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Bushtec Trailer Wiring Frustration

10K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  Yellow09SERG 
#1 ·
Well, I installed the Bushtec trailer hitch on my 2011 RGC on Sunday and it went on without a hitch, other than a little clearence issue with the CFR exhaust, which I expected. However, when it came time to install the "plug & play" wiring, I came to a complete and very frustrated stop! For one, the Harley specific instructions that came with the hitch are different than the Harley specific instructions that came with the Isolator, and niether matched the wiring on the bike! The instructions say there is supposed to be an 8-pin rear lighting connector behind the battery and on the rear fender! If its there somewhere I sure can't find it! The only wiring I can trace from the rear lighting runs along the left side of the bike behind the saddlebag frame work and terminates in a 6-pin connector squeezed in behind the left side cover. This connector looks nothing like any of the Isolator connectors! For the life of me, I can't understand how they can sell a $400 hitch, and an $89 Isolator, and feel no obligation to write an accurate set of instructions! I understand bike models change, and companies do thugs differently from time to time, but when it's your sole business to sell trailer hitches and wiring harnesses to make them work, how hard could it be to keep up with what the manufactures are doing! There really aren't a lot of bike models towing trailers around so it seems crazy to me that they can't write better instructions!
 
#2 ·
I just installed and wired same hitch and wining saturday myself. i agree the instructions suck but it wasn't hard to figure out. the 8 pin connector should be under the seat and on top of the battery cover. There should be wires coming from a whole through the fender under the seat, that is the one you trace to your connector.
 
#3 ·
Frankie's right, that connector is there, has been in the same place on the last 3 bikes I've owned, a Dyna and 2 Baggers back to 2001 at least. Look at the top of the rear fender right where it starts down behind the battery, near the right side frame rail there is a grommeted hole in the fender where the wiring comes out of the fender. The commector you want is 2-3" out of the fender.
I installed a Panecea taillight on my bike 2 hours ago, unplugged the same connector.
 
#4 ·
Dang! How can that be?? I'm at work now and can't go look, but I looked and looked in that area! I think I know the hole in the fender that you are referring to and theres nothing coming through that hole on my bike! Seems crazy, but unless I'm blind or just stupid, there is no wire coming through the hole in the fender and no connector in that area!
Can't wait to get home and find out which catagory I fall in!

Do any of you have a picture of that connector you could post?
 
#5 ·
So here's the deal! Apparently, Harley made some wiring changes on the 2012 Road Glide, and I would imagine the Street Glides, and others. The rear light wiring harness doesn't come up through the rear fender and terminate at an 8-Pin connector behind the battery any more. Rather, it runs up the frame on the left side of the bike and terminates at a 6-Pin connector stuffed on the right side of the fuse box! Of course Bushtec didn't even realize this, and the plug-n-play isolator harness is completely worthless without cutting the connectors off of it, cutting the bike wires, and splicing everything together.

I'm very hesitant to cut into the wiring harness on my brand new $25K bike! For one, what better way to void a warrenty! I can see any electrical issue in the future will automatically be blamed on the trailer splice! Might be best to just pull the hitch back off, send the whole works back Bushtec, and tell mamma she's gonna have to live with the saddle bags and tour pac!
 
#9 ·
I don't have a trailer but I did help my buddy with wiring of the Custom Dynamics led lights on his 12' street glide and I wound up looking for the harness in the same place but it too turned out to be behind the side panel next to the fuse panel. The led lights still plugged in like on my 11' RGU. It wired up with no problem with no cutting of the plugs either.
 
#12 ·
I just bagged the whole trailer idea!

After talking to multipal HD dealerships in the Pacific Northwest, and each one telling me without hesitation that, as soon as I bolt a trailer hitch on the bike my warranty is null and void, I decided it's just not worth the hassle! If my bike weren't brand new with the full warranty pending, I'd probably have just gone ahead, but it's not worth it! Instead, I just bought a rack for the tour pac and a T-Bags Dakkar bag to go on the rack and mamma will have to make do!

I know there are a lot who will swear HD can't void your warranty because of a trailer hitch, but as long as HD thinks they can, it's not worth the battle for me to find out! I think they have more lawyers on retainer than I do, and I don't want to waste any money or riding days fighting with them about it!

I had to go a few rounds with the Bushtec rep concerning a refund for the hitch, but he finally conceaded and agreed to refund my cost even though I had already installed the hitch! It hasn't left the garage since I installed it, so I'll just pull everything back off the bike and put it back in the box!

I haven't decided whether or not to keep the trailer until the bike's warranty expires, or just sell the trailer! It's all too bad, because a nice trailer like the Bushtech really opens up the long distance road trip world!

Thanks for all your imput on the wiring issue! I'm glad I never cut any wires! :eek:
 
#13 ·
I know there are a lot who will swear HD can't void your warranty because of a trailer hitch, but as long as HD thinks they can, it's not worth the battle for me to find out!

This argument comes up often, and as of yet I haven't seen anyone say that they've ever seen it in writing, by a dealer or by the MoCo themselves.
They don't RECOMMEND pulling trailer, but nobody has seen them prohibit it in writing.

Warranty?? In the last 11 years I've had 3 bikes under warranty, haven't yet had a problem during the factory warranty. Pulled trailers behind 2 of those bikes with no issues.

Too bad, as you've guessed, pulling a trailer makes touring a much better experience.
 
#14 ·
Bustec Isolator plug doesn't match the HD plug

I've been looking for the magical HD six pin plug that is square 5/8 x 5/8 to match what Bushtec sold me for $89.00. After 4 hours, I'm done. HD plug wired to the light harness is 1 1/4 x 3/8".
Anybody else have this problem with a match up? My scooter is a 2011 CVO Road Glide.
 
#16 ·
I hate it when they ship the wrong part. Here is what I ran into. Easy fix if Bushtec will do an exchange
Had some problems a few years ago with the isolator from Bushtec and after going through all the guys that worked behind the counter trying to sort through what was going on I reached a lady by the name of Jammie Bunch. She knew exactly what I needed for the 09CVO and even overnighted the correct isolator with a prepaid return label to send the wrong one back. That was in May of 2014. Might be worth asking and seeing if she is still there.
 
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