Community Forums

Roll · 03-23-2011, 03:46 PM

I'm going to pull a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with a Blue Ox alpha tow bar and base plate.

I have read about installing a second set of light bulbs in the rear light housings of the toad. It was suggested that this was a preferable method of having brake, turn and tail lights on your toad, (compared to just using the light bulbs that came with the jeep).

The Dealer however, installed an electrical plug (6 pin I think) on the baseplate and connects the coach to the jeep via this wire plug. I haven't tested it yet (still don't have the coach) but have been told this is the way the jeep turn, tail and brake lights are lit from the coach.

Is using the light bulbs already in the jeep okay compared to installing a second set of lights in the tail light housings that are then connected to the coach? If not why is installing more light bulbs better?

Thanks

Roll

thelastplace · 03-23-2011, 04:21 PM

Contact Blue Ox again and get a lighting kit for you toad. The results are clean and you aren't adding another light bulb (most applications). And yes, it all works off the 6 pin plug.

But the true travelers are they who leave for leaving’s sake
Saying continuously, without knowing why: ‘Let us go on’.
Paraphrased from Baudelaire’s ‘The Journey’

Submustang · 03-23-2011, 10:00 PM

If you have room in your tail light housings, separate bulbs are easy to wire, cheaper than diodes and avoid any complications with the toad's wiring. I did seperate bulbs on my Tundra. I went to an auto parts store and got "universal" tailight sockets, drilled the appropriate sized holes in the housings and wired them up. They have worked great for almost 7 years.

ImagineIF · 03-27-2011, 12:14 PM

I didn't have room for extra bulbs in my 2011 JGC. I used Blue Ox's multi diode block and was able to access the Jeep's lighting wires in a wiring bundle under the glove box.

jcthorne · 03-28-2011, 07:57 AM

Many current model cars that are intended by the factory for use as a toad are already wired for the lights to tie in to the circuits. Our Lincoln MKT was this way, easy connection.

Roll · 03-28-2011, 01:17 PM

I'm not sure I got exactly what I was looking for but here is what I gleaned from the responses...

Since the dealer has already hooked up the native lights on my jeep and the turn signals, brake lights and tail lights all work fine so I'll let well enough alone and just use the lights on the jeep. In other words I won't add bulbs and rewire since it's working okay as is.

Thank you all,

Roll

**JohnRR** · 03-28-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roll

I haven't tested it yet (still don't have the coach) but have been told this is the way the jeep turn, tail and brake lights are lit from the coach.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roll

Since the dealer has already hooked up the native lights on my jeep and the turn signals, brake lights and tail lights all work fine
Thank you all,

Roll

If you now have the coach and tried them out and they work satisfactorily I 'd use them as installed.

Dr4Film · 03-28-2011, 01:34 PM

I wired my 06 Saturn Vue myself using the existing bulbs in the rear tailight assemblies. I used a set of 6 Roadmaster HD diodes to isolate the wiring coming from the coach so that it would not feedback to the wiring in the car. It has worked great for the two years I have used it and would not wire it any other way.

If the dealer has done a good job with installing HD Diodes, do not worry about re-doing something that will work fine.

People that have added additional bulbs must have the room to install them into the assemblies and the bulbs also need to align up with the lens correctly otherwise that extra bulb installation will not show with the same intensity as the stock OEM bulbs.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

Samc · 03-28-2011, 07:20 PM

Jeeps are a snap; they're pretty much pre-wired. Cool Tech sells a kit that plugs in to the jeep harness (at the left rear tail light, oddly enough) and works just fine. Like everybody says; leave it, it works!

ImagineIF · 03-29-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMCUDNEY

Jeeps are a snap; they're pretty much pre-wired. Cool Tech sells a kit that plugs in to the jeep harness (at the left rear tail light, oddly enough) and works just fine. Like everybody says; leave it, it works!

I don't believe those kits are yet available for the 2011 JGC. I know you can't possible get to all the wires needed from a single rear light. On the 2011, every element of every bulb has a unique wire running to the controller or relay. You also can't use the Jeep provided wiring to the tow wiring plug. Once the color of wires is known, it's easy to access these wires inside the vehicle.

Gary RVRoamer · 03-29-2011, 05:06 PM

The simple answer is yes, the way you now have it is fine. Some people like the separate bulbs, while others (like me) prefer the diode solution and one set of bulbs. There is no reason to worry over one method vs the other. Now go out and have fun with that new rig!

Samc · 03-30-2011, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImagineIF

I don't believe those kits are yet available for the 2011 JGC. I know you can't possible get to all the wires needed from a single rear light. On the 2011, every element of every bulb has a unique wire running to the controller or relay. You also can't use the Jeep provided wiring to the tow wiring plug. Once the color of wires is known, it's easy to access these wires inside the vehicle.

Correct; I'm referring to Wranglers, not the more civilized versions. Wrangler wiring is stone age by comparison; sometimes an advantage.

jcgribks · 03-30-2011, 11:34 AM

Probably what your dealer installed is the RV Tow Harness P/N 82211156. This is a Jeep factory part that allows you to flat tow your Jeep. This is not the trailer harness that allows a Jeep to tow a trailer. This is for the 2007-2010 wranglers and plugs into the factory harness underneath the hood. I don't know why anyone with a 2007 and up jeep would install anything different.

Poptop · 03-30-2011, 07:16 PM

I agree with the posters that say let good enough alone, stay with the Jeep dealer wired stuff. Years ago I wired my '99 Wrangler with the diodes that came with the tow bar kit and after all these years of use both towing the Jeep and driving it off road, I haven't had a problem. The older TJ Wranglers have a 4 wire plug because the turn and brake lights use the same bulb as opposed to newer vehicles that have amber colored turn signals, therefore requiring the additional two wires.