I have a 96 xj lifted with a 3" lift and 33"s. There's an aftermarket bumper on it as well where D rings can be connected. I need some help on what I need to do to get it worthy of towing behind my rv.

1. Since its lifted do I have to have a drop hitch or lift hitch at the same level as the tow bar? From the pics I have seen, it looks like the tow bar is the level with the ground when connected.

2. Some have talked about an adjustable tow bar like one from Reese w/o brakes and how effective they are. I am kind of on a budget, does anyone have this application? Does anyone recommend this over the brake system that is way more expensive? Is it worth spending a little extra to have the better tow bar for braking v. having the xj push me to a stop?

3. Next I have a 7 pin plug on the rv and have an adapter that will connect to a 4 pin. I have seen kits that look like they connect to the rear tail lights and then to the plug on the receiver. I know the magnetic lights are cheaper and I believe they both do the same thing. One just looks better than the other right?
Has anyone had any luck with a cooltech wiring harness? I heard that their customer service is terrible.

 

Do you have a tow bar yet? A basic bar will work fine for a SWB XJ. Fancy bars are for fancy problems.

The first thing is you need to figure out how you are going to attach it. Some of them have reinforcement plates that go into the crossmember. I rigged up some front recovery brackets and modified some stock class-III hitch inserts to work with a bar that I got from my neighbor. You might be able to do something with the recovery points on your bumper, like run a hitch pin through the hole.



Once you figure out the mounting, then start looking at getting the bar level with the towing vehicle. You may need to raise the hitch. Mine is almost exactly level with the truck that I use. You want it as close to level as possible so that the springs on either vehicle are not being jacked around. The bar needs to be as close to level as possible.

The permanent light harnesses are basically just heavy-duty diode packs with long wires that go back to the harness behind the spare tire stand in the cargo area. You can make your own pretty easily, but they can be cheaper to buy (long heavy wiring is expensive). The magnetic lights are cheaper but not much cheaper. They are a handy to have around, but best thing would be to make your own.

 

Ive towed 10K +miles with a plain old tow bar. It works best with the hitch ball at the same height as bar keeping it level. 4 different Jeeps and all towed well.
The 7 pin is used with the 4 wires needed and a set of magnet lights from Farm and Fleet.

Ron

 

My question to the OP: does the bumper have tie in brackets or is it held on with the stock 3 bolts?
It needs to be tied in so it doesn't rip thru the unibody.

 

A tow bar made for Motor Homes is the way to go I have a base mount for my WJ when we travel so we can hook/un-hook easily. With it only takes about 2 min's to hook it up or unhook to go out for dinner or sightseeing. Once tow bar is removed you see nothing really on the front for a clean look.


When we tow the XJ I prefer a trailer for it and an ATV or motorcycle as well. It has brakes on both axles of the trailer but the motor home has air brakes so not a big deal.

 

Thanks for all the great info. I ordered my parts on Amazon for around $130 - that includes tow bar, safety chains, and wiring system. Found a guy in town who has a 7" drop hitch for $15.
Next I need to know is actually towing the XJ. I believe it needs to be in neutral and tc as well, but I have seen some that turn the ignition on and remove the fuse so there is no draw on the battery. What is the correct procedure?

 

The Owners manual will spell out the steps. If you don't have one, buy one. From what I've read you are close, but better too be sure...

 

The proper technique is in the owner's manual, feel free to post questions after