Find installer for base plate and tow bar

[Debra17]

The motor home we purchased came with a Blue Ox tow bar and RVi2 braking system. We know nothing about the flat towing equipment and need to find a place where we can take the motor home and all the parts we have to have someone to look at and determine what other parts we may need. The seller said he lost one of the safety cables and he used a standard chain instead. So I know we need a new safety cable but not sure what else. Once we purchase a vehicle then we will need the base plate and wiring,etc. What type of business would do this work? We are in Tucson. Would anyone be able to suggest a place here or possibly in Phoenix?
Thanks!
Debra

 

[Isaac-1]

The RVI2 braking system is a fairly simple install, perhaps the simplest of the drop in braking units out there, here is a link to the install guide http://www.hitchsource.com/docs/pdf/RVibrake2_Installation_and_User_Guide.pdf It consist of the display unit that goes in the motorhome, the brake unit which you place on the floor of the car you are towing, and a safety break away switch and wire which is run to the front bumper of the tow car. To install it in a new car is as simple as mounting the break away switch and running the wire to the drivers floor well area, where it plugs into the brake unit. Depending on the model of car you might also need to add an always on 12V outlet for the unit to plug into.

Base plates and tow bars are somewhat brand specific, though there are adapters that allow interchanging between the popular brands of base plates and tow bars, which bolt onto the tow bars in place of the standard end pieces. So you may want to check to see if your blue-ox tow bar has the standard blue ox connector mounted on it. If not you might want to consider whatever brand of connector you have when buying a base plate for your eventual towed car.

When it comes to shopping for a towed car I suggest checking out the dinghy towing guide Downloadable Dinghy Towing Guides | MotorHome Magazine and make sure whatever you buy can be flat towed, this is not always that simple,as on some cars on certain transmissions, etc can be flat towed, it is not always as simple as automatic vs manual, for example with our Jeep Cherokee only the Active Drive II 4x4 automatic transmission version can be flat towed, the Active Drive I 4x4 can't be and neither can the 2 wheel drive versions.

 

[phil-t]

When we bought our current car (towed verified) we had a mechanic at the dealership do the baseplate install. Baseplates and towbar parts can be found at etrailer.com. They specify by the towbar brand and towed model.

 

[Debra17]

Thanks for the replies and info and sorry for my delayed reply. I did read the messages but we have been going non-stop the last few days and I haven't been on the computer much. We have been referencing the Dingy Towing Guides to make a list of vehicles that would meet the towing requirements of our rig. Our hitch is rated at 5,000 lbs, so that really knocks down the vehicles that we could consider. We really wanted to get a Ford Explorer but they were just too heavy and would put us right at the maximum weight. We would like to have a cushion. We are currently house-sitting in Tucson. Yesterday we had to make a trip up to Phoenix to put the Nash travel trailer in consignment. I had it advertised on RV Trader and on Tucson Craigslist; was surprised I received little response. We want to get back on the road and not be tied down to selling a trailer so decided to take this step. Our house sitting engagement ends on 8/24 and we have a commitment to be in CA by 8/27.

We had two vehicle models we wanted to look at as potential toads - the GMC Acadia and the Buick Envision. I had been watching Autotrader looking for these cars for sale. There has not been anything in Tucson but there was a dealer in Phoenix metro that had both on their lot. After dropping the trailer we went to look at them. Both were very nice, well-equipped vehicles. After driving both and comparing how they were equipped, we decided to go with the Acadia. We will have to be conscious of how much weight we put in the car when towing it, but we both liked it so decided to go that route. We also had 2 vehicles that we needed to dispose of - a Toyota RAV4 and a Ford F250. The dealer was interested in taking both in on trade we worked out a satisfactory deal and are getting a nice check back.
So yesterday was phenomenal and really took a lot off our plate! It is a huge relief to get this done so we can be on our way later this month.

So now, regarding the base plate and tow bar, since we purchased the car in Phoenix we don't want to drive back up there to get the tow bar setup. We did ask the salesman if they did that work and he said they send their customers to Quality Bumper. This company also has a location in Tucson so we plan to go by there to check them out and talk to them about getting the base plate and whatever else we need.

Debra