Trailer brake controls

[hudlow]

Now that I've got my truck running I need to install some brake controls for a trailer I'm going to use to haul a tractor with.

This trailer has electric brakes so I'll need to hook up the controls in the Jeep. I know I'm going to have to install a light plug from the Jeep to the trailer and I've put them on vehicles before so that's no biggie. But I've never hooked up an electric brake control.

Anyone got any experience with these?

Also, I'd thought about putting a Reece hitch type towing setup on this old Jeep until I got underneath and started looking around. The bumper is solid steel and it's seriously bolted straight to the frame. I honestly can't see how a Reece hitch would be any stronger than towing from the bumper. It's got a hole for a ball and it appears that this Jeep truck was intended for towing, back in the day.

If I had a big ol' honkin' tractor I might think differently but mine is just a small to medium sized, 30 hp "golf course" kind of tractor so I think I'd feel safe pulling it on the trailer hooked to the bumper.

Any advice is appreciated



Thanks, hudlow

[Lawrence]

I don't know what year Jeep you have but I have an 04 TJ SWB. I bought the Mopar 7 RV harness for an 04 TJ LWB and it is plug and play. You plug it to your rear lights, run the other 3 wires to the engine bay, connect the + and -, and connect the light blue one to the brake controller. Very easy to do. I haven't bought the brake controller yet, but I am leaning toward the Tekonsha, others might have better suggestions as they have tow rigs and use them frequently.

[hudlow]

Originally posted by Lawrence
I don't know what year Jeep you have but I have an 04 TJ SWB. I bought the Mopar 7 RV harness for an 04 TJ LWB and it is plug and play. You plug it to your rear lights, run the other 3 wires to the engine bay, connect the + and -, and connect the light blue one to the brake controller. Very easy to do. I haven't bought the brake controller yet, but I am leaning toward the Tekonsha, others might have better suggestions as they have tow rigs and use them frequently.

Thanks for the reply Lawrence!

My Jeep is 30 years older than yours. I just got it back on the road.

I wish there was a plug and play setup for my Jeep but I'm afraid it's pre P&P.

I'm headed out to look at controllers. I may be looking for one of those Flintstones units.!

Thanks,
hudlow

[DanB98TJ]

You'll need to tap into the brake light switch, 12v power, and have a good ground (I think that is all but it's been a while). All the brake controllers I've used had decent wiring instructions, but you'll need to supply the wiring from the cab to the plug, circuit breaker, etc.

EDIT: Depending on the trailer, you may need a constant 12v lead to charge the battery for the breakaway system. I think my trailer uses the same circuit used for charging the battery for camping trailers, but I have a 7-way plug set up for that use.

I decided the past few times that it was easier to just have U-Haul install the controller and do the wiring....