RALIVAN2: Our 2015 144" Sprinter

3 minute(s) of a 55 minute read

WE GOT HITCHED!

No, not that, for towing things, like our trailer, which we use to drag our cars to events. Well, we used to in the before times. There’s a chance we’ll be able to do that again so we thought we better be prepared. In the previous blog we removed the step bumper so we could get the height of the hitch ball just right. When we put the livery on our trailer, we first loaded the car into it and hooked it up to our old RALIVAN so the trailer would be level and we could line up the stripes perfectly. Yes, we’re that anal.

This time we will have to line up the stripes on the van with those on the trailer which is a bit like putting the cart before the horse, or the van in this case, but important to us. Fortunately, we have an adjustable ball so we have a little wiggle room.

Our van is a very basic spec and we couldn’t find any factory wiring for a trailer or trailer brake so we ordered the full monty from Etrailer.

Installation of the hitch was fairly easy. Just offer it up and bolt it in place.

The wiring on the other hand was a quite tedious and thus destined for a later post. By way of a distraction while we were fighting the wiring, we did take care of a few more service items: We had the oil tested. It was fine but a bit old. We replaced the wipers and a broken squirter. We finally sucked the water/washer fluid mix out of the washer bottle and replaced it with only washer fluid. Not sure if we discussed this previously but the van came with only water in there. Must be a Texas thing. When we added washer fluid the water was frozen (Michigan thing) so the washer fluid sat on top. Even though it thawed a few times (another Michigan thing) it never mixed so every time it froze the washers wouldn’t work; just when you really needed them. Anyway, all sorted now.

Next week we get wired.