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Blue Ox
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2003 - 2006 Kia Optima
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Custom Design: Each Blue Ox BX2708 Tow Bar Bracket is specifically designed for a perfect fit to your towed vehicle, ensuring optimal compatibility and performance.
Material: Steel
Color: Black
Finish: Powder Coat
Mounting Type: Bolt On
Mounting Hardware Included Yes/No: Yes
Experience superior towing performance with the Blue Ox BX2708 Tow Bar Bracket. Custom designed for each specific towed vehicle, this tow bar bracket comes with all the necessary hardware and easy-to-follow instructions for a hassle-free, do-it-yourself installation. Constructed from high-quality steel, this bracket ensures durability and resilience. Its sleek black powder coat finish offers enhanced resistance to rust and corrosion. Featuring a convenient bolt-on mounting type, the Blue Ox BX2708 Tow Bar Bracket provides a secure and stable connection for your towing needs.
Blue Ox is known internationally for recreational and commercial towing products, manufacturing in Pender, Nebraska since 1925. The line covers tow bars and vehicle-specific baseplates for flat towing behind a motorhome, sway control and weight distributing hitches, supplemental braking accessories and towing wiring, backed by patented designs and long-standing customer service.
Blue Ox has manufactured since 1925 and is recognised internationally for towing products and customer service. The company operates from Pender, Nebraska, where it grew out of Automatic Manufacturing Co., a business that started with cattle oilers and developed into agricultural equipment, tractor accessories and trailer towing hardware. That agricultural engineering heritage still shows in how the towing products are built, and the company holds patents across weight distribution, fifth wheel and tow bar designs.
Flat towing is the discipline Blue Ox is best known for. Towing a car with all four wheels on the ground behind a motorhome demands a system that stays rigid under braking, articulates properly over uneven ground, and connects to the towed vehicle at points strong enough to take the load. Blue Ox tow bars handle the first two, with self-aligning arms that latch under tension and release without a struggle when the load is off them. Vehicle-specific baseplates handle the third, engineered per make and model to tie into structural mounting points behind the fascia.
The wider flat towing range covers supplemental braking systems, safety cables and the accessories that make a complete legal setup, along with baseplate wiring and dinghy towing harnesses that pass lighting signals to the towed vehicle without back-feeding its electrical system.
For conventional trailer towing, Blue Ox weight distributing hitches with integrated sway control transfer tongue load onto the tow vehicle's front axle and resist the yaw that crosswinds and passing trucks induce.
The company describes its foundation as customer service, designing around what owners actually ask for, and it runs an RV park adjacent to the factory where customers can stay. Sister operations at the same Nebraska site include Automatic grain roller mills and MAD-RAMPS pivoting ramp systems.
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1 compatible vehicles
| Year | Make & Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 - 2006 | Kia Optima | Comes with Standard Attachment Tabs Install Rating 3 Bumper Fascia Must Be Removed/Replaced During Install Requires Some Trimming of Bumper Fascia/Plastic/And/Or Grill Headlights Must be Removed and Replaced During Installation Tow Hooks Must be Removed and Remain off the Vehicle After Installation |
Yes, the BX2708 is designed specifically for the 2003 Kia Optima LX. The baseplate attachment tabs are 24 inches center to center with a height of 13 3/4 inches.
The BX8869 is an available accessory for the 2003 Kia Optima LX. It is not included with the BX2708 baseplate. The manual shows its location on the driver's side tail light assembly, but does not provide installation details in this document.
You will need: 8MM socket, 10MM socket, 14MM socket, hack saw, Loctite, and Phillips screw driver. The hack saw is used to remove the depression on the bottom rib of the bumper and to make cuts in the ribbing to allow the baseplate to slide into place.
The following must be removed: headlight assemblies, front fascia, horn bracket, and windshield washer reservoir. The removal process involves removing metric bolts with a 10MM socket, push pins, and Phillips head screws from various locations on the front of the vehicle. These components are reinstalled after baseplate installation.
Yes, drilling is required. The manual states that drilling is necessary for baseplate installation on the 2003 Kia Optima LX. However, the specific drilling locations and hole sizes are not detailed in this document.
Yes, trimming is required. The air dam on the metal bumper must be trimmed. Specifically, you must use a hack saw to remove the depression on the bottom rib of the bumper (step 11) and make four cuts in the ribbing just forward of the tie down brackets, then bend the ribbing forward to allow the baseplate to slide into place (step 12).
1. Remove headlight assemblies, fascia, horn bracket, and washer reservoir. 2. Remove tie down brackets and fascia brackets (not reinstalled). 3. Use a hack saw to remove the depression on the bumper's bottom rib and make four cuts in the ribbing forward of the tie down brackets. 4. Bend the ribbing forward. 5. Slide the baseplate over the bent ribbing to align with tie down bracket holes in the frame. 6. While maintaining a level position, tighten the existing metric bolts from the tie down brackets using Loctite on all bolts. 7. Reinstall the washer reservoir bolt and air baffle bolts. 8. Reinstall the fascia and headlight assemblies.
The manual states that all bolts must be tightened according to the Torque Chart in the General Instruction Sheet, which is not included in this document. Loctite must be applied to all bolts before tightening. Specific torque values are not provided in the BX2708 installation instructions.
The following existing fasteners are reused: six metric bolts from the tie down brackets, one metric bolt from the washer reservoir, and four metric bolts from the driver's side air baffle. These are removed during disassembly and reinstalled after the baseplate is positioned. The two Phillips screws from the fascia opening are replaced with two self-tapping screws that attach to brackets on the baseplate.
The BX2708 includes: one weldment base plate (61-5964), two #10-16 x 1 self-drilling screws (201-0654), two #12-14 x 1" self-drilling screws zinc plated (201-0979), two #10-32 hex nuts (202-0047), two #10 lock washers (203-0054), two #10-32 x 1/2 slot round head screws (201-0192), and two 4-way connector adapters (101-5822). The six tie down bracket bolts and one washer reservoir bolt are existing vehicle fasteners that are reused.
Yes, Loctite must be applied to all bolts before tightening. The manual specifically states 'Be sure to use loctite on all bolts before tightening' and recommends using Loctite Red on all bolts. Loctite is listed as a required tool.
The manual notes that dimensional variations between otherwise identical cars can be considerable. If a bolt does not clear, it may be necessary to file a hole slightly to allow proper alignment. This is a normal part of the installation process.
Permanent baseplate safety cables are strongly recommended when towing a vehicle with a tow bar. They must be connected from the baseplate to the frame rail or cross member of the vehicle's frame. The cables prevent the towed vehicle from breaking loose if the connection between the frame and baseplate fails. However, permanent baseplate safety cables are to be used in conjunction with, and NOT as a replacement for legally required safety cables attaching the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle.
Permanent baseplate safety cables must be connected from the baseplate to the frame rail or cross member of the vehicle's frame. Do not mount the cables against wires, hoses, or brake lines, as improper installation could cause fluid leaks or electrical shorts some time after installation. The manual provides illustrations showing possible recommended arrangements, but specific mounting points for the 2003 Kia Optima LX are not detailed in this document.
Before each towing trip, inspect all towing equipment for: cracked welds, missing or worn parts, and loose bolts. Ensure all bolts are tightened to the recommended specifications using Loctite Red. It is the owner's responsibility to perform these inspections.
If a bolt is lost or needs replacement, use a replacement bolt of the same grade (usually Grade 5). Only genuine factory replacement parts should be used on the baseplate. Do not substitute homemade or nontypical parts. Repair parts may be ordered through your nearest Blue Ox dealer or distributor.
Reinstall the fascia using existing hardware. The two Phillips screws from the fascia opening should be replaced with two self-tapping screws that attach to brackets on the baseplate. Reinstall the headlight assemblies and ensure all electrical components are plugged in properly.
Yes, you should register your BX2708 baseplate online at www.blueox.com. Registration is crucial so that you may be alerted of product offerings, updates, upgrades, maintenance and safety bulletins, and/or recalls.
Yes, the attachment tabs should be removed when not in use (if applicable). This helps protect the baseplate and towing equipment when the vehicle is not being towed.
Yes, the BX2708 is designed specifically for the 2003 Kia Optima LX with attachment tabs 24 inches center to center and 13 3/4 inches in height.
Yes, both drilling and trimming are required. The air dam on the metal bumper must be trimmed using a hack saw to remove the depression on the bottom rib and make four cuts in the ribbing to allow the baseplate to slide into place.
You will need: 8MM socket, 10MM socket, 14MM socket, hack saw, Loctite, and Phillips screw driver.
Yes, permanent baseplate safety cables are strongly recommended when towing. They must be connected from the baseplate to the frame rail or cross member and should not be mounted against wires, hoses, or brake lines.
Inspect all towing equipment for cracked welds, missing or worn parts, and loose bolts. Ensure all bolts are tightened to recommended specifications using Loctite Red.
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