How To Fix Blue Ox Mistake

[DallasSteve]

I installed a new Blue Ox baseplate on my Jeep Wrangler. I also ordered a Blue Ox Patriot II brake controller and it came with a breakaway switch. I looked at the diagram of the baseplate on how to install the switch and the tab on mine extends to the front and not to the back like in the diagram. I would post a photo here, but it has to be online and I don't have the time to put it online right now.

The bad part about the mistake is the breakaway switch has the mounting hole at the back so it will extend far out into the air in front of the baseplate. So I wrote Blue Ox and they called me. They admitted it is a one off mistake in the assembly of my baseplate. Their recommendation is to attach it to some part of the frame on the car. Easier said than done. I'm thinking of a few possible solutions:

1 - Mount it in the hole provided, but remove it when I'm not traveling.
2 - Buy some strap to attach to the baseplate that can then hold the switch.
3 - Buy a strap or plate I can attach to the frame and attach the switch to it.
4 - Buy a strong piece of metal with 2 holes and attach it to the existing tab to give me another hole behind the bar where it belongs.

This is the second screw up by Blue Ox. When I installed the baseplate it was missing 2 lock washers that I had to buy at OReillys. What does it cost them to put some extra washers, bolts, nuts in with their $500 baseplate? I wish I had picked a different brand. I thought I was buying high quality.

[DallasSteve]

northshore wrote:
As a guy getting ready to buy a towing set up, this is all good info, thanks I will keep all of this in mind when I purchase my outfit.
I believe I have read other comments similar to the original post about Blue Ox , but those were just vague comments, nothing I can put my finger on at the moment.

Northshore

The others may have their problems, too. I don't know. You might want to read the Dinghy Towing Guide. I'll post a link. One other negative comment I have about Blue Ox is their Patriot II brake controller comes with a remote control. I like the idea. The remote control looks like 20 year old technology with a two-tone screen and clunky rubber buttons. If you spend $1,200 on a brake controller I think they shouldn't "cheap out" on the remote.

2020 Dinghy Towing Guide

[northshore]

As a guy getting ready to buy a towing set up, this is all good info, thanks I will keep all of this in mind when I purchase my outfit.
I believe I have read other comments similar to the original post about Blue Ox , but those were just vague comments, nothing I can put my finger on at the moment.

[rr2254545]

lryrob9301 wrote:
Typical Blue Ox poor engineering and manufacture quality.

My experience has been all positive

[lryrob9301]

Typical Blue Ox poor engineering and manufacture quality.

[rr2254545]

Just call blue ox there customer service is always great

[DallasSteve]

pauldub wrote:
I'd go with your option 4. I don't know what you really mean by "strong piece of metal" but 1/8" steel would be many times stronger than needed.

That may be the best solution. It doesn't have to support the weight of towing the vehicle. Just sturdy enough that the breakaway switch won't "breakaway" under normal use and resist the tug in a true emergency.

[pauldub]

I'd go with your option 4. I don't know what you really mean by "strong piece of metal" but 1/8" steel would be many times stronger than needed.

[DallasSteve]

Home Skillet wrote:
Take it back and get another brand.
You should not have to engineer anything to make it work.

I'm pretty sure I could return it. But I already spent about 16 hours installing the baseplate on my Jeep. My original post mentioned that it is installed. I'm not going to take it off, return it, and then install another. I didn't check all the diagrams to be sure it was assembled correctly. I thought Blue Ox did quality control, but I guess not. Lesson learned. At least they didn't mess up a weld that would've caused it to not work.

This makes me think of one more possible solution. I could pay somebody to cut off the bad part and weld on a new one correctly. I would do that before I would remove, return, and re-install.

[Home_Skillet]

Take it back and get another brand.
You should not have to engineer anything to make it work.