DEMCO Towbar Baseplates are coming for Flat-Towing the Maverick Hybrid!

[GregMurrow]

I just went to Tweety's and put one in my cart. Looks like there mat be a bunch of money to be saved...if they can deliver it. 9519360 is the DEMCO baseplate number.

After speaking with another trusted source, I just went online to order the Demco from Tweety’s and it’s $575 now. The roadmaster

I just did a quick online search and Tweety's says any Demco tow bar w/free shipping for $489.00
Maybe someone will order one and see if this new one will be that price?

I just went to order the demco from tweety’s and it came to $575 with free shipping, the roadmaster rm97rr is $485. What I don’t know is which requires the least modification to the the truck, and looks the best (least noticable) when unhooked. The latter doesn’t look bad. Any feedback?

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[BradnChristine]

After speaking with another trusted source, I just went online to order the Demco from Tweety’s and it’s $575 now. The roadmaster

I just went to order the demco from tweety’s and it came to $575 with free shipping, the roadmaster rm97rr is $485. What I don’t know is which requires the least modification to the the truck, and looks the best (least noticable) when unhooked. The latter doesn’t look bad. Any feedback?

There was zero question for me. You can search the pile of posts I have made on the subject, complete with the Roadmaster instructions to cut out the shutter system.
1. Roadmaster requires complete and irreversable destruction of the lower Active-Shutter system. Serious risk of denial of warranty claim if anything happens that Ford could relate to that system.
2. Blue Ox is so wide that members here have reported that it can easily bind up...not to mention that it makes an ugly installation in the middle of the bumper squares. Alternatives are to replace the lower fascia with the FX4 fascia (~$400), but then you have some work to do on the underside schrouding to make the shorter, new fascia meet it.
EDIT 11/29/23: See posts elsewhere of Blue Ox baseplate FAILURES by @realshelby and others.
3. Demco, at least in my installation, required me to pull out two of the lower active shutter vanes on each side that go behind the baseplate. They could not close if left in place. Just like Ford removed the vanes just below these, they are replacable. The DEMCO baseplate is completely removable if desired with only two small cutouts on the plastic shroud.

It was completely not about the price for me. And I bought the Roadmaster RM-034 adaptors to put on the end of my Roadmaster Falcon 2 towbar...to mate it to the Demco baseplate.

 

[GregMurrow]

There was zero question for me. You can search the pile of posts I have made on the subject, complete with the Roadmaster instructions to cut out the shutter system.
1. Roadmaster requires complete and irreversable destruction of the lower Active-Shutter system. Serious risk of denial of warranty claim if anything happens that Ford could relate to that system.
2. Blue Ox is so wide that members here have reported that it can easily bind up...not to mention that it makes an ugly installation in the middle of the bumper squares. Alternatives are to replace the lower fascia with the FX4 fascia (~$400), but then you have some work to do on the underside schrouding to make the shorter, new fascia meet it.
3. Demco, at least in my installation, required me to pull out two of the lower active shutter vanes on each side that go behind the baseplate. They could not close if left in place. Just like Ford removed the vanes just below these, they are replacable. The DEMCO baseplate is completely removable if desired with only two small cutouts on the plastic shroud.

It was completely not about the price for me. And I bought the Roadmaster RM-034 adaptors to put on the end of my Roadmaster Falcon 2 towbar...to mate it to the Demco baseplate.

Thank you Brad, yours does look good and its hard to tell in pictures what's different about the install. I thought the Roadmaster looked good, in about the same area, with connections flipped around a little. Based on your feedback, I'm going with Demco, and buying it as part of a package with the elite II from NSA. The Demco looks especially good since I just talked with them, saying it is indeed available even though ordering online, or through distributors ts not quite yet! I think they may have made some tweaks suggested by you and a couple other LTV freinds...

borrowing another contributor's picture from previous post for easier aesthetic comparison...

 

[BradnChristine]

Thank you Brad, yours does look good and its hard to tell in pictures what's different about the install. I thought the Roadmaster looked good, in about the same area, with connections flipped around a little. Based on your feedback, I'm going with Demco, and buying it as part of a package with the elite II from NSA. The Demco looks especially good since I just talked with them, saying it is indeed available even though ordering online, or through distributors ts not quite yet! I think they may have made some tweaks suggested by you and a couple other LTV freinds...

borrowing another contributor's picture from previous post for easier aesthetic comparison...

Here is a piece of the Roadmaster instructions...and you can see in the picture you "borrowed" that the lower active-shutter system is completely gone. Ford says the system is used for fuel efficiency AND HEAT MANAGEMENT. That last part is what concerned me and eliminated Roadmaster's poor engineering design for me. That looks like a Ford warranty denial waiting to happen.

 

[BradnChristine]

Here is a piece of the Roadmaster instructions...and you can see in the picture you "borrowed" that the lower active-shutter system is completely gone. Ford says the system is used for fuel efficiency AND HEAT MANAGEMENT. That last part is what concerned me and eliminated Roadmaster's poor engineering design for me. That looks like a Ford warranty denial waiting to happen.

Here's how the Demco looks with the fascia off when installed. Shutter system intact, but the two vanes on each side behind the bar are removed...as is the one below it that was removed by Ford:

 

[GregMurrow]

Thank you Brad. These are things you only find out in a community mitt like this. Your are above and beyond helpful and I truly appreciate it. I sure hope to meet you someday. I think you’re much closer to Boulder, CO than the other gentleman who’s been very helpful on this in south Florida, (you may have an idea) so there’s a chance!

 

[BradnChristine]

Thank you Brad. These are things you only find out in a community mitt like this. Your are above and beyond helpful and I truly appreciate it. I sure hope to meet you someday. I think you’re much closer to Boulder, CO than the other gentleman who’s been very helpful on this in south Florida, (you may have an idea) so there’s a chance!

Sounds like Oog!
I'm definitely closer, up north in Gillette, WY near I-90 and happy to help! I took at least 2 weeks from beginning to end of project as I needed the second baseplate from Demco.

Placing the wiring connector up front was the biggest pain, but it worked out just fine. For the rear, the set of 4 diodes from ebay worked perfectly, BTW. Plenty of room and easy to connect with wires instead of spades as the spendy Roadmaster diodes need. https://www.ebay.com/itm/385511304724
The 4-pack is even color coded to wiring on the diode outputs to the lights...2 browns for the tail lights, and a green (Right) and a yellow (left) for the turn signal/brake lights. Can't beat the price, and they are well made.

 

[gwrace14651]

Thank you for the Tweety's link. I just purchased a Demco from them. Never liked the idea of cutting out the lower shutter system on a brand new Mav.

 

[BradnChristine]

Thank you for the Tweety's link. I just purchased a Demco from them. Never liked the idea of cutting out the lower shutter system on a brand new Mav.

Check your fit with the DEMCO in place. One person reported being able to fit it and leave the vanes in place.

I mounted mine and saw that one set of slats was behind the baseplate, while another set was pressed against the top of the bar with the slats positioned about half open. I removed them so they would not have movement obstructed, and likely damage whatever motorizes their movement.

I think the reported case of a person not having to remove them may either be inaccurate or they left the shutters to bind. A later report was that this person had an installer do it, so they may not actually be aware that the 2 vanes on each side bind. In any case, removing the vanes does not damage the system and they can be replaced if the baseplate is removed....unlike the Roadmaster setup.

 

[gwrace14651]

NSA also told me today that the Blue Ox clevis will work to attach the ReadyBrute Elite II tow bars to the new Demco baseplate. So ordered a set of those.

 

[realshelby]

NSA also told me today that the Blue Ox clevis will work to attach the ReadyBrute Elite II tow bars to the new Demco baseplate. So ordered a set of those.

Not sure if you already have the Ready Brute Elite II? But it comes with the clevis's that attach to a Blue Ox style baseplate free of charge if you pick it when ordered.

 

[gwrace14651]

Not sure if you already have the Ready Brute Elite II? But it comes with the clevis's that attach to a Blue Ox style baseplate free of charge if you pick it when ordered.

Thank you. When I ordered back in July I had planned to use the Roadmaster baseplate since the Demco was not available. So I added the Roadmaster Clevis's to the order. Looking back I should have waited.

 

[BradnChristine]

Thank you. When I ordered back in July I had planned to use the Roadmaster baseplate since the Demco was not available. So I added the Roadmaster Clevis's to the order. Looking back I should have waited.

It was hard for me to wait to buy things in my 491 day wait, but I never felt sure the truck would actually arrive. I managed to only buy a tailgate damper and a Kia mirror until I actually got my 2023 truck home. I'm glad I didn't buy a baseplate, as I'd have gotten the Blue Ox after seeing the Roadmaster installation sheet. The delay allowed me to wait for the DEMCO.

 

[gwrace14651]

It was hard for me to wait to buy things in my 491 day wait, but I never felt sure the truck would actually arrive. I managed to only buy a tailgate damper and a Kia mirror until I actually got my 2023 truck home. I'm glad I didn't buy a baseplate, as I'd have gotten the Blue Ox after seeing the Roadmaster installation sheet. The delay allowed me to wait for the DEMCO.

As it turns out everything I purchased during the 14 months of waiting installed perfectly. So I got lucky and purchased when I found some discounted pricing. Black Friday's and Cyber Monday's made for some great buys. The only issue was the baseplate and that was because I changed my mind thanks to the coaching from @BradnChristine

 

[gwrace14651]

Tweetys just shipped the new Demco plate yesterday. Should have it tomorrow. That will be the next weekend project. Quite a nice discount off the eTrailer price but still more than the Roadmaster plate.

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