Adding Tow Package / HD Cooling Question

[Y-Guy]

Hi folks, Well I am a soon to be owner of an 06 Liberty Sport. Dealer has a bunch of rental returns priced about $15k.

We plan on using the rig as my daily driver as well as towing our flatbed ATV trailer and to tow behind a motor home.

The issue I am looking at is the tow specs. I have read through as much of this forum as I have been able to. Since the rig doesn't have the tow package my understanding to achieve the 5,000# limit on towing I need to add the following Class III Hitch, 7-Pin adapter, brake controller & wiring and to upgrade to the heavy duty cooling fan. Dealer says these run about $350 installed, and they maybe willing to pick up 1/2 the cost.

So my question for those that know, am I missing anything to be able to tow? I don't totally need the 5,000 rating, but I figure I would be towing 3,500# at times.

Your thoughts, comments and advice are appreciated.

Steve

 

[JeepJeepster]

If your going to be towing just a Four-wheeler on a little light trailer, my guess is that wont weigh more than 1500-2k lbs if that. All the HD cooling kit comes with, is a Engine driven fan. This is really only needed when going slow and pulling a heavy amount of weight. Say crawling up a hill at 15-20mph. If your just going to be towing that atv, I do not believe you would need the HD cooling kit.

I would say that the trailer wont even have trailer brakes, so you dont need a brake controller. Its a good idea to go ahead and get the 7pin wiring b/c you never know when you may tow a trailer with brakes.

Is that $350 for the hitch, 7pin wiring, and the HD cooling? If so, I would go ahead and let the dealer install everything since it will only cost your $150 if the dealer pays for half it. O It cannot hurt and could possibly keep the ****** cooler which will make it last longer. O

 

[Y-Guy]

Thanks for the quick reply! As we own 4 ATVs, of which two are Utility quads I could well be pushing 3,000# - but probably would only take 1-2 of the quads when I take the Liberty.

The $350 is just for the HD cooling fan, I figure another $300 or so for the hitch and adapter. I am guessing that since it didn't come with the hitch and adapter I would need to run wires for a brake controller.

I think for the good price on the Liberty I can make this deal work right.

 

[tgh117]

The 7 pin wiring will run about 160 bucks, and the hitch will run about 160 bucks. A decent brake controller will run about 50-80 bucks, plus installation. I have pulled 4 atvs on the back of my jeep, two utes and two sports without any major issue what so ever. I have the 7 pin wiring, but the trailer we use for atv's has no brakes, so I can't use them. I do not have the heavy duty cooling fan, and have never had a problem with the temp even rising at all. If your not going to be towing up near the limits of the jeep, then the heavy colling fan isn't really necessary. It is probably wise to get the 7 pin wiring now, incase you need it later, but if you do not want the extra investment of adding a brake controller box, and all that inside the cabin, then maybe you want to just consider the 4 pin and be done with it. What size trailer would you be towing your ATV's on?

Good luck with the purchase, the jeeps pull pretty nice, which was mainly the reason I bought this instead of any of the other small size suv's.

Tim

 

[Y-Guy]

Tim thanks for your comments, helpful hearing from somebody in the same situation. Right now I have a 14' ATV trailer w/out brakes, but now with our motor home I am planning on getting a double axle trailer with brakes.

So far most of our longer trips we've taken our camper with us, our local trips with the ATVs have been very local. But in the summers we can see 100-105 temps so the cooling fan maybe a good idea.

I was looking on etrailer.come and saw a hitch and wiring, looks like the hitch can be installed at home and the wiring doesn't look to be all that tough either.

I'm pretty sure we're going to pull the trigger on the Liberty.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Tim thanks for your comments, helpful hearing from somebody in the same situation. Right now I have a 14' ATV trailer w/out brakes, but now with our motor home I am planning on getting a double axle trailer with brakes.

So far most of our longer trips we've taken our camper with us, our local trips with the ATVs have been very local. But in the summers we can see 100-105 temps so the cooling fan maybe a good idea.

I was looking on etrailer.come and saw a hitch and wiring, looks like the hitch can be installed at home and the wiring doesn't look to be all that tough either.

I'm pretty sure we're going to pull the trigger on the Liberty.

I did alittle write up of installing the 4pin wiring harness from etrailer. I also got the drawtite hitch from etrailer. O If you want, Ill dig that up for ya. O

 

[Y-Guy]

I did alittle write up of installing the 4pin wiring harness from etrailer. I also got the drawtite hitch from etrailer. O If you want, Ill dig that up for ya. O

That would be great!

I took my wife by and looked at 2 of the units this afternoon. Down to the Khaki metallic or the white. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

 

[tgh117]

No problem for the comments. We got a white one ourselves, just liked that color better for some reason. As far as the hitch and wiring installation, it really is a piece of cake to do. If you have any questions about it, you can hit me up, I completed the whole job in about an hour.

 

[Y-Guy]

I am leaning to the white, but having had 3 white vehicles my wife would like something else I think.

Couple questions, if I can. It appears the hitch is just a a bolt on yourself hitch, correct?

Did the wiring route inside or outside? Did you install a brake controller too?

 

[the_titan]

There is a write up on here somewhere that I read recently in terms of the wiring. It all connected in the trunk under the trim panel so it seems very easy. The hitch receiver is a piece of cake...6 blots or so on the underside and you are done. These are the same bolts that mount the gas tank skid plate, as well, so you will have 2 accessories on them.

 

[JeepJeepster]

I did alittle write up of installing the 4pin wiring harness from etrailer. I also got the drawtite hitch from etrailer. O If you want, Ill dig that up for ya. O

That would be great!

I took my wife by and looked at 2 of the units this afternoon. Down to the Khaki metallic or the white. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Here ya go:

Clicky

Its nothing special.. Just a small write up on what I did.. O

 

[Y-Guy]

Thanks a bunch! That will be a big help.

Well as of about 2 hours ago I now own a 2006 Jeep Liberty Sport in the Khaki color. The actual Jeep dealership here was willing to negotiate and we worked out a good deal. The sales guy and service tech both suggested adding a transmission cooler, said the HD fan was good but the trans cooler would be better. They were honestly enough to recommend a different shop that uses a larger transcooler than what is standard from Jeep.

Need to add the hitch, adapter, brake controller then add a tow bar up front.

 

[maxzoran]

2007 Liberty Latititude

Hey y'all, new liberty owner and new to the board. I have done a little reading and can't quite get a fix on what I need for towing my tent trailer. I will be towing a 10 foot pop-up camper which weighs 1600 lbs. Loaded I wouldn't put it over 2500 to be very generous. I know I need a class 3 hitch, but what about the heavy duty cooling? Also, does this have the transmission cooler. And if I do need HD colling is it easy to put on? Great forum btw!

 

[Y-Guy]

Here is what I am putting on mine
Draw-Tite Class III Max Frame Receiver Hitch #75128 $149.95
Jeep 7-Way Trailer Wiring Harness #82207248 $96.75
Jeep Trailer Wiring Harness #82204645 $30.75

I will then add a transmission cooler, I won't add this one my self, estimate price about $100. I am going to hold off on the Heavy Duty Cooling fan until I know if I will be towing it long enough distances to warrant the need. Mostly ours will be short 40 miles runs and in town, longer trips we have a motor home that will haul our stuff.

I installed the hitch this Saturday, pretty easy install too. The hitch needed to be bent (separated) a bit to fit but once I had that take care of it was a breeze. I had quotes of $200 to $250 to install just the hitch so saving $50-100 was worth it for me.

 

[JenD719]

Excuse my complete ignorance but ima girl. What kind of wrie am i supposed to add if i just plan to pull a uhaul trailer when i move? 7pin, 4pin? i would like to be able to haul more later on, but will i ever use a 7pin? what is the difference? are there adaptors? can i install them both onto the wiring??? I am so lost here, sorry, but what should i get? 8-[ will I need the cooling for now if i just want to pull on of those uhaul trailers 600 miles?

 

[Y-Guy]

You'll need a 7 pin if the trailer has electrical brakes - I don't know what if any most U-Haul rigs have but I suspect that a 4 pin would be easy enough. Call U-Haul if you want they can quickly tell you, and even install the hitch and wiring for you I considered them but if I only wanted the hitch and 4pin I could have done that all for under $200 if I installed it myself.

 

[JenD719]

I dont understand? I want a hitch to hook a uhaul trailer to that I will rent. i want my own hitch to buy and install and keep and i wont be renting a trailer for a while. i want a hitch i can use in the future too but i wont be hauling any giant loads like boats r nothin. i guess i might haul a camper at the most but i doubt that even. so for basic haulin what kind of hitch should i get? i was going to just get the 5000 lbs one since it is only a couple $$ more in case but will i really ever use a 7 pin? supposing i do haul something big with a brake?? on it i should just already have the 7pin as long as theirs a 4 pin adaptor or a way to wire the small trailer stuff to a 7pin that would usually use a 4pin. i dont want to spend more money than i should but i also would like to not have to buy more later on. if it is within reason what should i get now that will serve my immediate needs and cover me for the future maybe? thnx!

 

[maxzoran]

You should most definitely get a class III hitch (5000 lbs). Which ever wiring harness you need depends on what the trailer requires. Right now just go with whatever you need to power that Uhaul. I suspect it's a 4 pin. If you need a 7 pin at a later date, just get one then. But make sure and call Uhaul before you get a harness installed.

 

[the_titan]

I think the 4 and 7 pin harnesses from Mopar run about 100 each, so it is not the end of the world to have to go back later on and buy the 7 pin if you need it. They just snap together, so it won't be a permanent fixture once you hook in a 4pin. I know it ***** to buy 2 harnesses, but I don't think there is any way to just buy the 7 pin and adapt it to a 4 pin...though they should make one since the 7 pin uses the same functions and just adds more. I will have to look around, there has to be one out there and that would be the way to go...unless it costs just as much and makes it cost prohibitive.

edit: http://www.etrailer.com/c-A.htm tons of adaptors on there, only, I have no idea what is what. Now I want to know, what is the difference between pole and pin, round, flat, you name it. There's a million different connection types so someone familiar with trailers and hauling...HELP? I don't know what the most common connection type is, I was just under the impression that there was 7 and 4. So I would say go with the 7 (pin/pole?) round connection, I think that is which one the Mopar would be, and get whichever connection adaptor it is that someone knowledgable says is the right one to adapt it to the 4pin or to the best connection for your usage. I really don't know anything about this, so someone should be able to voice up and help.

 

[Y-Guy]

Jen in WA State you are required to have trailer brakes if the trailer and contents exceed 3,000#. For your small trailer like a U-Haul 5x8 you should be fine with a 4pin wiring setup. If you are going to tow more than that out of town you will need brakes on the trailer. If you are going for saving money right now just get the hitch and 4 pin adapter. We got hit by snow today and I needed to be ready to pull my ATV/snow plow so I picked up a 4pin setup for $35 - didn't install it yet though.