Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 1988 Jeep Cherokee Behind a RV

Question:

I am looking for a two bar for my 1988 Jeep Cherokee. I want to pull it with my 30ft A Class RV. What parts do I need?

asked by: Manuel G

Expert Reply:

Before attempting to flat tow your 1988 Jeep Cherokee behind your RV, I strongly recommend checking your owners manual or with a local Jeep dealer to make sure your Jeep is flat towable. Some vehicles are not recommended to flat tow because the transmission could be damaged.

If you determine you can flat tow your Cherokee, then you will need 5 basic towing components. First you will need a set of base plates. Base plates are vehicle specific and provide an attachment point for a tow bar. For your Jeep, I recommend the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit, # BX1110.

For a tow bar, I recommend the Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar, # BX7380. This tow bar has weight capacity of 6,500 lbs, which should be more than enough for your Jeep and it comes with safety cables. Safety cables are required when towing and are one of the five basic towing components.

The next item that you will need is a tail light kit. Due to the age of the vehicle, tail light kit manufacturers do not have vehicle specific kits for your Jeep, but you have a few options. You could use a magnetic light kit, like part # TL21RK, which would be easy to mount and remove when towing. You could also use a diode kit like part # 154-792-118158, but that would require cutting and splicing into your vehicles tail light wiring. Both of these tail light kits come with 4-way flat connectors. If your RV has a 7-way trailer connector, then I recommend using the Blue Ox 7-Wire to 4-Wire Coiled Cord, # BX88254 and changing the 4-way flat connector on the tail light wiring harness to the 4-way round connector that comes with this cord.

The final item that you will need is a supplemental braking system. Most states require a braking system to be used when towing. For a system that is easy to setup and use, I recommend the Blue Ox Patriot, # BLU37TR.

I have attached several help articles on flat towing and the different components for you to check out.