I called around to a couple dealerships and I was quoted $420 and $385 for hitch and wiring install. Now i'm looking at doing this myself. Can anyone help me find out what parts I need and how to install the wiring. I think the hitch just bolts into the frame in front of the rear bumper...? Thanks in advance!

 

Just buy yourself online and install yourself. Take about 15 minutes. Receiver bolts on ... Wiring harness is plug and play to existing harness - comes with directions.

 

Ya, please don't pay that for it. I got the hitch for ~$100 and the wires for ~$30 I think a few years ago. If you have a basic socket set and a phillips screw driver you are good. Wire kit is plug and play as said above, and the hitch goes where the tow hook is. 4 bolts instead of 3. 15-20 minutes. I think I might have had to wire a ground to something and drilled a small hole for that, but you can use existing spots for the ground if you find them.

 

X however many it is.

$400 for a hitch is highway robbery.


these are the 4 bolts you need to install: Click

Hidden Hitch wiring: Download PDF (Mopar is about the same)


the longest part is getting the 4 bolts in.

 

I'm guessing the wiring kit it JK specific and not just a general kit..is that right? Where did you guys get your wiring and harness?

 

I got the hitch and harness from my friend who works in the collision parts department where I bought my Jeep. The hitch was just under a hun and the harness was just a tad more. I'm sure I could have gone aftermarket and saved some money, but I got FACTORY parts that fit and WORK RIGHT. Took all of 20 minutes to install both. Really. It's that easy.

 

my wiring kit was mopar, see my above post for hidden hitch.

I got a used takeoff hitch from here on the forum. the wiring i bought I think at the dealer? i dont recall exactly.

 

I got a Putnam hitch for around 100 bucks at a wiring harness for 16.99 at Quadratec.

The hitch is very easy to install...just remove tow hook and put the hitch in it's place. The wiring harness was super easy too, the only annoying part was drilling a small hole for the ground screw, otherwise it was all plug and play.

Even if you've never used a tool in your life you could do this.

 

My aftermarket wiring consisted of:

Unscrewing the tailight housing (3 minutes), removing the plug to the bulb (12 seconds), plugging in the hitch harness inline with the bulb wiring (12 seconds), reconnecting the bulb wiring (3 seconds...I'm getting used to this by now), feeding the rest of the wire down through the frame (2 minutes), screw back the tailight housing (2 minutes), screw small bracket for flat connector to bumper (6 minutes...because I wasn't smart enough to pre-drill holes), insert flat-4 connector through bracket and zip tie excess wiring (maybe another 5 minutes). It really is child's play!

....warning though!!!! ....when you're unbolting the hook. Remove bolts from the front side of the vehicle! The ones facing the rear look an awful lot like nuts but they're NOT!!!....trust me!!

 

The MOPAR harness has no ground screw ... it just plugs into the taillight harness. If you have a 2009 the towhook is on the side so you don't even have to remove that.

I went with MOPAR for both pieces. I noticed some of the aftermarket receivers did not include a place to attach the wiring connector like the MOPAR unit. Also .. the MOPAR version comes with a nice rubber JEEP reciever cover.

In this picture you can see the wiring harness plug built into the receiver and the included cover.