Demco 2024 baseplate failures

[epgrove]

Just wanted to warn anyone with a 2024 Demco baseplate to keep an eye on it, as I had two failures. This past summer I noticed a small amount of play in the baseplate. I took it apart and found one of the bolts supplied by Demco had snapped while towing. It was torqued the amount specified in the instructions, 50 ft lbs. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt and it has held up since. Now, while towing to Florida last week I noticed the baseplate getting loose again. I pulled the truck apart and found that the same bolt on the opposite side has now snapped as well. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt as well. Just wanted to let others know, as it appears there may be an issue with the bolts Demco spec'd for these baseplates.

Sponsored

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

I assume you're talking about the 7/16" bolts (#6) ?

HRG

 

[710-oil-614]

I would have replaced all provided nuts, washers, and bolts after the first failure.

 

[epgrove]

I assume you're talking about the 7/16" bolts (#6) ?

HRG

Yes

 

[epgrove]

I would have replaced all provided nuts, washers, and bolts after the first failure.

Yes in hindsight this would have saved me some aggravation, but at the time I was doing the first fix in a campground in Cape Breton Nova Scotia and was only trying to do the minimal needed to get us back on the road.

 

[Dave O]

Did you contact Demco and make them aware of the issue - I went with the RoadMaster Baseplate no issue at this point after flat towing it almost 6,000 miles in 2025

 

[epgrove]

Did you contact Demco and make them aware of the issue - I went with the RoadMaster Baseplate no issue at this point after flat towing it almost 6,000 miles in 2025

Yes told them about it. They said they will inform their technical department and offered to send me replacement bolts.

 

[Dave O]

Yes told them about it. They said they will inform their technical department and offered to send me replacement bolts.

My concern would be a design flaw and a catastrophic failure

 

[epgrove]

My concern would be a design flaw and a catastrophic failure

I agree about a possible design flaw, especially with the bolts that are spec'd, but I wouldn't be too concerned with catastrophic failure as long as you keep an eye on it. Mine gave plenty of warning by getting slightly loose long before it would have likely failed completely. I was likely towing for hundreds of miles with snapped bolts.

 

[Tony Pandy]

@epgrove The bolts that failed were ones supplied with the base plate from Demco ?

 

[epgrove]

@epgrove The bolts that failed were ones supplied with the base plate from Demco ?

Yes, Demco supplied grade 5 bolts, both of which failed (snapped off at bolt head). I replaced them with grade 8 bolts.

 

[bsenecal]

Just wanted to warn anyone with a 2024 Demco baseplate to keep an eye on it, as I had two failures. This past summer I noticed a small amount of play in the baseplate. I took it apart and found one of the bolts supplied by Demco had snapped while towing. It was torqued the amount specified in the instructions, 50 ft lbs. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt and it has held up since. Now, while towing to Florida last week I noticed the baseplate getting loose again. I pulled the truck apart and found that the same bolt on the opposite side has now snapped as well. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt as well. Just wanted to let others know, as it appears there may be an issue with the bolts Demco spec'd for these baseplates.

Thanks for the info.
I will be setting up our 2025 Maverick hybrid to flat tow in the spring.
Great to get tips from actual users.
Did you run a charge line to the Maverick battery?
Brian

 

[epgrove]

Thanks for the info.
I will be setting up our 2025 Maverick hybrid to flat tow in the spring.
Great to get tips from actual users.
Did you run a charge line to the Maverick battery?
Brian

Yes ran a charge line. Everything else about towing the Maverick had been great except for my baseplate issues, but hopefully that is now resolved.

 

[Tony Pandy]

Yes, Demco supplied grade 5 bolts, both of which failed (snapped off at bolt head). I replaced them with grade 8 bolts.

Thanks for heads up. I have a 2025 and planning on a Demco BP and DIY. I'll not use the Demco supplied Bolts and Purchase higher grade / quality Bolts.

Just a hunch but I'm guessing the Demco supplied Grade 5 Bolts were not quality or their supplier has issues or Counterfeit bolts—those masquerading as legitimate but failing to meet required specifications. The latter part I know of first hand from 20 something years ago. I was a supplier to a bolt house for Gaskets they put together flange kits etc. Some of their largest customers were in the Power Gen industry. They had failures of bolts used in new construction at a Power Plant. The Bolt House was purchasing from a Supplier that falsifying documents at the factory level. Became a large federal investigation not just from this power plant failure bit across the whole industry.

 

[bsenecal]

Yes ran a charge line. Everything else about towing the Maverick had been great except for my baseplate issues, but hopefully that is now resolved.

Excellent, a couple more questions.
I assume you ran that charge line all the way directly to the battery under the rear seat?
If so what was the pathway?
Also why do you choose that particular baseplate?
What form of exterior lighting system did you choose?
Last question what brand tow bar did you go with?
Thank you
Brian

Sponsored