Trailer brake controller without factory tow package

[emontez2]

I recently purchased a 2023 JLU that does not have a factory tow package. I installed an aftermarket trailer hitch as well as I curt 4 pin trailer wiring harness. I thin converted the 4 pin to a 4 and 7 pin. I would like to add a trailer brake controller. Even though my jeep doesn’t have the factory tow package. It does have the grey plug under the dash for the trailer brake controller. My question is. Where are the other ends of those wires? If I plug a trailer brake controller to that plug I need to get those wires connected to my 7 pin in the rear.

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[emontez2]

For reference here is what I believe is the factory trailer brake controller plug under my dash. But my jeep did not come with a factory tow package.

 

[brandoh73]

Did you ever figure this one out? I am going to attempt an install next weekend of the Redarc Tow Pro. I have read in other forums that the green with white stripe is the brake signal wire. The black should be power. According to this: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/JL-Wiring-Diagrams/TRAILER-TOW-SYSTEM.pdf the beige with red stripe is the electric brake feed, but no idea where that ends up since I dont have the tow package. If everything else works I will splice in the blue lead from the Mopar trailer wiring harness.

 

[Jeep Wick]

@emontez2 I am also curious what you did. Looking to add a brake controller to my non-tow package Rubicon, which I've already added Curt 4 pin and looking to add etrailer 7 pin harness to that.
@brandoh73 let us know how it goes.
If I'm looking at the diagram right, we need to connect the dark green to the blue wire of the 7 pin harness? I suspect that wire dead ends while the others are connected.

 

[brandoh73]

@Jeep Wick , you are correct, the dark green wire from the factory socket does connect to the blue wire of the 7 pin harness. I just tried the install of the RedArc Prow Tow Elite with the wiring Harness for the JL to connect into this factory plug. What I have found is that I am not getting any power to the unit. The LED's on the control unit do not light up. I took a volt meter to the Redarc unit and there is no voltage on the black wire (hot) on the harness. I used my Tazer Mini to reprogram and set Trailer Tow to Yes in Lighting and TralrBrk to yes in OffRoad, did the full reboots and sleep cycles, to no avail. Looks like I will have to do this the hard way.

 

[brandoh73]

OK, 2nd update. The plug from the factory is never going to work. Looking at the wiring diagram the beige with red stripe is fused to the battery. The fuse is F36. There is an open spot at F36 in the power distribution module for a fuse, but that spot will not take a fuse. You can see through to the circuit board below, there is no connection on the circuit board to accept the fuse. My guess is that it is cheaper and more efficient from an assembly perspective to just have one harness, regardless of trailer tow or not. So, next step is to hard wire to the battery and the solid green with white stripe tail left in the passenger foot well for the brake signal.

 

[NeilP]

OK, 2nd update. The plug from the factory is never going to work. Looking at the wiring diagram the beige with red stripe is fused to the battery. The fuse is F36. There is an open spot at F36 in the power distribution module for a fuse, but that spot will not take a fuse. You can see through to the circuit board below, there is no connection on the circuit board to accept the fuse. My guess is that it is cheaper and more efficient from an assembly perspective to just have one harness, regardless of trailer tow or not. So, next step is to hard wire to the battery and the solid green with white stripe tail left in the passenger foot well for the brake signal.

I originally started out just adding the 4 pin plug (Curt 56407) kit. Then a short time later I added the 7 prong adapter that I got from Amazon. I did not want to install a permanent brake controller, so I bought the Curt blue tooth controller. At this point, I have not had a chance to tow anything, but it seems to be the controller and the phone are definitely communicating. A friend of mine has the bluetooth controller as well and uses it for his 14K GVWR dump trailer & his pickup. He's says he likes the way it works.

 

[Jeep Wick]

OK, 2nd update. The plug from the factory is never going to work. Looking at the wiring diagram the beige with red stripe is fused to the battery. The fuse is F36. There is an open spot at F36 in the power distribution module for a fuse, but that spot will not take a fuse. You can see through to the circuit board below, there is no connection on the circuit board to accept the fuse. My guess is that it is cheaper and more efficient from an assembly perspective to just have one harness, regardless of trailer tow or not. So, next step is to hard wire to the battery and the solid green with white stripe tail left in the passenger foot well for the brake signal.

This is good info. A shame we can't use that plug, are you sure the green/white brake signal is not connected?
I bought a curt 4-pin to 7-pin adapter I still have to wire up, and then the brake controller. Just arrived the other day, I hope to install this week.

 

[MOOG5050]

When I bought my JLUXR it didn’t have the tow package. I had them add the hitch receiver and 7/4 pin plugs with the harness. They told me there is a no way to connect it to a factory brake controller. There are aftermarket options but must be wired separately. Since I typically tow with my Escalade and only wanted this as a backup I let it go at that. Then again, I am not towing anything heavy enough that I really need the controller. 14x7 trailer with UTV.

 

[Jeep Wick]

It could be done by finishing those 4 wires at the connector, just extra work. I'm not sure the factory controller is worth the money when we have good options like Redarc for less.

 

[brandoh73]

@Jeep Wick , I thought about cutting the factory connector off and using that with the TPH-022 harness, since I also read that the TPH-022 has a diode in it. But I bought the Redarc inline diode (EPDK-001) last week just in case. I wrapped up the install last night. I get power to the unit (the gain knob will "breathe" blue when pushed in and no trailer attached. I have not connected it to a trailer yet so cant confirm full functionality. The only part that gives me any pause is the brake light signal pigtail from the passenger footwell. I did not see anything in the wiring diagram that would indicate it would not work so should be good.

 

[Jeep Wick]

I am working on this now. No controller harness at all under my dash. Thought I could tap a brake wire in the door sill loom, but no luck. Even looked at the harness by the BCM.
Edit- I spent all day on this and decided to just get 82216359AA , the Mopar wiring harness.
$300 from oempartsquick based out of Ohio. Then I can connect the Redarc unit.

 

[Jeep Wick]

So the mopar harness still does not give you a brake signal, SMH.
I'm wondering why no one has mentioned tapping the center brake light? It's white/green instead of green/white...

 

[brandoh73]

@Jeep Wick , did you use the one from the plug on the drivers side or the pigtail from the passenger foot well?

 

[Jeep Wick]

@Jeep Wick , did you use the one from the plug on the drivers side or the pigtail from the passenger foot well?

I grabbed the center high mount brake light wire on the passenger side, it's white with a dark green stripe. I'm almost done, I don't know yet if I'll need a diode but I have a pack on order and I'll report back.

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