Has anyone installed the DEMCO Baseplate on a 2024 yet?

[First Sergeant]

Clark Fork, ID... I'm at our winter home in Yuma, AZ

Very nice area! We moved down here from New Meadows about two years ago. Miss skiing at Brundage, was only 25 minutes away. But medical issues for her and I both required us to be closer to doctors. Nothing real serious, but when you live 3 hours away from things and have to go down valley to Boise 3 times a month, it gets old pretty quick. We did like it in New Meadows much better though. Only about 400 people in our little town, although we lived about 6 miles out of town.

Sponsored

 

[phoneman01]

The Demco folks told me last week that getting one from them may take several weeks. Since my “build” is supposed to be this week, I ordered one. I hope the Mav and the plate arrive around the same time.

P.S. Where are the “fingers crossed" emojis?

 

[DK Tiffin Toad]

Question, Where did you wrap the safety cables for the baseplate on the mav? Not the cables to the RV, the ones that are supposed to go around the frame of the Maverick. Thanks!

 

[Donziman]

That's great to hear. There are a few folks on the Facebook Maverick group waiting for Demco to "bless" their baseplate fitting a 2024, as Demco was refusing to commit that it would fit yet.

Doing mine right now. about 4 hours in.

 

[BradnChristine]

Doing mine right now. about 4 hours in.

I now am approaching 5000 total towed miles. I keep seeing folks with problems getting out of neutral tow, but have never had a problem when I follow my card explicitly instead of trying to remember the process.

 

[Donziman]

I now am approaching 5000 total towed miles. I keep seeing folks with problems getting out of neutral tow, but have never had a problem when I follow my card explicitly instead of trying to remember the process.

Thanks Brad! So appreciate your write ups and sharing of info here. It was really helpful. Question: did you install the safety cables? I did, but feel they're more for " show" in the unlikely event that the baseplate detached from the bottom as the cables would slip off the bottom.

 

[Donziman]

Question, Where did you wrap the safety cables for the baseplate on the mav? Not the cables to the RV, the ones that are supposed to go around the frame of the Maverick. Thanks!

DK, this is probably way too late for you... same issue / question here with mine. Love the fit and looks of the DEMCO plate, but the video and instructions for cables and their placement are inadequate IMHO. As insurance, I drilled and through bolted a third bolt between the two on the bottom that Ford provides. I then did the cables around the frame and base of the plate.

Question, Where did you wrap the safety cables for the baseplate on the mav? Not the cables to the RV, the ones that are supposed to go around the frame of the Maverick. Thanks!

 

[BradnChristine]

Thanks Brad! So appreciate your write ups and sharing of info here. It was really helpful. Question: did you install the safety cables? I did, but feel they're more for " show" in the unlikely event that the baseplate detached from the bottom as the cables would slip off the bottom.

Nope. Their lawyers undoubtedly made them include those useless safety cables. The baseplate is the strongest item in the front of the Maverick. I've towed several vehicles a total of over 120k miles in the last 24 years and never had any issues. "Safety cables" seem to be a new item. I never had them as part of a package before for: a 1998 Honda CR-V, a 2003 S-10, a 2005 MDX, a 1997 Ranger, a 2001 Ranger, a 2013 C-Max, a 2017 C-Max, or a 2015 Wrangler. I have no worries about not using them.

On a related note, I am going to pull my 6-pin socket out as my right taillight wire must have slipped during the last trip and I lost power to that light.

I left my 6-pin mounted rather loose, with 3M VBH tape holding it in place. Hopefully, I won't have to take the fascia off, but if I do, I'll be able to check torque, etc. and see how the mounting bolts have fared over the two long trips...2622 miles and 2720 miles. Demco made a fine Baseplate...but did a poor job of considering the 6-pin placement. If you notice on their picture of their installed baseplate, there is NO electrical pictured at all. When I contacted them, they told me they just "leave that up to the installer". Had they just welded 2 little L brackets like Roadmaster did for my Wrangler, it would have been easy.

 

[Donziman]

Nope. Their lawyers undoubtedly made them include those useless safety cables. The baseplate is the strongest item in the front of the Maverick. I've towed several vehicles a total of over 120k miles in the last 24 years and never had any issues. "Safety cables" seem to be a new item. I never had them as part of a package before for: a 1998 Honda CR-V, a 2003 S-10, a 2005 MDX, a 1997 Ranger, a 2001 Ranger, a 2013 C-Max, a 2017 C-Max, or a 2015 Wrangler. I have no worries about not using them.

On a related note, I am going to pull my 6-pin socket out as my right taillight wire must have slipped during the last trip and I lost power to that light.

I left my 6-pin mounted rather loose, with 3M VBH tape holding it in place. Hopefully, I won't have to take the fascia off, but if I do, I'll be able to check torque, etc. and see how the mounting bolts have fared over the two long trips...2622 miles and 2720 miles. Demco made a fine Baseplate...but did a poor job of considering the 6-pin placement. If you notice on their picture of their installed baseplate, there is NO electrical pictured at all. When I contacted them, they told me they just "leave that up to the installer". Had they just welded 2 little L brackets like Roadmaster did for my Wrangler, it would have been easy.

Completely agree! Great base plate, great look but wow, the cables and 6 pin... well let's just say there was no thought to that.

On a related note, I am a complete novice here to this, my first coach and towed. I had no idea that the baseplate or wiring kit did not include the 6 pin or cable for it. I had the truck apart and put it all back together as I was lacking the parts to complete it. I'll have to do the wiring the hard way after my parts come (Amazon - after your comments, thx!) without the benefit of a removed front end.

 

[AstroGeorge]

Has anyone used the Demco baseplate with the
Ready Brute Elite II RV Tow Bar With Integrated Supplemental Brake?
https://nsarvproducts.com/collections/aluminum-tow-bar/products/rv-tow-bar-ready-brute-elite-ii

 

[realshelby]

I switched to the Roadmaster baseplate after my Blue Ox baseplate catastrophic failure. Not the Demco as it was not in stock. BUT...I think for the purpose of what you are asking it will be the same result.
I simply LOVE the mechanical braking package of the Ready Brute! I also use their mechanical break away system. Once you get it set up, there is not any system any easier to hook up and drive away. No electrical parts to fail or run out of power. Nothing in the floor to get in the way of starting/exercising the Maverick every several hours.
Know that there are some that experience surging under medium to harder braking with the Maverick and this system. I fixed that with a hydraulic shock to soften the application and return of the brake lever arm.
BUT....I will say I do not much care for the Ready Brute II towbar! It is aluminum so it is lighter. But the arms do not retract or extend nearly as far as my Blue Ox towbar does. Makes it harder to hook up if not positioned just right. My biggest complaint is that the vertical swivel joint where the bars attach to the hitch part is prone to being too loose. This causes the Maverick to sway side to side more than it should and I can feel it touch the limit from side to side. Starting over, I would buy the braking box they sell that allows other brands of towbars to be used. In fact once I get home I am going to convert mine back to a Blue Ox towbar that I have already.

 

[gwrace14651]

I finally got around to installing the Demco baseplate on our 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid. A pretty easy install with the following notes. You have to cut a small section out of the air dam system to make room for the baseplate. In addition I had to remove small plastic tabs from both driver and passenger side so the baseplate lower mounting holes would line up. The provided hex bolt to remount the PAD on the drivers side was too short even with washers removed. Had to buy a longer 3/8 inch grade 8 bolt, and nut. But overall a very easy install. I still have to mount the Readybrake surge system.

Sponsored