BryceOJ Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I got a 88 mj and I'm looking for a receiver hitch. I have the stock bumper. What is one that will fit and will bolt up nicely? I've seen some through research but don't know where to go order one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepsouth Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 They are no longer made,you might get lucky and find one for sale here though. I cut down a Toyota sienna factory hitch ,and adapted it to my mj.Here is a pic.- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 There was a long thread about this awhile back. You can read through it all if you have time. http://comancheclub.com/topic/26626-receiver-hitch/?hl=receiver%20hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Oh gotcha. Well looks like I'm gonna have to modify a receiver to my mj no matter which one i get. Was that receiver easy to install. What all did you do to make it fit? And another question I have is how to hook my mj for harness for trailer lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 There was a long thread about this awhile back. You can read through it all if you have time. http://comancheclub.com/topic/26626-receiver-hitch/?hl=receiver%20hitch Thanks for bringing this post up. I have seen it and read a lot of it. I just wanted to see if there's one easy to install. I'm a college kid on a college kids budget. And also just got my mj for free and been fixing it up. I'm not old and don't really have much experience with fabrication or much of any mechanic work. Took on the project of fixing this mj to start learning and fell in love with the mjs. What would you suggest for me to do to equip my truck with a receiver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 There was a long thread about this awhile back. You can read through it all if you have time. http://comancheclub.com/topic/26626-receiver-hitch/?hl=receiver%20hitch Thanks for bringing this post up. I have seen it and read a lot of it. I just wanted to see if there's one easy to install. I'm a college kid on a college kids budget. And also just got my mj for free and been fixing it up. I'm not old and don't really have much experience with fabrication or much of any mechanic work. Took on the project of fixing this mj to start learning and fell in love with the mjs. What would you suggest for me to do to equip my truck with a receiver? Sorry, I don't have an answer for you. Maybe search junk yards or ebay or craiglist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 I snagged a receiver hitch off an MJ at the junkyard, Class III, full frame mount. It was bolted to a long bed, to the bottom of the frame just aft of the leaf eyes. However, I have a short bed...there are holes there...but nothing lined up, and the bolt holes are directly above the leaf eye and shackle with only about 3/4" clearance. I sold it. I wish I had modified that one. The frame rails are IIRC, 41.5" apart. I have not found anything even close since then, not even off a big truck...doh!! Everything I've seen has me believing I'd have to either make one...or have it made, custom. BUT....Google, Jeep Comanche REAR hitch. See what comes up. They're out there somewhere, but it seems any info on them faded away a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Thank you all for the replies. I guess I will look around in some of the junk yards around here and get lucky. I mean I probably can't do much pulling any ways, though I got my mj for free It's got the 4-banger just thought having a receiver would come in handy. But I got the truck for free and can't complain. But now I Wish I did have the 4.0l and 4wd after seeing everyone else's sweet rigs. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepsouth Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Oh gotcha. Well looks like I'm gonna have to modify a receiver to my mj no matter which one i get. Was that receiver easy to install. What all did you do to make it fit? And another question I have is how to hook my mj for harness for trailer lights.Not too difficult if you have the tools,and the know how. Had it installed in a day ,but I was motivated by lack of time! My mj had trailer wiring already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 What receiver did you manage to make it work? and I thought mine has wiring but it doesnt have a harnass. There are wires hanging down behind the bumper, but its just a set of three wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 What receiver did you manage to make it work? and I thought mine has wiring but it doesnt have a harnass. There are wires hanging down behind the bumper, but its just a set of three wires. Follow those back into the wiring harness. Use a meter to see what each wire is doing. Blinkers, tails, brakes. Trailer wiring is simple, yet can screw up OTHER wiring.(tail lights, grounds etc.if hacked in.). If done right and tight, you'll never have to worry about it again...but the circuits are all right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 What receiver did you manage to make it work? and I thought mine has wiring but it doesnt have a harnass. There are wires hanging down behind the bumper, but its just a set of three wires. Follow those back into the wiring harness. Trailer wiring is simple, yet can screw up OTHER wiring.(tail lights etc., grounds etc.). If done right and tight, you'll never have to worry about it again...but the circuits are all right there. Okay so there being just THREE wires there is correct and fine? there is just wires i don't know what happened if there was a harness for a trailer or now, but it seems just cut off here's a pic you can kind of see them hanging lol: notice my bent bumper :( previous owner pulled something with don't know what. unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Those are all in the right place for trailer wiring. If your splicing in a 4 flat wire connector, you'll have to determine what each of those 3 goes to. The fourth wire is usually the ground (necessary). /the grounding spot for all your taillights AND your fuel pump is in the driver side taillight bucket. I don't know the colors off hand, but they could really be ANY color. I see trailer wiring hanging off just about every truck with a hitch...new trucks as well as old beaters...and people just EXPECT it to work without any rhyme or reason. Like magic!! Like I said before, do it right, keep it tight. A big mass of wire wrapped around your trailer hitch or hanging an inch off the ground not only LOOKS like crap, it's likely that it was poorly done. Buy a trailer wiring kit for a 4 flat connector (most common, easiest, cheapest). There's a vehicle side and a trailer side, just get the vehicle side unless you're also wiring up a trailer. Follow the directions. Follow those wires BACK to where they connect to the harness...it's probably just hacked in somewhere along the line....remove the old wires and re-do from there. Don't just "connect" the wires, solder them, either heat shrink them or wrap securely with electrical tape. Trim them down to just the length you need and secure them. If you do it "right" you'll never have to worry about your trailer lights again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Doesn't sound so bad. I'm guessing there was a harness on there previously and it came off. So I just get one of those four flat harnesses with four wires? Three off those wires from the harness will go to where the old three are connected. And the last one (the ground) will go to drivers side tailight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 ... the last one (the ground) will go to drivers side tailight? The ground for the trailer wiring can go to ANY spot on the frame or body. I was just telling you where the ground for the tails and fuel pump are (they share the ground). It CAN go to the taillight ground...but not necessary...just ground it somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Okay sweet. Thanks so much for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butchershop Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Credit to AKULA69: After searching the forums is became apparent that there is a lack of information on wiring trailer harnesses to the MJ. Although it would be nice to get one of those 'plug and play' type kits that are available for the newer vehicles, they are in very short supply for the 86-92 trucks we drive (at least down here).Jeepcomj had a great idea in one of his posts, go to the junkyard and get the under body to stop/turn/parking light harness connector (both sides), leaving enough loose wires to create your own 'plug and play' set, but that still does not address our hook-up problem...so:The rear stop/turn/parking harness has 5 actual wires in it, and although there are numerous factory splices to duplicate wires to each of the plugs, the wire codes are as follows:Brown: Right turn and brake lightBlack: GroundBlue: Tail (parking) lightsBrown with white tracer: Backup lightGrey with black tracer: Left turn and brake lightAnother way to explain it: Assuming you are standing at the the back of the truck, the LEFT side being the drivers side, and the RIGHT side being the passenger side, the main body ground will be behind the left tail light, and the plugs on the left side will have the gray w/ blk tracer wire. The right side will have the brown wire.To hook up a six pole receiver you have six wires:White: Ground (Don't ask why...)Brown: Tail (parking)Yellow: Left TurnGreen: Right turnBlue: Electric trailer brakeRed: AuxillarySoHarness TO Receiver:Brown TO GreenBlue TO BrownBlack TO WhiteBrown w/white TO Red (my choice - my trailer has reverse lights)Grey w/black TO YellowFor a 4 wire flat connection it would be:Harness TO Flat 4:Brown TO Green (sometimes with yellow tracer)Blue TO BrownBlack TO WhiteGrey w/ black TO YellowHope this helps! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryceOJ Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Thanks that will help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwolf624 Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 last thread i checked on trailer hitches and still haven't seen my answear, can a trailer hitch off a 90s cherokee mount up to an 86 MJ? i found a nice hitch out at the junkyard yesterday and was wonderin if it'd fit, it's either off a 90 cherokee or a 97 cherokee can't remember Redwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 last thread i checked on trailer hitches and still haven't seen my answear, can a trailer hitch off a 90s cherokee mount up to an 86 MJ? i found a nice hitch out at the junkyard yesterday and was wonderin if it'd fit, it's either off a 90 cherokee or a 97 cherokee can't remember Redwolf No ... unless you plan on modifying the hitch extensively. The Cherokee hitch mounts to the underside of the "frame" rails, using strips with the nuts welded to them that get inserted into the frame. The MJ hitch mounts to the sides of the frame rails, using the same mounting holes and bolts as the bumper brackets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwolf624 Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 last thread i checked on trailer hitches and still haven't seen my answear, can a trailer hitch off a 90s cherokee mount up to an 86 MJ? i found a nice hitch out at the junkyard yesterday and was wonderin if it'd fit, it's either off a 90 cherokee or a 97 cherokee can't remember Redwolf No ... unless you plan on modifying the hitch extensively. The Cherokee hitch mounts to the underside of the "frame" rails, using strips with the nuts welded to them that get inserted into the frame. The MJ hitch mounts to the sides of the frame rails, using the same mounting holes and bolts as the bumper brackets. so all i've have to do is extend the hitch so it'll reash the sides of the frame right? Redwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 I don't know, but considering that the distance between the frame rails is different on the MJ and the XJ, I doubt very much that it could possibly be as easy as you seem to think it would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepsouth Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 I've modified a hitch to fit my mj ,and it was not all that easy. You might get lucky ,and find one for sale through this forum.I chose not to wait though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwolf624 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 I don't know, but considering that the distance between the frame rails is different on the MJ and the XJ, I doubt very much that it could possibly be as easy as you seem to think it would be. yeah i saw what ya were talkin bout today when i went out to a fellow jeeper place today, not gonna be easy at all I've modified a hitch to fit my mj ,and it was not all that easy. You might get lucky ,and find one for sale through this forum.I chose not to wait though. didn't think of lookin on here, i might just build one, i got all the messurements and i know what to use for the hitch, the hardest part is gonna be gettin that reciever part onto it, that's gonna be the fun part, Redwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwolf624 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 got to thinkin bout the hitch more, i was lookin at some online, the wrangler and comanche trailer hitch look simalar, would that fit or no, looks like it'd mount the same as the MJ hitches, Redwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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