Trailer wiring question...

For those that have added a hitch to their XJ, what wiring kit would you reccomend? I'm getting my 99 ready to tow and am not really sure which kit to go with.

Any reccomendations will be helpful,
Thanks
Bryson

I cant remeber the brand name but I got my trailer wire kit at napa real simple to install...:cheers:

dont remember name either, but looked at the labels on the different kits and bought the one made for my 89 jeep cherokee.

The cheap one I got from Murray's works fine for me. You know that you need the little box to convert from separate turn/brake on vehicle to combined turn/brake on trailer, right?. Here's a good site with more information. http://www.etrailer.com/faq_wiring.aspx

Save your self endless frustration and hassle, and get a plug and play trailer adapter. No cutting or splicing of wires is needed. No technical knowledge or skills needed. 15 minute job, unclick one factory wire harness plug, click on the trailer adapter, your done.

.
http://jeepinoutfitters.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=914

I had a tough time finding one specifically for my '99 Cherokee at the parts places. I got this T-One Harness from etrailer. No splicing involved for a four pin connection, it's fully plug and play. Just access the rear lighting plug behind the driver side rear panel, disconnect it, and plug the T-One in in-line. It does all the conversions for you.

Tim_MN said:

Save your self endless frustration and hassle, and get a plug and play trailer adapter. No cutting or splicing of wires is needed. No technical knowledge or skills needed. 15 minute job, unclick one factory wire harness plug, click on the trailer adapter, your done.

.
http://jeepinoutfitters.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=914

Click to expand...

Thats exactly what I'm looking for... a plug and play solution.

Thanks!

The etrailer one looks more robust. I don't like the idea of having the converter right out on the end of the plug (like jeepinoutfitters) where it would get more beat up.

The one I got at napa was a plug and play...:us:

jeep ride said:

The one I got at napa was a plug and play...:us:

Click to expand...

was it a generic plug and play or was it made for an XJ? and how much?

winterbeater said:

The etrailer one looks more robust. I don't like the idea of having the converter right out on the end of the plug (like jeepinoutfitters) where it would get more beat up.

Click to expand...

look again, there is an extension harness to keep the converter out of the way

Not to drag up an old thread, but...

I just watched the installation video for the etrailer harness. I was looking at this form of harness before hand, but the vid sells it. My only question is, 'Has anyone came up with a better wire routing?".

I'd prefer to to have the harness randomly floating around in my cargo area. In a perfect world, I'd like to have the harness mounted in a watertight box under the jeep near the hitch. Has anyone ran the wires out and under their jeeps?

I used the T-One harness I posted about above in combination with this:


And this:


The mounting bracket bolts up nicely to the bottom edge of the rear crossmember, just left of the hitch. I installed a small grommet in the big round knock-out next to the driver side tail light. I had to cut the harness, feed it through the grommet, and then solder it back together since the 4-pin plug obviously won't fit through through a small grommet.

All the interior wiring is behind the rear quarter trim panel and tail light so it is out of the way. I ran the exterior wiring in some convoluted loom down between the tail light and the liftgate weather stripping, and then zip tied it along the bottom of the rear cross member. It ended up really clean looking and the plug and wiring are tucked up behind the bumper so I'm not worried about snagging it on anything. Between the protective cap and the dielectric grease I put on the pins, I figure it should be water resistant as well.

I just watched that install video again... Yeah, that's just cheesy leaving the wiring hanging out from behind the panel like that. It also reminded me though that it was easy for me to run the wiring from the knock out down to the rear crossmember because I no longer have that plastic trim piece that covers the gap between the stock bumper and the body.

Sorry for the wait. Finally got around to uploading some pics to go with my above description...

Out from behind the rear quarter panel via a grommet I installed in the knock-out next to the tail light:



Along the bottom of the rear cross member:



4-pole flat connector (soon to be a 6-pole round) mounted on the rear cross member, just behind the bumper and to the left of the receiver:

(Front View)


(Side View)


Tucks cleanly out of the way, should also be nearly impossible to snag it on something:



Hope the pictures help!