Maverick Flat Tow Videos

[Dad]

I put Roadmaster baseplates on my 2003 Chevy S-10 4x4 (after I had a driveshaft disconnect installed). Very simple installation of the 2 separate plates onto the frame members. Similar on the 2 Rangers I set up. All of the "unibodies" required an internal crossbar (like the Maverick) and removal of some minimal pieces. The 2005 Acura MDX required simply removing a crushable bumper piece and replacing it with the steel crossbar.

Roadmaster really let us down in the Maverick baseplate design.

Sounds like you're speaking from experience. Yes, I would have to agree with you on the Roadmaster design for the Maverick. Not up to par with previous versions. The RM baseplate was simple enough on the Colorado that I did it myself as a first timer. No cutting away of vehicle that I can remember. Unfortunately, all for naught as the Colorado caught fire and was destroyed less than 6 months later. Still cry over that.

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[realshelby]

Started flat towing a CMax in 2014, then got a Jeep Wrangler...waiting on a Maverick. Sure will miss the ease of setup on a Jeep. Put transfer case in neutral, make sure e-brake is off and go. Not much else matters! But once unhooked I think the Maverick will be worth the change to it.
I greatly prefer the Blue Ox over the Roadmaster as far as how the towbar hooks up. But both work just fine, simply my preference. Braking systems that push on the brake pedal for you are enough to make towing legal, but don't think you will be getting much braking action with them. They take too long to engage, then will go into time-out if kept on too long. Really only for emergency stopping.
I hope the dance with the Maverick to "run it every 6 hours" on a trip goes better than I am thinking. With the auxiliary brake in the way, hard to do the dance with the brake and hitting the gas to keep the gas engine running a bit. With the Cmax you didn't have to "program" it to go into neutral tow, just put it in neutral and leave switch in accessory as I recall.
I asked some...higher ups with Ford many years back about why they don't try to capture more of the flat tow market. Bottom line is they don't think there is enough business to worry about.....
Meanwhile I would have trouble counting how many Jeeps I see behind motorhomes when on trips....

 

[BradnChristine]

Started flat towing a CMax in 2014, then got a Jeep Wrangler...waiting on a Maverick. Sure will miss the ease of setup on a Jeep. Put transfer case in neutral, make sure e-brake is off and go. Not much else matters! But once unhooked I think the Maverick will be worth the change to it.
I greatly prefer the Blue Ox over the Roadmaster as far as how the towbar hooks up. But both work just fine, simply my preference. Braking systems that push on the brake pedal for you are enough to make towing legal, but don't think you will be getting much braking action with them. They take too long to engage, then will go into time-out if kept on too long. Really only for emergency stopping.
I hope the dance with the Maverick to "run it every 6 hours" on a trip goes better than I am thinking. With the auxiliary brake in the way, hard to do the dance with the brake and hitting the gas to keep the gas engine running a bit. With the Cmax you didn't have to "program" it to go into neutral tow, just put it in neutral and leave switch in accessory as I recall.
I asked some...higher ups with Ford many years back about why they don't try to capture more of the flat tow market. Bottom line is they don't think there is enough business to worry about.....
Meanwhile I would have trouble counting how many Jeeps I see behind motorhomes when on trips....

Completely agree. On all counts.
Roadmaster screwed the pooch with that "destroy your active shutter" to install the baseplate.
My C-Max is a Titanium 2017, so I don't need accessory on; my 2015 Wrangler is easy to set up and tow, but about 500 lbs heavier than the C-Max and my switch to a smaller Class C makes that something of concern.

In about 23 years, I have towed about 120,000 miles (110k of it with 2 different diesel pushers) and 10k with a Class C MH on a Ford Gas Transit 350-HD. In all that time, I have seen the brake indicator light turn on once and only once. It was in Fresno, CA when idiots were entering Hwy 99 from Hwy 41. My BrakeBuddy is there for legality and emergencies only. Not to be trusted as an anchor.

Ford has completely neglected selling to the rather large RV market, as you say. The Ford Hybrids are much cheaper choices than a Wrangler. Just one of their miscalculations for the Maverick Hybrid market.

 

[realshelby]

@BradnChristine, I run the Patriot braking system by Blue Ox. Would not buy that again. Looking at the conversion to the Ready Brake mechanical system for the Maverick. That would eliminate in cab chores with the auxiliary brake setup. Which would make the running of the engine every few hours much more simple.
Just traded a Berkshire 400QL (Diesel Pusher) for a 23 Georgetown GT7. 7.3 Ford V8. Pulls the Jeep better than I expected! I have weighed my Jeep (5140 lbs) and I figure I will be maybe 12-1300 pounds lighter with the Maverick.

 

[BradnChristine]

@BradnChristine, I run the Patriot braking system by Blue Ox. Would not buy that again. Looking at the conversion to the Ready Brake mechanical system for the Maverick. That would eliminate in cab chores with the auxiliary brake setup. Which would make the running of the engine every few hours much more simple.
Just traded a Berkshire 400QL (Diesel Pusher) for a 23 Georgetown GT7. 7.3 Ford V8. Pulls the Jeep better than I expected! I have weighed my Jeep (5140 lbs) and I figure I will be maybe 12-1300 pounds lighter with the Maverick.

Sounds like a newer Rubicon. Mine is an older Sahara and thus only around 4200-4400 lbs. I didn't intend to tow it, but I had to pick up the LTV RV in Texas and took the Jeep there to pick it up., I decided to see how it would tow instead of my wife having to drive it behind me. My (3.5L Ecoboost Ford) LTV pulled the Jeep just fine, but I do have to remain wary of my GCVWR (15,000 lbs).

I have an OCCC of 1752 lbs after taking off the recommended 4000 lbs for the towed. Since the LTV was pretty empty and only had about 600 lbs of us and stuff, I was well under the max coming back to AZ from TX. This will likely be my last towed, and I'm going to tow the C-max still this summer in case there are any Maverick bugs to work out before I install the baseplates.

 

[Dad]

Started flat towing a CMax in 2014, then got a Jeep Wrangler...waiting on a Maverick. Sure will miss the ease of setup on a Jeep. Put transfer case in neutral, make sure e-brake is off and go. Not much else matters! But once unhooked I think the Maverick will be worth the change to it.
I greatly prefer the Blue Ox over the Roadmaster as far as how the towbar hooks up. But both work just fine, simply my preference. Braking systems that push on the brake pedal for you are enough to make towing legal, but don't think you will be getting much braking action with them. They take too long to engage, then will go into time-out if kept on too long. Really only for emergency stopping.
I hope the dance with the Maverick to "run it every 6 hours" on a trip goes better than I am thinking. With the auxiliary brake in the way, hard to do the dance with the brake and hitting the gas to keep the gas engine running a bit. With the Cmax you didn't have to "program" it to go into neutral tow, just put it in neutral and leave switch in accessory as I recall.
I asked some...higher ups with Ford many years back about why they don't try to capture more of the flat tow market. Bottom line is they don't think there is enough business to worry about.....
Meanwhile I would have trouble counting how many Jeeps I see behind motorhomes when on trips....

I'm a bit late to your post. Apologies.
Ford should look at the current market . . . RV sales boomed over the COVID years. I'm thinking Roadmaster and maybe Blue Ox need to do a remake of their baseplates, but I suppose much of the fitting falls on the design of the Maverick.
For my braking system, I used the NSA ReadyBrake system, but at the time I bought one it was considerably less expensive by more than half. Just now checked their website https://nsarvproducts.com/products/rv-readybrake-towed-vehicle-supplemental-brake-system and they want over $900! I also noticed Camping World was having a sale on them.
I like the concept of it fitting between the RV and the tow bar and operated by the surge created from braking the mother vehicle. You run a cable to the brake pedal. Non-obtrusive. The cable stays permanently attached and peeks out the front of the toad. Barely visible.
My question to both RM and Blue Ox is compatibility with a RM tow bar and a Blue Ox base.

 

[realshelby]

I would ask Roadmaster if their towbar will accommodate the Blue Ox base plate connection point of 41". That is where the problem is going to be. Putting the legs that far apart means they will contact the drawbar pivot point on tight turns. That 41" is a non-standard width. Blue Ox lost me as a happy and recommending customer after my talk with them on the phone. There is no excuse for not listing the problem their base plate will have with MOST drawbars!

 

[Dad]

I would ask Roadmaster if their towbar will accommodate the Blue Ox base plate connection point of 41". That is where the problem is going to be. Putting the legs that far apart means they will contact the drawbar pivot point on tight turns. That 41" is a non-standard width. Blue Ox lost me as a happy and recommending customer after my talk with them on the phone. There is no excuse for not listing the problem their base plate will have with MOST drawbars!

Thank you for passing along this vital information. That must of been some phone call, but you're right, they should be more transparent. Question: by the 'drawbar' are you referring to a crossbar?

 

[realshelby]

The "drawbar" or probably should have called it the "towbar" is the Y shaped part that attaches to the motorhome hitch and to the two points on your vehicle baseplate.

 

[Dad]

The "drawbar" or probably should have called it the "towbar" is the Y shaped part that attaches to the motorhome hitch and to the two points on your vehicle baseplate.

Got it, thanks. I was asking because as you probably know, the Roadmaster tow bar has an optional crossbar that I believe installs across the forks of the bar.

 

[starznbutrflyz]

Question, maybe I missed the info. I bought my 22 XL hybrid used. It came with the front hooks and wiring. However, whoever did the wiring install did it by splicing my tail lights together causing the tail lights

to be faulty. I had to have the dealership cut the wires to the front pins in order to gain function of my tail lights again. Not to mention the gutting they did to my bumper. So I guess my main question is are these hooks secure or should I just have them removed? Everything I’ve been reading says the XL doesn’t have a place for hooks so I don’t know what they mounted it to.

 

[RideSolo]

A year and a half ago when the time came to get rid of the car we'd had for 13 years Mrs wanted a smallish SUV (I wanted just a little bigger) and I decided a hybrid would be good for us. About the same time we decided to move up from a 5th wheel and truck to a motor home so the new car needed to be a flat towable hybrid. I was surprised to discover the only thing that fit the bill was the Escape. I did my research and then my search and we ended up w/ a '20 Escape Titanium hybrid w/ extremely low miles (otherwise I would have gotten one a little bit newer.) Both of us like it far more than we expected to so once the trailer and the big truck left I discovered the Maverick. Again, research and search and again, found one w/ extremely low miles and we've decided the Mav is going to become the tow'd rather than the Escape. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go w/ the Demco baseplate but haven't reached any decision on the rest of the required paraphernalia. (I'll get into all of that after I find a motor home.)

 

[Dave O]

Flat Tow Baseplates - I just took delivery of my 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid I specifically purchased this truck to flat tow behind my MotorCoach

Fords refresh has created big challenges since they lowered the ACC Radar

I’ve been in communication with all three major baseplate manufacturers

BlueOx has released their baseplates for sale for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid (I not confident in this design as of this time being eTrailer was selling the 2024 baseplate for the 2025 which can not physically work and the recent issues BlueOx has had so I’m skeptical to much for me too risk)

Demco has not completed their engineering for the baseplate for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid

RoadMaster has not completed their engineering for the baseplate for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid

 

[BradnChristine]

Question, maybe I missed the info. I bought my 22 XL hybrid used. It came with the front hooks and wiring. However, whoever did the wiring install did it by splicing my tail lights together causing the tail lights

to be faulty. I had to have the dealership cut the wires to the front pins in order to gain function of my tail lights again. Not to mention the gutting they did to my bumper. So I guess my main question is are these hooks secure or should I just have them removed? Everything I’ve been reading says the XL doesn’t have a place for hooks so I don’t know what they mounted it to.

Those "hooks" are a Blue Ox Baseplate...the original style that has had many failures. Yes, that is how you have to install version 1 from Blue Ox. Sounds like someone made a mess and then sold it off. You can buy a Demco Baseplate if you want to tow, and you can buy a replacement lower shroud. I wouldn't tow it across the street with that Blue Ox 2-piece baseplate.

 

[BradnChristine]

Flat Tow Baseplates - I just took delivery of my 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid I specifically purchased this truck to flat tow behind my MotorCoach

Fords refresh has created big challenges since they lowered the ACC Radar

I’ve been in communication with all three major baseplate manufacturers

BlueOx has released their baseplates for sale for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid (I not confident in this design as of this time being eTrailer was selling the 2024 baseplate for the 2025 which can not physically work and the recent issues BlueOx has had so I’m skeptical to much for me too risk)

Demco has not completed their engineering for the baseplate for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid

RoadMaster has not completed their engineering for the baseplate for the 2025 Maverick AWD Hybrid

It is really sad that they did this "refresh" for 2025. The ACC works just fine in my 2023 mounted higher to allow my Demco baseplate to do its job..

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