italianjeremy

hey guys.
just put a class 3 hitch on my newly purchased 97 xj ! WOO HOO!

had an XJ about 5 yrs ago and missed it so i got another one.

anyways, i installed a hitch , ready to go for my 4'x10' long trailer.

it does have trailer brakes on the trailer itself ( 2 wires coming out of each hub) that i want to hook up with a brake controller, but not immediately . they are electric-actuated brakes, not hydraulic, if that matters.

currently there is a 4 wire flat adapter by the spare tire, ready to go. it has one male pring and 3 females in a plastic cover(standard) . its about 4' long. i think i need a 5-pin adapter to plug into this so i can have power to power up the electric brakes, right? i know the brakes need a dedicated 12v source.

so what do i need? ill have to rewire the trailer too, since its only hooked up with a 3 male prong and 1 female hole adapter... standard issue.

i just want to kill 2 birds with one stone: wire the trailer up nice and neat with the electric brake wires ready to go at the top of the trailer hitch when i need them, and have the jeep adapter ready for the trailer brakes when i hook them up . . .
figured you guys would know what i need right away .
instead of me buying a huge kit from etrailer.com and not needing half.

p.s. im pretty sure that having separate brake and turn signals plays into this too, right?

thanks!

mike37

you will need a brake controler to start
and a new 6 prong plug

mike37

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=148

xj_mike

Actually you will need at least the following, assuming there is nothing wrong with the electric trailer brakes themselves.

A brake controller (this is one of the better ones)
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-BC~90185.htm

A Trailer Break Away Kit (this or similar)
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-BAK~HM20001.htm

A 6 or 7 way plug and socket, plus all the wiring to hook these up to the above items.

Assuming everything is okay with the brakes on the trailer, that should get you going. In reality, a 4x10' trailer, if you are hauling less then 1500#'s, trailer brakes are overkill. Once you get into the 2000# range or above, then I would have trailer brakes without question.

Figure out what you want/need to do and see if the added cost and work is needed.

My .02 worth

italianjeremy

thanks guys! well i plan on pulling my flt bottomed bass boat around (500lbs) , but this summer ill be pulling a lot of firewood, about 2500-3500lbs worth. i know its pushin it, but ill definitely have the brakes working then. it be nice to wire up the brakes and only use them when i need them... seeing how theyde be overkill for the small boat. i know ill need a brake controller, BUT how do i connect the 6 pronger to the 4 pronger on my jeep already? any quick disconnects so i can hook the 4 pronger whenever i dont need the trailer brakes and just pullin a lawn mower? the adapters are what confuse me .thanks

xj_mike

You would have to rewire your Cherokee and put a 6 (or 7) wire socket on your rig, lile this http://www.etrailer.com/pc-TEC~30200.htm (6 plug style) and then get an adapter to go to the flat 4 style like this http://www.etrailer.com/pc-A~37325.htm

Check out E Trailer for all types of setups. They have very good prices and great customer service. I have bought all of my trailer parts from them. http://www.etrailer.com

Good luck.

italianjeremy

ok, so i got the whole car wired correctly now. there was a converter box behind the kick panel of the cherokee, and it was busted up so i figured it was messed up. now the whole 4 pin harness works comin out of the car: green is to right turn, yellow is to left turn , brown is to lail lights when i have the lights on, and i made a SEPARATE wire for brake lights, which is coming from a red wire by my tail lights. . . . my question is this:
my lights on my trailer have a separate red and orange lens for brake and turn. . .
how do i hook up tail and brake ot one red light? since its double filament do i hook the tail light to one of the wires comin from the bulb and the brake light to the other? if so, how do i know to pick the higher or lower filament?

as requested, i ordered a 6 socket plug fro botht he car and trailer... so then i can be ready for when i hook up the trailer brakes.

thanks in advance.