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[MrSurly]

I finally snagged one! Of course, it will need freshening up. I bought it from a guy who bought it from a guy.. The previous guy had it licensed as 'homemade', so a bit of a dead end there. Bushtec's current owners don't have any info.

Bill of sale deal, neither of us could find a VIN tag anywhere. Admittedly, I don't know where it is "supposed" to be.

I've been looking for info and so far, I've found a note on a page at Bushtec which has the statement that the earliest models used Heim joints on the A-arms but only '82~85(?). I can't know if that's even accurate but it's about all I have for clues, so far.
 This one DOES have:
• Heim joints on the A-arms
• stud-mount air shocks
• Spinner wheel caps
• The lights swapped to LEDs
• Huge barrel lock on the hitch 5/8" dia. key
• luggage rack
• "BUSHTEC" molded in the lid
• 
  

 I don't know what other clues to look for.
I've only seen one pic of an early Turbo and it had a different top. I'm guessing that it's either an early turbo OR it's an "Ultimate" which might have been their other model but I haven't found a pic.
It's actually in great shape, body-wise; no cracks, only chipped paint that would be covered if it had a bra.
The frame is good, just need to be cleaned and coated. The shocks will be upgraded to the newer style. The tail lights will be replaced.
I need to measure the tongue and maybe get the long one.
I don't NEED a trailer... but it's so dang cute, and it's the right (base) color.
A coat of clear with the proper pearl in it and this would match my Scarlet Red Pearl.
As soon as I run the buffer over it, it will be darned close...
I don't know, but I'm hoping some of you guys might know more about it or even have an old brochure or some such thing.

BTW: does anyone know about getting a hidden hitch?
Rivco specifically excludes the CUSE5 from their listing.

I am working on adding more pictures.

EDIT: added a gallery here http://www.pbase.com/nufsed/bushtec

[Chains]

If you want to add a longer tongue you can add on to the one you have where it bolts on under the trailer. Should have a 1 1/4 inch 1 inch ID stub coming out of the 1 1/2 inch main tube. There should be (2) 5/16  bolts holding the tongue to the main frame.  You will need to add on to the air lines and wire harness as well.  I have done a few and it puts the early nineties model with the short tongue up to current tongue length by adding right at 7 inches. Makes it a lot easier to mount a cooler and not lose the turning radius.

Good luck with your project.

[Chains]

Looked at the frame, piece of cake to lengthen the tongue.  Bushtec gets  over $350.00 for the longer tongue. I did mine for around $20.00 each and a few hours labor. Yours is already black so you don't have to worry about damaging the chrome on the tongue. If you need a cooler, it is a 34 quart Rubbermaid, the cheapest place to buy one is Ace Hardware. Right at $27.99 plus tax.

[MrSurly]

What is the measurement for the longer tongue, and how is it measured?
This unit has the Heim joints on the A-arms...how are the later ones made? I guess I haven't actually seen one in detail.

What is your guess as to the age or model of this one?

[Chains]

On my 2005 Turbo II the center of the wheel to the center of the Heim mounting for the hitch is 62.5 inches. The area where you have the Heim joints on the frame the newer ones are welded.

http://www.winmedic.com/bushtec.htm

If I had to guess yours could be a 1983 to a 1992 leaning more towards being in the eighties though. Don't count on Bushtec to be any help. There isn't any of the original owners left there. Grandpa Doc on the site did an awesome rebuild of an older unit. He is a wealth of knowledge.

[MrSurly]

Thanks for the pictures! Yours looks awesome. So, I see that the late style has full-triangle A-arms where the old one has more of a. "V-arm" and the open side of the triangle is prided by the backbone. I'm confused about how exactly the new style moves. Is there a rod inside of a tube that provides the pivot or does the rod turn inside the hole in the angle-iron piece?
Is there a bushing involved?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chains]

Its not mine, just some photos I use for reference. The guy did a great job on it.

Here is another rebuild on the frame you may find helpful.

http://www.sheriart.net/honda/bushtec.htm

[MrSurly]

Thanks for that link, it answered several of my questions! The rod is welded to the angle-iron frame piece and the tubular A-arm pivots on the rod, using plastic bushings.
One can see that probably saved some money vs. Heim joints, I'm sure.
 The body of that one one almost identical to mine, so I guess that means that mine is also a "Turbo I"

I was hoping that I would learn the VIN location in those pics

[Chains]

Thanks for that link, it answered several of my questions! The rod is welded to the angle-iron frame piece and the tubular A-arm pivots on the rod, using plastic bushings.
One can see that probably saved some money or Heim joints, I'm sure.
 The body of that one one almost identical to mine, so I guess that means that mine is also a "Turbo I"

I was hoping that I would learn the VIN location in those pics

Bushtec Vin on a Turbo is a sticker above the LH Taillight assembly.  I'm sure it was removed prior to painting so you have no way of knowing what it was.  The newer ones are still a sticker but it is on the tongue behind the cooler mount.  It is unbelievable that a little trailer that cost so much has a removable Vin therefore if stolen is not identifiable.  If you knew the VIN a good way to go is to etch it in the frame in a few places, in your case if you have to tag it you will need to come up with a vin and do a home built as the previous owner did. 

[Rooster]

You could contact Texas DMV as the plate must have used a VIN# to issue the plate

[MrSurly]

You could contact Texas DMV as the plate must have used a VIN# to issue the plate

Yeah, I gave that a shot, got no where, I'm afraid.  The plate was registered as a "homemade utility trailer" with a GVW of 400#. No VIN required.

I'm now also trying to find the info on the new-style air shocks and how to do the conversion.

You know, when I got this thing the other day, I thought, I'll just flip it, pick up a couple of bucks and be done with it. But the more I look at it, it's winnin' me over.  I think I'll fix it up and drag it around!

[Rooster]

Yeah, I gave that a shot, got no where, I'm afraid.  The plate was registered as a "homemade utility trailer" with a GVW of 400#. No VIN required.

I'm now also trying to find the info on the new-style air shocks and how to do the conversion.

You know, when I got this thing the other day, I thought, I'll just flip it, pick up a couple of bucks and be done with it. But the more I look at it, it's winnin' me over.  I think I'll fix it up and drag it around!

Well the trailer folks say "once you go trailer you wont go back" hope you can get some good use out of it. You may have friends that want you to haul some of their stuff. HAHA. Oh well I guess they figured out a way to still get some $$ for their License plates.

[Chains]

They are great to have and absolutely a breeze to pull.  Even if you don't take long trips they are great to use going to the store so you can ride your bike instead of taking the car.   If you decide you want to increase the length of the tongue let me know I may have a couple of pieces of tubing laying around I can send you to add 6 to 7 inches to it.  You can either bolt the extension together or weld it if you have the capabilities or a buddy that can. 

[grandpadoc]

Thought you might get a kick out of this, looks like a similar trailer. That model is called the Ultimate and discontinued in 1989.

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=22680.msg364737#msg364737

[MrSurly]

Thanks for that link! That is beautiful! Do you still have that one? From all I have found mine is, indeed, an Ultimate.
It is also even older, '82-'85 apparently and has heim joints on the suspension. It must have been made by Bushling, himself. Hell, maybe I have the first one!
 It seems like only Ultimates were made with this original Heim joint suspension; The new 'welded' design (nylon bushing A-arms) was introduced in 1985 on the Ultimate (and all models thereafter) about the same time frame as the introduction of the Turbo model. I don't know if there was any overlap; maybe the earliest Turbos might have been built with the '1st Gen' frame also.
I know the Turbo is larger than the Ultimate but I don't know a quick way to determine which is which. Is there some easy way to tell the Turbo apart?
Did you at any point convert it to use the later shocks?
I know that the older ones came with 2.5" tires and later 3" tires; does that mean that the wheels were different widths?
What were the widths of the wheels?
I'm hoping to find a part number for the later style shocks to buy them off the shelf. I will convert the frane to fit them.
The tires on mine are recent Kenda motorcycle tires (not Moped) and they would appear to be suitable to purpose, but I don't have any experience with them, yet. They are 80/90-16 Load range B, 4 Ply Rated, 43P with no speed restriction. MAYBE these could be a good option for newer Bushtecs. I'm concerned only about their width on these older (skinnier?) wheels.