Update on 1982 Playmor

[papmom35]

Hi Everyone and Happy Fourth of July 3 days early!! The fireworks have started already LOL!!

Well, i've made some tiny progress on the Playmor. My new goal is to take her up to VT for an all weekend agility trial the second week of august. So far I have 3 cabinet doors painted and one cushion recovered. The painting goes fast thanks to self priming paint but the cushion covers are another story!

For the whole year that I've had her it has bugged me to no end that the idiot who owned her before me had cut the wiring harness under the frame so that he could put in new floor boards and never repaired or replaced it. I had bought a replacement wiring kit but my brother couldn't figure out how to splice it in. He never told me why he couldn't, just that it was really weirdly wired in the first place. So last year I bought a whole new wiring kit complete with lights and it sat in the trailer all year. Never opened it, never got my brother back to look at it. Can't take it to an RV place without lights so I was kind of stuck.

Today was an unexpected day off and housework held little attraction for me (even tho its badly needed). I got my screw driver out and undid the taillight cap to see what the heck was going on. Lots apparently and none of it made any sense. I got under the trailer and really looked at the harness that was hanging down. Well, whoever wired this trailer didn't use a regular harness. No green/brown, yellow/brown wires and the wires that are there are molded into a covering that looks like something an electrician would use in your house. The wire covers were red, black and white. Well, I have this kit so I might as well start from scratch eh? So I pulled the old wire out from under the trainer and undid the black? ground wire. Hmmm. I just finished fishing the new wires through the frame of the trailer (so much fun crawling underneath on your back!!) and I've gotten to the rear of the trailer. The piece of the harness coming down from the right tail/brake light is jammed beneath the body of the camper itself and the rear cross bar of the frame. That's going to take some doing to remove and I may have to drill a new access hole to thread the harness up outside. The other side doesn't seem to have that problem, hole is already drilled.

It's 88 degrees out there and I'm in full sun so I've taken a break to come inside and sit in the AC for awhile. I tend to get pretty heat sick pretty fast so I need to watch it. I'm really hoping that the actual connecting of the harness to the lights themselves will be pretty self evident. I do have the directions and WILL make sure I read them .

Hope you all are having a great weekend and especially that you are out enjoying your campers and seeing some wonderful sites!! Can't wait to join you all!!

[Verna]

Good for you!!! I rewired and replaced the lights on a New Way utility trailer (very similar to the HF trailers, if not the same) a few years ago. And, yes, use those instructions and keep the colors straight I do think drilling a new hole for the one set of lights sounds like it is in order. I'd rather not have the wiring harness pinched between the Playmor and the frame--that could mess up all of the lights, blow fuses, etc. You're on the right path.

Good luck, and take plenty of breaks. It's easier to get up off of the ground while you're feeling good and not too hot.

[papmom35]

thanks Verna! I'm heading out again in a few minutes. Actually it's easier getting up off the ground when you're 20 years younger

[Verna]

Yes, it sure was easier 20 years ago!!! You go, girl

[papmom35]

Oh crap, now I know why the wiring harness on the trailer doesn't look like the one in the kit. I bought a kit for a simple boat trailer less than 80 inches long! I think I HAVE to have the side red lights operational hence the red and white wiring piggybacked onto some lime green wire that goes into the light housing. Mission aborted-online research begun!! Can't believe I have to crawl back under the trailer again!!

[papmom35]

Our local RV supply store was closed today so I stopped into my local CAP store. Brought the wire bundle and one of the tail/brake lights with me so I could show them what was going on. Baffled them all!! I'm going to have to wait until Friday to go to the RV place for help as they close well before I could get there on week nites and I'm quite certain they will be closed on Wed for the holiday (god forbid they have an answering machine or website with their hours on it!!). Sigh. more delays.

[papmom35]

It took 6 hours, some creative problem solving, a small hole in my leg, a hole in the inside back wall which on hindsight probably didn't need to be made and a mild case of heat illness, but by god the Paphut has running lights!! If I may be so bold, I freakin' rock! Pink Power!!

[Verna]

[Sigh of relief] and ATTA GIRL!!!!!

[papmom35]

thanks Verna!! Sigh of relief here too. And prayers the bolts don't wiggle loose from their holes. I couldn't get the nuts onto them as I couldn't get to the bolts from inside the trailer (hence the hole in the back wall-man that plywood is thick!!). I still have to secure the wires under the chassis better and find some caulking to go around the tail/brake light housings. Still need spare tire and to figure out why the hitch won't snuggle over the ball on the receiver. Need an experienced tow person to help me figure that out (hitch takes 2" ball which is what I have). Clean her up inside and I'm ready to go despite cushions not all recovered and only half the cabinet doors painted. Hard launch date August 10th up in VT. Soft launch date for overnite at a local campground-sometime before the August 10th Do I dare make the campground reservations for the 10th as well as send in the entry forms for the agility trial????? Scary!!

[Verna]

Do a search for Shadow Catcher's Accident. I asked a question on how to adjust the hitch to fit the ball. It's a simple adjustment that you can do--just keep your fingers out of the way when hooking the trailer hitch to the ball. It's amazing how I towed the Escaped2 over 700 miles from TN when I bought it and the hitch fit fine. But the next time I hitched it, the hitch wouldn't fit down tightly on the ball. As I said, a simple adjustment, and it fits fine again.

[Verna]

And, no one expects overnight wonders on your trailer!!! Just do long as it's campable for you. Put some sheets over the cushions--that will be fine and no one will be able to tell they're temporary....unless they read it here!!!!

Yes--send the apps in. You can do it!!

I wanted to yamp in my back yard tonight.....doggone this heat!!!! Maybe tomorrow night after I get some flexible piping hooked to my portable A/C unit. I'd rather yamp and find something that won't work, rather than take it to a camp ground for her maiden voyage and find out something won't work!!!

[papmom35]

that's exactly how I feel Verna-yamp first and find out what you're missing or isn't working. I share a driveway with my neighbors-that should be interesting LOL!! I did read shadowcatcher's thread but I didn't understand the instructions on adjusting the hitch. I'll go back and read it again. Yeah, I know the inside matters to no one but me so I'm trying to let go of all that and just get ready for the trip. I'm sure I'll have the cabinet doors painted at least. I could cheat and just pin the new material over the old-there is all winter to do the sewing I have one done so that's a start!!
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