How to install a Fulton Fold-Away Trailer Tongue Hinge + Trailer Painting Tips and Re-Wiring Guide!
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- Welcome to my biggest How-To video tutorial to date! Over the course of several days, I broke down the step-by-step instructions on how to properly install a Fulton 3" x 3" Fold-Away folding trailer tongue hinge, including how to repaint rusty and bare metal sections of your trailer, everything you need to know about modifying your trailer safety chains, and how to rewire the electrical harness! Every single step is explained with additional tips and tricks no one else will explain in their how-to videos but that you NEED to know (The official Fulton instruction video is only 4 minutes long and doesn't even explain that you have to completely redo your safety chains!).
I've broken it down in to several parts:
Introduction: 0:00
Disassembly and preparation of the trailer tongue for the new hinge components: 1:35
Trailer Painting: 14:03
Assembly of all components: 25:30
Trailer Wiring: 30:53
Testing and conclusion: 40:10
Here's the equipment list discussed in today's video:
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● Fulton Fold Away Trailer Tongue Hinge for 3" x 3" Frames: amzn.to/2WL0Ghm
● Reese Towpower 72" Safety Chains rated to 5000lbs: amzn.to/2Zkuxiw
● 12 Inch Cutting Wheel for Miter Saw: amzn.to/2LJ88mU
● Dewalt 12 Inch Compound Miter Saw that I use: amzn.to/2LGU5hx
● Solder Seal and Heat Shrink Wire Connectors: amzn.to/2WIZyeb
● 4 Pin Trailer Cable: amzn.to/2TjpQl0
● Heavy Duty Loctite Blue: amzn.to/36cU52p
In terms of bolt strength, Fulton recommends using SAE Grade 5 bolts for your chains but I would recommend Grade 7 or 8 bolts. You can tell what grade the bolts are by the lines on the bolt head. Please see this chart for details: www.engineeringtoolbox.com/st...
I hope you enjoy the video and helps you out with your next project! Be sure to post a comment below with your questions and suggestions. Thank you so much for all your support - be sure to slam that like button and subscribe and tight lines everyone!
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I have talked to a lot of people and dealers that have had a lot of problems with Fulton swing kits! Boat dealers have stated that they would not use this product because of failures. I’m not trying to bad mouth this product, just trying to get the word out to check Fulton swing brackets for cracks. The dealer that sold the boat replaced it for free based on the defective product (there opinion).
I've definitely heard some stories about these failing and you're absolutely right, it's crucial that you always inspect your hitch and swing brackets before going out. I actually always do a walkaround of my trailer before every tow just as a pre-caution. I wonder if Fulton has said anything about excessive cracking... so far mine looks as good as the day I bought it.
Good job. Very detailed, I'm installing mine today or tomorrow. Will need to buy some sandpapers to remove the rust.
Nice! Thank you so much for the comments and good luck with your install!!
Great presentation. Just a thought on the safety chain issue. Note that if the Fulton joint fails, the chain will not prevent the tongue from hitting the road. This is why we all criss cross short chains to the vehicle for ball joint failure protection, the short chain criss cross keeps the tongue from hitting the road. But a Fulton joint failure, even with the chains, could be catastrophic with the tongue hitting the road and dragging the trailer on a 3 foot length of chain, but I agree, better than a complete release of the trailer.
Hi Dave, thank you for the comment and absolutely you need to cross your chains. I'll have to rewatch the video as I don't remember but I always cross the chains when connecting it to the truck and I believe I measured it out to make sure the chains would catch it. Although it all depends the incident... I've seen accidents where the chains or safety cables snapped like string. Honestly about my worse nightmare towing is a tongue or hitch system failure and I always inspect everything for any cracks or signs of wear every time I hook up the boat for a trip.
Thanks again for mentioning this very important tip!
Good job, wish you lived around here to help with mine when my boat comes.
Thank you and yeah I would be happy to help! I've met so many awesome people that I'd love to fish or do some installs with but yeah, I tend to be far from EVERYONE lol!
Hey guys and gals, just a quick tweak to today's video for when you do your own install. To avoid any issues with your trailer lights and your trailer frame is grounded like mine is in this video, make sure the ground wire is connected on the boat side of the trailer hinge, not on the tongue side like I did. You can attach it to any available bolt or just drill a small hole and use a self-tapping screw like I did. Fish on!
pro tip : watch series at kaldroStream. I've been using it for watching lots of of movies lately.
@Briar Donovan definitely, I have been watching on Kaldrostream for since november myself :D
When measuring for holes, use a transfer punch instead of a pen around the circumference of the holes. This will ensure the precise centre of the hole to drill
Really good job on the install Dan... those solder sleeves are a great thing... definitely simplifies wiring splices AND they are very strong... only thing I "might" have done is to run the ground wire to the main part of the trailer tongue, not on the part that swings due to possible bad grounding thru the coupler... you could still do that by running another wire from the current ground wire inside with the other wires
Thanks Phil! And yes those solder sleeves are absolutely amazing I love them! I agree about the tongue trailer wiring part that's why I posted a pinned comment at the top that has that little update/tweak mentioned. :) Thanks so much for your feedback and supporting the channel!
@@DanRichardFishing Oops... I just read that... great minds think alike???... Lol
@@philtarbox8256 To be perfectly honest about it I didn't even realize it until after I did the video and my brother pointed it out. I was like DANG IT! There's always something lol! Over the course of this year I'm going to be working on a gigantic video tutorial in several parts on how to build a quality garden shed. I can't wait to be corrected by all the architects of RUclips on that one 😂😂
Nice job, I would suggest staggering the wires so not all the butt connections are in all together. I also put the wire in loom at the hinge point so when closing you're not going to pinch the wire.
Hi Eric, thanks for those great suggestions! :)
Wd40 to insert the rubber bumpers. And use a bigger grommet and bigger hole so the wires can pass w/o binding
I can't stand spraying WD-40 on stuff other than rusty joints, I always find it just attracts dirt and stink to hell for nothing. Spit on it and fit it LOL!
New sub, absolutely great video. I have a 17.5 bass boat and have the same issue with the lack of walk around room. I have been tempted to do this for some time now and I think your video just convinced me:-) How any complaints on the towing so far?
Thanks for the sub!! No complaints AT ALL, I love it!!! Should have done it from day 1 and should I change my boat, I'll be doing it to my next trailer as well if it doesn't have this already :) Go for it!
You had mentioned how difficult it was to tighten the bolts. I just received my hinge. I noticed that one of the bolts was defective (threads almost flat on one side). I could probably put a nut on it, but it would be unusually hard to tighten. Perhaps that was the issue with yours?
In my case, I just think the tapered end they use (rather than nylon nuts) is what was making it tough. I almost wanted to break out the impact gun I use for tires!! In your case, just contact the and they'll get you the correct piece no questions asked.
Thanks for posting this. I'm thinking about doing the same thing but it scares the crap out me. It looks like you posted this a year ago. How has it worked out for you? Any issues, slop or play? Would you do it again?
Don't hesitate to do it I absolutely love it, and it looks exactly the same as the day I installed it! Extremely happy and the only thing I regret is that I didn't do it sooner :)
whats the difference between the 3x3 and 3x4???
One is for the 3 inch x 3 inch metal frame of the tongue and the other is for 3 inch x 4 inch metal frame. Hope that helps :)
Why not just run the wires out the front of tongue under trailer hitch? I've run mine that way for years with no problems, and not cut & splice wires.
Hi Rob, thanks for the question! I know of 2 people that have actually accidentally damaged their wires that ran out from the hitch when they pinched them with the ball so it's not ideal, and my trailer already had the wires coming out the top so the hole was already there so I had no choice but to cut and splice. Plus I guess the previous owner had damaged the wires around that area and made a hell of a poor job on the repair with a TON of electrical tape so I wanted all that gone. I have a small utility trailer that has the wires coming right out the tongue and ever time I hook it up I have to make sure the wires are clear.
If you look at boat trailers from Ranger, Skeeter etc none of them will have the wiring coming out like that, they have a dedicated hole on the side or underneath and away from the hitch. The only thing that will be coming out from under the tongue section will be the safety brakeaway cable if your trailer has brakes.
I would not use Fulton swing kit. My Fulton swing kit didn’t last three years before it broke and the boat swung around and hit the back of my truck!
Wow crazy! Can you provide some additional details like what part failed and how heavy was your boat?
@@DanRichardFishing the boat is a 2018 thunder jet outboard. Ez loader trailer with Fulton swing away Tongue. The Fulton part with the bolt that keeps it together broke.
@@ricardogutierrez9682 All because one broke doesn't mean its a wide spread problem. Anything can be defective. By the number of these being sold I would say its not an issue with all of them since you have to search hard to find complaints. Many new boats are sold with bolts in the swing tongue. None of mine have broken. It could have been yours had a defective bolt or wrong bolt installed as in to hard. There's been a small number of wheels falling of cars too! not very common though. heck the two bolts holding the hitch is weaker and you don't see them breaking.
It broke in the cast part not the bolts.
Great idea but idont trust that it's Alloy I'm worried about failure and the tradgic Consciousness there of
As long as you use it with the intended equipment and the intended rating and install it properly there's absolutely nothing to worry about. You should also inspect your equipment on a regular basis with or without a swinging tongue jack. I've had mine now for about a year and I can tell you it still looks brand new like the day I installed it.
You actually gained 2 inches by the looks of it.
The overall length increased a little bit when the hitch is deployed but when you fold it back you save about a foot. Before installing the hitch if I back the boat all the way up to the sink in the back of my garage, I would have a couple of inches of clearance from the garage door. Now I can park the boat and have space between the motor and the sink and I still have about 6 in from the garage door.