Towbar Baseplate Problem

[Gardner Yeaw]

Rick,
Try this URL. It has some pictures of what I did. These just show
the basic idea. It is in the WanderLodge Owners Group Forum.

http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com/fo...hread.php?
t=829&highlight=blue+elongated

Gardner
1983 FC 35

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
wrote:
>
> Rick,
> My 1995 jeep Blue Ox did the same thing, except I discovered it a
> little sooner. I ended up making backing plates out of heavy angle
> iron with nuts welded to them. I was able to insert them through
the
> front of the frame. So far it has held well, but I do check
regularly.
> I put some pictures up on the old wanderlodge forum I think. I
will
> check. It might have been on this forum.
>
> Gardner
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Rick A."
> wrote:
> >
> > This is a reminder for everyone to check their towbar system
on
> a regular basis,
> > especially the baseplate where it bolts to the tow car frame.
> After returning from a trip
> > this past weekend the front of my wife's 2003 Jeep Liberty
> literally fell off! Luckily it
> > happened within 1 block of where I park the bird.
> > Studying the Blue Ox towbar system, which has been on for over
3
> years, I see a
> > possible design flaw in the baseplate system. The baseplate
itself
> has 3/8inch holes and
> > calls for 3/8 inch bolts to go into the frame, which mine had.
But
> the frame on the Jeep
> > Liberty is a unibody type, very thin stamped steel, with 1/2inch
> holes. Looking closely at
> > the Jeep frame the 1/2inch holes are now very elongated from the
> bigger hole size and
> > movement related to 3 years/20,000 miles. The bolts on one side
of
> the baseplate came
> > completely out causing the towbar frame to pull the front end of
> the Jeep off and causing
> > the Jeep to swerve to one side. Again, luckily all this happened
at
> 10mph and within 1
> > block of my parking spot. Another disturbing discovery is the
> 10,000 lb safety cables do
> > nothing in this case to prevent a runaway vehicle as they are
> attached to the same
> > baseplate.
> > So, this is a reminder to everyone to check your baseplate
bolts
> for tightness on
> > whatever vehicle you might tow.....and if you tow a Jeep
> Liberty.....check the bolts and
> > bolt holes immediately.
> >
> > Rick Archie
> > 85PT40 "Fort R"
> > Fort Worth
> >
>