megatrack
Albuquerque New Mexico
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I will let you know how it went as soon as I am done with the wiring.
A neighbor at the Rv Park sold me his Apollo brake buddy and a Guardian rock protector for $350 today. I just need to buy the wireless transmitter and receiver that goes with it. I'll check with BlueOx if you have any idea on it I would appreciate.
Thanks a lot for the help.
AJ
in Vermont leaving for New Mexico on 10/22
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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Teacher's Pet wrote:I've never bought the Blue OX kit. On the past 4 toads I have used 4 conductor wire bought in 30' length for boat trailers. Picked up a pair twin element bulb holders and drilled a extra hole in the tail light housing. All that you have to do is attach a ground wire to the barrel of the bulb holder and attach to the 6 wire cord. Cost about $20 vs the Blue OX at $55-60 at many RV dealers,
Agreed, if you have the know how you can do as you did. Problem is many people will fumble/screw up the install if they do as you did. Grounding of both/each light fixture is important. (See pic below) As for the Blue Ox BX8869 kit. It can be had for less then you suggest and if you use that kit and follow the instr. even a novice installer will have and excellent result.
Bill in NY & Fl
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
Ford/V10
'07 Jeep Wrangler/Blue Ox
Overbilt Lifts, Inc. bike lift / '01 Harley Fatboy --> Look at my lift setup HERE
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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Teacher's Pet wrote: All that you have to do is attach a ground wire to the barrel of the bulb holder.
This is undoubtedly where your installs will fail over the long haul. You probably soldered a wire to the barrel of the bulb. OK but not at all as durable as a bulb receptacle which is wired with the ground. Both lights on the Wrangler should be grounded well or there will be issues right away or down the road a ways. Again, what you did can be done right but more often such an install is done half azz. I recommend the Blue Ox kit to most people for this reason. Also, the hardware you find in the Blue Ox kit is usually superior to the hardware you find in Kmart/Walmart, etc..
* This post was
edited 10/08/08 06:11am by BillArf *
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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megatrack wrote:
AJ
Yes, that connector is acceptable. As I mentioned earlier you will probably not need the blue and black wire as shown in your pic. Personally, (if you already own that hardware) I would cut off that 4 wire connector and wire that piece of hardware shown in your pic directly to the end of the Blue Ox BX 8869 harness that you end up with on the front end of your Wrangler. By the way it is less expensive to just buy a connector that is not prewired with the 4 pin connector as shown in the pic.
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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wilanddij wrote:Of course, you can use what you have pictured. All you need is what Bilarf drew for you - brn for tail, wht for gnd, yel for LT, and grn for RT. If you don't need the blue wire for electric brakes, cut it off. If you don't need the black/red for more 12VDC, cut it off. Hook the wires you have left into the Jeep harness behind some diodes, or wire them up to some extra bulbs.
Yup as you said......... 
Only thing is I discourage diode use. Sure people use them but boy diodes can really cause headaches. Why bother with them, why cut into the factory wiring of the toad when it is not necessary and known to cause headaches especially if you ever have to troubleshoot a problem, etc..
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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If you do go with the BX 8869 kit..
The Blue Ox "Bulb and Socket Tail Light Wiring Kit" with the part number "BX8869" when wiring your Wrangler. The kit is complete, easy to install and comes with excellent instructions. You can view the INSTRUCTIONS here.
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By the way, when you remove the Wrangler tail light lenses you will see inside the tail light a removable, aluminum crosspiece which you will drill a 1" in diameter hole in to hold the 3 wire automotive socket that holds the bulb. Use some thought before drilling as you do not want the bulb to close to the tail light lenses, plastic tail light housing or the other bulb in the tail light housing.. There is room, just space all out so there are no heat issues. Best bet is to secure the 3 wire automotive socket (in the kit) with the fold over tabs but also with some GOOP brand flexible epoxy that you can buy at say Home Depot or Lowes. The adhesive will assure that the socket does not vibrate loose and do heat damage, etc.. Goop flexible epoxy is terrific as it withstands vibration when rock hard adhesives will vibrate loose. Once the 3 wire automotive socket is secured in the taillight you just feed out the 3 wires from it through the existing rubber tail light grommet. OH, there is a large hole with grommet on the drivers side firewall that you can fish the wires through. No firewall drilling necessary.
Anyway, the kit install is easy for most anyone and only simple hand tools and an electric drill with bits will be needed. Adding the bulb is better then using diodes which are very often problematic. I encourage you do not try to jury rig a Kmart/Walmart trailer harness instead of using the BX 8869 kit. Just makes for a jury rig, poorly grounded install.. Yes, the BX 8869 will cost you a few $ more but you will be rewarded over and over for using the BX 8869 versus some jury rig thing you come up with.
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Teacher's Pet
SD.. Fulltimers. Goshen IN summers
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BillArf
I stand by my post, I've had dingy wiring done by the former Reese Hitch Service Center and hitch installers in Elkhart. I have had no problems in the past 5 years with my method. But I have had several failures of wiring (Diodes, routing & connections) by professionals, always in the middle of a long trip over the past 27 years of pulling a dingy.
The Blue OX system is nice but not the only answer when wiring a dingy.
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BillArf
New York & Florida
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Teacher's Pet wrote:BillArf
I stand by my post................. The Blue OX system is nice but not the only answer when wiring a dingy.
I have no problem with people using whatever they want to use.. Only point I wanted to make is many people will fumble/screw up the install if they do as you did. With the Blue Ox BX8869 kit if you follow the easy instructions even a novice installer will have an excellent result. My major issue with your install is you have to jury rig a ground wire to each fixture (takes time and jury rig ground often fails over time) you are adding. BEST BET is to have fixtures with the 3rd grounding wire built in not jury rigged.. Blue Ox's fixtures have the 3rd wire built in.
So, no argument here............ 
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Pigkisser
West Texas
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I used the CoolTech wiring harness on my 2008 Wrangler. Very easy to install. Simple "plug and play", except in your case you will need to install a 6 pin socket on the "front" of the harness.
2007 Jayco Seneca 33SS
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wilanddij
CA Desert
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Quote:I used the CoolTech wiring harness on my 2008 Wrangler. Does not very well apply to the OP's 2004 Wrangler.
Will & Di
2004 Southwind 32VS
Workhorse/8.1
Jeep Wrangler/Blue Ox
"We have met the enemy, and he is us" Pogo
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