Hitch

[PavementWarrior]

an aftermarket bolt on OEM style hitch will yes...a bumper integrated hitch no for any 'near max/2000lb+' towing...yes for recovery (check the manf. ratings for bumper integrated hitches tow and pull load specs)

If you bury to the axles you are safe to use a tow hitch for recovery...but I would highly recommend you check any bumper hitches for weight ratings....proper bumper D ring mounts are fine (usually)...but the hitch designs vary and ive seen them bend and mangle before when snatching. (smart jeepers never 'snatch' with force anyways) ask the dude on youtube that lost his lower jaw from a d-ring snap back to the face hole.

CAUTION TO THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACHS! (this is a cut video and doesnt show the ER visit afterwards..despite what the video says...dude did not die)

I broke a chain once on a forklift lifting a couple ton generator into a truck, the chain was just gone... The truck driver and I both got out walked around looking then suddenly it landed about 10 feet away. The damn thing must have shot up god knows how far, then came back down. We were both really happy it did not land on our heads, as we were looking down not up and never would have saw it.

Something I will never forget, and I will not have a chain in stress pointed at me ever. Use straps not chains, and keep everyone out of the line of the strap.

The guys in the video should have dug a lil of the mud out infront of the jeep, and as people mentioned pull the line not try to snap it charging hard like that. A blanket would help if there is not something heavy at end.. its mostly for keeping a strap from breaking window or radiator.

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[se7en]

Not yet I work 6 days this week. I may work on it Sunday. I want to get it done soon. I have a sea doo I need to get out on the water. I will post plctures of the install. It really doesn’t look that bad.

Did you get a chance to hook it up, man?

 

[Craigb]

Not yet. I plan on doing it this weekend.i will post pictures. It will take a few hours I’m sure

 

[moparmaga]

I got a chance to install my Curt hitch. The hitch fits no problem, but a second person is nice to push on the muffler forward a bit so that you can get the bolts started.

Now the 7 pin wiring on the other hand is a different story. I have been working on the 7 pin wiring project for 5 hours and still am not done, had to call it quits, too dark underneath the jeep at night in the shop.

The seven pin wiring is way more involved then I thought it would be. Basically, you have to disassemble all of the trim pieces from from front to back on the passenger side, take the glovebox out, and both taillights out. You are also supposed to run a wire through a very hard to access rubber grommet in the firewall from the fusebox all the way back to the passenger taillight. I tried and tried, maybe for an hour and a half and with a second person but I could not get a wire through this grommet, so I ended up running the power wire through the frame under the jeep.

There is also a couple of places where you actually have to add wires to prebuilt connectors. All of the connectors are a real joy to figure out how they operate. They seem to be all different. Basically if your idea of fun is pushing a wire, then you will love this project.

I still am not exactly sure how to mount the 7 pin connector on the back of the jeep. Will tackle that this am.

For the future, if you need 7 pin trailer wiring (I would imagine regular 4 pin wiring would be a lot easier to install), try to get it from the factory. The install sucks.

 

[Craigb]

 

[Craigb]

This install is not easy I can see people breaking a lot of trim clips and having rattles after the install

 

[FatBoy01]

@Craigb... I want to run something by you as and see what you think. I know, I like you am not squeamish when it comes to tackling add ons such as the JL trailer wiring but, but .. well when I say this what do you think..

-Sure, if all you want, is a trailer hitch to mount your bicycle rack or similar with and you have no need of trailer wiring, then and only then do I believe it is wise for someone ... a novice to not purchase the Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group.

Indeed, the basic "trailer hitch" alone costs about $100 and the install is straight forward and sure it can be done easily by most people. Or, yes, you can pay a guy/gal to do the install of the hitch and that costs you $75 lets say. Ok, you got the trailer hitch alone and you need no trailer wiring package so yes, $175+- and you're good to go and for cheap.. Way less expensive then paying for the $795 Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group.

Where the problem lies is if you need a hitch and the wiring that would be required to tow a legal trailer.... even a little utility trailer.

With the JL, you need the trailer hitch that will run you $100+- and the trailer wiring kit that will run you say $200+-. Now you are up to $300+ for parts alone.

Now, you can have the dealer and or small shop do the hitch and wiring kit install but, I can tell you they are going to get you for around $200 in labor +-. So, now you are up to $500+-. For $500+- you got the trailer hitch and wiring and the install.

You may have a so so install, broken panel clips in the JL and whatever. Hopefully, the guy was in fact a good installer and did it correctly. Trailer wiring that goes sour over time can be a major hassle to square away.

Anyway, in this scenario, yes you save $295 versus the $795 but get less, gain more hassles, get no $ credit for factory installed Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group at resale time, etc.. You also don't have the HD Electrical Group that in itself is a terrific addition to a JL.

In closing I say do go with the Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group package if you plan on towing a street legal trailer! Sure for the guy that needs a trailer hitch for his bike rack and no wiring, get the $100 hitch.

Now, I know someone will chime in and say geeeez, I can easily easily do the hitch install and wiring myself and save hundreds. I'll save the $295.00.. I will chuckle at this, as whether you are mechanically inclined or not or even a dealer tech, the wiring install is going to be a major pain in the arse.

Sure if your time is worth little, you love a challenge, you don't mind broken clips, you don't mind cussing out loud and you don't mind not having the HD Electrical Group on your JL then go for it.... do save the $295.00.

Reality is, for the average Joe that wants to trailer.. to tow a legal trailer with his JL, his best bet is to just spend the $795 an get the optional Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group.

With this he gets 0 headaches, a properly installed Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group, with all the goodies that it entails. Oh, and yes, will cost him $295 more then the guy that went through all the hassles, has all the shortcomings of having not gotten the Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group at purchase time of their JL.

Disclaimer: Indeed, somewhere down the line, maybe in a few months, there will be an inexpensive, easy easy to install, trailer wiring alternative for the JL/JLU. For now though there is no such animal.

 

[se7en]

Damn. I was hoping this would not be this hard. Damn!

 

[FatBoy01]

Damn. I was hoping this would not be this hard. Damn!

No worry, David ... Craigb is only 13 h 14 min (922.7 mi) miles drive from you via I-10 E and I-59 N. Pay his gas and buy him lunch and he'll pop right over and do the install for you a fellow JLU owner.

 

[moparmaga]

Done with the install. I took me over 8 hours, but I am sure a auto mechanic that had the proper tools could do it in half the time.

The factory mopar hitch must have a built in mounting hole for the 7way/4 way trailer connector housing. There is only one mounting hole on the rear crossmember when using the curt hitch, as it must cover up the other mounting hole. Therefore, I had to get creative and use drill/tap/fasten bolts and make my own holes on the crossmember.

I managed not to break any clips off of any trim, and I took the Jeep over to my boat trailer and verified everything worked properly. One thing I did notice is that when you have to take the passenger front inner fender liner halfway off, you have to cut 5 of the plastic pop rivets off. Strangly, Mopar only gives you 4 to replace the 5 I had to take off. Guess I will have to go to the dealer for the other one.

I am not in any hurry to do this project again. I am interested to see if CraigB used the factory Mopar hitch, or he ordered another brand, and if so where he found to mount his 7 way connector.

Here is where mine ended up: It has a hair clearance for the 7 way hinged cover to be able to open. The hinged cover brushes the bumper when you are opening and closing the 7 way cover. The 4 pin cover is all clear.

 

[moparmaga]

It's on the left side, hitch level.

Here is a picture of the stock mopar hitch found previously in this thread. Notice how the mopar hitch curves inward so that you can mount your 7 way connector using the holes already in the crossmember. The Curt hitch does not curve inward. FYI to anyone who undertakes this project in the future.

i wonder if the factory mopar hitch only uses the inner two of the four bolts that the Curt hitch used? Almost looks like it.

 

[$uicide$hift]

As you have discovered this is exactly why I paid for this option from the factory. Had the option not come with the Aux switches and larger alternator I probably would not have bothered. Your install made me cringe and that is simply something I do not feel like spending my time doing.

Great job and thanks for posting this. I think it will help a lot of people decide if they want to pay for this option or try to install on their own down the road.

 

[MOPOWER666]

Moparmaga, I'm in process of installing the wire harness an dam stumped on the blue wire on harness b, the ground wire installs and then it says to run blue wire up by the glove box and no further instructions for it. where does that blue wire goto?

Thanks

 

[moparmaga]

Moparmaga, I'm in process of installing the wire harness an dam stumped on the blue wire on harness b, the ground wire installs and then it says to run blue wire up by the glove box and no further instructions for it. where does that blue wire goto?

Thanks

That had me stumped for awhile too. Near as I can tell, the blue wire would be for your add on electronic brake controller if you wanted to install one. Other wise just coil it up near the glovebox.

I did verify all the functions on my boat trailer work light wise, but my boat trailer does not have electric brakes.

 

[TIDALWAVE]

Take a look at a couple of do-it-yourself Youtube JK trailer wirings. A couple of bolts release the drivers' side rear light. Unplug the wiring harness. Plug in the purchased T-connector. Lift the rubber pad under the light...thread the new harness out the bottom. Replace the rear light. Run the new harness to the hitch socket. You're done. I took me about 20 minutes and $60 bucks to run a simple 4-conductor wiring.
Now look at the procedure for the JL...4-8 hours labor...wow!!! I am definitely paying Jeep to do it for me.

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