Adding a 7-way connector to hook up to trailer brakes

Hunterkiller86

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Mar 4, 2020
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Des Plaines, IL
I am getting a camper to pull with my 2015 JK Jeep and i need a 7 pin connector to hook up to the trailer brakes. when i got my JK, i had the 4 pin connector installed from the factory, so the wiring is there per say. My question is, can I add the 7 pin harness from Mopar and attach it in line with the 4 pin (ie take the tail light out and simply plug in the 7 pin) or do i need to remove the 4 pin harness prior to plugging in the 7 pin harness?

Thanks
 
I am getting a camper to pull with my 2015 JK Jeep and i need a 7 pin connector to hook up to the trailer brakes. when i got my JK, i had the 4 pin connector installed from the factory, so the wiring is there per say. My question is, can I add the 7 pin harness from Mopar and attach it in line with the 4 pin (ie take the tail light out and simply plug in the 7 pin) or do i need to remove the 4 pin harness prior to plugging in the 7 pin harness?

Thanks
Out of curiosity what is the weight limit of the trailer? Also what is if any mods you have on it such as taller tires, any changes to the differentials or are they OEM?
 
Okay, is that unit 2 door or 4 door? At 1500, you cross the threshold for some states mandating trailer brakes, so at 1600 with additional cargo, you will hit 2000 lbs. The 7-pin can be wired easily enough, but I would recommend a facility to do that as there is some finagling to do with the wiring at the rear.

Braking controllers come in two flavors now. They are hardwired, which of course leaves you banging the daylights out of your left kneecap with the hardwired unit.

The wireless is the preferred option, though a tad bit more expensive, it is worthwhile since the remote wireless receiver will be powered by the battery and of course your own vehicle power supply it is a no brainer. We all change our tow vehicles but may not desire to get rid of the trailer. With the wireless unit, any vehicle with a 7-point connection and proper hitch can tow the trailer.

You can move the wireless from vehicle to vehicle when needed.

I asked whether it was two-door or four-door earlier. If a two-door, do definitely get that brake controller. The very short wheelbase is more easily overwhelmed with the heavier trailer.
 
yeah just a normal 2dr JK. The camper i am getting has not only electric brakes, but the Autowbrake wireless brake controller for the brakes. So all i really need to do is make sure the 7 pin picks up power from the battery
 
Pulling a heavy camper with a short wheelbase won't be a fun trip.

I agree with the dicey tow. We are not saying it is impossible, but the trailer will be close to the weight of the JK itself so if that starts to wiggle the JK will be jerked around a bit.

Be prepared to use the control for stabilization, i.e. keying the controller to engage the brakes of the trailer to make it behave itself.

Also, speed is a factor, nothing above 65 MPH, so with your gearing, 62 MPH will be the sweet spot.

The reason we show concern is if you got to do a panic stop, that trailer may force the rear tires to break free and you get into a jackknife issue. Then it will be up to physics which way the JK will go.
 
Thanks for your replies/ advice. I was already planning on adding a sway bar for the camper, but now im starting to think maybe i'll hold off until it is time to replace the JK.
 
Not trying to scare you, but I have towed everything but a 5th-wheel with a variety of vehicles and have had a Slide-In Camper unit too. Seen some nasty wrecks, that resulted in fatalities. RVing, while fun can have the downsides. You just have to use the right type of vehicle, have the correct setup and not too much trailer.

One thing never to do is bastardize a tow vehicle or trailer and not try to tow something that, should never be towed.

A couple of years ago, I observed a really weird looking RV, and as I closed with the thing, I realized that the idiot towing it, had put a SLIDE-IN Camper onto a 2 wheel utility trailer and then chained it down.

He was towing it with a Renegade, make and model that I was driving and still own. It was pushed down into the bump stops on the axle, and all I could think was if he had to panic stop, that Slide-In monstrosity would break free of the chains, and just eat that Renegade alive.

It was all wrong from the get-go, and I frankly hoped at the time that a State Trooper would do a double-take and pull him over for safety reasons.

When towing be safe, carry the insurance on both the trailer and tow vehicle. Never be under-insured.
 
Not trying to scare you, but I have towed everything but a 5th-wheel with a variety of vehicles and have had a Slide-In Camper unit too. Seen some nasty wrecks, that resulted in fatalities. RVing, while fun can have the downsides. You just have to use the right type of vehicle, have the correct setup and not too much trailer.

One thing never to do is bastardize a tow vehicle or trailer and not try to tow something that, should never be towed.

A couple of years ago, I observed a really weird looking RV, and as I closed with the thing, I realized that the idiot towing it, had put a SLIDE-IN Camper onto a 2 wheel utility trailer and then chained it down.

He was towing it with a Renegade, make and model that I was driving and still own. It was pushed down into the bump stops on the axle, and all I could think was if he had to panic stop, that Slide-In monstrosity would break free of the chains, and just eat that Renegade alive.

It was all wrong from the get-go, and I frankly hoped at the time that a State Trooper would do a double-take and pull him over for safety reasons.

When towing be safe, carry the insurance on both the trailer and tow vehicle. Never be under-insured.
thanks for the advice! The camper i was looking at is a 13' Scamp Travel Trailer and I've seen 2dr JKs pull them before, so i figured i could pull one as long as i keep the weight down.

yeah, ive seen some crazy RV set ups where you just shake you head and wonder how they made it to where they were going.
 
I tow a T@B320 S 15 footer, a 2016 model with the3 2018 JK that I have and you can a photo of my setup on the forums here. It tops 3000 when loaded and has electric brakes too that are remotely controlled.
 
nice set up. If i may ask, what is the purpose for electronic locking differentials?

For better traction or if your stuck or don't want to get stuck on loose or slippery surfaces. When it's electronic you just flip a switch inside the cab to lock the front or rear axles or both to make them each a posi.