Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Couple of questions (Read 1033 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Couple of questions

Yahoo Message Number: 76507
Does anyone here tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee and use a braking system that needs 12 volt, as in mine the Patriot system by Blue OX? Why I'm asking is that it needs 12 volts to work and it works normally off a cigarette lighter plug, But when I turn the key to off, the plug turns off.

#2 Has anyone tackled changing Satellite systems in the Coach? It presently has 2 Direct TV boxes and I have Dish at the house, that I have had for only about 1 year. I hate unplugging the box at the house and trying to plug it in in the coach. I looked today at the mass of wires and connection in the media storage and thought, you will never get that all back together if U take it apart.
Does anyone have someone with a good sense of knowledge about how this stuff all works and might be in the So Calif area.
Thanks..

I will have more questions as I play with the getting it the way I want it to be...
Dave
07 Country Coach Allure 430 #31495 Mountains of So Cal
Dave & Jodi
2007 CC Allure 40’ Tag #31495
2012 Jeep GC
Big Bear Lake, Ca & Henderson, Nev

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76511
Dave,

Until recently we towed an '09 Jeep Commander. We have the Air Force One braking system on our coach and have switched it from the Grand Cherokee to the Commander and now to the Buick Enclave. On the Grand Cherokee, we had an issue keeping the battery charged when towing.
After a dispute with Direct TV we changed out the Direct TV boxes and had the Dish people come out and install their equipment in our motor home. We have never regretted our decision. We also have dish in our home.

S Brandt, '06 Intrigue, #11964

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76522
We tow one of two Grand Cherokees, a 1999 or 2005.

The key on our Jeeps is:

1999: Turn the key to "on" the first stop after off. Do not turn to "accessory".
2005: Remove the key from the car. There is no steering wheel lock and the ignition is mounted on the dash.

We then use the 12v accessory plug to power our Brake Buddy.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76523
Ooops, I forgot to mention that there are two 12v plugs on the dash of the 95 Jeep GC. Only one still has power with the key removed.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76525
Dean -- I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I tow and have had on-going troubles ...... my Jeep has died on me within 2 hours of starting to tow it...............I have gone thru all kinds of "fixes" -- including Tow Daddy that Kevin Waite installed when I was at CC Rally in Harrisburg last June................ nothing worked and all in all, it has cost me $1600 to try and figure out what the problem was.
I ran thru all of my on the road service contracts I had.......
With my Jeep, I cannot remove the key... I have to have it in the ACC position otherwise the wheels lock. I guess that is the reason for the constant dying and depletion of the batteries. Finally, a trailer expert in Chicago took every wire and traced it, checked it, found out no one had done the appropriate checking, as one wire was not even connected where it should have been.....
It has been a nightmare, Dean.......
Did you have special accomodations done to the 2005 Jeep, i.e. no steering wheel lock, etc??

thanks, Dean

06 Inspire DaVinci 51898

From: DEAN

To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 10:32 AM Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Couple of questions

We tow one of two Grand Cherokees, a 1999 or 2005.

The key on our Jeeps is:

1999: Turn the key to "on" the first stop after off. Do not turn to "accessory".
2005: Remove the key from the car. There is no steering wheel lock and the ignition is mounted on the dash.

We then use the 12v accessory plug to power our Brake Buddy.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76527
I tow a 2004 Jeep Gr. Cherokee 4WD for seven years with an Even Brake and have no discharging problems in a day long tow. I had the steering lock removed and put the ignition key 1 click past the off(downward), the radio must work if u turn it on so there is power to the Even Brake. Except when a wire came loose I have had no problems. Barrie Boas 94 Concept 5111

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76528
Janice,

It the igniition switch in your 2005 Grand Cherokee in the steering post on the dash?

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76529
We Tow a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4 down. No lock on steering column, although that is where the key is located. Just convert transfer case to neutral, put into park, remove key and travel. Have done so for 6 years with no problems. Fellow who installed braking system double checked by elevating front end and turning wheels left and right with key in "park" position.

John 42' Allure 2005 31266

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76532
Just an observation and suggestion.....
Have you considered adding a 12vdc soouce between coach and Jeep to provide a constant 12vdc source to keep your battery up?
I tow a 1999 Chev Tahoe that has a steering wheel lock that requires me to use ignition key to unlock. In doing so it turns power on to dash (not ignition system). I also use the US Gear Unified Braking System which is connected to the Tahoe's battery for it to operate. To keep from draining my Tahoe battery down I added a fused 12vdc source from the coach's 12vdc panel to the Tahoe's battery.
I have been towing the Tahoe now for 10 years and no problems with having battery run down.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76537
Janice, yes I had the battery discharging problem before I realized that the 2005 Jeep GC ignition was located on the dash, not the steering column.
There is no steering wheel lock on my Jeep GC Ltd with the 4.8L engine. Once I began removing the key, the battery problems stopped.

We have towed that vehicle at least 25,000 miles with the key out.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76548
Hi Dean

I have the Jeep GC Overland and my ignition is on the dash also - I have the Hemi engine - why I had to have a Hemi, I will never know.... but I cant pull the key out, Dean....this whole dying situation has been an on -going nightmare for me.....
I towed the Jeep all the way from Chicago to Memphis, Memphis to Newport Beach, CA., but every hour, I would pull over, go back and start up the Jeep- what a hassle, but it didnt die on me all the way here, so hoping its resolved now....
Talked with several other Jeep owners and each one of them told me they have had issues towing their Jeeps.....
Have a good 2012
jan

06 Inspire DaVinci 51898

From: DEAN

To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 1, 2012 11:01 AM Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Couple of questions

Janice, yes I had the battery discharging problem before I realized that the 2005 Jeep GC ignition was located on the dash, not the steering column.
There is no steering wheel lock on my Jeep GC Ltd with the 4.8L engine. Once I began removing the key, the battery problems stopped.

We have towed that vehicle at least 25,000 miles with the key out.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76562
Jan,

If you are placing your transmission into Park as instructed it is just like parking at the grocery store. The key comes out fine. I have a 2008 Grand Cherokee limited with 3.0L diesel engine. Your Overland should be identical in regards to the ignition and steering wheel lock. At least I am assuming that your GC is a 2005 or later without a steering wheel lock.
As a side note, I can't imagine what problems anyone would have towing a Jeep. I have towed two Wranglers ('98 and '03) and three Grand Cherokees ('99, '01 and '08). I have never had any kind of problem towing these vehicles. But, I am a very lucky guy.

Good Luck

George in Birmingham
'04 Allure 31038
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76570
We have also towed several Jeeps--Wranglers and Grand Cherokees--and have never had a problem.

Jurhee

2003 intrigue

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76574
Maybe the whole issue is that I have a two wheel drive --- at least thats what the folks who installed my Demco towing system told me - that the 2 wheel drive issue puts a real glitch into my towing the car ---- they installed a transmission lube system that pulls trans fluid from the coach and circulates it thru the Jeep.... do you folks have 4 wheel drive ?? jan

06 Inspire DaVinci 51898

From: Jurhee Ivy

To: "Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com" Sent: Sunday, January 1, 2012 11:23 PM Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Couple of questions

We have also towed several Jeeps--Wranglers and Grand Cherokees--and have never had a problem.

Jurhee

2003 intrigue

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76575
Yes, I do have the 4 wheel drive

Dave

07 Country Coach Allure 430 #31495 Mountains of So Cal

From: Janice Gould To: "Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com" Sent: Monday, January 2, 2012 5:09 AM Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Couple of questions

Maybe the whole issue is that I have a two wheel drive --- at least thats what the folks who installed my Demco towing system told me - that the 2 wheel drive issue puts a real glitch into my towing the car ---- they installed a transmission lube system that pulls trans fluid from the coach and circulates it thru the Jeep.... do you folks have 4 wheel drive ?? jan

06 Inspire DaVinci 51898


From: Jurhee Ivy To: "Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com" Sent: Sunday, January 1, 2012 11:23 PM Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Couple of questions

We have also towed several Jeeps--Wranglers and Grand Cherokees--and have never had a problem.

Jurhee

2003 intrigue


[/size][/font]
[/size][/font]
[/color][/font][/size]
Dave & Jodi
2007 CC Allure 40’ Tag #31495
2012 Jeep GC
Big Bear Lake, Ca & Henderson, Nev

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76579
Two wheel drive Jeeps were not designed to be towed four down.
Demco gives you a way to work around that limitation, but perhaps the ignition switch setup is also different from the 4wd setup?
Yes, both of my Jeeps are 4wd with the correct transmission for towing four down.

Dean

95 Magna 5280

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76580
Janice,

The fact that you have a two wheel drive Jeep makes things very different. I believe that the reason that your battery is dying is due to your having to leave the ignition key in the on position. You stated that you can not remove the key. Is it because you cannot turn the key to off and remove it unless the transmission is placed in park? The Jeep cannot be towed with the transmission is park and your two wheel Jeep has no transfer case that can be placed in neutral to get around the problem like four wheel drive jeeps.
If what I am guessing at is true then you may have to have a drive shaft disconnect installed so that you can place the transmission in park and turn off the ignition. Leaving the ignition in the on position can kill any vehicle's battery in only a 2 or three hours depending on where the engine stops and the condition of the battery.

Just a stab in the dark but let me know if any of it rings true.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

We have also towed several Jeeps--Wranglers and Grand Cherokees--and have never had a problem.

Jurhee

2003 intrigue

Sent from my iPad

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76583
Jan,

Yes, I have four wheel drive. I didn't think about the two wheel drive issue.

George in Birmingham
'04 Allure 31038
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298
 

Re: Couple of questions

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 76588
Dave

I had a charge line added between the Coach and Jeep for the braking system. As for the Dish system, Dish charges a small amount for the reciever you put in the Motorhome.

Bill Krause

2006 Inspire, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

From: Dave Hansen

To: "Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com"
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 6:06 PM

Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Couple of questions

Does anyone here tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee and use a braking system
that needs 12 volt, as in mine the Patriot system by Blue OX? Why I'm asking is that it needs 12 volts to work and it works normally off a cigarette lighter plug, But when I turn the key to off, the plug turns off.

#2 Has anyone tackled changing Satellite systems in the Coach? It presently has 2 Direct TV boxes and I have Dish at the house, that I have had for only about 1 year. I hate unplugging the box at the house and trying to plug it in in the coach. I looked today at the mass of wires and connection in the media storage and thought, you will never get that all back together if U take it apart.
Does anyone have someone with a good sense of knowledge about how this stuff all works and might be in the So Calif area.
Thanks..

I will have more questions as I play with the getting it the way I want it to be...

Dave

07 Country Coach Allure 430 #31495 Mountains of So Cal