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Blue Ox
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1996 - 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
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Always the correct part
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Always the correct part
We know our products
Quality Products
Free Shipping!
Custom-designed for each specific towed vehicle, ensuring optimal compatibility and performance.
Material: Steel
Color: Black
Finish: Powder Coat
Mounting Type: Bolt On
Mounting Hardware Included Yes/No: Yes
Upgrade your towing setup with the Blue Ox BX1826 Tow Bar Bracket. This robust and reliable accessory is custom designed for each specific towed vehicle, ensuring a perfect fit and optimal performance. Manufactured from premium steel and finished with a resilient powder coat, it offers superior durability and resistance to rust and corrosion. This easy-to-install base plate comes with all necessary hardware and step-by-step instructions. The bolt-on mounting type ensures a secure and stable connection for your peace of mind.
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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Call 888-634-94943 Years
1 compatible vehicles
| Year | Make & Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 - 2004 | Nissan Pathfinder | Also Armada Comes with Removable Attachment Tabs Install Rating 3 Bumper Fascia Must Be Removed/Replaced During Install Requires Some Trimming of Bumper Fascia/Plastic/And/Or Grill Minor Drilling Required Use only w/Motorhome Mount Tow Bars Or PN BX8833/BX88151 Adapters Only Use Acclaim w/23”: 30” Spaced Removable Tab Baseplates Only Use Adventurer with 18”: 41” Spaced Removable Tab Baseplates Removable Tabs w/Only 1 Hole Will Not Attach to Car Mount Tow Bars or Adapters |
Yes, the BX1826 is designed for 1996-04 Nissan Pathfinder models. The manual specifies this application on the cover page.
The kit includes: one weldment base plate (61-5467), driver side frame bracket (61-5499), passenger side frame bracket (61-5500), two attachment tabs (62-3468), four 1/2-13 x 1.5" hex bolts Grade 5, two #10-32 x 0.5" round screws, five 10mm-1.25 x 35mm hex nuts Grade 8.8, two #12-14 x 1" self-drilling screws, four 1/2-13 hex nuts, two #10-32 hex nuts, eight 1/2" flat washers, four 1/2" lock washers, two #10 lock washers, five 10mm lock washers, one 4-way bracket (299-0685), two 36" CL III baseplate safety cables (226-0046), two 3/8" quicklinks (229-0359), and two receiver cap plugs (290-0437). The kit also uses existing tie-down bracket bolts from the vehicle.
Required tools are: 10mm wrench, 7/16" wrench, 3/4" wrench, Phillips screwdriver, and Loctite Blue. The manual lists these on page 2 under 'Tools Required'.
Yes. The front bumper fascia and metal bumper must be removed for baseplate installation. The removal process begins by opening the hood and removing the center grill by depressing the clips with needle nose pliers, then removing push pins and screws from the bumper fascia, wheel well molding, and fender bolts.
Yes, holes need to be drilled as part of the installation. The manual states 'Holes need to be drilled and the bumper fascia needs to be trimmed.' However, specific drilling locations and hole sizes are not detailed in this manual and should be confirmed with the dealer or installer.
Yes, the bumper fascia needs to be trimmed as part of the installation process. The manual states this requirement but does not specify the exact trimming dimensions or locations. Confirm the specific trimming requirements with your dealer or installer.
The installation sequence is: (1) Remove center grill by depressing clips with needle nose pliers and remove push pins from top of bumper fascia; (2) Remove push pins and screws from bottom of bumper fascia and center grill section; (3) Pull wheel well molding out and remove hex bolt fastening fender to fascia, then remove fascia; (4) Remove metric bolts from left and right tie-down brackets; (5) Bolt driver's and passenger's frame brackets over the tie-down brackets using loctite on each bolt; (6) Bolt baseplate to frame brackets; (7) Replace bumper fascia and reconnect any electrical wiring; (8) Install tow bar and safety cables per their included instructions.
Use Loctite Blue on each bolt before tightening the frame brackets to the tie-down brackets. The manual also states that owners should use Loctite Red on all bolts and tighten to recommended specifications before each towing trip. The specific torque values are referenced in the 'General Instruction Sheet' which is not included in this manual.
Permanent baseplate safety cables are strongly recommended when towing a vehicle with a tow bar. Their function is to prevent the towed vehicle from breaking loose if the connection between the frame and baseplate fails or becomes disconnected. The cables must be connected from the baseplate to the frame rail or cross member of the vehicle's frame. Two cable options are shown in the manual: one for baseplates with convenience link tabs and one without. The weight rating of the two cables together must be adequate for the towing system.
No. The manual explicitly states 'Do not mount the permanent baseplate safety cables against wires, hoses or brake lines.' If the baseplate is improperly installed and is against a wire or hose, it could cause fluid leaks or electrical shorts some time after the actual baseplate installation. The installer must watch for oil cooler and air conditioner lines, electrical wires and hoses, and missing parts or attaching points on the frame.
No. Permanent baseplate safety cables are to be used in conjunction with, and NOT a replacement for, legally required safety cables attaching the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle. Both systems must be used together.
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.
Do not substitute other devices if the tow bar pin and clip are lost. Obtain replacement parts from the manufacturer or dealer to ensure safe towing operation.
Permanent baseplate safety cables should remain installed as long as the baseplate is installed on the vehicle. They provide ongoing protection against the towed vehicle breaking loose.
Yes. It is crucial to register your product online at www.blueox.com so that you may be alerted of product offerings, updates, upgrades, maintenance and safety bulletins, and/or recalls.
The BX1826 is designed for 1996-04 Nissan Pathfinder models.
Yes. Holes must be drilled and the bumper fascia must be trimmed during installation. The front bumper fascia and metal bumper must be removed.
You will need: 10mm wrench, 7/16" wrench, 3/4" wrench, Phillips screwdriver, and Loctite Blue.
Use Loctite Blue on each bolt when installing the frame brackets. Before towing, use Loctite Red on all bolts and tighten to recommended specifications.
Yes, permanent baseplate safety cables are strongly recommended when towing. They prevent the towed vehicle from breaking loose if the baseplate connection fails. They must not be mounted against wires, hoses, or brake lines.
Before each towing trip, inspect all towing equipment for cracked welds, missing or worn parts, and loose bolts. Tighten all bolts to recommended specifications using Loctite Red.
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