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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Unhitching the Jeep

Eric and Mike, from AM Solar, were discussing parts and wire gauges for the solar panel installation yesterday.  So, I unhitched the Jeep.

Having hitched and unhitched a 25 foot camping trailer with weight distribution bars, I find hitching and unhitching our tow vehicle to be pretty easy.
 
 
 The Jeep and motor home
 are on level ground.
 
 
 
 
This is the


 
First, the equipment needed:        
 






We keep a black canvas bag in one of the street side compartments with gloves and the Blue Ox Vinyl Cover for the hitch system.





 The gloves are on.... It's time to go to work.



 I start with the very thin black electrical patch cable which send a signal to the braking system computer; Then on to the larger electrical connector with the blue wire which connects the RV brake and tail lights to the Jeep towing lights; Then I unhook the pink cable that hooks from the frame of the motor home to the break away switch on the Jeep which, if pulled out, will automatically put the Jeep brakes on.   After removal, they are placed in the black canvas bag.





Small black electrical patch cable connector.





Blue electrical connector  in its socket. Breakaway cable in background.





 Pink cord from the motor home chassis
to the breakaway switch on the Jeep.






After removal, the electrical connections and the pink cable are placed in the black canvas bag.

On to the two black tow cables.... These are crisscrossed for towing. 





Crisscrossed towing cables connected to rings on the towing base plate at the front of the Jeep. These are just in case the Jeeps towbar comes unhitched. It acts as an emergency backup to keep the Jeep from going off on it's own. 

 
After removal, they are placed in the black canvas bag.


 
After releasing the Blue Ox Towing Arms with the lock levers on the top of each arm, I unlock the pins that slide into the Jeep's tow connectors, remove the pins and put the ends of the Blue Ox Towing Arms on the ground. 





Unlocking pins





Tow connector relesased from
the locking pin end of Blue Ox Tow Bar













Tow bar ends on the ground







Pulling the pin of the
connector on the Jeep







Removing the pin connector bolt
from the Jeep




The bolts and the connectors 
are put in the black canvas bag.



Then I go into the Jeep and apply the parking brake; move the 4 wheel shift straight up and out of 4 wheel drive, check that the standard shift is in first gear.

It's time to stow the Blue Ox Towing Bars. 
 
 

 
 
 
Tow bars put together 
and moved into the vertical position
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tow bars are  maneuvered around until the peg at the end of the arms can slide into the slot on the ball attached to the frame of the motor home.
 
 
 






Tow bars in the storage position on the left.
Next step is to put the vinyl cover on
the tow bars.





The gloves are returned to the black canvas bag and it is stowed in the street side compartment.



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