Just picked up my 95 XJ Country. Need to install a brake controller and tow hitch.
Before i dig into it, can someone who has done it let me know what you found to work best? Couple of questions/tasks:

1. Keep hearing the harness may be wired to the back already with a blue wire somewhere behind the spare? Anyone use this? Dont have the tow package on this jeep.

2. where to mount circuit breakers under hood? Usually mount on fender well near battery, no room in the XJ. anyone come up with any accessible out of the way place?

3. Pulling wires through firewall? Where did you pull through? Any nice unused easy to get at grommets I am overlooking?

4. Routing wires back to the hitch. In one of my other vehicles I have been able to rout through the interior. Has anyone done this on their XJ?

5. Mounting a Aux tranny cooler? what size did you find that fits and where did you put it? The A/C cooler takes up most of the space in on the front of the radiator.

6. Any tips?

Lots of questions, but if figured if there was a best way to do it, I would find it here. Been almost 8 years since my last XJ, cant wait to get this one going.

Thanks
Bernie

 

What on earth are you planning to pull with an XJ that you need trailer brakes?

Anyway

1) The wiring for trailer lights is in a pigtail behind the panel which is behind the spare tire location. You can plug into it fairly easily to have trailer lights.

2) There should be plenty of space on the firewall between the battery and the cruise control module (even more if you don't have cruise) to mount relays for the brake controller. I have 4 relays in a row attached in that location.

3) There aren't any unused grommets that I'm aware of but it's easy to drill a hole and put a cheap grommet in it.

4) I run any wires that are going to the back of the vehicle up the a pillar then run them inside the trim around the headliner.

5) Put the aux cooler on the passenger side directly in front of the mechanical fan. See photo below.

6) Think long and hard about whether you really want to be pulling something so heavy that it requires trailer brakes with an XJ.

 

The trailer is only 1800# loaded...Most campers have a 7 pin bargman on them that I have experience with. I am thinking that shouldn't be too heavy for the xj.
Most states require trailer brakes at a certain weight. NY is 1000# or 1500#.
On my fenderwell, don't have much room to squeeze them in. Will find someplace.
Running wires along head liner seems likely, there is a nice plug below taillight should be able too pull everything through and keep out of the weather.
Now to order everything up!