Our in-house experts typically reply within one business day.
Blue Ox
Verify Fitment
Select your vehicle to confirm this part fits.
1995 - 2000 Ford Contour
Confirmed to Fit
1995 - 1999 Mercury Mystique
Confirmed to Fit
Always the correct part
We know our products
Quality Products
Free Shipping!
Always the correct part
We know our products
Quality Products
Free Shipping!
Constructed from high-quality steel for long-lasting durability and strength.
Material: Steel
Color: Black
Finish: Powder Coat
Mounting Type: Bolt On
Mounting Hardware Included Yes/No: Yes
Introduce a perfect towing solution with the Blue Ox BX2130 Tow Bar Bracket. Expertly crafted from high-quality steel and finished in a robust Black Powder Coat, this base plate ensures unmatched durability and resistance to wear and tear. The custom design allows for a perfect fit for your specific towed vehicle, ensuring a seamless integration. The Blue Ox BX2130 Tow Bar Bracket comes complete with all the necessary hardware and easy-to-follow instructions for a hassle-free, do-it-yourself installation. With a simple bolt-on mounting type, installing this bracket is as easy as 1-2-3!
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.
Experts available to answer your questions
Call 888-634-94943 Years
2 compatible vehicles
| Year | Make & Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 - 2000 | Ford Contour | Comes with Standard Attachment Tabs Install Rating 3 Requires Some Trimming of the Belly Pan |
| 1995 - 1999 | Mercury Mystique | Comes with Standard Attachment Tabs Install Rating 3 Requires Some Trimming of the Belly Pan |
The BX2130 baseplate is designed for 1995–2000 Ford Contour models with manual transmission only. If your Contour has an automatic transmission, this baseplate is not compatible. The baseplate also fits 1995–1999 Mercury Mystique with manual transmission.
No. The BX2130 baseplate is approved only for manual transmission models. Automatic transmission Contours are not listed as compatible applications.
Yes, the BX2130 is compatible with 1995–1999 Mercury Mystique with manual transmission only.
You must use only tow bars approved by Automatic Equipment Mfg. Company. Using the BX2130 baseplate with any other tow bar will invalidate the limited warranty.
Required tools are: Torx T30 socket, 13 mm socket, 15 mm wrench, 18 mm socket, 9/16" socket, 3/4" socket, 3/4" wrench, universal socket extension, Loctite Blue, utility knife, and hacksaw.
Yes. Step 7 requires an assistant to help hold the baseplate underneath the frame rails while you start the bolts.
You must remove the belly pan (held by nine Torx T30 screws) and the vehicle's tie-down brackets (three bolts on each side of the frame rails). The belly pan will be trimmed and reinstalled; the tie-down brackets are set aside.
The package includes the baseplate weldment (61-4937), six mounting bolts (two 3/8" × 1½" and four 1/2" × 1½"), flat washers, lock washers, nuts, self-drilling screws, adapter connectors, and two 36" Class III safety cables with quicklinks. All hardware is zinc-plated.
The front bolt's nut is welded to the inside of the bracket, so the bolt must be turned from the front. Use a 13 mm socket and ratchet with a short universal extension. Insert the ratchet up under the bumper to access the bolt. This step requires effort and patience; the alternative is to remove the entire bumper.
Use an 18 mm socket to remove the rear nut and an 18 mm socket with a 15 mm wrench to remove the middle bolt. The front bolt requires a 13 mm socket.
Yes. Apply Loctite Blue to the threads of both the 1/2" × 1½" bolts and the 3/8" × 1½" bolts before starting them. The manual also recommends using Loctite Red on all bolts and tightening to recommended specifications before each towing trip.
For the 1/2" × 1½" bolts: place a flat washer over the baseplate slots and a lock washer by each nut. For the 3/8" × 1½" bolt: use a 3/8" flat washer and 3/8" lock washer, and start a 3/8" whiz nut on the bolt.
First, use a 9/16" socket and long extension to tighten both 3/8" bolts. Once both are tight, use a 3/4" socket and wrench to tighten all four 1/2" bolts.
No drilling is required. The baseplate bolts to existing frame holes where the tie-down brackets were mounted. However, you may need to file a hole slightly to allow a bolt to clear, depending on dimensional variations between individual vehicles.
Cut off the door at each end of the belly pan (these doors allow access to the tie-down brackets). Then cut a 1/2 inch slot from the front inside of each door hole forward to the front of the pan. Hold the pan in position as close as possible and mark where the slot needs to be. Use a utility knife or hacksaw to cut the slot, then reinstall the pan using the nine Torx T30 screws.
Permanent baseplate safety cables are strongly recommended when towing a vehicle with the BX2130 baseplate. They prevent the towed vehicle from breaking loose if the connection between the frame and baseplate fails. The BX2130 package includes two 36" Class III safety cables with quicklinks. These cables must be connected from the baseplate to the frame rail or cross member and must not be mounted against wires, hoses, or brake lines.
No. The permanent baseplate safety cables included with the BX2130 are supplementary to, and not a replacement for, legally required safety cables that attach the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle. Both types of cables must be used.
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.
Watch for oil cooler and air conditioner lines, electrical wires and hoses, and missing parts or attaching points on the frame. If the baseplate is improperly installed against a wire or hose, it could cause fluid leaks or electrical shorts some time after installation.
Install the tow bar and safety cables according to their package instructions. Register your baseplate online at www.blueox.com to receive alerts about product offerings, updates, upgrades, maintenance and safety bulletins, and recalls. Inspect all towing equipment for cracked welds, missing or worn parts, and loose bolts before each towing trip.
Do not substitute other devices if the tow bar pin and clip are lost. Obtain replacement parts from the tow bar manufacturer or Automatic Equipment Mfg. Company.
Yes, if it is a 1995–2000 Ford Contour or 1995–1999 Mercury Mystique with manual transmission. Automatic transmission models are not compatible.
Torx T30, 13 mm, 15 mm, 18 mm, 9/16", and 3/4" sockets/wrenches, universal extension, Loctite Blue, utility knife, and hacksaw.
Yes. Remove the belly pan (nine Torx T30 screws) and the tie-down brackets (three bolts on each side). The belly pan will be trimmed and reinstalled.
Yes, an assistant is required to hold the baseplate underneath the frame rails while you start the bolts.
No. The baseplate uses existing frame holes. You may need to file a hole slightly to allow a bolt to clear, depending on vehicle variations.
Yes. Cut off the doors at each end of the belly pan and cut a 1/2 inch slot from the front inside of each door hole forward to the front of the pan using a utility knife or hacksaw.
Yes. Two 36" Class III permanent baseplate safety cables with quicklinks are included. These are supplementary to, not a replacement for, legally required safety cables.
Inspect for cracked welds, missing or worn parts, and loose bolts. Ensure all bolts are tightened to recommended specifications using Loctite Red.
On Sale Today
Original price was $699.99. Current price is $639.00.You save $60.99 (9%)
Free Shipping
Ships free on all orders
Authorized Dealer
FREE ShippingFREE SHIPPING
Estimated delivery Wed, Sep 16 - Sat, Sep 19
Order before 2 PM EST Monday–Friday for same-day processing
Guaranteed safe & secure checkout
No reviews have been added for this product.
