Today - Hitch Coupler, Trailer Lights Connection, Safety Chains, Galley Garbage Can.
We had early goals of "camping-ready" that were not met. My second set goal was yesterday - the Fourth of July. But - yesterday we (DD, DGS, DW and I), sat on lawn chairs just outside the camper door and hung out talking and visiting - it felt right.
The camper is close - really close.
The kids camping trip comes up in a bit over two weeks. We'll be ready. Just odds and ends now to have it ready to be an awesome, if not finished, upgrade from last year's tenting experience while the others in their "winter activity club" stayed in newer RVs.
Up under the tongue again, I inspected the coupler. Looks real good. Little evidence of hitch grease here, but no wear evident. The coupler grabs a 2" ball real nice. Just a bit of wire brushing and a plan to grease it up, when the tow vehicle swings by one of these next days.
The wiring was temporary at best, and used too many "adapters" for my tastes - set-up by the PO.
But ended with the 7 terminal bladed, that is on every tow vehicle this camper will see; so that's what we'll use even though we don't need all the terminals.
And the safety chain's links are too thin, and too rusty, and only one, attached by a good, but old and thinner, link weld to the tongue.
I bought a male plug 7 terminal bladed for our TT recently and really like this pistol-grip style. Maybe because it feels sturdier than the similar all plastic ones. Tow-Mater got one too.
It hooked up nice and easy with white ground, brown tail/marker, green right turn, yellow left turn. We won't use brakes or backup lights, but eventually we'll get in the Aux for 12 Volt Positive, a heavier (perhaps not necessary) ground.
Once bench wired, I tested the China provided hookups to verify. Hopkins went through one period where the markings were really strange (so strange I can't even now remember it to describe). This one was back to normal and tested good in Lil' Willy.
The we took it out to the camper.
While making connections, I improved on the PO's ground by drilling a new hole for a grounding stud near where the battery will eventually live, and ground down to metal.
Only damaged the safety inspection sticker a little. Trying to keep that for historical patina.
Then located some hardware from my storage cans.
Connections checked and made. The camper is wired: green tail/marker, brown right turn, red left turn - back before standards, or at least the standards of today.
Someday I'll get the PO's grounding terminal off the tongue jack mount. I also put wire loom around the wiring harness, but didn't get pictures.
I put both new chains (I had on hand from another project) onto the trailer with just one hole and bolt, but the hardware is grade 8, and I'm pretty confident.
Then I cut off the old chain and ground out the evidence. Now we'll let that spot rust a bit to match the tongue patina.
The say waste not, want not, so what better application than for the waste receptacle? This is first pics of a cute little "camper furnishing" to come (DW's idea) - the old water tank got cut down to size for a garbage can. Wait until you see this thing complete! ;)
Cut to a proper height, we found the baffle inside from the original builders, and lots of evidence that changing out this water tank was "smart"!
The other end for a lid.
Some excess.
The baffle removed by popping it off the pop rivets, which had been brazed for sealing.
We'll show this more in future as we get it finished.
