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  1. Tow Bar Base Plate
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Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Roadmaster

Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Part Number: 131-8
In Stock
$485.00
Retail:$550.00
You Save: $65.00
Tow Bar Base Plate

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Roadmaster Hitch Pin Attachment Tow Bar Base Plate - 131-8
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Designed specifically for heavy-duty applications, direct-connect brackets install onto your vehicle's frame to provide attachment points for a motor-home-mounted tow bar. Front arms are easily removable when not in use. Great Prices for the best tow bar base plate from Roadmaster. Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms part number 131-8 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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  • Reviews (1022)
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Roadmaster Tow Bar Base Plate - 131-8

  • Roadmaster
  • Removable Draw Bars
  • Hitch Pin Attachment

Designed specifically for heavy-duty applications, direct-connect brackets install onto your vehicle's frame to provide attachment points for a motor-home-mounted tow bar. Front arms are easily removable when not in use.


Features:

  • Hidden bracket design - drawbars are easily removable via 2 pins
  • Computer-cut, all-steel construction provides exceptional strength
  • Black powder coat finish is durable and corrosion resistant
  • Simple installation - no welding
    • Custom base plates ensure a perfect fit for your vehicle
  • No crossbar needed - faster hookup and sleeker appearance
    • Crossbar not required because these direct-connect base plates are designed for strong, heavy-duty applications
  • Compatible with all Roadmaster tow bars that slide into trailer hitch receivers
  • Instructions and mounting hardware included
  • Made in the USA
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty


Note: MX base plates will work only with the Roadmaster tow bars that slide into a trailer hitch, such as the Nighthawk, Sterling, Blackhawk, Blackhawk 2, Falcon, and Falcon 2. The MX base plates will not work with tow bars that require a hitch ball.


MX Series brackets do not require a crossbar because of the heavy-duty nature of your vehicle's frame. Thus, installation is simplified, the hookup process is faster, and the total appearance is enhanced.


Note: The EZ Hook safety cables included with Roadmaster's Sterling tow bars will not work with MX series base plates. These cables connect to an anchor plate on the Quick Disconnect crossbar, which will not be present when you are using MX base plates.


The drawbars, or front arms, on the MX series base plate kit are simple to mount and remove, easily securing with pins. 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.


Frame Variance Measurement Diagram

Measurement must be taken from the centerpoint of the lower-most threaded hole, on the side of frame, to a center-line dissecting the rear-most elongated hole on the bottom of the frame.

Frame Variance Measurement Diagram



131-8 Road Master MX Base Plate Kit

Installation Details 131-8 Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Customer Satisfaction Score:


Customer Reviews

Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms - 131-8

Average Customer Rating:  4.8 out of 5 stars   (1022 Customer Reviews)

Designed specifically for heavy-duty applications, direct-connect brackets install onto your vehicle's frame to provide attachment points for a motor-home-mounted tow bar. Front arms are easily removable when not in use.

by:

Highly recommend E-Trailer for all of your towing accessories. Great product, great customer service!!



by:
1995 Chevrolet Tahoe

I had to ream out one of the holes to fit my 95 Tahoe. No problem hooking up after that. Went right in with no other modifications and no problems. Have towed a few thousand miles now and they worked great for me.



by:
Chevrolet Tahoe

It was amazing how well it fit my older Tahoe.



by:
2002 Chevrolet Silverado

Very efficient



by:
1993 Chevrolet C/K Series Pickup

Left side was a great fit.

Right
side, I had to open the holes on the frame a little. The side bolt for the bumper didn't line up.

Still a great product. I have used on my previous cars.



by:
1998 Chevrolet Suburban

Not the best quality. I should have stayed with the BlueOx products to match the BlueOx tow bar I purchased. The left side base plate went together pretty easy. However, the right side left a lot to be desired. First, one of the three bolt holes on a backing plate was about a quarter of a hole off center. Had to modify the frame to make it fit. Second, the side bracket on the base plate was not square, and was difficult to get it bolted up to the frame. Also, had to trim the valance on the right side because the base plate didn't quite fit the hole like the left side did.



by:
1997 GMC Sierra

The baseplate were delivered on time.

Installation
was straight forward. Because these baseplates were for a truck no disassembly was required, only minor timming of the front air dam. The new baseplates were easy to install and they fit perfectly. The instructions were clear and useful.

I originally called a RV shop to have them purchase and install the baseplates. But they said they checked with Roadmaster and the baseplates were not available for my truck because of its age (it's a 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 4X4). I guess the should have checked with etrailer.com. They lost a job, not good for business.



by:
1998 GMC Yukon

Straight forward install of 131-8 on 1998 Yukon. But i did have to do two things they don’t mention. (1) I had to trim about 3/4” to enlarge the hook hole in the air dam and (2) because of a slight mismatch of the nutplate with the frame holes, I drilled the center bottom holes in the frame from 1/2” to 5/8”. That was enough for both sides and the fit was then very good with no slop.. The tow bracket pins seem very easy to remove (to steal the brackets) so I will replace with locking 5/8” hitch pins. Besides, they are ugly and oversized (too ling). All in all, went as expected. Other reviewers gave the heads up on the air dam trim and the hole mismatch. Also, not sure why the big clipped washer spacers are clipped; there was no interference on the 1998 Yukon. And i didn’t use the 1/2” clipped washers.



by:

Would have been nice to get better installation instructions, maybe a video of the actual vehicle that I'm installing it on??

Jenny N. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Jenny N.

12/23/2021

I reached out to the manufacturer and there is not a video installation video at this time.



by:

The base plate installation went as smooth as expected. The details included with the plate were complete and clear. Great products and great service.



by:

Product exactly as described smooth install quality material through instructions. Thank You Judy



by:
1994 Chevrolet Blazer



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by:

well to tell you the truth i never mounted them cause car wouldn't pas inspection i now have a jeep liberty 2005 that i would like to get base plates for maybe trade the set i have now that are new still in box



by:

etrailer service is and has always been stellar. My order was correct and was delivered very quickly. The only reason I made this a four instead of a five was that the rear bolt position of both base plate brackets where welded on crooked. Each small plate was at a different angle from each other. In my opinion whoever welded them wasn’t paying attention to quality control. Because I was on a time crunch for my departure on a trip and could not wait for replacements (and I needed the vehicle for local driving) I made the brackets work. Other than that the installation went smoothly and I was able to test tow my 2004 CRV a couple of times without incident.



by:

The product top notch quality build. I have a 2015 jeep wrangler and to be honest installing the bolts inside the bumper frame is a pain in the butt. To be clear this is NOT etrailer’s fault, but be prepared to use either very a long pliers or some kind of rigged up tool to hold the nut while you screw it. It appears that video that is available on there web site has a technician who has very long fingers and was able to do it easily. My fingers are not as long so using just fingers was not an option for me.



by:

Item arrived earlier than predicted after viewing a very complete tracking system. The information was very clear and precise. Good job! I am 75 years of age and installed the baseplate myself. Only a couple of minor issues. One pin would not insert. Welding blob in the way. Filed it smooth and problem solved. The video was excellent but was a bit different in that it showed a different method o rear bolt installation, however the instructions on paper showed the correct way. Reinstalling the front clip had presented some difficulty. I suggest really watching the inner fender position relative to the front clip before removal. All said all went well. The finished look is great, (see pictures). Great product!



by:

Needed these for my 4Runner. Had to do a bit of grinding on the frame rails to get em to fit. I suspect just different year manufacturing tolerances. All in all, pretty easy to install if you are even semi mechanically inclined. Havent towed it yet but got all the bits and pieces and to fit together just like it should. Easy to remove and good clearance underneath



by:

Looks great installed. I think it will work perfectly for towing my F150 4x4. Took approximately 1 hrs. I removed the bumper, 4 bolts, and installed effortlessly. Nice appearance!



by:

Very impressed that they're the exact fabbed fit, and easy to install! These tow base plates are super sturdy!



by:

Installed onto 2017 Toyota 4-runner. Fit perfectly. Was hard getting the one bolt hole drilled through the truck frame, but that is a tool issue, not anything negative about the product. I would recommend this Plate Kit to anyone wanting to flat tow a Gen 5 4-runner.



by:

Good information and prompt shipping.
Base
plate is solid and install and use instructions are excellent.
Be warned that product install is drill two holes and install 3 bolts, BUT the entire front panel has to be removed and replaced. Not difficult, but time-consuming.
Seat bracket is solid and install and use instructions are excellent.
Brakemaster kit is good quality, but instructions are not as good as most Roadmaster products. Instructions for air line install are especially weak.



by:

Installed on a 2010 Ford Ranger Sport 2wd
Have
towed over 10000 and not one issue. I did the install without one issue, picture perfect, I did use a online video to get a general idea of install otherwise I primarily used manufacturer's. . Be sure to use the recommended/ required locktite product.
Enjoy!!!


25
1022
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See what our Experts say about this Roadmaster Tow Bar Base Plate

  • Roadmaster Base Plate Kit that Fits 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4
    The base plates that fit specific vehicles can't be adapted to other vehicle by just swapping out a portion of it. You'll need an all new base plate kit that fits your 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 like the Roadmaster # 131-8. For lighting you can use the diode kit, # RM-15267, and not have to worry about cutting into the taillight housing. This will splice into your taillight wiring to allow your tow vehicle to control the taillight assemblies of the towed vehicle. This comes with a round...
    view full answer...
  • Can Base Plates And Front Hitch Be Installed At The Same Time On 1989 Chevrolet K1500 Pickup
    The mounting holes used to install the Curt Front Hitch, part # 31042 on your 1989 Chevrolet K1500 truck are the same hole needed for the installation of the Roadmaster Base Plates, part # 131-8. You would not be able to have both installed at the same time because of this interference. I have attached the installation instructions for both the 31042 and the 131-8 you can check out.
    view full answer...
  • Does Flat Towing 2002 Chevy Tahoe Require Crossbar
    A crossbar does not need to be used when flat towing your 2002 Chevy Tahoe if you use a Direct Connect base plate kit like the part # 131-8 which is a confirmed fit. This would work great with the 10k rated Roadmaster BlackHawk Tow Bar part # RM-422. You have the rest of your flat towing setup so you'd be good.
    view full answer...
  • Can the Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit 131-8 Be Purchased Without Arms
    In regards to the Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit part # 131-8, the base plate tab and removeable arms are sold as a kit. The base plate tab is not offered separately. That said, if you need to replace the removeable arms we do have an option for this, the Roadmaster Replacement Arms for Base Plate Kits part # RM-ARMS Please note, the Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit fits the following vehicles: 1992 - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer excluding 1-ton and Diesel 1987 - 1998 Chevrolet...
    view full answer...
  • Will Vevor Tow Bars work with Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate
    Hello Robert. I reached out to Roadmaster and they have not been able to test the Vevor tow bars with the Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms # 131-8 so they cannot recommend using that tow bar with their baseplate. With that being said, I would recommend using a different tow bar. The Roadmaster Sterling All-Terrain Tow Bar - Non-Binding - RV Mount - 2" Hitch # RM-576, these tow bars are rated up to 8,000 lbs so they would work great for your 2022 GMC Sierra. If...
    view full answer...
  • Base Plates for 1994 GMC C/K Series 2500 Pickup
    Blue Ox base plates # BX1712 do fit your 3/4-ton 2500 series. They also fit the 1500 and 3500. If you refer to the linked diagram you will see the frame measurement you can take (on the passenger side outside frame surface) to see whether you can use Roadmaster kit # 131-8 (if the dimension is 3-inches) or kit # 131-3 (if the dimension is 1-1/4-inches). I also linked an article on flat towing that covers each of the components required.
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Base Plate Kit and Wiring for Flat Towing a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 2WD
    Thanks for reaching out again, Dale! You'll need to check in your copy of the owner's manual to see if you can flat tow your 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 2WD. I tried looking it up online but was unable to verify this on my end. With that being said, if you are able to flat tow it then the correct base plate kit and wiring harness is listed below: - Base Plate Kit # 131-8 for 3" hole spacing OR Kit # 131-3 for 1-1/4" hole spacing (see attached photo) - Wiring Kit # RM-15267
    view full answer...
  • Base Plate Kit Fitment for a 1994 Chevy 1500 Blazer
    Hey Fred, thanks for reaching out! The correct base plate kit for your 1994 Chevy 1500 Blazer depends on the distance between the mounting holes on the bottom and side of your frame. I'm attaching a photo showing what I'm talking about, and you can use that to determine which of these is the correct fit: - 1-1/4" # 131-3 - 3" # 131-8 For a complete flat towing setup you will need a base plate kit, tow bar, safety cables, vehicle tow bar wiring, a supplemental braking system, and possibly...
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 1999 Chevy Express Van Behind a Motor Home with Blackhawk Tow Bar
    The 2002 Chevy Silverado and 1999 Chevy Express van require different base plate sets so you would not be able to use the ones off of the Silverado. For your 1999 Chevy Express Van you would need # 3106-3 for a 1500 series or # 3106-1 for a 2500 or 3500 series. Either set will be compatible with your Blackhawk tow bar. For safety cables you can use # RM-653. For lighting I recommend a simple magnetic kit # RM-2120 because with it you will not have to cut into the vehicle's tail light...
    view full answer...
  • Mounting Hardware/Bolts that Come with Roadmaster Base Plate Kit # 131-8
    We do not have a way to order replacement hardware for the Roadmaster base plate kit part # 131-8 but here's complete list of the hardware that you could take to a hardware store: 6- ½” x 1-3/4” bolts 2- 14mm x 2.0 x 45mm bolts 2- 14mm lock washers 6- ½” flat washers 6- ½” lock washers 2- ¼” x 1-1/2” x 7” nutted backing plates 2- ½ ” clipped plate washers 2- 5/8" clipped plate washers
    view full answer...

Do you have a question about this Tow Bar Base Plate?


Used Items Available
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms
Used Picture for Roadmaster Direct-Connect Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

Condition: Surface Scratches

Notes: Item has minor cosmetic scratches. Otherwise new and unused.

$268.41
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Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Written by:
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Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
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Employee Adele M
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Employee Wilson B
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