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bjepps · 03-12-2016, 10:27 AM

Hello everyone,

We are getting ready to start our traveling. We purchased our 2005 Monaco Windsor (Cummins 400 ISL) last November. We have a 1999 Jeep Wrangler Sport we plan to tow. I was checking on having the hitching equipment installed. We were considering the Blue Ox brand. In addition we were considering a proportional braking system that works off the coach air brake system. We saw the Air Force One brand for braking. The installation is to include the wiring for the lights.

We found to have these installed was right at $5,000, $2,700+ for one and $2,200+ for the other.

The questions are we don't know if this pricing seems high or normal? Are there other brands that do the same?

We don't want to scimp on safely, but these prices shocked us.

Best regards,

Bob

BFlinn181 · 03-12-2016, 11:30 AM

That sounds like the very top of the price range for all components and installation. When you're done, you'll still be pulling a 17 year old toad. Can you do any of the installation yourself? You could also change some equipment, perhaps a Readybrake surge braking system, Supplemental Brake Systems - NSA RV Products, etc.

dennis45 · 03-12-2016, 11:52 AM

I agree with Bob in part but unless you have the knowledge and capability of the install, you are well advised to have it done properly. Personally, I think your choice of equipment is as good as it gets. Simplicity and reliability are valuable considerations.
Should you decide to change toads down the road, you might expect to pay about $1200-1500 to make the change so as Bob indicated, choosing the right toad is another consideration.
This advice coming from the guy who consistently installs a new set of high end tires and then trades the car off.

P/S, it pays to shop around a little. Some shops like Camping World have been know to be on the extreme high end of the scale in pricing.

falconman · 03-12-2016, 12:13 PM

You can probably save a lot of money if your willing to buy used. I see lots of folks selling tow brackets/ bars for jeeps. Check you local craigslist or eBay. I bought a one year old Blue Ox used twice for a third of new. I already had a heavy duty front bumper and didn't need the brackets, just bought some adapters for the front D rings. The Air Force unit is great but I used the M and G unit which I installed. The wiring is handles either by diodes or another harness and drilling the rear lights for extra bulbs. The diodes are simple and there is lots of info on how to install. So you can save a lot if you look around. If a new front bumper is on your future wish list, now might be the time and forgo the bracket.

bjepps · 03-12-2016, 12:19 PM

I am fine with installing a tow plate on the jeep myself. As for the tow bar, that's a no brainer. The issue the becomes one of doing the wiring for lights that is to integrate it into the jeep's lighting.

As to installing a proportional breaking system using the MH air break system, that is out of my league.

One added note is the jeep only has 109k miles on it with no rust as they usually have. Was not off-roadbed.

vsheetz · 03-12-2016, 12:32 PM

If you have plan to have an aftermarket bumper installed then suggest to pull from D-ring loops or brackets attached to the bumper. Avoiding the cost of a adapter plate.

Used tow bars are a viable alternative. I have a Blue Ox via Craigslist.

Air Force one is a good braking system. Although more money to buy and install than some others.

As for the lighting, it's a DIY project as well. There are wiring harness kits you can buy and install. You can do your own wiring, connectors, and diodes. Or you can install separate light bulbs in the existing tail light housing, avoiding any modifications to existing wiring. DIY or kits are available. This latter method using separate bulbs is my fav.

I have about $700.00 in my Jeep towing setup. Used tow bar and brake system, brackets on already existing aftermarket bumper, and separate wiring - plus DIY install.

jacwjames · 03-12-2016, 12:44 PM

I went through the same thing after I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee and wanted to tow it. I inquired at camping world as to installation of the tow bracket and cost of tow bar and it was expensive.

I started doing some research and decided to do it myself.

I bought a used Blue Ox tow bar on Ebay for ~1/2 what a new one costs. I bought one that was rated for substantially higher weight then what I was pulling.
I then bought a new Blue Ox bracket, paid ~$300 at the time. I installed this myself, good directions and I just took my time, took an afternoon and was not hard. I had to essentially remove the whole front grill and bumper but it comes off easy, no big deal. Had to drill some holes, tight working conditions but doable.
I bought a Roadmaster braking system with break away, I paid ~$900. I installed this myself also, not hard but time consuming. Hardest part was fining the brake hot wire under the dash to supply power to the indicator light that you mount in the dash on the coach that shows that the brake is actuating. I also had to run a new wire all the way from the back of the coach to the dash for this, again not hard but time consuming. I installed the break away canister low in front of the radiator, I can access the moisture bleed valve and you can hardly see it behind the grill. I protected it with a piece of heavy black plastic.
I installed additional turn single lights in each of the tail lights of the jeep, I bought the Blue Ox kit for this but you could outsource if you wanted to. I mounted the wiring plug in the front of the jeep and snaked the wires back under the Jeep and up to the tail lights. I put the protective wiring cover over the wires and zip tied them all the way back. I know some people will cringe at this but it has held up well and the Jeep even survived 2 Upper Michigan winters with the potential of ice buildup.
Monaco used an odd 6 pin connector that isn't readily available but I was able to find the mate to it and just wired it into the standard coiled wiring harness that plugs into the jeep.

I probably have less then $2K into the whole system. We've pulled the Jeep probably 35K miles. The one thing we learned on our last trip when we towed for 3 days straight without disconnecting was that the battery ran down. Should probably start the vehicle and let it run for 15-20 minutes everyday just to recharge battery unless you decide to put a charging wire from the coach.

walt2137 · 03-13-2016, 08:57 AM

Bob the Roadmaster 1420-1 brackets are a much cleaner looking installation and a real simple installation on either Roadmaster or Blue Ox just be sure to torque and use thread lock. About any air brake system you use besides M&G will activate the toad brake lights and will cover up a turn signal is a brake bypass is not installed when using the toad tail lights or installing a light in the tail lights, on our F150 I installed a LED light strip below the tail light or you can use a light bar on the receiver hitch. On our Kia I replaced the red reflectors in the rear bumper with lights, in both cases my RV tail lights has dedicated lights just for towing on our toads.