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Old 05-06-2018, 08:53 AM   #71
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I believe the 58902 hardness is the lights only. You need Mopar flat tow kit for Cherokee death wobble. Had parts & install thrown in when purchases 2019 Trailhawk last Sat, they had it installed by Wed. Don’t know how much it cost to install, but probably paid way to much for Jeep so they were happy to do it “No Charge” - haha. I will also need that light kit. Did anyone install that light kit themselves? Is it DIY.
It is for lights only. Was just showing what else needs to be done in addition to the flat tow wiring harness. Also, Remember you have to install a brake light switch kit to prevent the OEM Cherokee brake lights from coming on when using a dinghy braking system when you use this kit. Again see etrailer.com for install video. I installed mine in about two hours.

Someone asked for flat tow harness cost. I paid $112 for mine at my dealers. I had a coupon! WhooHooo. Still debating if I will have dealer install.

Right now I have removed the Jeep front fascia and removed everything under it. Will complete Blue Ox base install tomorrow.
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Old 05-06-2018, 11:16 AM   #72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flywithcoop View Post
It is for lights only. Was just showing what else needs to be done in addition to the flat tow wiring harness. Also, Remember you have to install a brake light switch kit to prevent the OEM Cherokee brake lights from coming on when using a dinghy braking system when you use this kit. Again see etrailer.com for install video. I installed mine in about two hours.

Someone asked for flat tow harness cost. I paid $112 for mine at my dealers. I had a coupon! WhooHooo. Still debating if I will have dealer install.

Right now I have removed the Jeep front fascia and removed everything under it. Will complete Blue Ox base install tomorrow.
Mike - I installed my flat tow harness myself on my 2015 Trailhawk (dealer wanted $650 to install) and it wasnt too difficult as the directions that come with it are pretty good. The only small issue I had was removing the electrical box under the hood to splice in the harness to the power steering wire. You just have to keep turning the holdown screws and then the box will lift right out - no prying required. From the work you have already done, I suspect you will have no problem doing it yourself. While I was at it, I also installed a 15 watt diode between the positive battery cable and the charge line and the flat tow harness 12v input. This allows the power steering to be powered off of my Freightliner charge line (which is switched by the MH ignition switch). This way I just leave the fuse inserted and rely on powering the steering whenever the MH ignition switch is on - never have to insert or pull the under hood fuse. I also added an LED that illuminates that I can see in the MH rear view camera when the power steering is powered to confirm that it is on. I have now pulled the car close to 10k miles like this with no issues at all.
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Old 05-06-2018, 05:50 PM   #73
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Wiring Harness

my total cost was $349 on 2018 Cherokee Overland
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Old 05-06-2018, 06:35 PM   #74
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my total cost was $349 on 2018 Cherokee Overland
You sure got a better deal than what my dealer was willing to do. He wanted $128 for the harness and the $650 for installation. Was your price part of your car purchase deal? In any case I just decided to do it myself and make the mod to eliminate fooling with the under hood fuse. Only took a 3 - 4 hours and I am happy with the results.
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Old 05-06-2018, 08:40 PM   #75
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Mike - I installed my flat tow harness myself on my 2015 Trailhawk (dealer wanted $650 to install) and it wasnt too difficult as the directions that come with it are pretty good. The only small issue I had was removing the electrical box under the hood to splice in the harness to the power steering wire. You just have to keep turning the holdown screws and then the box will lift right out - no prying required. From the work you have already done, I suspect you will have no problem doing it yourself. While I was at it, I also installed a 15 watt diode between the positive battery cable and the charge line and the flat tow harness 12v input. This allows the power steering to be powered off of my Freightliner charge line (which is switched by the MH ignition switch). This way I just leave the fuse inserted and rely on powering the steering whenever the MH ignition switch is on - never have to insert or pull the under hood fuse. I also added an LED that illuminates that I can see in the MH rear view camera when the power steering is powered to confirm that it is on. I have now pulled the car close to 10k miles like this with no issues at all.
Wow...what a good idea the diodes are! Opening the hood to pull and replace fuses can get old. Do you have a pic you can send? I might want to try doing that.
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Old 05-07-2018, 05:48 AM   #76
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Wow...what a good idea the diodes are! Opening the hood to pull and replace fuses can get old. Do you have a pic you can send? I might want to try doing that.
Sure, it’s part of the mod that Dan (dpinvidic) posted about earlier in the thread, Make Cherokee Flat Tow Harness automatic. I just cut the 12 volt input wire on the harness before the fuse and soldered in the diode and also soldered the MH charge line after the diode. I chose to attach the line directly to the battery for installation ease instead at the distribution box as the harness installation directions call for. This mod then powers up the steering when the MH provides 12v and also allows power to charge the Cherokee battery. The diode prevents the Cherokee battery from directly providing power to the power steering.
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Old 05-08-2018, 06:36 AM   #77
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Completed the Blue Ox base plate install yesterday. Took me two days between doctors appointments, family get together, and COPD. Dragging around a oxygen hose for me and a air compressor hose for air tools caused some delays. Sure glad I have air tools. Made the Job so much easier. This is the first of four base plate installs that did not need base plate modification to make them fit. Now on to the flat tow wiring harness install. I have installed a battery charge maintainer and am going to use it to power a relay which will act like a switch and install/remove the fuse from the circuit and keep the Trailhawk battery charged.
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Old 05-25-2018, 11:49 AM   #78
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Finished the Trailhawk wiring for lights and installed the flat tow wiring kit. was actually pretty easy since vehicles today just snap together. all the plastic panels pop right off to install the EPS switch. Hardest part was getting all the wiring connectors to release. Wired the flat tow assembly directly to the 12v power pin from the RV connector with 10 gauge wire. It's fused and also connects to the Jeep battery with a 15 amp diode. The RV power is switched on/off with the RV ignition switch so when I start the RV the fused line of the flat tow harness applies power to the EPS system and provides a trickle charge to the Jeep battery. No need to open the hood to install/remove the fuse. Still have the switch in the console to turn off/on when getting ready to tow. All in all a easy setup to get the Trailhawk ready to flat tow. Pictures are the under hood setup.
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Old 05-26-2018, 06:57 AM   #79
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You just spent a goodly amount on your new Jeep and you are towing a great RV, recommend the Blue Ox dealer install the base plate. By the way make sure the trailer hitch wiring and the Jeep wiring harness are the same since you are charging the Jeep battery from your RV. Enjoy your new equipment


Had Smitty’s RV & Welding of Houston Tx (dealer of Blue Ox & other tow systems) do the base plate, light wiring, braking system. Going with Blue Ox system, they ordered 2018 Trailhawk base plate. It did not fit 2019 Trailhawk. Blue Ox changed base plate for 2019, but would be over a month to get one, so Smitty’s mfg base plate from the 2018 base plate. Also they installed Plug & Play braking system. Everything is working great & easy to hook up & unhook fm MH. Was expensive having it done by shop, but would have ordered 2018 base plate if I did it myself cause when I looked it up they did not have 2019 listed. Would have had to return first base plate & wait for 2019 ver.
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:13 AM   #80
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What brand of braking system was installed? Wanting feedback to make a choice on which brand to purchase.
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Old 05-27-2018, 09:04 AM   #81
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What brand of braking system was installed? Wanting feedback to make a choice on which brand to purchase.


Braking system was Demco Stay-N-Play Duo. Harder initial installation than most, but after install you flip switch in Dinghy driver side pnl & nothing else to do. Install included hard wired light on MH dash to let you know when dinghy brakes are activated. Can not move from vehicle to another easily, but very easy for 1 dinghy vehicle. Was going with Blue Ox Patriot 2, easy install, but have to do install every-time, but then can move from one dinghy to another.
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Old 06-21-2018, 08:02 AM   #82
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Attached is a document showing how I did mine. HTH
I'm about to embark on my project to put in a switch to enable flat tow mode without having to install the fuse. My thoughts are to put the new switch downstream of the fuse (on the side of the fuse opposite the side connected to 12V power). Thinking for this is I'd like to keep the fuse in service (e.g. just leave it installed all of the time) to protect the circuitry.

Material is on order - switch is here - waiting on wire and the wire loop I ordered to protect the wiring. May show up today. I'm still poking around on the actual install. I've found where the shop that did my baseplate and wiring installation routed the RViBrake3 breakaway switch wiring and wondering just how skinny the tech was to get the wire to the firewall plug they used. I'm presuming they got access from underneath the Jeep.

I'd like to mount the switch on the flat panel that is just above the console area where the aux input/USB/data card slot are, but its looking like getting to it may be a console removal job. I'm not quite that dedicated, so near the hood release is starting to look like the comprise unless I can figure out something clever.

The Jeep gets it maiden tow next week as we have 4 days in Mueller State Park (behind Pikes Peak) scheduled. I'll see how that goes and do the switch install after we get back.
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:47 AM   #83
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I got the dealer to install the flat tow wiring kit on my 2019 Trailhawl as part of my purchase deal. It is done.

Etrailer backordered the light wiring kit but it is now on it’s way.

Demco doesn’t have 2019 baseplate yet. So I’ll hang on to my Patriot till they do.
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Old 06-21-2018, 10:50 AM   #84
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Oh, yes...it is ridiculous Jeep hasn’t fixed this Safety issue yet. It has been at least three years. Do they hire idiots as Engineers? Certainly requiring a fuse install in addition to a switch on their “fix” makes it appear so.
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