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[Twolanerider]

One of the brethren needs to see what the Bushtec hitch looks like installed.  It was quicker to post it again here than to find it. 


Without the receiver in the hitch:

[Twolanerider]

Receiver installed:

[Twolanerider]

Low profile:

[Twolanerider]

From below:

[Twolanerider]

Side bracketry:

[Twolanerider]

Needed a little further illustration for the project being considered. 


Hitch itself separated from receiver:

[Twolanerider]

Profile:

[Twolanerider]

Road Glide happened to be on the lift right now.  So switching bikes to show the receiver tube better.  It's got the V-Rail rear bumper thing rather than the Street Glide rear fascia so allows seeing it better anyway.  Exactly the same hitch though.  Can see the receiver tube through the V-Rail.

[Twolanerider]

Then from below.  The hole to receive the square tubing can be seen behind the harness.  Harness is strapped like that when the trailer isn't in use.

[Twolanerider]

Oooops.  Just thought of one other thing you'll need.  Will go measure the size of the square tube.  Be right back.

[SBB]

So here's the N-line hitch upside down.
YES, the insert is in upside down.

[Twolanerider]

Oooops.  Just thought of one other thing you'll need.  Will go measure the size of the square tube.  Be right back.

1" square tube.

[SBB]

So here's the insert by itself.
Upside down of course.

[Twolanerider]

So here's the N-line hitch upside down.
YES, the insert is in upside down.

So where Bushtec is using the pin and clip N-line is using a through bolt.  Both are using a stop bolt with a pal nut to take any rocking out of it.

The N-Line big one piece bracket looks tremendously more robust than does the Bushtec.  The Bushtec is a heavier trailer though so it's mass without an absolute requirement that it be there.

From what we're seeing here don't see any reason the more hidden Bushtec hitch would be a no-go.  Use the mating piece of the N-Line hitch.  Get a good local welder to cut off the old square tube and fab-up new square tube to mate and mount. Voila.  Good to go.  That's precisely what the N-Line guy all but directly suggested doing himself this morning.

[Twolanerider]

So here's the insert by itself.
Upside down of course.

The welder might not want to take the original square tube off right at the U shaped piece.  He might build a larger ID angle bracket to make the first turn.  Then cut the shown tube off at a distance to mate to the angle he'd created and sleeve both it and the new tube that would go on to the receiver.  Would make for a very strong connection.

[Twolanerider]

Will N-Line sell one of those that's not already chromed?  Or maybe even swap you?

[SBB]

A little improv mock up.
This may be close.
The tubing is 1 1/4" OD and you said yours is 1"

[SBB]

The hitch I have, is used.
But after cleaning it up the first thing I thought was, "Damn, this is stout".
I just have to wonder if the BushTec hitch will handle the side lean and or twisting forces of the n-line trailer.
Since it all has to be fabbed and reworked anyway a little bracing might be good!
But I believe it will work.
Any ideas?

 

[sadunbar]

A little improv mock up.
This may be close.
The tubing is 1 1/4" OD and you said yours is 1"

I hope you are planning on using high quality wood - not the cheap chit you used in your mock-up!  (you are a carpenter, aren't you?)   

[SBB]

I hope you are planning on using high quality wood - not the cheap chit you used in your mock-up!  (you are a carpenter, aren't you?)   

Everybody is a critic.
I plan on using oak.

 

besides it stains better!

[Twolanerider]

The hitch I have, is used.
But after cleaning it up the first thing I thought was, "Damn, this is stout".
I just have to wonder if the BushTec hitch will handle the side lean and or twisting forces of the n-line trailer.
Since it all has to be fabbed and reworked anyway a little bracing might be good!
But I believe it will work.
Any ideas?

 

The rotation was one thing that definitely came to mind.  Wholly different from the one wheeled trailer.  Overall lighter weight will help though.  Still have to be swayed by the N-Line guy's remark that "I've adapted just about every other hitch I've seen to mine."  It's very doubtful he's doing much more than building a hitch to mate to other receivers.

If that tubing is 1.25" OD what's the ID?  Any chance one slides in the other?  If nota good welder makes a reducing sleeve and it's still a very strong connection?

[Twolanerider]

Everybody is a critic.
I plan on using oak.

 

besides it stains better!

Balsa! 


(so it can float if you ever really screw up!!)

[SBB]

Here is the trailer to insert hookup.
All the lean of the trailer is transferred to the insert which is transferred to the hitch.

 

[SBB]

or a back view

[SBB]

another side view

[vagabond6542]

Question:

What is the benefit of a N-line trailer to a two wheel trailer?
My take on this is there is one less wheel to deal with. And you will always be on a single wheel emergency mode while traveling.

Just a thought.

[hdbrad03]

Chip I wonder if you could modify the pin on the bushtec hitch. Make it so the attachment on the trailer could slide over the pin. Place a bushing top and bottom and thread the top of the pin and apply a fiber locking not.

 
     Brad

[WFP]

The pin on the n-line also supports the trailer from falling over, the bushtec has two tires so there is little lateral stress.  This needs to be factored into the equasion but also remember that it is only as strong as the weakest link.  Is the attachment to the fender/strut any beefier on the n-line?  The plate itself is beefier but are the actual attachment points?

/Bill

[SBB]

Chip I wonder if you could modify the pin on the bushtec hitich. Make it so the attachment on the trailer could slide over the pin. Place a bushing top and bottom and thread the top of the pin and apply a fiber locking not.

 
     Brad

Brad

I'm not understanding what you are telling me?
Help?

[WFP]

But, i am not a mechanical engineer and I did not sleep in a holiday In Express last night so take my opinion for what it is worth...

The pin on the n-line also supports the trailer from falling over, the bushtec has two tires so there is little lateral stress.  This needs to be factored into the equasion but also remember that it is only as strong as the weakest link.  Is the attachment to the fender/strut any beefier on the n-line?  The plate itself is beefier but are the actual attachment points?

/Bill

[SBB]

The pin on the n-line also supports the trailer from falling over, the bushtec has two tires so there is little lateral stress.  This needs to be factored into the equasion but also remember that it is only as strong as the weakest link.  Is the attachment to the fender/strut any beefier on the n-line?  The plate itself is beefier but are the actual attachment points?

/Bill

Bill that's the question no one has an answer to.
The 09's do not have the fender supports that earlier models have.
I'm not sure how an 09 BushTec hitch mounts.

 

[Twolanerider]

The pin on the n-line also supports the trailer from falling over, the bushtec has two tires so there is little lateral stress.  This needs to be factored into the equasion but also remember that it is only as strong as the weakest link.  Is the attachment to the fender/strut any beefier on the n-line?  The plate itself is beefier but are the actual attachment points?

/Bill

That's the same Bill.  Same connections at the same connecting points.  Same sized hardware making those connections.  The hitches we have are assemblies of three brackets where the N-Line is one constructed piece.  But the mating to the bike is identical.

The only other factor within the hitch itself is will any rotating force along that center line longitudinal axis be enough to twist the center of the Bushtec hitch.  I don't think so.  But it's only a perception based on viewing and not on any measures of engineered stresses.

The bulkier center section of the N-Line receiver would obviously address that concern.  It looks as if the rotational stress would actually be at it's worst during very slow speed maneuvering.  Turning corners in town.  Once at speed with the trailer on trim it's a straight line again. 

[hdbrad03]

It would be better to make the N-Line hitch fit the hidden receiver.


 
     Brad

[WFP]

And the Trailer neck of the Bushtec is designed to absorb most rotational stress.

You are right that at speed it is in cosequential bu I am also thinking emergensy situation where if for some reason the trailer  went sideways or tried to go turtle...

[porthole]

Any ideas?

Looking at the two, and given the cost of manufacturing, I'm sure the N-line is made the way it is for a reason. If it was mine I would be hesitant to use something that is less "stout"

[porthole]

I plan on using oak.

Ipe 

[SBB]

So I was bored and since N-line didn't have a hitch yet for the 09's I thought I would install the hitch for pre 09 bikes.
Here it is on the 03 Classic.
Simple installation and easy to hook up trailer. (simple since it's just a frame)

[SBB]

another

[SBB]

side shot

[porthole]

side shot

Does it come with bungees to hold everything down?

[SBB]

Does it come with bungees to hold everything down?

GEEEEEEZZ Duane, you know better than that.

The red bikes get the bungees and the silver bikes get the yellow 2" cargo straps.
And for the record, the orange bikes get the duct tape!

 

[porthole]

GEEEEEEZZ Duane, you know better than that.

The red bikes get the bungees and the silver bikes get the yellow 2" cargo straps.
And for the record, the orange bikes get the duct tape!

 

So what do black and silver bikes get then?

[hogasm]

GEEEEEEZZ Duane, you know better than that.

The red bikes get the bungees and the silver bikes get the yellow 2" cargo straps.
And for the record, the orange bikes get the duct tape!

 

I thought duct tape was only for Blue and Black bikes

[SBB]

I thought duct tape was only for Blue and Black bikes

Superglue

[SBB]

So what do black and silver bikes get then?

Nothing!
They need nothing!

 

[tazmun]

Does it come with bungees to hold everything down?

Boy sure do like that trailer in the background. What kind, and how big?

[SBB]

Boy sure do like that trailer in the background. What kind, and how big?

Haulmark V-nose lowhauler
   7X14

     

[MJZ]

Took the V-rail off and installed the new Kury lighted rear fender thingie. I like it better, what do you think?

[MJZ]

Another view

[Twolanerider]

Took the V-rail off and installed the new Kury lighted rear fender thingie. I like it better, what do you think?

Have looked at those in the Kury catalog but was concerned they might be so thin that they'd leave a lot of hitch exposed.  Looking at it level from the botton of the light housing how much hitch do you see?

[MJZ]

.

[MJZ]

.

[MJZ]

Compared to

[MJZ]

Have looked at those in the Kury catalog but was concerned they might be so thin that they'd leave a lot of hitch exposed.  Looking at it level from the botton of the light housing how much hitch do you see?

Quite a lot more than with the V-rail, the black hitch is much more noticeable to me but the people that looked at it when finished said they didn't notice the black hitch frame at all since it blended with the tire and shadows. I'm going to take another look in the sunlight tommorrow, then decide if I want to stay with the Kury of reinstall the VRail.

[Twolanerider]

Quite a lot more than with the V-rail, the black hitch is much more noticeable to me but the people that looked at it when finished said they didn't notice the black hitch frame at all since it blended with the tire and shadows. I'm going to take another look in the sunlight tommorrow, then decide if I want to stay with the Kury of reinstall the VRail.

I did the Street Glide rear fascia on the red bike.  It hides EVERYTHING.  Side brackets.  Hitch.  My ass.  EVERYTHING. 

The Road Glide had a rear fender tip light stock though.  So already had holes in it and, therefore, couldn't use the FLHX part.  Just stuck the V-Rail on it and called it good.  I've gotten used to it now I guess.  Just doesn't bother me anymore.  Was still hoping you'd scored an easier and better solution.

[SBB]

It hides EVERYTHING.    My ass.  EVERYTHING. 

Doesn't hide everything.

There were some members complaining about a full moon the night you went to the hot tub.

Or was that a LUNAR ECLIPSE?

                     

[Twolanerider]

Doesn't hide everything.

There were some members complaining about a full moon the night you went to the hot tub.

Or was that a LUNAR ECLIPSE?

                     

Can't blame the poor FLHX part for that.  Some things are just a force of nature .

[MJZ]

Best part was no drilling required, just peel and stick. That is just about the limit of my abilities.
Also the cold weather made me switch over to the heated Corbin today, which meant going back to the genuine black naugy's.

[MJZ]

I really like the gray better or I'm more used to it.

[Twolanerider]

I really like the gray better or I'm more used to it.

I thought about getting some tan ostrich covers made for the front of the Roadstar trailer.  But ended up living with the black.  If I'd got a tan set made for the summer seat for the SEEG would have then have to get a red set made for the SERG seat.  Then....   well...  I just said to hell it and stopped while I was ahead.

[Hoist!]

I really like the gray better or I'm more used to it.

Looks good all duct taped up Mark!

Hoist!

[JR]

Looks Good Mark!

[MJZ]

Howie, you are right. Never noticed that before but it does look just like duct tape. Could have saved myself one damn big pain in my a$$ dealing with Bushtec and just headed for Home Depot for some duct tape. Would have fit better too.