Fixin' up Blue

This weekend I found a mechanic to come to my house to add a few things to Blue so she is ready to pull our new home.

First thing I needed was a wiring harness for the lights of the trailer.  Little Guy told me I needed a 7 pin flat connector 1 1/2 inch.  To finally get that information and to find one was more complicated than necessary but I got it.  I have to get one tiny piece and it should be ready to plug in.  I also have to figure out what kind of brake controller to get since the trailer has electric breaks and also I am told since the trailer has it's own battery that one of the pins charges the battery while I am driving... so I have to figure out what that is all about.

This is a picture of the new wiring harness from mchitch attached under the seat... then it is wired to the back where the 7 pin connector is attached.

We also had to use the ACC switch in the fairing so I would have reverse lights.  Harleys do not have a reverse so in case I need to push it backwards while on Blue in the dark I can now do that with the ACC switch.

The mechanic and I found out that the wiring to the ACC switch is under the seat.. this was very helpful but of course not the first place we looked.  Since we had the front of the fairing off we changed the headlight bulb since it was getting low.

This is what it looks like under the fairing.  So many things that can be added it is crazy.  We must of jiggled something loose while in there because at the moment my fuel light comes on and off and I lost my fuel gauge.  Well the fuel gauge is always beyond full even when I don't have any gas.  So right now I am keeping track of miles so I know when it is time to get gas.  This happened before when I replaced another bulb in one of the front blinkers.  Not quite sure why but I took it to the shop and they just took out the bulb and put it back in and all was good so that may be something I need to do with the headlight bulb.  Kind of a pain.

The next thing we needed to do was replace the rear brakes which was a breeze.

Poor Blue looked a little naked there for a while with the saddle bag, tour pack, seat and fairing off.

I started thinking of that part in the Wizard of Oz when the flying monkeys attack the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow and the Scarecrow had a piece of himself in many different places.  Kind of made me chuckle.  I could just imagine Blue saying "he took off my trunk and put it over there... he took off my fairing and put it over there... he took off my saddle bag and put it over there..."

Another picture of Blue in pieces.

We also had to install an Oil Bud oil cooler.  Since Harleys are air cooled I needed something to help keep Blue cool while pulling a trailer.  With some research this is the one I thought would do the best job.  

This is what the Oil Bud looks like.  The black part sits under the engine and fits snuggly so you don't even know it is there.  The silver part goes in between the oil filter and where the oil filter attaches to the bike.  It was pretty easy to install.  It does make a different sound when something hits it which is definitely something to get use to.  I base everything off of sound and smell so putting on a new part that smells funny when it gets hot the first time freaks me out... I think something is wrong and when it makes a new sound I have to triple check to be sure all is good before I get use to hearing the sound.

This is a picture of the new oil bud in place... this is where the oil filter goes.

It took most of the day but we got her going and is almost ready to pull our new home.  The part I need for the wiring harness should be here next week and I just need to figure out what is wrong with the fuel gauge and she will be ready.  I so can't wait to get on the road!  36 more days!!!