Tow Harness Install

[Spearmin]

Has anyone tried installing this Quadratec tow Harness. Also can anyone tell me what the big difference is between this one and the Mopar version which is like way more money.

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[Heimkehr]

I've the same 4-flat harness kit. CANBUS requires a wire run from the rear of the vehicle to the battery, irrespective of the brand of harness purchased (see the red wire with the ring terminal in your photo.)

With the foregoing in mind, I thought I'd choose the harness with the best combination of reviews and price.

Most of your time will be spent routing and zip-tying the harness in place for a neat and protected installation.

 

[Spearmin]

I've the same 4-flat harness kit. CANBUS requires a wire run from the rear of the vehicle to the battery, irrespective of the brand of harness purchased (see the red wire with the ring terminal in your photo.)

With the foregoing in mind, I thought I'd choose the harness with the best combination of reviews and price.

Most of your time will be spent routing and zip-tying the harness in place for a neat and protected installation.

So you have the above? How do you like it? Would you buy again..? Is this the top rated one? Damn I was I wish I had ordered my Jeep with it.

 

[Heimkehr]

So you have the above? How do you like it? Would you buy again..? Is this the top rated one? Damn I was I wish I had ordered my Jeep with it.

I do. 'Twas purchased directly from Quadratec, and I'd buy it again.

I knew I could save a bit of $$ by installing the Curt Class III receiver hitch and Q-tec tow harness myself, as compared to paying $800.00 for the factory equivalent (which does include a slightly stronger alternator, too, IIRC.)

This will be a just-in-case capability on my JLU, as I only plan to tow a motorcycle trailer on infrequent occasions. Thus it was easy to say No to the pricey tow package expense.

 

[20-Willys]

Has anyone tried installing this Quadratec tow Harness. Also can anyone tell me what the big difference is between this one and the Mopar version which is like way more money.

I installed one from etrailer which was around $100 and works fine as well. I removed the trim and followed the other wiring down the inside and out to the battery. I followed the mopar wiring as I wanted the module on the passenger's side instead of behind the gas filler. I just extended the tail light wiring to make it work.

 

[AlgUSF]

I've the same 4-flat harness kit. CANBUS requires a wire run from the rear of the vehicle to the battery, irrespective of the brand of harness purchased (see the red wire with the ring terminal in your photo.)

With the foregoing in mind, I thought I'd choose the harness with the best combination of reviews and price.

Most of your time will be spent routing and zip-tying the harness in place for a neat and protected installation.

I'm curious why you used the term CANBUS, when that kit doesn't seem to connect to the vehicle CANBUS? It seems like it just replicates the tail lights of the Jeep by splicing the signals into that controller box, which I would figure has relays in it to not load down the lighting circuits or let a trailer short take out a lighting fuse.

 

[Heimkehr]

I'm curious why you used the term CANBUS, when that kit doesn't seem to connect to the vehicle CANBUS? It seems like it just replicates the tail lights of the Jeep by splicing the signals into that controller box, which I would figure has relays in it to not load down the lighting circuits or let a trailer short take out a lighting fuse.

Per Quadratec's explanation to me:
The harness's positive wire connection at the battery is intended to incorporate the former into the vehicle's CANBUS system. Said differently, the wire lets the vehicle know that a legitimate addition has occurred.

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A vehicle's CANBUS system is designed to communicate with the sum of the installed wiring systems. It knows when someone has set another place at the table, so to speak, via the addition of something like a tow wire harness.

BMW motorcycles, for example, are notorious for having fussy CANBUS systems, where an installer has to make additions and modifications perfectly, or the bike won't run correctly...or run at all.

You're correct that the tow harness connectors splice into and replicate the vehicle's rear lighting, for the purposes of trailer lighting. Those connections aren't enough to prevent dashboard error codes, though; thus the aforementioned red-wire-to-battery connection. That wire isn't there by accident. Again: CANBUS.

 

[AlgUSF]

Oh, I know what CANBUS is... It is how you connect a scanner to the OBD2 port. Connecting a direct wire to your battery doesn't really tell the ECU anything. CANBUS connections are electrically connected to the ECU (i.e. TazerJL and such).

My thought is that the dedicated positive wire is to draw current from the battery in order to not blow out your Jeep lighting in the case of a short on your trailer wiring (hence the inline fuse). Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great setup and probably replicates the actual OEM wiring as much as possible. I certainly don't miss the days of splicing directly into your vehicle lighting and your trailer lighting blowing out the tow vehicle lighting.

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