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Towing another XJ on a Dolly, Need Brakes to Light Up when i hit Brakes

eric91xj

NAXJA Forum User
I'm using a dolly to tow an XJ from Boston hopefully in a week or so, its going to new york. Any way i need the brake lights in the tow vehicle to come on when i hit my brakes as the dolly of coarse does'nt have lights. Any fast way to rig this up, when i see rig it up i mean just rig it up, like just twist wires together with no tape or connectors type rigging.

thanx,

Eric
 
you may be able to rent some magnetic ones from uhaul... if not..... buy a cheap trailer wiring kit and mount the lights on a 2x4 and strap it across the rear of the roof rack.... wire it like a trailer... i would suggest not trying to tap into the wire harness in the towed vehicle... make a quick call to the state police in the states you are towing thru just to make sure the 2x4 thing will be legal.. i have done it locally but never very far.. probably run you about $25 for the kit and it will plug right into your pigtail... good luck with the XJ from boston....... u beat me to it, but i dont really have room for another anyways.......
mc
 
I think at least some of those dollies, especially the rental ones, do have lights (low on the fenders, of course). Check with U-Haul or wherever you're renting it. After all, it is a trailer, at least when you take delivery on it, and it must be registered and legal even when empty.
 
I believe even Wal-Mart sells magnetic mount kits, with two lights on magnetic bases and a wiring harness. I definitely agree that you should not try to tap into the towed vehicle's wiring.
 
come to think of it i have never seen a wheel dolly without lights..... a side bar to this ... a few weeks ago i rented a dolly from Uhaul for the same thing... i didnt check the lighting before i left, bad idea.. they had a funky, unlabeled 5 wire thing with individual plugs for each wire had to get creative to make it work with my 4 wire converter..
mc
 
Check EVERYTHING you get from uhaul, before leaving their lot...

I dragged ther dolly 150 miles to rescue my stranded beast. Got there and one strap ratchet wouldn't, well, ratchet. Had to jerry-rig it with a pair of cargo straps I happened to have in the truck.

Moral: UHaul is junk...

Rob't
 
Eric,

Go to your local RV shop and talk to them about what you want to do. We all have seen XJs towed behind mobil homes so I am sure they have something that should work for you.

I recall a buddy having a car that was set up for being towed. If this is a one time tow then i'd go with the temporary tail lights but if plan to do this on a regular basis then I'd look into the "conversion".

I don't think you will have a problem with the temporary lights, I have seen them installed on cars being towed by a tow truck.

Martin
 
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