My Prius' Saga    rev. 03.20.2008

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[See data on 11,970 miles of pulling a trailer, out of a total of 25,550 so far ! ]

We bought it on 04.10.2004......

Interior: Leather Seats... 1

Interior: Leather Seats... 2

Interior: Leather Seats... 3

All signed off and ready to roll

My Prius' Data Spreadsheet [Excel .xls file]

What's next?

• Proximity warning unit for when you're backing up.
  [If I'm clever enough, I'll figure out how to make this scare off tailgaters too, when the car is in motion! Short of launching grenades, etc., of course....]
  I've already got this [bought it on eBay] but haven't tried installing it. I just see the same things on so many new cars...
• What if the absurd running lights, which only go on with the headlights on low-beam, were replaced or augmented with bright orange front running lights like the new Camaro's, but LED?
• What if high-powered white LED truck-style backup lights were inserted into the corners of the soft front-bumper as cornering lights, and went on with the directional signals only?

Latest Updates...

09.29.2007... A big Thank You! to Jay Groh who inspired this mod... go to Priuschat.com for the reference...

• Figured out how to add "side-fender" directional signals, too.... All it took was some bodywork needed after a "minor" collision on our last Cross-Country trip, plus some eBay LED purchases...

Here's what they look like "before"...

And here are some YouTube® links to what they look like "in action" !

Navigation lockout override switch

• 01.02.2006... I've coughed up the $100+ for the Coastal Tech kit that bypasses the Toyota Legalese disclaimer and also lets you use the nav system while moving. Now, if Coastal could only redesign the really terrible user interface for the nav system, too.... Dear Toyota: It Really Sucks.
• So the passenger can find the next Big Mac Outlet while the car's moving...
• On order, 01.20.2006... Received 02.17.2006 and installed the same day! Very easy install; just like the directions say!

• Here's a thread on the subject of hybrid cars and trailers at greenhybrid.com

04.15.2005

• Automatic door-locking module, also from Coastal Tech !
  • Installed: Total installation time: approx. 30 minutes!
  • Opening up the dashboard...1
  • Opening up the dashboard...2
  • Completed connections (Top connector array)
  • Completed connections (Bottom connector array)
    You can just see part of the controller module behind the wires. It"s encased in yellow shrink-tubing.)
  • [note: add another fifteen minutes for reopening the dashboard and hooking one of the connectors to the right wire, not the wrong wire....]

• After the trailer was finished and road-ready, and before the Coast-To-Coast-To-Coast Trip, I upgraded and added side marker lights and tail-lights to the trailer so it would be completely LED, including the license-plate light. I connected them so that two of the side-markers would flash with the directionals and all of them would be on with the parking lights.

03.2005

• Buy and assemble a trailer !
  • Here's the source of the trailer I bought
  • Note: I also bought the optional tongue stand from Oldenkamp, too.
  • Trailer and frame, as delivered
  • Assembling the suspension
  • Tire/Wheel "kit," prior to mounting to axle...

03.05

• Modify the receiver and tap into the Prius' electrical system to enable connection to a trailer!
  • Installation was done by Eyers Hitch Center, Santa Clara, CA, using an interface module like this one from Modu-Lite, described at [note: 481kB file!]
  • Add safety-chain rings: driver-side view [note electrical connector]
  • Add safety-chain rings: passenger side view, with lock
  • Complete assembly

    Photos of where the battery and tail-light connections are made and a neat place to stash the electronic control module...

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01.2005

Tow Hitch from Coastal Electronic Technologies, Inc.

• Tow Hitch, as received.
  (looking straight down on it as it lies on the floor, resting from its long voyage to me.
• Installed, 01.19.05; Coastal Tech's directions are good; actual install took about 1/2 hour.
  This shot makes it look like a stealth tow hitch (or makes it look like the Prius doesn't have rear wheels.... )
• Installed, View Underneath 1 - towards driver's side
• Installed, View Underneath 2 - towards passenger side, with tailpipe-lifter clamp in place.

A few more notes: I also added a locking pin that holds the hitch to the carrier, a lock to prevent the ball latch from being opened, and a lock that fits into that latch, emulating a hitch ball, so that it's really hard to pop the hitch onto another vehicle and tow it away. Belt, suspenders, Krazy-Glue®, etc... :) ... that's me, sometimes. Brick Outhouse Engineering.

And then I started adding and replacing the original side marker and tail lights with full-LED units. Side Markers also include three that flash with directionals and go on with parking lights. Then I figured out how to add two white LED lamps [modified 1157 or so backup lights to illuminate the interior of the trailer at night when the parking lights are on, with an extra switch inside the trailer.

One of the final and most aggravating parts was to figure out how to add gas-strut lifts for the lid. I finally used some aluminum angle-bracket stock, about 1" x 1" by 24" as stiffeners under the front and rear of the lid, and two of the weakest gas-struts I could find that had the right lengths while compressed and extended. This part was trial and error, and it took fully 16 iterations to get it darned near perfect.

Yes, I might consider selling the trailer, but not for less than about $2800 USD and you come and pick it up yourself.... :) The labor and engineering and add-on parts are worth that and more!

Going to replace the little rectangular trailer wiring connector with one that is a "bulkhead connector" and mounted through the rear bumper. The small connector can be shorted out if you go up or down one of those steep driveway or parking lot entrances that cause the hitch to hit the ground. If the connector gets caught, it can nuke the fuse of the module. No problem for the Prius; just no brake lights or directional signals for the trailer! Not Good!!!

ps...

• Read about what happens when a Prius runs out of gas on an Interstate Highway. It only makes me love the car more than before!