably handy and have some tools, you can install this yourself in a few hours. I'm a mechanic, it took me a little over 2 hours to install on my own toad. The fit is good, there are 4 holes you have to drill, otherwise it is plug and play. When you insert and twist lock the tow bar mounts into their sockets they feel a little sloppy but they are secure, and i never noticed any rattle when towing. Overall i give it a 4 out of 5 for easy install and clean look after install. Pic included of installed base plate.
The Roadmaster direct connect base was a perfect fit for my 2013 focus S to flat tow. We had it installed in about 3 hrs following the complete direction and pictures. I highly recommend using etrailer.
The brackets are heavy and feel solid. The mounting is straightforward on my 2024 GMC Sierra Denali 1500. You will lose the front tow hooks but I feel the tow bracket inserts will be safe to use if needed for a rescue. They are barely noticeable to the casual person when the inserts are removed for daily driving.
Installed on my 2020 Jeep Cherokee for flat towing behind our motorhome . I wanted a tow bar connection that integrated with the front end of the Jeep and the removable arms did the trick . I had one issue with the driver side receiver bracket not lining up with the upper mount bolt hole on the Jeep, image 0547. Had to make a slight adjustment to the receiver bracket so the holes would line up, image 0551 and image 0559. The rest of the install went smoothly
I also installed the Demco braking Stay n Play Duo system , image 0565 which went in without any issues, image 6028. 7 thousand miles of towing later, couldn't be happier with the products
This is a rock solid baseplate. Installed on a 2023 Equinox LT (AWD). I followed etrailer's videos for installation and they are spot on. We connect with a Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar, charge line kit, smart diode lighting kit, and a Demco Stay-in-Play supplimental braking system. It is fairly well hidden when not in-use. This setup is great!
It was a fantastic base plate. The Blue Ox base plates required the entire bumper, grill, etc be removed. These Roadmaster base plates were installed from underneath and only required the tow hooks be removed. My wife and I completed the installation in a couple hours. The stiff wires attached to the nuts that required installing inside the frame was genius. We bought Roadmaster to Blue Ox adapters and continue to use our Blue Ox towing equipment. The Roadmaster Nighthawk is just too heavy for me (I'm 78). Anyway, I love the Roadaster base plates. And, I'm thankful for the clear installation instructions provided etrailer.
Sturdy, simple to use design. The second set if Roadmaster base plate lits I have installed. (2015 Silverado and 2022 Colorado). Both work well. And oh yeah, do yourself a favor and buy from etrailer. If you have any hitches in the get along, those good folks will always help straighten things out.
I installed them on my new RAM 1500. Works great, very heavy duty. I also modified and attached a push bumper and used the Roadmaster base plates.
Exactly what I needed. Written jbstructuons were spot on and video was very helpful.
Installed on my 2020 jeep jl sport s with factory plastic bumper and plastic rock guard. Shane’s video was very helpful but I did not like how the metal plate behind the rock guard was cut away and how the rock guard had two big cut outs so I did some modifications. I cut two slots in the metal bracket and added angle brackets for extra support. As a result i did not use the supplied brackets for the rock guard. I created a template for the rock guard which resulted in two small cut outs. A lot of extra time but i am retired so time is relative. I think it looks great.
Installing on 2020 Jeep Trailhawk :
Pic #0557 : Roadmaster Base Plate Kit , Demco Supplemental Braking System , Diode Wiring Kit , Demco Battery Charge Wire Kit
Pic # 0548 ,0551 , 0559 Had to adjust the bracket plate to line up with the upper bolt holes
Pic #6028 finished install , mounted the operating unit to the top fuse box cover using automotive Velcro . Air cylinder , controller and LED light installed . Aside from the base plate bracket not lining up with the upper bolt holes I would give it 4 stars . My son in law is a master at solving mechanical issues .
Easy install. Looks great. Apparently they have made some changes so that the video is not accurate. Install instructions though were spot on. A template for cutting the grill would be an added plus.
The removable arms were an absolute pain to install. That might have been different if I had a better drill, but I had to drill holes in extremely thick metal to attach these arms and it took me awhile just to get the holes drilled. I went through bits and oil for hours to get the holes drilled, but I also didn't have the money to spend on buying specific additional tools for the project. The arms work great. Very nice to be able to remove the arms when you're not using them and then you can add them in about 5 seconds each if you need to use them. I installed them on a 2018 F-150 Roush.
I bought this base plate kit for my 2022 Jeep Rubicon Gladiator so I could flat tow behind my class a motor home with a Roadmaster Falcon all terrain non binding tow bar. The instructions were easy to follow and went smoothly except drilling the holes. That was my fault because I was using a dull drill bit. See attached photo
I was very pleased with the way you handled my order. I called and was greeted pleasantly and knowledgeable about what I needed and in just a few minutes my order was placed. It arrived just as they said it would in a timely matter.
I would recommend e-trailer to anyone!
The base plate arrived on time, with excellent instructions. I went slowly because my truck is only days old and still had it done in an evening.
This kit worked out great for my 2022 Chevy Equinox. I like how it has separate side plates, which make it easier to attach the main bar. The points where it attaches to the frame seem plenty secure. It is important to watch the videos provided by etrailer as Ryan is very thorough and has good tips for installing. I would also recommend installing additional wiring while having the front end off. Overall, I was able to complete in my driveway. The hardest part was sorting out the wiring for whatever braking and tail lights you decide on. William S helped me pick all the necessary components needed for flat towing behind my Jayco RV. I am looking forward to a summer of camping and having more freedom to explore the area, now having a car.
I like the design and ease of the hook up .
After 7,000 miles of towing a 1500 Ram there is obvious wear in the whole
tow kit .That is with keeping the components clean and using lots of Road Master spray lube. In my opinion that lube does not provide enough cushion .
The bracket kit fit my 2023 Subaru Crosstrek perfectly. The instructions are excellent and the video is really useful too. I’m really pleased with this RoadMaster bracket kit and the support from eTrailer.
Item works good. We pulled our ‘21 Canyon behind our RV on several trips and had no issues other than you need to put in a diode to the rear lights to keep them from back feeding.
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