Im glad you posted those pics. I had been wondering if other Patriot owners had an exhaust pan so visible. Kind of an eye soar! I think i will paint it black with some heat resisitant crap once it warms up.

Mike

 

Well, they say it's a Trailer Tow Prep Group (Engine Oil Cooler, Trailer Tow Wiring Harness).

How much did they charge you overall to install the hitch? I don't see the wiring plug on your photos, is it hidden under bumper?

 

What is the receiver size for the hitch?

 

Thanks for the pics... I knew it was just the wiring to the bumper that was included but I didn't know it took 7 hours?? to install a hitch...what is that about?

I also would like to know where is the wiring plug? and what size is the receiver (1 and 1/4 inch?)

 

Did they have to cut some sheet metal to make that curved opening? I was going to install a hitch myself after I bought a Patriot but not if it takes that long. What was the cost of the parts and labor?

 

7 hours of labor....for a tow hitch.....wow! I hope the aftermarket comes up with something better...

Looks good though!

 

Yeah it looks well hidden under the bumper, and it doesn't protrude too much when you have to parallel park!

 

responses

The electrical connection for the hitch is all the way at the end of the bar as you can see in the picture. The part was 182.97. They did need to cut away at the rear panel to put it in. The opening for the hitch 1-1/4" square. I don't know if that is the way you measure it.

I also found out something interesting about the engine oil cooler which is part of the trailer prep group. The cooler is part of another piece--I think the air conditioning condensor--that is located in front of the radiator. The technician said the engine oil cooler is usually separate and we had to look it up on their computers to see where it was. Part 007-600 shows this.

The dealership couldn't give me a definitive answer on this--The engine oil cooler is what allows the towing capacity to go from 1000 to 2000. All the literature says is when it is properly equipped.

Hadn't really noticed the exhaust pan until you said something. Black probably would look better.

 

sharp looking Patriot! congrats to you on your new Jeep!

I do not like the fact they had to cut away to install! After market tow packages sell between $75 - $150. Should only take 1 hour to install. I'm thinking they charged you extra because they had to cut. I'm guessing custom orders won't have this done.

 

Stroh,

When you say, they had to cut away at the rear panel,...exactly how much did they cut from the rear panel? and is there any other major alteration they had to make? ....not sure I want them cutting away anything on my new Patriot....

 

rear panel cut out

The bottom panel used to go straight across. You should be able to see in the pics what was cut out. You don't have an opening for the hitch if you don't cut something out in the back. Your hitch can't attach to the exhaust.

 

The bottom panel used to go straight across. You should be able to see in the pics what was cut out. You don't have an opening for the hitch if you don't cut something out in the back. Your hitch can't attach to the exhaust.

Oh, I see....that clears it up for me...thanks....Can you tell us what the tow hitch cost you in total and what you plan on towing with your Patriot?

 

cost

It costs 350 with labor. I plan on adding a bike rack so we can attach all 4 of our bikes on the back. I rent an industrial air compressor sometimes which needs to be towed. We're planning a trip across the country camping in a couple of years from now. I will probably rent something we can tow behind us just to keep extra stuff in. The Patriot doesn't have that much cargo space if you have passengers in the back.

 

Other then the engine oil coolor and the wire harness, does anyone know if ordering the Tow Group package from factory if the factory installs other items. I'm thinking they install a bigger radiator, heavy duty struts & alternator.

 

you get that stuff with the FDII package

 

im not sure if the upgraded alternator will make any differance in towing. The bigger radiator may make a differance if your towing at the max and alot of uphill. You may be able to counter this with an upgraded radiator fan. Personally, I'd wait and see if it runs hot when towing before I upgraded a fan. I doubt the upgraded rear suspension will make much of a differance either. That was for off roading durability. The towing capacity has alot to do with the size and wieght of the vehicle, rather than just the amount of wieght it can tow. Smaller vehicles can become unstable when towing really heavy trailers. So I would think you would be OK towing within the max rated capacity without FDII.

 

$350 with labor, then there is no way they charged you for 7 hours labor.

Pretty much all Jeeps have to get the bumper cut out for a Mopar hitch, the only exception that comes to mind is the Wrangler. They usually come with a bezel to cover the opening, for the MK its a rubber strip but the MK is fairly easy. You dont have to remove the bumper to cut it out or install the hitch like you do on the WK and XK. I have only done one so far, on a Compass, but that customer didnt want the trailer wiring or cooler since they are only using it for a hitch mounted bike carrier. The hitch itself includint cutting the bumper was pretty easy. I cut it with a very sharp razor knife, just be patient and make several light cuts along the template until you are through. You will only mess it up if you try to cut it in one shot.

 

I agree $350 with 7 hours of labor does not seem excessive in my personnal opinion, however, this is more than I was expecting to pay for this. Can you take some more pics of the hitch, and include a part number if possible. I am interested in this model and think that the fact that the bumber is trimmed like this makes it ideal and less obtrusive. I have ordered the trailer tow prep group, but plan on simply using the hitch for a cargo tray- one of those trays that people place in their hitches to haul a deer, or a large cooler on the beach, and maybe a bike rack if I get the urge.

 

The Mopar hitch receiver comes with a paper template for the cut-out. The kit also comes with a flexible rubber seal which is applied to the edge of the cut-out to cover up any imperfections and protect the paint. This is the same setup as with the Compass.

 

I think the hitch looks great... I like the "tucked in" look

7 hours for the first ever Patriot hitch install doesn't seem horrible. Plus you paid someone else to get their hands dirty and scratched up. It's what I would do.

 

7 hours for the first ever Patriot hitch install doesn't seem horrible. Plus you paid someone else to get their hands dirty and scratched up. It's what I would do.

He said $350 with labor, do the math and there is no way unless the dealer only charges $2 an hour for labor. Most are over $70 an hour in just about any part of the country, around here its about $100 an hour which would be $700 plus parts. Maybe they told him it would take 7 hours, or he had to drop it off for 7 hours but they did not charge him for 7 hours labor. List price just for the hitch and wiring is $296. The cooler is another $132, bringing it to $428 just for parts. This hasnt stopped some from allready calling the dealer a crook for charging him for 7 hours labor just to install a hitch. Sounds to me like the dealer gave him a great deal on the hitch since he purchased the car from them, I doubt they would sell it for $350 to someone who buys later or didnt buy the car from them at all.

 

I have a question about the hitch itself and how it mounts. Does it attach on the unibody (I assume the Patriot is unibody) or does it attach to the bumper reinforcement? I think I know the answer but the pictures don't give me any hard proof.

EDIT: No need to answer. I found my answer at Drawtite-hitches.com . Unibody frame mount claim up to 3500 lb capacity which is over the DC recommended 2000 lb capacity. Over designed or just another vehicles modified to fit the Patriot. Either way the hitch is available and frame mounted.

Later.

 

Your probably right, they probably did only take 1.5 hours, but I've seen service guys take longer for easier jobs only because it was a new car or something they didn't understand (clearly this would not be the case here because installing a hitch on the pat doesn't seem to be to different from installing a hitch on any other jeep but you would know that better than I would) For instance, a friend of mine who is a certified bike mechanic decided it would be easier to hot wire his bike than to walk into his house to get the key (the door was a whooping 10 feet away!) as a result...he now needs a new ignition and the bike doesn't start at all! Some people just aren't mechanically inclined...