Just a crazy idea right now,,,,lol.
I have a 1500 Goldwing with a sidecar. I also have a 1984 Bushtec Ultimate trailer. It has air shock suspension, and that's what makes them so good. I've had the Bushtec hitch on 2 different bikes, but have never really put the trailer in full service. I just have everything hooked up and tested. No real loaded miles. Point is I've never really got into adjusting the air shocks on the trailer for a real life varying loads. I do have a hand pump though.
So my Goldwing has from the factory, one air shock and one coil over shock in the rear. The sidecar cars guys say this set up is not good for sidecars. They say have either both air shocks or both coil overs. It needs to be firm. They no longer make the proper Progressive 416 air shocks. Can't find them anywhere. And from what I've read they are problematic any way. So I'm getting ready to install Progressive 412 coil overs.
There is nothing wrong with my Goldwings air compressor. I'm wondering if I could semi hard line it for use with the trailer. It all ready has a fitting in the saddle bag for airing up tires with the optional hose. But I don't think that line will deflate? But I could use the main line going to the air shock I think? Just run the line from the air shock to the back right by the trailer plug. Then just hook it at the same time I plug in the trailer?
I think it would handy to put the onboard air inflate/deflate system of the Goldwing to use like that.
Would it work? Or just too crazy,,,lol.
The only potential problem I see is the Goldwings compressor not putting out enough air. I've read it's limited to 58psi. That would probably be fine though. I've read the Bushtec guys running as low as 20psi, with just one guy running 65psi. But it's all in the way you load the trailer.
I do have a couple of questions.
1. Is the output of the compressor adjustable, since it's limited? It has a screw on the back of it. I wonder if this is a pressure adjustment?
2. Would the compressor work while the bike is moving? Bushtec sells an onboard air that mounts in the trailer. You can just air up the shocks going down the road using a key fob. I don't really care about doing that. Just wondering.
3. Can you use the optional hose in the right saddlebag to DEFLATE? I don't think so/
4. Anyone know the thread size of the line coming out of the compressor and going into the air shock?
5. Anyone know where I could get air lines made, or buy the fittings? I want to go from the compressor to the rear of the bike and have a male threaded schrader valve there. Then have a short double ended screw on female to go to the trailer.
I just think it would be neat to load up for camping. Get there, unload, readjust air. Oops. Gotta go load some firewood. Easily readjust air. If it won't work I'll still have the hand pump.
You guys see any problems making this work? I'm open for idea's. Thanks.
I will hit on this a little, as for the air shock and spring combo I never had any issues with mine once I mounted the sidecar. I just kept the pressure on the high side and let er run. As for using the onboard com. for your air bags of the trailer, yes it can produce enough air but you can't use it while the bike is in motion, if memory serves me on this you have to turn the key back like going into aux to get the compressor to put air to the fitting in the saddlebag. FM might have some ides about how to make it work if it's possible.
EDIT: one other note the compressor itself doesn't maintain air, it just adds air when you tell it to
Yes, as AceinSav said, FM (that would be me...FlyingMonkeys) does have something to say about this.
But, I am busy scratching my head, wondering.....how many times do I have to tell Cal to "come to me first" on all things Wing related, before he reaches out to the masses, and especially those numbskulls on the Goldwing forums.
I mean, the guy still hasn't even posted a picture of his new gift, the SnoGlode Sidecar, with Sidecar Willie sniffing it, to see if it is friend or foe.
Geeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzz...........
Having owned two Bushtec trailers in the past, almost identical to the one that Cal has....and my first one was the last trailer that Bill Bushling made, before he sold the business to John Preston....and having towed a Bushtec Turbo 2+2 at 135+ mph behind a Honda ST-1100 on the Black Rock Desert north of Gerlach, NV......I am all too familiar with Bushtec trailers, and consider them to be the Rolls Royce of Cargo trailers for towing behind a motorcycle.
Short answer (or is that too late?), yes, your OEM air compressor on your '96 Wing can be used to pump UP the air shocks on your Bushtec trailer, but as stated, it will not HOLD the air pressure. You would need to install a check valve in line, to hold the pressure.
Yes, the '96 Wing will be MUCH better with two matching rear shocks, either both air, or both coil-over, but matching, but that is much more important with a 2 wheeled motorcycle, than with a sidecar rig.
'twer it mine, I would rip the mis-matched OEM shocks off the bike, and rip the OEM air compressor off the bike.....wait on any street corner for less than 5 minutes, then toss all that old hardware into the back of a passing F-150 (as they come by every several minutes), forget about the air compressor (there is a BUT in this), and just use your current hand pump for the air chocks on the Bushtec trailer, and they usually take about 20 psi....so a hand pump is more than sufficient.
The ubiquitous BUT......."IF" you are going to be installing air shocks on the bike, and an air chock on the sidecar, then I could see utilizing the OEM air pump from the bike, to hand all air duties...the two shocks on the rear of the bike, the single air shock on the sidecar, and the two air chocks on the Bushtec trailer.
I don't see you doing that, so....go with my suggestion to scrap all that OEM stuff, the air compressor, and the original air chock/coil-over shock combo, and just do as I suggest in the paragraph above that starts with....'twer it mine.
Another concern is.....with a sidecar rig.....are you towing that Bushtec trailer immediately in line behind the motorcycle (not a good idea), or is the Bushtec trailer centered in line between the bike and the sidecar, so IT is centered on the roadway ?????
Oh look....another F-150 just drove by......
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Quote from FlyingMonkeys on December 21, 2023, 3:14 pmYes, as AceinSav said, FM (that would be me...FlyingMonkeys) does have something to say about this.
But, I am busy scratching my head, wondering.....how many times do I have to tell Cal to "come to me first" on all things Wing related, before he reaches out to the masses, and especially those numbskulls on the Goldwing forums.
I mean, the guy still hasn't even posted a picture of his new gift, the SnoGlode Sidecar, with Sidecar Willie sniffing it, to see if it is friend or foe.
Geeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzz...........
Wilton wouldn't pose for a pic. He hates his picture took. I tried to get a video but it was so bad I didn't even post it to youtube until the GEEEEEZZZZ,,,,lol
Quote from FlyingMonkeys on December 21, 2023, 3:14 pm
Oh look....another F-150 just drove by......
I only have to go out to my driveway to find a F-150,,,lol. I towed the Bushtec home with it.
The trailer popper up on marketplace for $100. I knew nothing about a Bushtec. But this looked like a good deal so I high tailed it over there.
The air lines were trashed and the trailer was all ready towed with no air in the shocks. It took chunks out of one wheel. (Anybody have a spare?)
I've basically restored the whole thing. I'm very happy with my $100 trailer,,,lol.
Quote from FlyingMonkeys on December 21, 2023, 3:14 pm
Short answer (or is that too late?), yes, your OEM air compressor on your '96 Wing can be used to pump UP the air shocks on your Bushtec trailer, but as stated, it will not HOLD the air pressure. You would need to install a check valve in line, to hold the pressure.
Yes, the '96 Wing will be MUCH better with two matching rear shocks, either both air, or both coil-over, but matching, but that is much more important with a 2 wheeled motorcycle, than with a sidecar rig.
'twer it mine, I would rip the mis-matched OEM shocks off the bike, and rip the OEM air compressor off the bike.....wait on any street corner for less than 5 minutes, then toss all that old hardware into the back of a passing F-150 (as they come by every several minutes), forget about the air compressor (there is a BUT in this), and just use your current hand pump for the air chocks on the Bushtec trailer, and they usually take about 20 psi....so a hand pump is more than sufficient.
The ubiquitous BUT......."IF" you are going to be installing air shocks on the bike, and an air chock on the sidecar, then I could see utilizing the OEM air pump from the bike, to hand all air duties...the two shocks on the rear of the bike, the single air shock on the sidecar, and the two air chocks on the Bushtec trailer.
I don't see you doing that, so....go with my suggestion to scrap all that OEM stuff, the air compressor, and the original air chock/coil-over shock combo, and just do as I suggest in the paragraph above that starts with....'twer it mine.
Another concern is.....with a sidecar rig.....are you towing that Bushtec trailer immediately in line behind the motorcycle (not a good idea), or is the Bushtec trailer centered in line between the bike and the sidecar, so IT is centered on the roadway ?????
Oh look....another F-150 just drove by......
I don't understand how come the trailer shocks will not hold pressure while the Goldwing air shock can. What is different?
As far as the hitch is concerned. Right now I have a Bushtec hitch installed on the bike. I had the trailer before the sidecar. I have tested pulling the trailer since the sidecar install. It seemed fine pulling straight from the bike. But this was not loaded. Is the concern the width of the trailer going over in the other lane? If so, just for the record, this is a smaller trailer. It is shorter and a bit narrower than the later models. The trailer is 36'' at the widest point. The Goldwing is 42" across the mirrors, and about 40'' across the saddlebags. Or is there another concern, like handling?
the main issue with pulling a trailer inline with the bike once you add a sidecar is now you are too wide to be safe on the road, especially in curves and or corners. once you add the car you now ride closer to the center line on the road, now you add a trailer and it sticks out past your saddle bags on the left side.
As for the shocks they probably do hold air, what I was saying is you can't adjust the air if needed while moving or even if just stopped at a light. on the wings rear shock you can't adjust it while moving but you can when sitting at a light, can't remember if you have to be in neutral but you can.
100 $ OMG I would have snagged that in a second too, WOW what a sweet deal, good for you
Just my 2 cents here, I much preferred the single air shock and 1 spring on my rig, my wife's trike has the 2 air shocks and I find it VERY harsh riding unless I leave them at the minimum pressure. that may be more due to it being the standard wheel base and straight axle
