Shout out to Piute 'n Judose: added a trailer hitch...

[sgtslag]

I finished re-assembling my Voyager touring bike, last night, after installing a trailer hitch.  We do not have plans to ever tow a trailer, but we wanted to be able to carry an ice cooler (sandwich meat, cold drinks, etc., for a roadside picnic, on tours), and to do that, we needed the hitch.

I purchased a used hitch from a fellow Voyager owner, for a song, and it came with the ball hitch assembly, so it was a complete package.  The maker is still in business, so I printed off his online instructions...

The instructions are -- vague.  They definitely are not professional, technical writers.  Not an insult, just a statement of...  Fact.    I managed to get it bolted into place (some bolts broke, having been fused with rust, to their nuts, had to make a couple of trips to the hardware store for the proper sized bolts), and I even managed to get the rear end of the bike put back together, without too many extra pieces left over.  

I had a brand new ice cooler rack, which slides into the receiver on the hitch.  It is black plasti-coated.  Nice, right?...  It would not slide in, even with a little coaxing from a plastic hammer.  I hammered it back out (took twice the effort to remove, as it did to 'tap' it in!).  Then I used my wire brush on my drill, and I removed all of that lovely plasti-coating on the shank.  With some wheel bearing grease, she slid right into position, and back out again.  Mercy, Miss Percy!  We are home free! Or, so I thought.  

The locking pin went in one side, but it was blocked on the other.  I put it into one side, to hold the rack's shank in position, and then I used my drill to enlarge the other side's hole, slightly (it was off by maybe 1 millimeter?).  Now the pin goes into both sides, and locks the rack, as it should.

I just love it when everything goes together without a problem -- unfortunately, this wasn't one of those lovey-touchy-feely experiences...  The hitch assembly was used, so I don't know if it was tweaked slightly, or if the tolerances were off on the ice cooler rack.  All ended well, with no small, cute, furry animals being harmed in the process.    Cheers!

[Half-Caf]

How are you going to tell us all this without a picture of your accomplishments?!

[sgtslag]

I have to take some photo's of some LED running lights I added to it, last Fall, as well.  I can take an extra shot of the back side while I'm at it.  After I finished putting the Tupperware back on, last night, I washed it, so it is presentable.  Cheers!