Lumina 14 cu ft trailer

[rjs987]

I was enough of a pest with texting short occasional bits of information every once in a while about wanting this and how much it would cost compared with how much used cargo trailers cost across the nation (with the added cost of travel to get any of those) as well as how I intended to pay for one (out of my own personal bank account that she finally said "ok, get what you want and sell some of those antique coins I have to help pay for it." I'm not worried about any fallout since I've been dealing with that for years.

I did ask her which color between white sides and back or black sides and back. She said to get the black since that seems to be more common and goes better with my bike. Gotta give her some investment in it since she is letting me get one.

The hitch I made for the Uni-Go trailer didn't work for the Uni-Go trailer since I think it was too low. But it is the right height for this type of trailer so all should be good there. I just need to decide between putting a swivel ball coupler or a swivel Heim coupler ($50 difference) on the tongue.

This trailer comes with a vintage old style 4 pin flat connector with 2 oval tail lights with combined brake/turn lamps on the rear bumper. So I plan to update that to the more modern and natural 5 pin flat connector and add a pair of oval lights. I'd keep the 2 wires to the factory lamps for turn signals only (and tail lights) and add another matching pair of oval tail/brake lights with a flashing brake function near the top of the back panel.

This all aluminum trailer costs the same or around 1/3 what a used 20 year old Bushtec or similar trailer costs and those used trailers are half way across the nation so would be a problem to transport to me. I don't want the version that Northern Tool or Harbor Freight has since those seem so flimsy and are a bigger cargo capacity than I want. The USA Trailer Store has free shipping to my curb since I am in the eastern half of the USA.

 

[rjs987]

I think I'm just going to stick with the traditional ball coupler setup... which means the swivel coupler setup that is offered by The USA Trailer Store for the Lumina trailer will be added to my order. This will allow me to pull the trailer with any other traditional trailer hitch on any other vehicle (almost) if I should ever need to do that.

 

[rjs987]

Found out I missed the free curb-side shipping by one week due to the cost of gas going up so much. Still not a lot of shipping since they are soaking 87% of it. ONE WEEK! But still a good price on a new pull behind motorcycle trailer. And still curb-side delivery though... as long as the 18 wheeler can drive down my street... which I've seen done more than once in the past for deliveries to my own house as well as other houses.

 

[rjs987]

Just received an email saying the trailer will be delivered Monday via FedEx. Not bad for a freight shipment from SC... 4 days. Almost faster than the US Postal Service.

I also have some farkles arriving from Amazon to upgrade the electrical system from the ancient 4 pin plug configuration with combined turn and brake lights to the better much more modern 5 pin plug with separate turn and brake lights. Included in those farkles are additional oval LED lamps for the brake and tail lights as well as the flashing brake module.

I rode the bike to the weld shop to talk with the welder I've used before about the adapter I'm making to bolt onto the hitch.

 

[rjs987]

Oops. Looked closer at the details that posted an hour or two after notice of delivery estimate. The package weight that is being delivered is 8 lbs. So likely not the trailer. More likely the swivel insert for the coupler that I also ordered from the vendor that is being shipped separately.

I have read at least one review that stated 9 days shipping for the trailer from SC to the PNW. So I am expecting possibly 5-6 days for the trailer itself to be at my curb. That would be Tuesday or Wednesday so still really good if that timeline holds.

If it arrives anytime next week it might be possible I'll be pulling it to LOCSTOC. The welder said to bring him the steel I want to shape and weld and he'd knock it off right away. So likely I'll have the adapter done by Friday.
The electrical farkles will all be here Monday from Amazon.
I have everything else I need to put it all together. Except I might have to buy a spare tire to put with the trailer. 5.30 x 12, 5 lug rim.

 

[rjs987]

The hitch I made for my Vulcan S worked out well to keep using the paddock stand without removing the hitch. The stand design fit around the Uni-Go receiver with plenty of space to spare since it was relatively flat and only stuck out to the rear barely more than an inch.

But the adapter I am making to bolt onto that hitch for using a tow ball to pull the Lumina trailer sticks out to the rear too far for the paddock stand to fit around it. Therefore I know I will have to remove the adapter... without needing to remove the entire hitch... when I use the paddock stand. 4 bolts that will be easy to get to.

After changing the rear tire early this month I know I'll have to remove the entire hitch to do that again to fit the tire out from under the fender. I don't think I can angle the wheel enough to get out around the hitch. But that only happens once a year... about. Just extra details to deal with for having a hitch and pulling a trailer. I feel it's worth it.