Schweeeeeet... I'm getting a trailer hitch!

[BluPhant]

One of those things I could never justify buying, but a deal came up and I couldn't pass it up. Even the mrs agreed with me that it was a good deal, go figure! It's a tubular u-haul deally. I imagine I'm gonna have to yank it off the existing vehicle, 3+hrs from home (but 15 minutes from the in-laws). Anything I need to know/what tools should I bring? Thinkin socket set, wd-40, maybe a blue tip wrench?

I'm psyched like a little kid. Go figure.

-Blu

 

[Bennett]

NICE!!

Now you need toys to plug into that hitch \/ But I suppose you gotta pace your self in stages, lol.

 

[BluPhant]

NICE!!

Now you need toys to plug into that hitch \/ But I suppose you gotta pace your self in stages, lol.

here are 2 I've looked at.

You must be registered for see images

I think this increases horsepower by 10%

You must be registered for see images

OMG, this is so freaking cool. A mere $760 + shipping.

I'll get both on the third of Never.

-Blu

 

[CHUD]

Cool!! =D> I just got a trailer hitch too!!!!! It came attached to the back of a Grand Cherokee Overland \/

 

[Bennett]

NICE!!

You must be registered for see images

OMG, this is so freaking cool. A mere $760 + shipping.

-Blu

OMG!!! screw the generator!! Freedom Grill !! WOOT

 

[chaz0_man0]

Just installed mine... All I need not is to find a cheap harness... something less then $80...

 

[yoda13]

I want that grill, of course, I'd have to get a hitch first #-o

 

[BluPhant]

And... (almost a month later) I picked it up this weekend. Installation was pretty simple, 6 19mm bolts and washers, bolts right on to the chassis. The holes are threaded in the chassis so no nuts necessary. Jeep would have done well to put plugs or small bolts in these holes to fill them, because over the years apparently all kinds of crap got stuck in there. It took a lot of elbow grease, a wirebrush, and a can of WD-40 to get the bolts in successfully. Basically I put it a bolt in as far as it would go, pull it out, spray it with WD-40, and repeat until it would go in most of the way. The final bolt, the front most bolt on the passengers side is located directly above the exhaust pipe. Dang. Couldn't even begin to get a socket in there. A look thru my wrenches turned up a 19mm open wrench, but no box wrench. So a trip to Depot (dang, closed) a trip to Target later, I got a set of ratchet box wrenches, which turned out to be a godsend. Cranked the bolts down, and it's now a quasi-permanant part of the vehicle.

Now all I gotta tackle is the wiring... the wiring I got actually isolates the trailer electrics from the vehicles native functions- so I have to run a wire to the battery. Maybe next weekend.

-Blu

 

[chaz0_man0]

I installed mine 4 weeks ago and much like blu my bolt holes were filled with crap/rust. I used some penetrating oil/wire brush and my pneumatic air wrench. Worked great!

For wiring I used this harness from ebay $30+shipping. Quick install 15 min.

 

[BluPhant]

Ya... it really took some work to get it in. Stupid me told the mrs it would take maybe 15 minutes to install. Live and learn. Nothing takes 15 minutes.

Anyway, the wiring harness I got is from Hoppy and it looks pretty ********.

You must be registered for see images

2 connectors on the left over rear passenger wheel (by the back 12v outlet), and the red wire goes to the battrery. The little module lives on the space above the wheel behind the plastic. Fortunately I was able to find installation instructions online, or I'd be up the creek.

I'm not gonna estimate 15 minutes on that one.

-Blu

 

[chaz0_man0]

looks like fun! I just needed to pop the talelights off snap mine in.

 

[grogiefrog]

Looked like fun Blu. Now what are you going to pull?!

 

[BluPhant]

Looked like fun Blu. Now what are you going to pull?!

You must be registered for see images

Details to follow.

-Blu

 

[JeepJeepster]

Ya... it really took some work to get it in. Stupid me told the mrs it would take maybe 15 minutes to install. Live and learn. Nothing takes 15 minutes.

Anyway, the wiring harness I got is from Hoppy and it looks pretty ********.

You must be registered for see images

2 connectors on the left over rear passenger wheel (by the back 12v outlet), and the red wire goes to the battrery. The little module lives on the space above the wheel behind the plastic. Fortunately I was able to find installation instructions online, or I'd be up the creek.

I'm not gonna estimate 15 minutes on that one.

-Blu

did that plug into the factory wiring? if so, where did u find the instructions, i would like to know.

 

[BluPhant]

Yes. I've not connected it yet, but it allegedly connects right up. If you drill down theres actually installation instructions in PDF format. Requires running a wire to the battery, but other than that it seems pretty simple.

You must be registered for see images

Snapshot from the PDF

Here's the link to the manufacturers site
http://www.trailerwiring.com/cgi-bin/appguide.cgi?make=Jeep&year=2002&model=Liberty

It should work on all liberties (2oo2-2oo5)


-Blu

 

[BluPhant]

I was referencing this post in another, and realized that I havent updated this since installing the wiring. It's been a while, but the installation went very well. There were a few different places that would be convenient to get the ground from, and running the wire to the battery, while time consuming, was not terribly difficult.

It's worked out really well for me, I've towed a 6'x12' trailer twice with it, and a tow dolly once. Having invested in this saved me hunderds of dollars in moving expenses, and made the move a lot easier (we were able to stretch it out over a few days)

-Blu

 

[JeepJeepster]

I did a write up on that wireing harness, it may be in howto, thats the best wiring harness to get in my book, good for electric brakes too, u must cut into that wire though, its not part of that harness, but gives u a nice big + wire from the battery.