OEM Hitch installation questions

hi all,

Just bought myself a OEM Mopar Class III Hitch... was wondering where can I get the instruction manual to install the hitch properly. It only came with a instruction sheet to install the wiring harness to the harness box attached to the hitch. The hitch kit includes two unusual brackets about a foot long with nuts welded onto the brackets that are suppossed to be attached to the underside of the Cherokee. It is called nutserts right?

Does anyone have a .pdf manual to install the class III hitch to a 2000 Jeep Cherokee? Also does anyone recommend a place to get a wiring harness for it as well? preferably a OEM wiring if possible. Thanks all!

Can't tell you about the wiring harness, although there are aftermarket alternatives.

Yup, those 2 oddball brackets are the nutserts, also called nutstrips. You'll need to take the rear bumper off, and slide them inside the uniframe channels. The bolts will go up from the bottom, and once it's assembled, the bolt threads will be completely hidden up inside.

There is a right side and a left side, if they're anything like my 94's.

Torque on my 94 was something like 55 ft./lbs.

ChiXJeff said:

Yup, those 2 oddball brackets are the nutserts, also called nutstrips. You'll need to take the rear bumper off, and slide them inside the uniframe channels.

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aww crap, this is more work than I planned it to be... in terms of taking the bumper off... just kiddin this will be fun since I will be installing it all by myself this weekend. I'll manage.

I don't have a torque wrench, is it ok to just tighten them regular wise? None of my pals are grease monkeys, just yer plain ole variety software jockeys AKA: computer nerds.

Thanks ChiXJeff, I really didn't know about taking the bumper off first, I was trying to figure out how to attach the nutserts earlier this afternoon. Good thing I asked, at first it seemed so straight forward to install a freakin hitch. hehehehe

I think the OEM wiring kit is fairly expensive. Ebay sells kits and any U-haul store will sell you a kit designed for your Jeep and also install it if you want. If you can do the hitch you can for sure do the wiring yourself. Have fun!

i never did wiring before, so i have zilch experience in that area, however I am willing to try, as long as there is clear instructions to go by, i will be cool

dogtired said:

I don't have a torque wrench, is it ok to just tighten them regular wise? None of my pals are grease monkeys, just yer plain ole variety software jockeys AKA: computer nerds.

Thanks ChiXJeff, I really didn't know about taking the bumper off first, I was trying to figure out how to attach the nutserts earlier this afternoon. Good thing I asked, at first it seemed so straight forward to install a freakin hitch. hehehehe

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The bolts are pretty big and coarsely threaded, and there are enough to go around. You should be able to tighten them without a torque wrench. Just do it "good and tight" without going overboard.

Notice that the nut strips have a little raised arch near one end. This lines up with the edge where the strip goes through the hole in the body. You'll see when the bumper comes off. If you have a 2000 Cherokee, there probably already is a right-hand nut strip in it, holding the exhaust bracket, so you can see how it's installed.

It would be a good idea to put some anti-seize compound on the threads of the bolts, so that if you ever decide to put a skid plate on it, or to remove the hitch, it will be a little easier.

I bought a torque wrench at pepboys for about $20.

As for the wiring, I was going to put a wiring harness in my 95. I called around to 20+ different uhaul centers to find none of them had a harness for my jeep. They could order it though. The kit I was looking for didn't require cutting any wires. I wanted it to just plug into the existing wiring. I wasn't too keen on cutting the factory wires.

I'll second the anti-seize. Once those bolts get rusty they are a PITA to get off.

You can get the T tap in harness at PepBoys Kragen Napa Autozone and many others.... if they don't have it in stock, they should be able to get it in a day or so... it connects inside of "wall" in the cargo area: facing front of the jeep take off the left mouilding and tap in there Since it's a T all you have to do is unplug the existing connectors and put your s in between.... Now keep in mind that this will give you 4 wire connection. To get the 7 wires, you have to connect a brake controller.... before I did that, I just had the little 4 wire thingy ziptied to the hitch so that it wouldn't get loast

I second much of the above. A 2000 should have the nut strip on the passenger side, for the exhaust hanger. You'll need to put it on the left side. Look at the part numbers stamped into the nut strips, and you should see a letter 'L' on one -- for "Left."

Be sure to use anti-sieze, and when the bumper is off put anti-sieze on the bumper mounting bolts before reassembly.

I put a 4 wire tap (Hidden Hitch brand IIRC) in my 94 XJ when I was towing a light trailer.

When I stepped up to a trailer with brakes, I wired a pigtail to the back of the 7 wire connector, and plugged the 4 wire into that. I added another pigtail (a 4 wire with 1 lead trimmed off) for a dedicated ground, 12V positive, and electric brakes.

This way I can run with a 4wire flat, or 7 wire round trailer connector.

dogtired said:

Had to stop by Lowes to get some missing nuts and bolts today, apparently my hitch was never used, but the plastic bags contained the nuts and bolts were already opened, and were scattered all over inside the box that the hitch came in.

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Good luck finding the right bolts at Lowe's. They are metric: M12x1.75. My Lowe's din't have them, I had to go to the local specialty fastener company for them.

BTW -- watch out buying wiring stuff at U-Haul. They may have improved, but when I was there with my brother a few years back all they cared about was butchering the wiring in his truck to make it fit their trailer. For a new Cherokee you should be able to find a Hppy adapter at Pep Boys or Wal-Mart. However, for flexibility and the ability to run trailer brakes in the future, there is no substitute for the factory harness.