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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Just a quick post about installing the hitchdoc trailer hitch. I used the method where I pushed the black plastic cover through and didn't remove the rear tire. Total time to install was right at 2 hours but it was probably more like an hour and a half because I spent 30 minutes going to the hardware store to purchase a new bolt. Here is the fast and easy.
1. remove the seat
2. Remove trunk or access panel if you have a street
3. take one of the bolts provided and run it down through each of the trunk bolt holes to make sure they are clear through
4. push the plastic panel with the air shock hose sitting on it to the underside
5. If working alone ease the main hitch into place and support it with a standard floor jack
6. Thread one bolt furthest to the rear from the top to help align hitch bracket
7. Install one front bolt by hand, then the other front and then the rear that is open, lastly remove the last bolt from the top and install it from the bottom, snug with socket all 4
8. remove exhaust mount bolts and install U brackets
9. Reinstall trunk using nuts provided but this is a little tricky to do alone as you need a wrench on the bolt as well (this is how I stripped one).
10. Finish reinstalling the seat and other stuff and insert the receiver you are all done.
I haven't tackled the wiring yet as I'm not sure if I'll use a direct load lead or not.
Total install CAN be done alone but it would be nice to have an extra set of hands if you can.
The hitch and all its hardware fit perfectly and I kept waiting for something to go wrong but all was well (except me cross-threading the LAST nut). Good product and as advertised. Real good instructions and towing information packet. Only tools needed are a 1/2 & 13mm wrenches, along with the same socket & ratchet, preferably 1/4 as space is limited. Oh and an 8mm socket for the exhaust bolts and 9/16 wrench to adjust the receiver bolt. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 33
Myrtle Beach,SC. | GREAT Teach, I am glad you were happy with the hitch and it worked out for you. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 810
| I wonder if one of these trailer hitch luggage racks would work with the Hitch Doc hitch ???
http://www.kuryakyn.com/index.cfm/prodFam/GoldWing/go/Home.ProductDetail/IMID/338 |
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Cruiser
Posts: 50
| Is the hitch visible when the draw bar removed?
Glock |
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Tourer
Posts: 412
Fargo, ND | For all practical purposes...No. If you were really looking for it and bent over a bit you could just barely see the receiver. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 85
| I just finished installing my Hitchdoc using your directions. Thanks a bunch you've made my life easier again, I used your video for the tail light mod as well.
In your instructions you mention that you worked alone and installing the nylock nuts was a bit tricky. I too worked alone and heeding your advice I changed things a bit. #1 I didn't remove the trunk but only the bolts in a manner that allowed me to keep the trunk in place yet accomplish what I needed. #2 after tightening the bolts in the trunk in place I installed a regular (not a nylock) nut on the bolt with blue Locktight and tightened them down. This allowed me to install the Nylock nuts over top of them (locktight again) without requiring that second person to hold a wrench on the bolt head.
Again just wanted to thank you for a great write up to help the rest of us with our installation. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 11
| Thanks Teach for the info' on the install without taking off the rear wheel, went this way and put two of the bolts down from the top and two from the bottom, both able to be acheived without taking off the rear wheel, if you have long socket attachments and did it with a mate. I saw on another site you mentioned the wiring diagram for the plug. Were you able to plug straight into the Victory Wiring or did you have to cut and splice? I'll go and find the wiring install info' again and have another read...
Once again thanks mate for the info', greatly appreciated......must be why you are 'the teach'.......
Cheers
Swampy
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Iron Butt
Posts: 721
| TimS - 2009-05-27 10:04 PM I wonder if one of these trailer hitch luggage racks would work with the Hitch Doc hitch ???
http://www.kuryakyn.com/index.cfm/prodFam/GoldWing/go/Home.ProductDetail/IMID/338 Yes, it will as the adapter bracket supplied by Kury Akyn mounts to the slider (the removable part of the hitch) and is secured by using the hitch ball or Bushtec type pin as the bolt to mount it. I have a similar arrangement that is made by Rivco Products http://www.rivcoproducts.com/products/product.php?productid=36&... and it is great for hauling a medium sized cooler or with the triple flagpole arrangement that I use for Ride for Kids events.
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | I installed a Hitch Doc hitch in about 2 hours. Thanks to this forum I knew to put the screws in from the bottom instead of the top and go in through the rubber flap. There is a lot of good information on this website.
I did not have a jack or lift. I layed on my back on the garage floor and pushed on the bottom of the trunk with my foot. This raised the bike (lowered the rear wheel) enough to slide the hitch up into its new home. I was amazed at how fast the job went. Without the info from this forum it would have definatly taken much longer.
I am in the process of custom building a single rail trailer to haul the dirt bike behind the Vision. I want to ride to the riding spot, ride, then ride home. Wouldn't that make for a great day? |
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| the hitch doc hitch arrived today and I am trying to install. Can this be done without removing the tire?
I ran the bolts down thru the trunk, jacked up the bike, slide the hitch into place. No problem. But now I cannot get the nuts on the bolts. just not enough room for my hands. Am i missing something? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | Did you try removing the seat and moving the rubber flappy thingie? If you move the flap there is enough room to get your hand in there and get at the bolts. |
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| thanks for reply
I am underneath the bike and can reach the nuts and bolts, UNLESS, i put the hitch in. Then all the space dissapears. Its as if the tire wont drop enough.
the hardware store had a swivel and extension. I got two in, hopefully that will motivate me and i can get the last two. |
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| ok, i tried to tighten the two bolts only to find I have a very shallow socket wrench.
Im gonna have a beer |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | Seems to me there is a thread somewhere that mentions reversing the bolts so that you put the nuts on from the top. |
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| yup, I am putting the nuts on top. I did not think I could get a bolt on if I could not get my hand up in their with a nut!
But I have three in now. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 810
| I put the bolts on from the bottom so that I could take the trunk off without having to pull the trailer hitch. The bike frame is threaded so the bolts stay in until you add the nuts. HTH, Tim |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | studmuffin - 2010-07-17 1:00 PM
yup, I am putting the nuts on top. I did not think I could get a bolt on if I could not get my hand up in their with a nut!
But I have three in now.
I know your in tunnel vision mode cause your part way thru.....but stop and pull the seat, it will take no more than 5 mins.....tops.
Im 6ft4in and have hands the size of a dinner plate. I had this hitch installed in about 30 minutes. With the seat off and that plastic access panel pushed in you can literally reach right in there and just screw those bolts RIGHT in......easy as pie. |
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| arrgh, It's in. I put the bolts in thru the top, had to pull them and put in thru the bottom slowly trying to start each bolt on the end of a foot of extensions and a swivel. Just like being the fair and trying to win the stuffed bear!
I appreciate the seat trick and wish I read before i was complete.
End result, one nice hitch! ready for sturgis!
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Iron Butt
Posts: 669
Peachtree City, GA | So where is everryone ordering the HitchDoc from?
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | If I remember correctly there is a forum member that can get the Hitch Doc for us for about $25 cheaper than anywhere else. Try some site searching. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | Heres the info.....
Order by phone (843)602-4524
New Pricing for Vision hitch ONLY is $269.00 plus $35.00 for shipping and handling all other styles are suggested retail. This price is only for members of Vision-Riders.
Thanks for your Support, Jamie @ GOODNEIGHBOR Services LLC.
-----
Newest HITCH DOC Dealer (843)602-4524
"It's all about the ride" |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | Anyone happen to contact Jamie? Is he still a vendor? |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | Lotzafun - 2010-07-27 5:13 PM
Anyone happen to contact Jamie? Is he still a vendor?
Not sure if it was Jamie or not....I bought mine from a guy here that runs a company called good neighbor llc or something like that.
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Contacted him 2 or 3 months ago and he was still doing business then. |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | It was Jamie I got my hitch from only about 3 weeks ago. Fast shipping and best price I could find. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 669
Peachtree City, GA | Will be calling today and will let you know. Thanks. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| I see you got the info webhair...... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 255
New Brunswick , Canada | Those Jamie have a E-mail address? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 255
New Brunswick , Canada | would like to order a hitchdoc from Jamie...does he have a E-Mail address? |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 37
Coos Bay, Oregon | I spoke with Jamie this last week about ordering my Hitch Doc, 843-602-4524, he still has a good price for Vision-Rider members and the e-mail address he gave me is onsitervservice@gmail.com
Scott
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 12
Duvall, WA | Want to thank everyone on this thread for all your great comments and instructions. I tackled this job last night and got it done in about 2hrs. I only needed 15 minutes help from my son to hold the hitch up under the well whilst I started two bolts.
Only problem I had was that one bolt seems to be threaded. I have it completely threaded up and tightened from the bottom, but the nut won't screw on more than a couple of turns and then it is stuck. Seems like it might be stripped. I'm going to get a new nut today and try that. Else, I guess I will have to get a tool (can't think of the name right now) to fix the threads on the bolt.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 8
Blanchester, OH | I did the install as Nepper. The bike was on the side stand. I used a floor jack to hold the hitch in place. I first had to go to the hardware store to buy replacement nylocks as two that came with the hitch were defective. I worked alone, so I first removed one of the rear bolts from the trunk, ran that hitch bolt down from the top just to get the hitch attached. Then one at a time I removed the other trunk bolts and replaced with the hitch bolts, from the bottom. Once those three were in, I took out the first one that I had ran from the top and reinstalled it from the bottom. Like others have said, not a difficult project. Still have not decided on which trailer wiring harness to use. Want to make sure I do not have any problems with the bike's wiring, etc.
2010 Victory Vision |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | ohiocrew - 2010-12-31 1:11 PM
Still have not decided on which trailer wiring harness to use. Want to make sure I do not have any problems with the bike's wiring, etc.
To help avoid electrical issues you might want to search for threads on using an isolator . |
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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | Going out in a few minutes to attempt this install with my dear wife. I live 9 miles south of where they manufacture HitchDoc. Great people! Wish me well. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Folks shouldn't need an isolator IF they run a trailer with LED tail lites (I highly recommend these, bright!). Be careful to not pick up a regulator harness or liting will be dim on traditional lites. If you already have a trailer with standard lites you might consider replacing them with LED INSTEAD of paying for an isolator harness due to the brighter lite produced. Just food for thought. |
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Tourer
Posts: 395
Moravia, IA | Teach - 2011-02-13 11:13 AM
Folks shouldn't need an isolator IF they run a trailer with LED tail lites (I highly recommend these, bright!). Be careful to not pick up a regulator harness or liting will be dim on traditional lites. If you already have a trailer with standard lites you might consider replacing them with LED INSTEAD of paying for an isolator harness due to the brighter lite produced. Just food for thought.
Thats the theory I had as well. LEDs have tons of advantages and very few disadvantages. Once I had LEDs on a trailer I went thru ALL my trailers and put LED lights on them - brighter.....seem to put out cleaner, more crisp light......last longer (never had to replace a tail light yet with LEDs in it). The downside.....maybe the price. Regular trailer lights are about $7 a side. LED sets run about $24......so almost twice the money.
Ive got more than a few miles pulling a trailer with the Vision running the cheapy 5 to 4 NAPA adapter ($9) and nothing else.....no isolator was used.....NO problems. Ive even hauled home a few new trailers for friends (some with conventional lights) and never had a problem.
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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | Ok, got the hitch installed. My wife was a champ in helping me. Couple of thoughts:
- the Hitchdoc product is plenty sturdy. I was impressed with the construction
- You definitely can install without removing rear tire
- don't know how anyone does it without using the plastic flap access hole under seat (other than removing wheel). Nice tip!
- A pneumatic wrench with a swivel is almost a must. Tried with |
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| I been thinking about a hitch doc hitch,and saw where someone wanted to know if a luggage rack would fit in the hitch. Why would someone do this ? I would think anything on a rack would cover up the lights in the back of the bike,causing a not good situation! But haven't seen a luggage rack on one,just think it would be unsafe. I really would like to "light up" the stop and turn lights on the back, anything I can do to be seen will help ! Just my 2cents worth. |
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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | Additionally:
- I cleaned the holes out with an 8 mm tap to make sure I went all the way through
- you don't need to take trunk off, but I found it easier
- check all bolts that came with hitch to make sure they were metric. I had a few SAE |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Luggage racks work great, but with the Vision lights, I would recommend putting brake lights on the rack as well. |
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HitchDoc hitch