Skid plate support broke and I have a Blue Ox front hitch-is my support OEM?

[RMD3819]

2019 FX4 XLT

I flat tow it so the Blue Ox tow hitch replaced the tow hooks.

Left side bracket for the skid plate rusted out and I don’t know if this is an OEM piece or something the shop fabricated when installing the Blue Ox.

See pic of the intact right side support. If this is OEM can someone direct me to a parts diagram or part number?

Thanks.

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[Magic Dragon]

It’s part of the Blue Ox Baseplate that is welded on.

The original skid plate mounts are part of the tow hooks that are removed when the Blue Ox is installed. The Blue Ox does not have a welded on threaded insert for the skidplate bolt like the original tow hooks do. It uses a bolt with a nylock nut through that bracket to hold the skidplate on. That bracket is pretty heavy duty so its surprising it failed.

https://blueox.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/14093746/BX2689.pdf

Page three of the manual shows the baseplate. Page 9, figure 13 show a photo of the mounting tab for the skid plate.

If it is that rusted I’d recommend replacing the baseplate with a new one - or at least contacting blue ox.

 

[RMD3819]

Thanks for the link.

Think this can be welded? The baseplate seems fine it is just the bracket that supports the skid plate.

 

[Magic Dragon]

I imagine it could be welded by a competent shop. It's not carrying any load except the skid plate.

It actually looks like the nut has been tack-welded on. That is not how they come from the factory -at least not now, or in recent history. It makes me wonder if Blue Ox may have revised the design due to a serial defect. It would be worth a call to ask them.

That said, if my truck were being towed with a baseplate that rusted bad enough for that bracket to break off, I'd get a new baseplate. The side mounts for the baseplate that mount the receivers to the frame of the vehicle are about the same thickness as that piece. I wonder what condition they, and their associated welds, are in. I'm not sure I'd want to risk pulling a 5000lb truck with them if they resemble that bracket in any way.

I just replaced my 7 year old Blue Ox tow bar because the stinger had deformed and rusted around the hitch pin holes. It had less rust than your bracket. In my mind, the $1000 cost for a new tow bar was 1/60th the price a replacement truck with all the tow-gear installed -notwithstanding the fact that the 2024 Ranger is no longer flat-towable.

 

[Magic Dragon]

You know, looking closely at your photos that actually doesn't look like a Blue Ox baseplate at all.

It looks like a Curt baseplate. Note the welded on nut for the skid-plate, the lack of a side plate on the outside edge of the receiver housing, and the location of the bottom mounting bolts.
https://www.curtmfg.com/part/70127

The bottom bolts on the Blue Ox are recessed into the receiver housing, it doesn't have a welded on nut, and it has side plates on both sides of the receiver housing.
https://www.etrailer.com/Base-Plate-for-Tow-Bar/Ford/Ranger/2020/BLU77XR.html?vehicleid=20206004644

 

[RMD3819]

Funny you should mention that......

A few years ago something came loose in Montana on our way to Alaska. Wife took it to a metal shop and they told her it was a Demco.

I supplied the baseplate to the shop that installed it which was also a machine shop. Bought it on eBay myself. Wondering now if the shop did some mods since they had the skills.

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