Which Base Plates and Tow Bar are Needed to Flat Tow a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu

Question:

Can I flat tow a 2001 Chevy Malibu? What brackets do I need and which tow bar do you suggest.

asked by: Tom D

Expert Reply:

You should be able to flat tow your 2001 Malibu. Check your vehicle owner manual to see what needs to be done with the transmission in order to flat tow.

We do have base plate brackets for your vehicle. They are Roadmaster XL style brackets, part # 194-3. Most of the Roadmaster tow bars will work with this style of bracket.

There are 3 tow bars linked below, sort of a good/better/best line up. All of them will fit the the XL base plates for your car. The first is the Roadmaster Tracker Towbar, part # RM-020. It is a basic tow bar rated for 5,000 pounds and it attaches to a standard 2 inch diameter coupler ball. You may also want to use the quick-disconnects, part # RM-201, with this tow bar. They will allow you to remove the tow bar and the visible portion of the base plates from the car when not in tow.

The second bar is the Roadmaster StowMaster, part # RM-501. This tow bar has some stainless steel components, features the Autowlok system and includes the quick disconnects.

The third tow bar is the Roadmaster Falcon 2 Tow Bar, part # RM-520. Unlike the other two bars, this one will not need a drawbar and ball to mount to and is secured directly to the hitch. Stainless steel construction with the Autowlok feature. Additionally it is a non-binding design.

Either of these will work fine. It is simple a matter of personal preference as to which features are important to you.