Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
(2986 reviews)
Price: $468.88
Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Item # BX1703
Retail:$592.90
Our Price: $468.88
You Save: $124.02
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- Reviews (2986)
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Blue Ox Base Plates - BX1703
- Removable Drawbars
- Blue Ox
- Twist Lock Attachment
Custom designed to fit your vehicle so it can be safely towed behind your RV, this base plate has easily removable arms that offer a seamless look when you're not flat towing. Base plate bolts directly to your chassis, so no welding is required.
Features:
- Custom-fit base plate provides attachment points for your tow bar when flat towing
- Hidden design provides a clean, seamless look
- Arms remove with a simple twist when not in use
- Brackets won't protrude past the front of your vehicle
- Sturdy design spreads towing force evenly to prevent stress on your vehicle's suspension
- Integrated mounting points let you easily attach an electrical connector plug with bracket (sold separately)
- Receiver covers keep dirt and debris out of the base plate when arms are removed and provide a finished look
- Durable steel construction is powder coated to resist rust and corrosion
- Straightforward installation - no welding required
- Base plate bolts securely to your vehicle's chassis with included mounting hardware
- Sturdy lugs pair with Blue Ox tow bars to form a secure and reliable connection
- Adaptable for use with Roadmaster tow bars - adapter (RM-031 or RM-031-5) sold separately
- Adaptable for use with Demco tow bars - adapter (BX88310) sold separately
- Made in the USA
Specs:
- Distance between brackets: 18"<
- Bracket height: 13-1/2"
- 3-Year warranty
Simple, Hidden Design
This base plate's hidden design creates a clean and seamless look. The bracket arms are easily removable, creating a slick appearance when you're not flat towing. Because the arms can be removed, you also won't have to worry about banging your leg into any protruding arms when you walk by.
Attaching and removing the bracket arms is a breeze. To attach the arms to the base plate, simply insert them into the receivers and rotate them until they lock into place. Once you're finished towing and want to remove the arms, pull the pin to disengage the lock, rotate the arms, and remove them from the receivers. Finally, plug up the now empty receivers with the included receiver covers to help keep dirt and debris out of the base plate and provide a finished look.
Guide to Flat Towing
Flat towing your vehicle is much more convenient than using a trailer or a tow dolly. These other options take up much more storage space, leaving you less room both at home and at the campsite. In addition, securing your vehicle to a trailer or tow dolly can be a hassle and more time consuming than hooking up with a tow bar.
There are 5 basic components needed when flat towing a vehicle: a tow bar, a base plate kit, a safety cable set, tow bar wiring, and a supplemental braking system.
The tow bar links your towed car to your motorhome. It attaches to the custom-fit base plates that install on the frame of your towed car. Safety cables ensure that your towed car does not separate from your motorhome in the event that your tow bar becomes detached. Tow bar wiring allows your towed vehicle's signal lights to sync up with your motorhome's tail lights, which is required by law in most states. Finally, the supplemental braking system - also required in most states - brakes your towed car when the brakes in your motorhome are activated, preventing wear on the motorhome and decreasing braking distance for your entire setup.
BX1703 Blue Ox Baseplate - Removable Tabs
Installation Details
This Product Fits The Following Vehicles
- 2012 - 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
- 2017 - 2020 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback
- 2017 - 2020 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan - 1.4L Turbo Engine
- 2017 - 2018 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan - 1.8L Engine
Customer Satisfaction Score:
94% were satisfied with this product
6% of customers were not satisfied
- Wrong item was ordered
- Defective
- Alternate product found
Customer Reviews
Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms - BX1703
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (2985 Customer Reviews)
Custom designed to fit your vehicle so it can be safely towed behind your RV, this base plate has easily removable arms that offer a seamless look when you're not flat towing. Base plate bolts directly to your chassis, so no welding is required.by: Peter 01/26/2024
The base plate is great. I did a self install. The most difficult part was trimming the front ceiling to fit. Not hard to do. Just had to trim extra not indicated in instructions.
by: Keith 03/05/2024
2017 Chevrolet Sonic
The base plate is what I expected. However, all the interactions I have had with the e-trailer e-commerce site has been excellent!
by: Sonic03/31/2023
2019 Chevrolet Sonic
This is not my first order from etrailer.com, nor is it my most recent. As always they ship fast and their instructional videos are top notch. This product looks so nice all mounted up the powder coated black looks very nice on my 2019 sonic. The install was more difficult then I had anticipated but the video was very clear and detailed. On the sonic you do have to cut our a little triangle of the metal bumper corner so you need an angle grinder and drilling the holes into the frame to mount it is no joke. My dad broke like 50 percent of his drill bits trying to drill out the 8 holes required. And that's even going up one bit size at a time well until we didn't have that size anymore cause it broke. So make sure you have the right tools (angle grinder and good drill and drill bits)it's not hard but it was time consuming. Couldn't have done it without etrailers excellent videos. 10/10 on the videos and quality products and shipping.
by: Michael01/28/2023
Never having to flat tow a vehicle presented a problem for me to get it set up properly. I was thoughtfully guided through the purchase of the tow hitch, wiring, tow bar connection and safety required in installation. Great service!
by: Tony02/08/2023
From a mechanical standpoint and installation everything worked great and installed well however a year later I'm having paint peeling problems which are not covered by my warranty
by: Curtis08/14/2022
Well made, easy install, very easy and quick to hook up and tow with, great product for the price
Curtis
8/15/2023
After using this tow bar for over a year I could not be more happy with it. It is very well made and is very quick and easy to hook up and disconnect.
by: EdP08/10/2017
2017 Chevrolet Sonic
I installed this myself with the help of my wife. We were a bit apprehensive about doing it ourselves but after watching the etrailer.com video instructions we decided to undertake the installation ourselves. The video was of a 2016 Chevy Sonic and we have a 2017 model so a few things were different than the video but nothing major. Just follow the video instructions and it is easy. The written instructions are good but the video of the technician doing the installation is fantastic and easier to comprehend than the written instructions. We took our time, had the correct tools to do the job, followed the video instructions and all went perfect. Highly recommend this product, it is a very non intrusive looking installation to the front of our car.
Edp
8/15/2018
Thanks for the follow up. Everything is working just fine, no problems, nothing but good performance.
by: James 10/20/2023
Delivered on time
by: James08/24/2019
I installed this on my car myself It wasn’t too bad. Everything is exactly like it said. It works great. If ever change vehicles I will perches from them again.
by: Jeremy T11/17/2016
2012 Chevrolet Sonic
Very nice. heavy duty. works great. no problems. Towed a car behind RV all around the country. Makes it easy to connect and disconnect on inclines or odd angles. Installing the associated connections to the front of the Chevy Sonic wasn't bad, took about 3 hours; medium screwdriver/drill/wrench skillz needed. I got the associated fuse kill switch also, makes it all look real nice. The folks at etrailer walked me through all the ordering and needs and were very helpful. Highly recommend them and this product.
by: Bruce D.02/09/2015
Chevrolet Sonic
Hey Etrailer, your service was great the delivery was super fast !!!! The blueox baseplate fit like a glove, it took me about 3 hours to install. The only hard part was installing the nuts inside the chassis tube, the nuts were attached to stiff wires so you had to twist and bend the wires so that they line up with the holes that you must drill into the tube, this took the longest over any other part of the job!!! The bolts could be about an extra 1/2 inch longer also. No other complaints or problems. Looks great on my Chevy Sonic. Thanks. B.D.
by: Michael 09/16/2020
2020 Chevrolet Sonic
Excellent service from Etrailer. The instructions from BlueOx were non-turbo and RS. My LT is not an RS, but is a turbo. I almost skipped over the RS part before realizing that those instructions needed to be followed for turbo. Would not have gotten far, but nice to know for sure. All other instructions were very good. I trimmed the corners on the upper rear mounting flanges so as to be able to rotate the plate into position without too much stress on the inter-cooler hoses. Good, strong base plate. Very happy with it.
by: Barry 08/27/2022
The instructions for the install were very good..We were able to put it on in the morning and I was home for lunch..The garage that helped with the install had never done this before.. Their comment about the directions was the same...
by: Fits Perfect03/26/2020
Works and fitted as it should...one note: they do not need the nut on wire,(very difficult to install) ,,all that is needed is drill holes completely thru and use longer bolts thru frame.
Alpagano50
3/27/2021
still working great installed battery disconnect, easier to use
by: Dale02/06/2022
Chevrolet Sonic
Installed this base plate on a Chevy Sonic. Was a little difficult and had to trim some of the frame to fit. Very sturdy and easy to attach to RV when towing.
by: Michelle 05/17/2023
Fast Shipping too!
by: Gilbert11/30/2018
Great service with speedy delivery even during holidays . Used Blue Ox on last tow vehicle so purchased another, very solid product
by: Dave C08/16/2016
2015 Chevrolet Sonic
Baseplate fit my Chevy Sonic perfectly.
by: Darrell07/05/2019
2019 Chevrolet Sonic
Excellent service, quality product, no reason to complain, etrailer made my new 2019 Sonic a real dingy. RV flat towable.
by: Richard L05/06/2020
Had to move outside air temperature sensor before it would fit my 2017 Sonic
by: Henry 03/08/2021
This product was easy to order and identify. It was delivered intact . Thank you all for this order.
Henry
3/9/2022
No problems after one year.
by: Richard10/17/2022
2014 Chevrolet Sonic
Received it very fast and the videos on the website was super helpful on installing it
by: Bill M10/20/2016
A bit of work to install but fits well and works great
Bill M.
11/9/2017
Great Product bit hard to install but works well
by: Christopher 07/30/2022
great product highly recommend
by: Au03/24/2021
KorrenC is an awesome lady. She’s very helpful, professional, and when she said she’ll call us back she
does. Great customer service from her!
25
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See what our Experts say about this Blue Ox Base Plates
- Choosing Good Automatic Transmission Vehicle to Flat Tow Behind RV We do not have a comprehensive vehicle list available but we do have a great article on the best and most popular vehicles to flat tow behind an RV, which I have attached below. One of the most popular vehicles to flat tow is the Jeep Wrangler. This is due in large part to its general adventurous nature, modest size, and the fact that both the manual and automatic transmission models can be pulled with all 4 wheels on the ground. When going through the process of selecting a new vehicle...
view full answer... - How to Prevent Steering Wheel From Locking Up When Flat Towing 2017 Chevy Sonic In order to prevent the steering wheel in your 2017 Chevy Sonic from locking up when flat towing it behind your RV, you will just need to make sure to follow the steps in the vehicle's owner's manual, specifically the proper key position. I took a look at the online copy of your Sonic's owner's manual and it lists these steps to take before flat towing the vehicle: 1) Shift the automatic transmission to P (Park) or a manual transmission into 1 (First) gear, then turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF....
view full answer... - What is Acceptable Height Difference Between Base Plate and Trailer Hitch HeightYou can have the height difference between the hitch height and base plate height 3 inches higher or lower. Check out the picture I attached to see that. Ideally you are as level as possible, but based on the height difference you have of 2 inches you'd be totally fine. I attached a help article that covers more on this topic if you're interested.
view full answer...
- 2015 Chevrolet Sonic RS and Blue Ox Base Plate Kit with Removable ArmsYes, the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit with Removable Arms, # BX1703 is a confirmed fit for your 2015 Chevrolet Sonic and specs state a distance between brackets of 18" fitting the Blue Ox Adventurer, Aladdin, Allure, Alpha, Avail, Aventa, and Trion tow bars.
view full answer... - Recommended Braking System For Flat Towing A 2020 Chevy Sonic Miles will not be added to your odometer because your 2020 Chevy Sonic has an electronic odometer that only tracks mileage when the vehicle is running. You won't have the vehicle running so no need to worry about any mileage. State laws and even county/city laws could affect you're ability to go without a braking system so you would need to look into the laws of every area you plan to tow through. The dry weight on a 2020 Chevy Sonic is around 2921lbs so if you put anything into it you...
view full answer... - Flat Towing A 2020 Chevy Sonic Hatchback RSBefore flat towing any vehicle it's always best to check the owner's manual to ensure your vehicle is able to be flat towed and the steps needed to make your vehicle ready to flat tow. Tow Bar: Blue Ox Alpha 2 Tow Bar - Motorhome Mount - 6,500lbs Item # BX7380. Tow Bar Wiring: Roadmaster Smart Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Wiring Kit for Variable Voltage Incandescent Tail Lights Item # RM26FR. This will splice into your vehicle's tail lights and connect your RV to your vehicle to use your...
view full answer... - How Fast Can Chevy Sonic be Flat TowedYou didn't mention what year Chevy Sonic you have but I checked a few different years and I found that the vehicle has a 65 mph speed limit when being flat towed. The Blue Ox base plate kit part # BX1703 is a fit for 2012 to 2018 Chevy Sonics ( as of November 2018). You'll also need a tow bar like the part # BX7380 which is very easy to use and comes with safety cables. For lighting you can use the diode kit, # RM-15267, and not have to worry about cutting into the taillight housing....
view full answer...
- Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2019 Chevy Sonic with Push Button StartI did some checking and your 2019 Chevy Sonic is flat-towable as-is and you'll need to follow the guidelines in the owners manual and you'll be set on the proper procedure for getting the vehicle into the correct gear and unlocking the steering wheel. Typically with push button start vehicles to unlock the steering wheel you need to press the push button start button without touching the brake pedal and it will put the ignition into a setting that allows the wheel to be unlocked without...
view full answer...
- Can 2020 Chevy Sonic Hatchback RS be Flat Towed Behind MotorhomeYes, the 2020 Chevy Sonic Hatchback RS with an automatic transmission can be flat towed. The first thing you'll need is a base plate kit which for that you'd want the part # BX1703. In addition to the base plates, you will also need a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow your vehicle. One of the most popular compatible tow bars is the Blue Ox Avail # BX7420 which comes with safety cables. The coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground. For...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2017 Chevy Sonic TurboFor your 2017 Chevy Sonic we have the Blue Ox base plate kit part # BX1703 which is confirmed to fit all models of the 2017 Sonic so it would work well for you. I attached an install video for this for you to check out too. In addition to the base plates, you will also need a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow your vehicle. One of the most popular compatible tow bars is the Blue Ox # BX7420 which comes with safety cables. The coiled design...
view full answer... - Can 2019 Chevy Sonic RS be Flat TowedYes your 2019 Chevy Sonic turbo can be flat towed with the Blue Ox base plate kit part # BX1703. In addition to the base plates, you will also need a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow your vehicle. The most popular compatible tow bar is the Blue Ox # BX7420. This has non-binding arms which makes the setup very easy to connect/disconnect. For lighting you'd want the part # RO94FR. The diode kit that comes with this allows you to splice into...
view full answer... - Recommended Blue Ox Flat Towing Set Up for 2015 Chevy SonicWe can help you get set with flat towing gear from Blue Ox. Flat towing requires 5 essential components: tow bar, safety cables, and a lighting solution, base plates and supplementary braking system for the toad. Let's start with the base plates for the 2015 Sonic. Blue Ox offers their # BX1703 with removable bracket arms for a clean appearance when you're not flat towing. With these base plates I suggest their Alpha Tow Bar # BX7380 because it includes the required safety cables. Optronics...
view full answer... - Flat Towing 2018 Chevy Sonic Behind RVI took a look at the online owner's manual for your 2018 Chevy Sonic and found that it is indeed flat towable behind an RV with all 4 wheels on the ground. As you mentioned, there are specific steps listed in the manual that you will want to follow before heading out on your trip. At the end of the steps you will turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY and then shift the transmission to N (Neutral). The steering wheel should be unlocked at this point to allow proper turning during travel. You...
view full answer... - Can 2019 Chevy Sonic RS with Automatic Transmission be Flat Towed Behind RVAccording to my research it looks like your 2019 Chevy Sonic RS with the automatic transmission can be flat towed behind an RV like what you're asking. To do this you need a base plate kit, tow bar, safety cables, vehicle tow bar wiring, a supplemental braking system, and possibly a high-low adapter. I recommend going with a Blue Ox setup and the parts that you'll use are listed below: Base Plate Kit - # BX1703 Avail Tow Bar - # BX7420 Towing Accessories Kit - # BX88308 Stay-IN-Play DUO...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2015 Chevy Sonic Behind a Motor HomeTo flat tow a vehicle behind a motor home you will need 5 items: base plates, tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking. For base plates for your 2015 Chevy Sonic you can use Blue Ox base plates # BX1703. I have included a link to the installation instructions for you. For a compatible tow bar that comes with safety cables I recommend the Alpha, # BX7380. I have included a link to a video review featuring this tow bar for you. For lighting our installers prefer the bulb...
view full answer... - Can a 2017 Chevy Sonic RS Be Flat TowedWhat I think you are asking is if your 2017 Chevrolet Sonic with RS trim is able to be flat towed. We always suggest that you refer to your vehicle specific owners manual for most accurate information as the OEM should be final authority on vehicle specs. However, from the information available to me, it does not appear that the RS trim package equipped models can be safely flat towed. If your vehicle specific owners manual does state that your 2017 Chevrolet Sonic can be flat towed,...
view full answer... - Blue Ox Flat Towing Setup Recommendation for a 2013 Chevy SonicYou could certainly use a Blue Ox flat towing setup on your 2013 Chevy Sonic. The Blue Ox Base Plate Kit # BX1703 would be an excellent choice for a base plate kit and is compatible with the Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar # BX7380 that you also referenced. I would still recommend using the Roadmaster FuseMaster Fuse Bypass # RM76511 so that you do not have to pull a fuse every time you flat tow. Most states now require supplemental braking on the vehicle being flat towed. For an easy to use system...
view full answer... - Compact Cars with Automatic Transmissions that Can Be Flat TowedIt is very common for automatic transmission vehicles to need to be started and ran for a couple minutes every couple of hours or at every fuel stop. This is because the engine lubricates while running, so every couple hours of towing the engine will need to be lubricated again by running. Typically, an RV will need to be refueled every 5 to 6 hours, so the towed vehicle can be started whenever the RV needs fuel. In my research, I found several compact, automatic cars that can be flat...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2015 Chevy SonicTo flat tow a vehicle behind a motor home you will need 5 items: base plates, tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking. For base plates for your 2015 Chevy Sonic you can use Blue Ox base plates # BX1703. I have included a link to the installation instructions for you. For a compatible tow bar that comes with safety cables I recommend the Alpha, # BX7380. I have included a link to a video review featuring this tow bar for you. For lighting our installers prefer the...
view full answer... - Can I Flat Tow a 2020 Chevy Sonic LT with Automatic Transmission and What Parts Do I NeedFrom what I was able to find in the owner's manual for the 2020 Chevy Sonic LT, it does appear that this vehicle can be flat towed; there is a note that explains the following procedure for the models with an automatic transmission: "When dinghy towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission, the vehicle should be run at the beginning of each day and at each RV fuel stop for about five minutes. This will ensure proper lubrication of transmission components"- As long as these procedures...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2016 Chev Sonic LTTo flat tow a vehicle behind a motor home you will need 5 items: base plates, tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking. For base plates for your 2015 Chevy Sonic you can use Blue Ox base plates # BX1703. I have included a link to the installation instructions for you. For a compatible tow bar that comes with safety cables I recommend the Alpha, # BX7380. I have included a link to a video review featuring this tow bar for you. For lighting our installers prefer the bulb...
view full answer... - Recommended Parts to Dinghy Tow a 2017 Chevrolet Sonic LT SedanI have the perfect setup to dinghy tow your 2017 Chevrolet Sonic LT. For a tow bar I recommend using the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit, part # BX1703. This kit does not require any welding and has base plate tabs that can be removed for a very clean look when you are not towing your Sonic. The next thing that you will need is a tow bar. I really like the Blue Ox Alpha, part # BX7380, for this setup because it works well with the base plate kit and it comes with safety cables. This tow bar it...
view full answer... - Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2015 Chevy Sonic Behind an RV with an Aventa II Tow BarYes, I am happy to report that the Blue Ox base plates # BX1703 will work with your Aventa II tow bar BX7335. In addition to the tow bar and base plates you will need a few other items to flat tow your 2015 Chevy Sonic if you don't have them already. First you will need safety cables, # BX88196, which are rated for 5,000 pounds. For lighting you have some options. You could use a simple magnetic kit, # RM-2120, or for a more permanent installation you could use bulb and socket kit # RM-155....
view full answer...
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Jenny N.
2/10/2023
Hey I am glad to hear it is holding up. The paint issue is a common one as it will pick up nicks and scratches over time that will wear down the powder coat. For this we recommend keeping a can of Rustoleum on hand to touch up the base plate when you notice any peeling paint or rust.