The things you find when you buy used...

[Snaggletooth]

Always cracks me up. Well, as long as it's not costing me a bunch of money to make right.

 

I just bought a dang near new HF Tag-A-Long right. I got it cheap enough. I knew when I looked at it I had a few things to deal with. The coupler was crushed into the tongue as the PO had not used washers to shim the couple and it has pulled in so tight the latch for the ball would not move without being pried down with a pry bar. I had to remove the hitch and the latch assembly to get it over the ball when I hooked up. Got that corrected today. One handed hookup now.

 

When saw the trailer the first time I knew something was not right with the wiring. I'm no whiz kid when it comes to electrical but I was pretty sure there were too many wires coming into, through the frame and into the tailight housings. I was right. More than needed.

 

There was an extra wire with a female crimp on connector that ran forward with the 4 wire trailer plug. My best guess at first glance was maybe an extra ground wire. I chased it today and it ran through the frame and was spliced and split into both taillight housings. Holes had been drilled and the wires ran inside.

 

I pulled the lens off both sides and it all made sense. And extra 1156 bulb had been installed in both housings. Not to mention one of the 1156 bulbs had come apart and was laying in the bottom. I hooked up a fused jumper wire and powered the extra wire from the front. Blew da fuse. Pulled the wire and it was cut into where the wire ran thought the holes in the frame with zero protection. Nice.

 

So I can kind of understand the thinking here...... maybe the PO just wanted a couple running lights at the rear. Went the hard way about it in my mind. Now when he hits his lights he had (2) 1157's, (2) 1156's and (4) 194 wedge bulbs lit up. Then add the brake lights and the voltmeter has to be taking a nose dive into the red.

 

I'm seeing why the PO may have been happy to trade off the damn near new Tag-A-Long and be done with it. Can't hook it up, throwing sparks and some lights had quit working and the battery was probably taking a beating.

 

I got to admit, I'm enjoying the old "His loss, my gain" moment.

 

Oh, and I checked the zerks and one was not only missing but a plug had been installed in the hole. Nice touch.

 

Mike

[Peder_y2k]

Looks like a jerry rigged foreign car signal system where the turn signal is separated from the brakes. Our domestic US system has the turn signal using the same filament as the brakes......at least older cars do...............newer cars are going the European design.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88 Venture

[bongobobny]

Time to upgrade to LED trailer lights like the piggybackers have!

 

Mike, one suggestion with the hitch. Switch to a swivel hitch, they run about $80 and well worth the cost!!! If you accidently drop your bike it will save your hitch, and if the trailer ever goes over you won't...

[Wizard765]

I belive HF has a LED kit for that trailer. I have a HF trailer with my own box on it and switched it all over to LED. Much better lighting and way less draw on the electical system. Seeing as how you STOLE the trailer you should be able to spring for the LEDs

 

[XV1100SE]

I belive HF has a LED kit for that trailer.

 

Second that (as I said in one of my PM's to you). Best to pull out what was added by the PO and take it back to OEM as much as possible.

 

Pro's and con's to the swivel hitch... as there are with a fixed hitch. Seems to be personal choice. Mine is fixed and never had an issue when cornering.

[etcswjoe]

I think I understand what he was trying to do, he probally did not want to get a converter for the bike to run the 4 wire vice 5 wire or did not know one exsited.

[Flyinfool]

I put the HF LED lights on my HF trailer. WAY brighter than the stock incandescents, the reduced amp draw is a bonus. The kit comes with both rear lights and the amber front side markers all in LED. it is a bolt on installation, all of the holes lined up with the old.

I still run all separate ground wires.

[bongobobny]

Second that (as I said in one of my PM's to you). Best to pull out what was added by the PO and take it back to OEM as much as possible.

 

Pro's and con's to the swivel hitch... as there are with a fixed hitch. Seems to be personal choice. Mine is fixed and never had an issue when cornering.

The issue is not cornering, the issue is to bend or not bend up your bike hitch should you ever accidently drop it with the trailer hitched up to the bike...

[Snaggletooth]

I belive HF has a LED kit for that trailer. I have a HF trailer with my own box on it and switched it all over to LED. Much better lighting and way less draw on the electical system. Seeing as how you STOLE the trailer you should be able to spring for the LEDs

 

 

All ready on it but on another path. I can't see replacing the entire housings when I can upgrade by just changing out the bulbs. Be about the same cost either way. I did all my lights on the bike using Superbrightleds.com to replace the stock bulbs with LED's. I was looking at the 1157 Dual Spider lights for the tail/brake lights on the bike but space for them was a issue. They should work nicely in the HF taillight housings. The HiPower 360 degree wedge bulbs will do well for the side maker lights and I'll use the same style marker lights I used to replace the side reflectors on the bike for additional side and rear lights along the frame.

 

I'll have to mount a couple of wedge sockets pointing down above the clear lens for the license plate lights but that's an easy fix.

 

All the time I spent lighting up the rear of the bike and now the trailer will block it. Geesh. Starting over again.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Snaggletooth

[Snaggletooth]

Just had a thought.....

 

Maybe I'll build a bumper out of tubing so I can use the nice NOS trim piece I've had on the shelf for a year. Don't have the rail set for the trunk so at least I could put that to use.

[playboy]

Maybe the P O was over stocked on Blinker Fluid

[Snaggletooth]

I think I understand what he was trying to do, he probally did not want to get a converter for the bike to run the 4 wire vice 5 wire or did not know one exsited.

 

And that brings up another question. The 5 to 4 wire converter. I'm at a loss. I've been talking to VX1100SE (Don) about his set up and during that he mentioned the plug in patch kit M61A1MECH (Steve) had been making for the RSV and TD's. I PM'd Steve and he hasn't been able to do a kit for MKI bikes as he hasn't been able to locate the correct plugs to match the MKI plugs. Oh well, I know how to splice. I'll live.

 

Now I've been to O'Rileys, NAPA and Auto Zone looking for a 5 to 4 wire converter. Best description I can give them as I don't know much about them. Get a lot of blank looks. Not making any progress. They all carry the Hopkins line but they have nothing that looks like it would work. What they show me is all 5 in and 5 out.

 

Anybody know the number of the correct converter for this?

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[Snaggletooth]

The issue is not cornering, the issue is to bend or not bend up your bike hitch should you ever accidently drop it with the trailer hitched up to the bike...

 

I see the upside to that but ya know.....

 

DON'T JINX ME BOB!

[playboy]

Hoppy 46256 is the one I used. Got it off Amazon around 20 bucks I think works great and I have LEDs on my trailer.

[Snaggletooth]

Thanks Playboy. I'll check it out.

 

I love parts guys. Always the came question.

 

"What's it for?"

 

A Yamaha Venture.

 

"Who makes that?"

 

Yamaha

 

" Is that a 2 or 4 door?"

 

It's a motorcycle.

 

"What are you going to use it for?"

 

Do'h! Hooking up a trailer ya bone"

 

"I mean, where is it going to be installed"

 

Drivers side.

 

I can make 'em cry if I stay long enough. I know the weak ones. I have a gift.

 

Mike

[bongobobny]

Look for one for a Honda, Toyota, or Nisson. Wally World has them for around $15...

[bongobobny]

Yellow is Brake, Brown is Left Turn, Green is Right Turn, and running ligthts are Blue. This applies to 1st gens and 2nd gens...

[dacheedah]

I ran a 4 flat from the converter to the HF led lights, works awesome. threw on a few xtra led's, if I needed to pull it with a car or truck it's just plug and go

[Snaggletooth]

Look for one for a Honda, Toyota, or Nisson. Wally World has them for around $15...

 

 

I'll check WW tomorrow. I just searched the Hopkins site for the number Playboy gave me and that shows "not found".

 

What a day.

 

And I found out today as the PO never registered the trailer and did not include the Certificate of Origin (that supposedly comes with the trailer) to the dealer when it was traded it's got to go through the Sheriffs vehicle inspection before they will issue a title. Gonna need lights for that.

 

Mike

[playboy]

Try looking for a 46255 Hoppy I couldn't find the one I used either. Found one on Amazon. Seemed a bit pricey though.

[Mel]

Here's mine after adding more lighting. First hole roughed in, tail lights, plus left turn signal.

[Snaggletooth]

Looks good Mel. I like the idea of the lights higher up. The favorite traffic game around here it TAILGATING. I know they can't see the stock lights that close to the bike.

 

Now I have a question. I don't care for the plastic material they use on the carrier and I know some have had cracks develope, or found them even on new trailers. Are you considering any method of bonding the edges of the holes you cut for the lights? Epoxy? A light heat treatment to the edges?

 

Just thinking again. Not good.

 

Mike

[Mel]

Looks good Mel. I like the idea of the lights higher up. The favorite traffic game around here it TAILGATING. I know they can't see the stock lights that close to the bike.

 

Now I have a question. I don't care for the plastic material they use on the carrier and I know some have had cracks develope, or found them even on new trailers. Are you considering any method of bonding the edges of the holes you cut for the lights? Epoxy? A light heat treatment to the edges?

 

Just thinking again. Not good.

 

Mike

 

Hadn't thought about it, haven't had any problems with cracks. In addition to the provided rubber gaskets, I sealed 'em with black silicon. Those lamps are LED, available at WalMart, and I think Harbor Freight has the same thing.

[M61A1MECH]

Mike (Snaggletooth)

Here is one if do not mind buying thru Amazon for about $11.00.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/IIT-16690-Pole-Trailer-Converter/dp/B004EKW0DC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349611745&sr=8-2&keywords=trailer+wiring+converter]IIT 16690 5 Pole To 4 Pole Trailer Converter : Amazon.com : Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H7Q%2BJ4HoL.@@AMEPARAM@@51H7Q%2BJ4HoL[/ame]

[Snaggletooth]

The rubber gaskets and silicon probably help a bit.

 

I got to looking at pics of added trailer lights last night. Found these that Richie R. installed. The teardrops add the old roadster look. So many options.

 

Thanks

 

Mike