[CDNTrailHawk]

Should be interesting - Our new travel trailer is at the upper end of the tow rating. (3600lbs dry, 400lb hitch wt). I've never seen any other vehicle specify frontal area before.. But I'll be well over that (seriously!?! 34 sq ft?).

Guess I'll see how it goes next week when I pick it up.

 

[Hudsonhawk]

34 sq. ft. is approximately 5'x7'.

Which trailer did you get? The frontal area can be affected by the aerodynamic shape of the trailer front (coefficent fo drag).

 

[CDNTrailHawk]

7.5x8ish. Rounded nose, so that makes for a little offset.

 

[Hudsonhawk]

Here is where I mounted my brake controller. It is to the left of the knee airbag container so if the airbag deploys it should push the controller toward the door and not at my head. I ran the pigtail up behind the kick panel and out through the hole where the hood release handle is.

And as you can see, there is sufficient room to enter and exit the vehicle without hitting the controller. I was in and out a couple of times with no problems.

 

[CDNTrailHawk]

Looks like a plan! I'm running the same controller. Any issues opening the cubby? (I've got my sub control mounted inside)

 

[Hudsonhawk]

The bracket for the controller hits the bottom of the dash just as the cubby fully opens.

 

[eak]

Message #10 should go into the Knowledgebase!

 

[CDNTrailHawk]

Just mounted mine in the same place. Don't think I'll leave the controller in until spring though (not like I'll be camping with 2' of snow anyway!).

 

[Sereno]

2013 G.C. Overland with tow package. Brake controller plug-in and installation

2013 G.C. Overland with tow package. Brake controller plug-in and installation.

Remove the over the foot pedals soft liner by pulling out the 2 plastic back buttons. I used a flat screwdriver to pry them down and then a good grip and pull with plyers. Comes right out.

Onto your back and with a flashlight look up in the left side above the foot parking brake (GC Overland) you will see a white cover where wiring goes in. ABOVE that, on top of that harness box is the grayish/white brake controller female plug recepticle, it's hiding a little and some wires are in front of the plug. It has the 4 spades inside to match your controller plug with the molded ridges on the top so they mate up only one way. This is a tight fit and took me a while with flashlight in mouth. I was lucky ?? that I have small hands. lol.

OK plug in controller to see if it lights up. Unplug.

I could NOT find a spot to mount the controller unit right of the steering wheel that would work for me. The curves and angles of the molded dash would put the controller at the wrong direction OR my knee would be hitting it all the time.

So I mounted on the top of the dash left of the gauges. With the driver door open there is an end plastic cover. Work it open with a screwdriver and it pops open. I worked the wires up and cut a small piece of the plastic out to run the wire to the upper dash area. This trim pops right in again.

I had to use the metal bracket to mount the control unit so I can not just "pop it out".
I had to drill out the holes in my unit for the screws and the bracket was very tight and I had to bend it some.
The controller harness was just long enough.
I stopped often and made sure that everything would fit before final installation.

Good Luck

 

[CDNTrailHawk]

2013 G.C. Overland with tow package. Brake controller plug-in and installation.

Remove the over the foot pedals soft liner by pulling out the 2 plastic back buttons. I used a flat screwdriver to pry them down and then a good grip and pull with plyers. Comes right out.

Onto your back and with a flashlight look up in the left side above the foot parking brake (GC Overland) you will see a white cover where wiring goes in. ABOVE that, on top of that harness box is the grayish/white brake controller female plug recepticle, it's hiding a little and some wires are in front of the plug. It has the 4 spades inside to match your controller plug with the molded ridges on the top so they mate up only one way. This is a tight fit and took me a while with flashlight in mouth. I was lucky ?? that I have small hands. lol.

OK plug in controller to see if it lights up. Unplug.

I could NOT find a spot to mount the controller unit right of the steering wheel that would work for me. The curves and angles of the molded dash would put the controller at the wrong direction OR my knee would be hitting it all the time.

So I mounted on the top of the dash left of the gauges. With the driver door open there is an end plastic cover. Work it open with a screwdriver and it pops open. I worked the wires up and cut a small piece of the plastic out to run the wire to the upper dash area. This trim pops right in again.

I had to use the metal bracket to mount the control unit so I can not just "pop it out".
I had to drill out the holes in my unit for the screws and the bracket was very tight and I had to bend it some.
The controller harness was just long enough.
I stopped often and made sure that everything would fit before final installation.

Good Luck

Doesn't have anything to do with the KLs. The GC is a whole different beast.

 

[midia]

So this is a little off-topic but I can't think of anywhere else to put it.

Has anyone figured out how to wire a electric brake controller into the Cherokee with the tow package? I figure there are some wires under the dash somewhere, but I have not found them yet.

there is usually a plug in under the dash...you are best to take it to a proper trailer shop..what I don't understand is when a manufacturer offers a class 3 trailer pkg that will tow 4500lbs why they don't offer a built in electric brake controller and proper mirrors

 

[Hudsonhawk]

there is usually a plug in under the dash...you are best to take it to a proper trailer shop..what I don't understand is when a manufacturer offers a class 3 trailer pkg that will tow 4500lbs why they don't offer a built in electric brake controller and proper mirrors

Thank you for the reply. We were able to figure it out and the details are included in this thread.

I can see not wanting to include a brake controller. Personl preferences and brake types make it hard to do a 1 type fits all approach. I am just glad they included the plug in the harness to make it easy to hook up a controller.

 

[CurtWPk]

I am just glad they included the plug in the harness to make it easy to hook up a controller.

I'll second that. The wiring harness is a huge help. And it supports using whatever controller you wish.

Now.... If they had only included a wiring harness to operate rear lights from a motor home. :| Since they make a big deal of "flat towing" in their marketing literature, that would have been a logical thing to offer.

Instead, we must go through an ugly process of running wires from the front to the back. And... splicing in diodes etc to operate the brake/tail lights.

 

[Jeepster1]

Nicely done John! Just picked myself up a new ultralight travel trailer so suddenly this all becomes more relevant to me! Guess we'll see how the little KL does with a 24'x8' 4000lb (dry) unit this spring!

I will be very interested in your review. You are pushing the limits.
How are you planning to handle the fluid changes, etc.:smile:

 

[ChaletTow]

2-Plug Adapter

Will the Tekonsha 2-Plug Adapter (#3045-P) designed for the 2011-2014 GRAND Cherokee fit a 2014 Cherokee

 

[Hudsonhawk]

Will the Tekonsha 2-Plug Adapter (#3045-P) designed for the 2011-2014 GRAND Cherokee fit a 2014 Cherokee

No it will not. The plug on the vehicle end is different. If you want to have a 2-plug adapter then you need to get the 3021-P for the Dodge Ram. But this is not plug and play. You will need to take the vehicle end plug apart and swap the Black and Blue wires in the plug. Tekonsha currently does not have a plug-and-play 2-plug cable for the Cherokee. They are working on one though.

I used the 3021-P on mine and did the modification. Everything is working great. It is not hard to modify the plug but does require a small flat blade screwdriver to release the retaining clips holding the wires in place.

 

[mikene]

Thank you for the very useful pdf. An additional question....in one of the photos I see the swing out cubby is missing. How did you remove it? Thanks.

 

[Hudsonhawk]

You just pull on it after you open it. It comes out pretty easily.

 

[Über gadget]

Thank you for the reply. We were able to figure it out and the details are included in this thread.

I can see not wanting to include a brake controller. Personl preferences and brake types make it hard to do a 1 type fits all approach. I am just glad they included the plug in the harness to make it easy to hook up a controller.

Both Hudson and Midia make good points here. Would it really effect the bottom line if even the low-end Sport model come pre-wired for towing? I'm doing this all post purchase on a Limited and the dealer is having a very difficult time getting a class 3 installed with the wiring harness. Things would have so much easier if this setup came stock.

Fwiw, my previous truck (Tacoma) came this way *and* the universal pigtail already in the glovebox.

 

[jdog1067]

can u tell me what trailer brake controller that works i have a camper to pull that has electric breaks