Hitch Install Q

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:54 am

Since my liberty is going into the dealer tonight for the recall, i called them up this morning to see how much it would be to get a hitch installed. I was told that it would be $725 for a class 3 hitch w/the electrical connection for tailers. This seems like an exorbant amount. I can get a class 3 off ebay for $135 +shipping but would this have the electrical connection with it? Would this be something i'd be able to install myself?

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:16 pm

The install is simple. Make sure to clean out the thread in the unibody first, lotsa dirt and stuff in there. You can get a wiring harness from MOPAR for $80 or $120 (depending if you want 4 pin or 7 pin) or you get get one from etrailers or another online retailer for $35 or so I believe. I personally went with the MOPAR 4pin since it was run through the rear cargo area and it had the plug already on it. Took me longer to clean out the threads than it did to actually wire it up and bolt on the hitch.

Gris · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:17 pm

etrailer.com sells a wire harness (4-prong) that plugs right into your 2 tail lights for right around $30. It took me about 20 minutes to install it. The hardest part was fishing one of the connecters through the bumper. Someone with smaller fingers than me would have had no problem at all.

Over all, I'd rank the difficulty 1 or 2 out of 10.

Just remove both tail lights, unplug the stock plug, put the stock plug into one side of the trailer wiring and the other side of the trailer wiring into the tail light, then reinstall it (2 screws).

DO NOT PAY $725

p.s. will update in a sec with links...

Etrailer.com part #18382

I'd also STRONGLY reccomend getting one of these...

I requires a 1 1/8" hole be drilled in the very bottom of the bumper, but you can't see the hole so you really don;t have to worry about depreciation if you remove it. It keeps the plug up out of the way of any damage from rocks and you won't have wiring running all over the place.

ETrailer.com part # 30601

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:44 pm

to mount the hitch to the frame would i need to lift the rear up? or is this something that could be done in my driveway...

Gris · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:05 pm

driveway is fine. It will be much easier if you can get a 2nd set of hands, but I did mine completely on my own. I had to prop one side up while I bolted the first side in, but after you get 1 bolt started in each side to hold the weight, you're set.

Like Blue said, make sure you clean out the holes really well. I had to use an impact ratchet to get my bolts in because I didn't. so much mud and dust up there

chetos · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:10 pm

My Reciever was $120 and harness was 40ish. It takes less than a half hour IF you clean out your threads!!! Spray some WD-40 or rust remover up in the unibody, wait a couple of minutes then take a tooth brush and scub out a bit. Hitch goes in pretty easy! Don't pay the $700!!!

chetos · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:11 pm

[

p.s. will update in a sec with links...

Etrailer.com part #18382

I'd also STRONGLY reccomend getting one of these...

I requires a 1 1/8" hole be drilled in the very bottom of the bumper, but you can't see the hole so you really don;t have to worry about depreciation if you remove it. It keeps the plug up out of the way of any damage from rocks and you won't have wiring running all over the place.

ETrailer.com part # 30601[/quote]

got a pic of where you put that adapter??

Elwenil · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:13 pm

That dealer is on crack. The list price on the factory accessory hitch is only $179, add in the $129 or $89 for the harness, plus the labor for install. The install time listed in the book is only 0.8 hrs for the hitch and 0.5 for the harness, so unless they are charging $320 per hour labor rate, you are getting beaten, thrown over a barrel, & reamed with no lube, only salt and sand.

Gris · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:54 pm

chetos, I don't atm, but will take one when I get home and post it. I just did it last week and never got around to a pic.

Elwenil, My fan recently died. I'm out of warranty so I stole my wifes fan from her '06 and sent her off to the dealer to get it replaced under her warrantly. The dealer called and said it was out of stock and they had to order it, would be in the next day. They called the next day saying it was on national backorder. They wouldn't give her a loaner and said if she drove it off the lot they would void the warranty. I got on the phone, kicked the service manager in the junk several times with my voice and demanded either a loaner or a fix. Service guy said he'd take a brand new fan off a brand new liberty and put it in her so that we could take it. Then he told me that he was going to have 3 techs stay overtime for 2 hours because according to his mechanics, it was a 6 hour project.

I'm not sure if you ever say the regular electric fan in a liberty, but 2 bolts and 10 seconds is all it takes to get it in and out. The service guy sounded kind of shocked that I knew it would take no more than 10 minutes for a sleeping 3-year old to do it, let alone a certified mechanic. I told him if his mechs said it was a 6 hour project, then he better find some new guys.

morale: dealers suck.

BJ'naKJ · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:04 pm

One problem I had installing my non-factory receiver hitch was with the factory skid plate on the gas tank.
The dealer had installed a non-Mopar hitch that I took off to put on a factory skid plate. The plate went on fine, but when I tried to put the hitch back on, the top of the plate stuck out and kept one side from lining up.
With the help of a friend we finally got it back on, but it wasn't easy.
If you have the factory skid plate, you might want to look into paying a little more for a Mopar hitch.

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:30 pm

I know i want a class 3... but what kind do i actually want? there seem to be many different types...

from etrailer

from ebay

chetos · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:33 pm

callaway wrote:

I know i want a class 3... but what kind do i actually want? there seem to be many different types...

from etrailer

from ebay

I got my HH from JC Whitney. I got free shipping with it too.

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:56 pm

aside from looks , is there any difference between the normal and round tube versions?

NjjeepKJ · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:07 pm

i went to a local place called Franklin Trailers, they are a mom and pop shop so to speak, they installed ans wired a calss 3 hitch with tax for 279 and change

Elwenil · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:10 pm

Gris, believe me I know, look at my sig, lol... :lol:

adamkrz · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:49 pm

The 4 pin wiring is real easy but if you go with the mopar 7 pin harness the job takes alot longer if you don't have the overhead console on your jeep,If you don't then another harness must be run which involves going thru the firewall and other things which is a real pain..

s_allcroft · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:07 pm

If you want installed, try Uhaul... They do hitches, and their wiring does regular 4pin, and Uhaul connection.

Gris · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:17 pm

chetos, and others, see my post in the 4x4 section for pics.

callaway · **Posted:** Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:02 pm

Elwenil wrote:

That dealer is on crack. The list price on the factory accessory hitch is only $179, add in the $129 or $89 for the harness, plus the labor for install. The install time listed in the book is only 0.8 hrs for the hitch and 0.5 for the harness, so unless they are charging $320 per hour labor rate, you are getting beaten, thrown over a barrel, & reamed with no lube, only salt and sand.

when i dropped the liberty off tonight i got a chance to talk to a service manager. he said it was $341 for hitch/electrical harness and $384 for labor but would go into details as to why it cost so much

:shock:

we should all become professional grease monkeys

chetos · **Posted:** Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:48 am

Gris wrote:

chetos, and others, see my post in the 4x4 section for pics.

Thanks. Looks very clean.

Hitch Install Q

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