Is Supplemental Braking Really Needed When flat Towing a 2017 Jeep Cherokee

Published 02/07/2018

Question:

Since I have a 40 foot diesel pusher with an Allison transmission and exhaust breaking do I really need an electronic braking system for a small car behind my coach? I’m towing a 2017 jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk with a factory flat tow wiring harness the hitch im installing is a Demco with Tow bar a power wire to charge the batteries and diode’s in the brake lights for turn signals and brake lights These actual electronic brake wiring would cost over $2000 easy for a simple wiring harness and install! I have towed a jeep wrangler in the past with an old gas powered bounder class A , no break device and had no problems. Thanks in advance for the advice

asked by: Kris W

Expert Reply:

By law most states now require supplemental braking in the vehicle being flat towed. The easiest system to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR, that applies the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Some models of the 2017 Jeep Cherokee may use Mortorq® fasteners. If your vehicle has these types of fasteners, you will need a PFMTS2E bit to remove them which can be ordered through a Snap-On dealer.

It may not seem like the weight of the vehicle would affect the braking but in an emergency situation where inches matter you'll need all the help you can get. Since the Patriot applies the brakes in proportion to the tow vehicle you'll get hard braking if needed in a situation like that.

expert reply by: Jameson C