Recommendations For Tow Equipment Installers

[jerryth52]

I just purchased a new 2017 Jeep Cherokee. I live in central Florida and would sure like to hear from others regarding where to get our car equipped for flat towing. I watched a few installation videos and must say that I am a bit nervous about the procedure. I would greatly appreciate recommendations. I'm willing to travel to get a quality job done.

[wayne77590]

Reminds me of when I was installing two way mobile antennas on cars.  Guy came in with a Porche and wanted a "Lip Mount" antenna on the hatch back.  couldn't do it because of the spacing tolerance and I convinced him that a body shop could easily repair a 3/4" hole.  As I got the drill out and looked at him and said, "Are you going to watch?" He fled into the office. 

Yep, they have to take things apart and even cut a hole here and there.  If you have a mind to drive to Houston, Smitty's Welding & RV Shop does great work.  I'll wager that if you check with some of the RV Dealers you will be given advice for where to take it locally. Even some RV Dealers install base plates.

[jrock]

I put a roadmasrer on my 2012 Grand Cherokee wasn't to bad had a freind that was a body man help they know all the little tricks to getting all the plastic parts off without breaking the fasteners also get some high quality drill bits the instructions will tell what size you need the metals they use on the frame is really hard good bits will make the drilling part easier 

[manholt]

Welcome to the Forum!

Before you bought the Cherokee, did you ask if it could be flat towed?  We have had so many problems with the " Death Wobble" on the Cherokee, I have to ask.  Jeep GC is no problem.

Carl

[jrock]

Carl he did say Cherokee that's the one everybody's talking about ours is a 2012 Grand Cherokee and it towed just wicked pissa 

[tbutler]

I have had two installations done.  The first was done by the company (in St. Louis, MO) that sold the tow equipment to me.  I never had a single problem with that installation.  The second was done by an RV dealer that is associated with the dealer where I bought the car (Mission, TX).  Same overall ownership.  They ordered the part needed for installation and did the work.  The basic tow equipment (base plate) has worked fine but the wiring for the lights misfired in several ways.  First trip out, the plug got knocked out of the socket on the front of the car.  It had been mounted in the air dam.  It was too close to the road surface, either road debris was the problem hitting the socket or perhaps the cord which was even lower was being hit.  Anyway, at the end of that trip I had an unusable plug and had to move the mounting to a higher location.  Since then, no problems with the socket.  The second problem was wear on the wiring run to the taillights.  Improper installation in the car caused the wiring to wear through at the end of the first year of travel.  I had that repaired at an RV shop, no problems since. 

I think that experience is the key.  The people that sell the tow equipment know more about installing it than a shop that just does that as an incidental job.  I would have the shop where you purchase your tow package do the install.  The other take-away could be that there are just good shops and/or good mechanics that do quality work and those that don't. 

[five]

2 hours ago, TBUTLER said:

I have had two installations done.  The first was done by the company (in St. Louis, MO) that sold the tow equipment to me.  I never had a single problem with that installation.  The second was done by an RV dealer that is associated with the dealer where I bought the car (Mission, TX).  Same overall ownership.  They ordered the part needed for installation and did the work.  The basic tow equipment (base plate) has worked fine but the wiring for the lights misfired in several ways.  First trip out, the plug got knocked out of the socket on the front of the car.  It had been mounted in the air dam.  It was too close to the road surface, either road debris was the problem hitting the socket or perhaps the cord which was even lower was being hit.  Anyway, at the end of that trip I had an unusable plug and had to move the mounting to a higher location.  Since then, no problems with the socket.  The second problem was wear on the wiring run to the taillights.  Improper installation in the car caused the wiring to wear through at the end of the first year of travel.  I had that repaired at an RV shop, no problems since. 

I think that experience is the key.  The people that sell the tow equipment know more about installing it than a shop that just does that as an incidental job.  I would have the shop where you purchase your tow package do the install.  The other take-away could be that there are just good shops and/or good mechanics that do quality work and those that don't. 

I had a similar experience.  The hardware does not seem to be a problem, but the  lights give them fits.  On one occasion, when I tracked my problem down, it was just plain sloppy work...a wire bundle suspended in the air by a short piece of wire...rather than putting in a longer piece of wire that would not be holding up the whole thing.

[wildebill308]

Do you have this information on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee? This is from the 2017 FMCA towing guide.

 "Only four-wheel-drive vehicles with a two-speed power transfer unit can be towed four wheels down; before towing, see an authorized Jeep dealer for the
Mopar flat tow wiring kit. It’s recommended to charge the battery of the towed vehicle while towing"

I had the dealer install the baseplate and lights (Blue Ox) before I took delivery. I made it part of the deal.

Your dealer will know someone locally to do the work. They don't do it themselves and you can't be the first wanting to tow a Jeep behind a motorhome to buy there. 

Bill

[elkhartjim]

Some body shops and some U Haul places can install. Have you contacted Lazy Daze or some local RV dealers for recommendations?