Community Forums

Bikinjim · 03-25-2015, 05:03 AM

I installed the ReadyBrake cable on my 2015 Trailhawk. I used the hole through the firewall that is already there. I pulled off the seal from inside the car and then pushed out the rubber grommet into the engine compartment. Then I used two large washers to sandwich the engine compartment firewall hole and secure the ReadyBrake cable. I also drilled a hole in the washers for the passage of the ReadyStop cable. As the installed hole is not directly in line with the brake pedal, I then bent the washers a few degrees to make for a more inline configuration. I had to get longer bolts for the brake pedal bracket in order to secure the cables to the brake pedal. Hope this helps.

vfauto · 03-25-2015, 05:44 AM

One option is to take a hole saw big enough to get the nut from the cable threw it and remove one of the walls so that you just tighten the nut on the other wall. If I am not clear PM me a I will call you back and explain.

BPoland · 03-25-2015, 09:41 AM

As it turns out, I finally got a chance to take a look at the Cherokee, with an eye towards installing the Ready Brute Elite. It's a good thing I did that before ordering the Tow Bar. Talk about a sealed off front end, seems like I can't seen anything without dismantling the front end

. Every thing is closed up. The V6 on the Limited comes with Active Shutters, so even in front of the radiator there are shutters behind the grill, that open and close only when cooling is needed. This supposedly improves Aerodynamics. There is also the Stop/Start System that interfaces with the brake pedal. I think I'm going with my second choice. A Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar and the Rvi Brake. The less intrusive I can be with that car, the better I will like it. Too many bells, whistles and buzzers

MSHappyCampers · 03-25-2015, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPoland

Getting ready to set up our first toad. Definitely want to tow 4 down. Bought a 2015!Jeep Cherokee Limited / Active Drive II. Now comes the fun part. Tow bar and Aux brakes. Choice 'A' is Ready brute elite. All in one. One and done. But, I would also like the ability to engage the Jeep's brakes from the motorhome, in the event it starts to sway for some reason. (I'm coming from towing a trailer, and that was an easy way to eliminate the trailer swaying). If I don't go with the ready brute, my next choice is the Blie Ox Aventa LX. Yes, it's overkill for a 4,000 lbs Jeep, but I like a large safety factor. That leaves the braking system. My two choices there are RVibrake2 or Stay-In-Play DUO. Both have good points and not so good.

It seems like every time I make up my mind, I start over analyzing it and change my mind again.

I think both tow bars are good and will get the job done. The Ready Brute option would be cheaper and an easier install, but you have no control over the braking from inside the motorhome.

Also, because the Cherokee has a combined brake light and turn signal, I have been told that I need to install a brake light relay on the brake switch wire. Since the Cherokee has the push to start, it requires you foot on the brake to engage the starter, and I don't want to mess with those inter-lock systems. So, worst case, the brake lights may override the turn signals.

Can you guys and gals let me know if my train of thought is valid, or should it be de-railed?

Confused in Baltimore

I don't think you can go wrong with the ReadyBrute Elite! As for applying the brakes on the toad, why not just apply the MH brakes firmly, thus applying the toad brakes?

BPoland · 03-25-2015, 10:26 AM

Joe,

It's not the Ready Brute Elite that I have reservations about. It's the running of the Ready Brake cable, that has me concerned. The front of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee is more closed off, than any car I've ever owned. Crawling underneath, between the Active Shutters and all the cover panels, you literally have to take it apart just to be able to look at it. At least for those with the Cherokee Trailhawk, the front end is less closed in, and I don't believe that V6 comes with active shutters. It just seemed like I was biting off more than I wanted to chew. Again, this decision isn't based on a lack of trust in the Ready Brute Elite, but rather the changes that would be needed just to install it. I've decided that the less intrusive that I have to be with this car, the less problems I will have.

For example, a brake light relay would allow the turn signals to work without being overridden by the brake lights. But this car has stop/start technology. pull up to a red light and when you sto, the engine shuts off. When you start removing your foot from the brake, the engine starts again. So, I know the brake pedal is an integral part of that system. I have two options. 1) install removable magnetic Turn signal lights to augment what is there. 2) Rely on the coaches Turn signals, that are clearly visable with the Cherokee behind the coach. They are higher and wider than the Cherokee.

MSHappyCampers · 03-25-2015, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPoland

Joe,

It's not the Ready Brute Elite that I have reservations about. It's the running of the Ready Brake cable, that has me concerned. The front of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee is more closed off, than any car I've ever owned. Crawling underneath, between the Active Shutters and all the cover panels, you literally have to take it apart just to be able to look at it. At least for those with the Cherokee Trailhawk, the front end is less closed in, and I don't believe that V6 comes with active shutters. It just seemed like I was biting off more than I wanted to chew. Again, this decision isn't based on a lack of trust in the Ready Brute Elite, but rather the changes that would be needed just to install it. I've decided that the less intrusive that I have to be with this car, the less problems I will have.

For example, a brake light relay would allow the turn signals to work without being overridden by the brake lights. But this car has stop/start technology. pull up to a red light and when you sto, the engine shuts off. When you start removing your foot from the brake, the engine starts again. So, I know the brake pedal is an integral part of that system. I have two options. 1) install removable magnetic Turn signal lights to augment what is there. 2) Rely on the coaches Turn signals, that are clearly visable with the Cherokee behind the coach. They are higher and wider than the Cherokee.

Waay too deep for me Bill!

BPoland · 03-25-2015, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Waay too deep for me Bill!

I know what you mean

lanerd · 03-25-2015, 10:41 AM

Bill, doesn't your key fob have to be in close proximity to the car before the start/stop feature can work? I know with our Lexus, you have to be within about 10' before the car will recognize the fob.

Also, I'm pretty sure that it is a law in probably all of the states that any vehicle that is being towed must have tail/brake/turn lights.

Ron

dpinvidic · 03-25-2015, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spideygill

Hi there BPoland,
I also have a 2015 Cherokee, mine is the Trailhawk. I bought the ReadyBrute Elite as well, but we are having difficulty with the double firewall.
Spideygill

I did my own install of a AF1 on a 2014 Trailhawk.
Instead of a cable, I needed to run a air hose through the fire wall.
The Trailhawk already has a hole in the firewall for a clutch rod.
There is a rubber plug over it, behind the carpet.
Take a look to see if that works for you. But I don't see why there would be a problem with a double firewall. Just cut one hole bigger and then it becomes an access hole to drill the smaller hole in the second wall.

The LED tail lights will be a problem, so you will need blocking diodes or a pre-built easy wire harness. I took a different route so that my brake lights would not be overridden by turn signals. some folks don't care about this, but it was important to me. I installed a DPDT relay behind each tail light assembly. the relay is controlled by the +12 in the trailer electrical cable. It simply switches the brake lights over so they are driven directly by the coach trailer connector (disconnected from the car).
this way, the only load on the toad battery is by the center brake light when the brake peddle moves.

The push to start feature has no effect on the toad. Just be DARN SURE that you release the electric parking brake....and double check that it is released

.

regards,

Dan

BPoland · 03-25-2015, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lanerd

Bill, doesn't your key fob have to be in close proximity to the car before the start/stop feature can work? I know with our Lexus, you have to be within about 10' before the car will recognize the fob.

Also, I'm pretty sure that it is a law in probably all of the states that any vehicle that is being towed must have tail/brake/turn lights.

Ron

The Stop/Start feature is not remote starting but the process that the car goes thru at a traffic light to save a thimble full of fuel. When you stop, and your foot is on the brake, if other criteria is met, the engine will stop (turn off) everthing else remains running fans, radio, wipers ect. When you lift your foot off the brake, the engine re-starts and you are on your way. There is a list of other criteria that will cause the Stop/Start to be disabled.

1) cabin not up to temp
2) transfer case not in auto mode
3) steering wheel not centered
4) excessive angle (hill)
5) low battery
6) low fuel

Those are the ones I've read about. The point being, everything is so inter-connected, I an worried that putting on the brake pedal relay switch will mess up one of these "convienences" (and I use the term Loosely). If
I have to, I will get magnetic lights independent of the Cherookee's system to display the turn signals. I'm not crazy about the wireless option. More batteries to go dead

.

I'm just pretty overwhelmed at this point. I just need to start knocking some of this out.

dpinvidic · 03-25-2015, 11:56 AM

I can only speak for the 2014 Trailhawk, but I am pretty sure the 2015 is the same.
The option is actually called "Keyless Entry".
This is a FOB which stays in your pocket.
There is a "Push to Start" button on the dash.
If you push it WITHOUT your foot on the brake, it goes to ACC position (ignition on, not started).

This is not the fuel saving (Engine Stop) feature that some cars have.
There is no steering wheel lock on this.
So you start the engine, put the transfer case in neutral, confirm it is neutral, then go back to park. Shut off the engine..and make sure parking brake is OFF.

That is is...

Dan

lanerd · 03-25-2015, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPoland

The Stop/Start feature is not remote starting but the process that the car goes thru at a traffic light to save a thimble full of fuel. When you stop, and your foot is on the brake, if other criteria is met, the engine will stop (turn off) everthing else remains running fans, radio, wipers ect. When you lift your foot off the brake, the engine re-starts and you are on your way. There is a list of other criteria that will cause the Stop/Start to be disabled.

Bill, I never said it was a remote start. When you have start button instead of having to insert a key into the ignition, you have to have the key fob in your pocket or close to the car in order for the engine to start/stop (and, of course, your foot has to be on the brake).

Therefore if you are driving the mh and pulling the Jeep, the fob is too far away to allow the Jeep's ignition to be active and the Jeep's engine will not start at all.

At least this is how our car works.

Ron

spideygill · 03-25-2015, 07:50 PM

Thanks everyone for the suggestions on the Ready Brake cable mounting. We were going to use the grommet hole and sandwich two washers as was mentioned above and I thought that would be a pretty good solution, but my mechanic was worried about it moving later on down the road. Might not be cool if 6 months later the mounts shift and affect the braking.
My mechanic was able to contact NSA RV Products to discuss this with them. They indicated they had not actually installed it on the new Cherokee yet. So after discussions with them we are going to drill the larger hole on the inside and then mount the cable on the engine side of the firewall. He says he will use a grommet to cover the cut edge of the hole and as long as that hole is large enough it should not interfere with the brake cable. So I think we will be good to go. I will have to let you all know how it turns out. Thanks for your input...

Spideygill

Bikinjim · 03-26-2015, 04:54 AM

In my sandwich install discussed above, I failed to mention that I also used a smaller third washer that was almost the same size as the hole in the engine compartment firewall that was placed between the two larger washers. This smaller middle washer serves to keep the cable securely centered in the firewall hole with no possibility for future movement.