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Blue Ox
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1993 - 1994 Chevrolet Astro
Confirmed to Fit
1992 - 1994 GMC Safari
Confirmed to Fit
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Custom Design: Each Blue Ox BX1613 Tow Bar Bracket is meticulously designed for a specific towed vehicle, ensuring a perfect fit and easier installation.
Material: Steel
Color: Black
Finish: Powder Coat
Mounting Type: Bolt On
Mounting Hardware Included Yes/No: Yes
Experience the perfect blend of durability and ease with the Blue Ox BX1613 Tow Bar Bracket. Custom designed for each specific towed vehicle, this high-quality steel bracket offers a black powder coat finish that ensures longevity and rust resistance. The bracket is conveniently bolt-on, eliminating the hassle of welding or drilling. Included with the purchase are all the necessary mounting hardware and user-friendly instructions for a simple do-it-yourself installation.
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
2 compatible vehicles
| Year | Make & Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 - 1994 | Chevrolet Astro | No AWD Comes with Standard Attachment Tabs Install Rating 2 Some Drilling Required |
| 1992 - 1994 | GMC Safari | No AWD Comes with Standard Attachment Tabs Install Rating 2 Some Drilling Required |
The BX1613 is designed for 1992-94 Chevrolet Astrovan and 1992-94 GMC Safari models, but it does not fit all-wheel-drive versions of either vehicle. If your vehicle has all-wheel drive, this base plate is not compatible.
You will need: 15mm socket, 17mm socket, 3/4" socket, 17/32" drill bit and drill, 1/2" transfer punch or center punch, and Locktite Blue. A socket wrench or ratchet is implied but not explicitly listed.
The kit includes: one base plate weldment (61-3779), two nuts with handles (61-3780), four 10mm x 35mm hex head bolts Grade 8.8 (201-0410), two 1/2" x 2" hex head bolts Grade 5 (201-0283), four 10mm flat washers (203-0103), four 10mm lock washers (203-0104), and two 1/2" lock washers (203-0012). You must also supply Locktite Blue, which is not included.
Yes. The cross member has two brace tubes that bolt to the back of the cross member with four bolts. You must remove these four bolts and set them aside—they will not be reused for the BX1613 installation.
Yes, drilling is required. You must drill two 17/32" holes through the front wall of the cross member. Use a 1/2" transfer punch or center punch to mark the hole centers first, then remove the base plate and drill the holes.
Drill 17/32" holes through the front wall of the cross member. The manual notes that dimensional variations between vehicles may require filing a hole slightly to allow a bolt to clear.
The base plate wraps around the cross member. The angle sits against the front and bottom of the cross member, and the four flats slide up against the back and align with the four brace bolt holes. Position the base plate and start two of the 10mm x 35mm bolts through the flats into the brace holes to hold it in position.
Use four 10mm x 35mm bolts with flat and lock washers on the back of the cross member. Use two 1/2" x 2" bolts with lock washers and nuts with handles through the drilled holes in the front. The nuts with handles can be inserted through the holes in the bottom of the base angle and cross member. Apply Locktite to all bolts before starting, and start all bolts before tightening any of them.
Yes. Apply Locktite Blue to all bolts before starting them. Start all bolts before tightening any of them.
The manual notes that dimensional variations between vehicles can be considerable. If a bolt does not clear, it may be necessary to file the hole slightly to allow the bolt to pass through.
The BX1613 mounts to the frame cross member immediately behind the bumper using six bolts, all of which are provided with the base plate.
After the base plate is installed, install the tow bar and safety cables according to the instructions included in their packages.
Do not substitute other devices if the tow bar pin and clip are lost. Contact the manufacturer or dealer for replacement parts.
No. The BX1613 is not compatible with all-wheel-drive versions of the 1992-94 Chevrolet Astrovan or GMC Safari.
Yes. You must drill two 17/32" holes through the front wall of the cross member.
A 17/32" drill bit and drill are essential. You will also need sockets (15mm, 17mm, 3/4"), a transfer punch or center punch, and Locktite Blue.
Yes. You must remove four bolts that attach the factory brace tubes to the cross member. These bolts are not reused.
The kit includes four 10mm x 35mm bolts, two 1/2" x 2" bolts, washers, and two nuts with handles. Locktite Blue must be supplied separately.
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