Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[weldingisfun]

Try this idea to hook up to your trailer.
Lean a garden rake against the trailer coupler, put a mark at the top and centered on your tailgate, so you can see it in your rear view mirror, and back up to the trailer. Just remember which side of the coupler you put the rake. IT WORKS and didn't cost a thing.

 

[patrick_g]

Pat if you hook it up let me know how it works. If you hook that unit up in the next month or so give me a yell. For powering the camera I would think that you could hook it up to a 7 pin trailer connection if you have one. they have a pin for backup lights that would work and they also have a pin that is used for charging a trailers batteries while travelling. You could just hook your connector to that plug and then when you hook up your trailer unhook the camera connector and hook in your trailer.

Right source for the wires of interest but I will probably tap the wires leading to the trailer connector rather than use a...

Correction... The 2008 F-250 has a dual trailer connector with two separate parts. One of the 7 pin round ones that I have standardized on and a rectangular one. I'll have to get a plug for the rectangle one to power the camera and not have to plug/unplug anything. I was probably going to wire on a plug when I tapped into the wires but now that my "what do you call it?" kicked in briefly I recall the unused connection. Oh yeah, memory, that is the thing I forgot.

The local trailer manufacturer is open on Sat mornings so after breakfast I might go get one of the connectors and try out the camera and monitor.

Pat

 

[gemini5362]

Right source for the wires of interest but I will probably tap the wires leading to the trailer connector rather than use a...

Correction... The 2008 F-250 has a dual trailer connector with two separate parts. One of the 7 pin round ones that I have standardized on and a rectangular one. I'll have to get a plug for the rectangle one to power the camera and not have to plug/unplug anything. I was probably going to wire on a plug when I tapped into the wires but now that my "what do you call it?" kicked in briefly I recall the unused connection. Oh yeah, memory, that is the thing I forgot.

The local trailer manufacturer is open on Sat mornings so after breakfast I might go get one of the connectors and try out the camera and monitor.

Pat

Your ford has a built in brake controller and both connectors for the trailer brake built in. Wow all my chevrolet has is a good motor and a great transmission I feel so second class with it.

 

[patrick_g]

Your ford has a built in brake controller and both connectors for the trailer brake built in. Wow all my chevrolet has is a good motor and a great transmission I feel so second class with it.

Keep saving up your allowance and maybe you can buy a good frame to go with your engine and tranny.

Well, no surprise, since life is what happens while you are making other plans, I didn't get to the trailer place to get the connector. I have another chance if I don't blow it. We are going out with a neighbor tonight to Shawnee for prime rib and maybe Lowe's or Wally World will have the plug.

Hang in there, either I'll give you a user report or you will save up your allowance and buy/install one and report to me.

Pat

 

[gemini5362]

I bet you will get it hooked up before I save up my allowance enough to buy one. The wife lowered my allowance she is making some kind of excuse about saving up for the two weeks we are going to spend traveling around europe this summer.

 

[Skyco]

Several have mentioned the WalMart wireless license plate camera. Good luck. I bought one and took it back.
Problem one- the angle of view isn't wide enough to be really usefull as a backup camera IMO. If all you want to see is your trailer hitch it may do, but it won't show you the tree you are about to nail with the corner of the truck....
Problem two- the wireless transmitter isn't powerful enough to make it all the way from the back of a long bed crew cab pickup through all the steel to the dash, at least not with a great picture.
Plus features- it has a switch to reverse the view or not. I've also seen them on closeout much cheaper than WalMart- I think PepBoys had them at one point for something like $69. Apparently they weren't selling too well, or a lot were returned as mine was.
Wish it had worked better as I really like the idea.

 

[gemini5362]

skyco that is what I was wondering about them. I just need to be able to see my trailer hitch to be able to hook up to it.

Pat I did have a thought if you are talking about one of the rectangular plugs on your truck. I thought most of them were 4 wire will it have a pin for the backup lights for you to hook the camera power to? I know you retired guys have a lot of free time to test out this stuff for us guys that are still tied to working for a living

 

[patrick_g]

skyco that is what I was wondering about them. I just need to be able to see my trailer hitch to be able to hook up to it.

Pat I did have a thought if you are talking about one of the rectangular plugs on your truck. I thought most of them were 4 wire will it have a pin for the backup lights for you to hook the camera power to? I know you retired guys have a lot of free time to test out this stuff for us guys that are still tied to working for a living

Well, that was a blast of cold water in the face. I didn't expect miracles but did hope the thing would be usable. I have OEM backup alarm so I don't need the camera for that, just hitching. If it is not very wide angle as I thought it would be then I need to mount it higher up like at the top of the tailgate looking down with the ball barely in the edge of the FOV. I'll still try before I fly (back to return it)

Since I have no other plans for the rectangular connector I can wire it any way I want. I just want a wire that goes hot in reverse and a ground. There are ways to assist the signal strength and S/N ratio but if it is too much hassle I will return it. I suspect with the camera mounted at the top of the tailgate or higher with it in direct line of sight to the dash (through the back glass of the cab) it should do about as good as it gets. If it can't handle that path then it is too poor.

There are other versions available but are more costly by a fair margin. Maybe I will have to home brew something from available components. Little LCD TV and a camera with transmitter, tuned to same channel but not a local channel. The little TV could be used as a little TV when not in use for backup. With a more powerful transmitter it could be used for surveillance on various animals (2 or 4 legged.)

""""I know you retired guys have a lot of free time to test out this stuff for us guys that are still tied to working for a living""""

I have worked harder every year since taking early retirement than I did any of the last 5-10 years before retirement. At the rate my to do list is growing I may have to take a job to get away from it and get a rest. So far I have used my camper one time for two nights in the last 3 years. Total use this century is less than 7 days. I have been away from home one time in excess of 2 nights This century and that was a working trip.

I have never gone nor imagined that I would ever go so long without a vacation. I may decide to take a break, just don't know when or what I'd do. I understand Ireland is pretty in September.

Pat

 

[Skyco]

Just bought HFs little 1.25 cu ft electric concrete mixer- worked like a champ espacially for $99. Had to mix 12ea 80 lb bags of concrete and wasn't looking forward to using a wheelbarrow and shovel. Have a few more projects needing some concrete, not enough for a truck but too much to hand mix, so for the money I'm pleased.
It holds an 80 lb bag just right. BTW noticed a quirk locally in bagged concrete mix prices- I'd rather use 40 lb bags because they are easier to move but a 40 lb bag is something like $3.50 where an 80lb bag is only about 20 cents more

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[patrick_g]

Sky, The smaller bags are often available at the big box stores where many customers aren't really candidates for handling the big bags. The Home Depot I used to frequent had its Redi-Crete in 60 lb bags. I used to buy it by the pallet (about 3500 lbs, including the pallet.) I always had he same conversation about delivery. "Just put it in the bed of my pickup." "But sir, it will overload you, we have had customers not make it out of the parking lot, etc etc. One ton dually Dodge with 10,000 lb air bags and custom overloads. Had less than 2 miles to drive.

I have the little Red Lion brand electric mixer. It will just barely hold 3 of the 60 lb bags and the required water so it makes 200 lbs of crete per batch. I have learned that when dumping into 5 gal plastic buckets to let the 200 lbs be 3 partial buckets or they get too heavy too fast.

I bought the mixer assembled as floor model and got discount. Unfortunately the store folks did not attach the motor guard bracket and worse yet I didn't know it was supposed to have one (no manual.) Unit got tipped over (empty, just moving it around) and the motor struck the pavement bending the drive sprocket which defied straightening.

I now use a 3PH PTO powered mixer. (haven't turned it and the tractor over yet )

Pat