VEVE Guide Install

[Zarrella]

I bought the CE Smith 60" from Academy Sports and I just taped them up really good with electrical tape. I have not had any problems.

 

[Jump Right In]

So between the different light options, first of all when are your lights on? Are they on during all night-time driving conditions? Backing up? switched with turn signals? etc. I have seen ones that are clear lights and also red lights. I will definitely be looking at LED's and would prefer the housing to be black to match the pads and trailer. Here is a website I stumbled across, but I can't tell how visible these (black ones below) would be in my side mirror when driving or backing up. I do backup the trailer into my garage in the dark (most nights) when we return from the lake. I am thinking these would also help me back up me driveway if they were visible.

Based on the feedback, it looks like I will be leaning towards the 65" VeVe guides. From what I understand, now I just need to determine which lights and pads.

 

[jetboater4life]

The smiths lights are great. They act just like the tail lights ....break lights and blinkers. I'm super happy with them for less than $30 off amazon.

 

[Jump Right In]

@jetboater4life , I am an amazon junkie, but can only seem to find what appears like a clear/white CE smith pipe light. But from your description, I would have guessed that yours is a red light???

 

[woodard1983]

@jetboater4life , I am an amazon junkie, but can only seem to find what appears like a clear/white CE smith pipe light. But from your description, I would have guessed that yours is a red light???

View attachment 4008

nope, those are the right ones. The lens is clear, but the LED's are red and amber

 

[JC6275]

I have always used solder and heat shrink, I use plasti-dip over that to "seal" up the connection, you can either dip the connection in the can or use a small brush, it dries like rubber so it is pretty easy to get off if needed.

 

[Jump Right In]

Derick @jetboater4life - in your thread at the other site you have some great pics of your VeVe's that definitely helped. What length pad are on those posts? Any need to go longer or shorter if you had to do it again? Thanks as always...

 

[jetboater4life]

nope, those are the right ones. The lens is clear, but the LED's are red and amber

woodard is correct, you can see them in action in one of my photos in my install thread.

 

[jetboater4life]

Derick @jetboater4life - in your thread at the other site you have some great pics of your VeVe's that definitely helped. What length pad are on those posts? Any need to go longer or shorter if you had to do it again? Thanks as always...

Here is my invoice. My pads work perfect. They don't cover the entire post but they cover everything that needs to be covered. I do remember having a little trouble getting the caps off of the pvc posts (as another poster mentioned) so I could put the Smith lights on. The caps weren't glued on but just really snug. I would try to call them and see if they can leave the caps off of part T-965 if you intend to go with the smith lights. I did not call them before I ordered everything off their website. It's not the best website for ordering stuff but it worked.

 

[jetboater4life]

I've copied the info over from my other thread, its not the best write up but hopefully it helps someone. There are a few other write ups on the YJB site, as well as some youtube videos too.

I finally got around to posting some pics of my veve guides with CE smith lights. So far they have worked really well. I don't boat at night due to little kids so the the lights are a bit of a novelty however they will come in handy when backing up at night in the years to come. To mount the lights I put the provided bolt (from CE smith light package) through the top part of the veve guide which already had the whole drilled. This keeps the PVC pipe from rotating which can't happen when you have a wire from the light going down it. The guide pads rotate so having the PVC fixed is alright. I painted all the hardware with rustoleum glossy black. I had to drill two holes in my rear trailer steps so I could mount the brackets. This isn't needed on a 230 trailer because there is more room. I used a lot of dielectric grease to help the connection in the connector clamps. I'm hoping they last long enough until I upgrade to my LED lights which just arrived yesterday. I sprayed the veve guide pads with 303 uv protectant. I drilled the holes when the boat was in the water and made a mistake. Who can point out the problem I created?

 

[Zarrella]

@jetboater4life. ....It looks like you must be buying all of your gas on the water...lol

 

[jetboater4life]

@jetboater4life. ....It looks like you must be buying all of your gas on the water...lol

Fortunately I'm able to bend the guide pole just enough to get the gas hose pump in there. At some point I'm going to drill two more holes in my trailer and move the guide poles back 4 to 6 inches. Hopefully Brian @(Jump Right In)won't make the same mistake as me.

 

[Zarrella]

I considered your dilemma when I installed mine. Thanks for keeping me from having the same problem.

 

[Jump Right In]

Without your wise words of wisdom Derick, I am certain the same mistake would have been possibly by me. However, with your warnings if I make the same mistake I ought to have my keys and ownership removed! Always has been one of the things I love about forums, from the entire group, only one person ever should make a mistake!

 

[Jump Right In]

I bought my veve's tonight... One item of note. The veve mobile website works much, much better than their desktop version. I ordered them on my iPad, and the site was easy to navigate.

 

[HidnNOS]

So I got my 65"veve guides and pads today and the CE smith lights for the top. the lights come with 8ft of wire and these clips to crimp into the existing trailer wiring (it says the Brown wire). Anyways it seems to me if I use these that the connection will be under water at times. This doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

How did you connect yours? Please help.

I used shrink tube solder filled connectors, the connectors that come with the kit are to crappy/ghetto imo. Many people add them all over wiring of vehicles but I dont believe in that way. .02

 

[jetboater4life]

I used shrink tube solder filled connectors, the connectors that come with the kit are to crappy/ghetto imo. Many people add them all over wiring of vehicles but I dont believe in that way. .02

@HidnNOS I agree, I was in a hurry to get them done and haven't done a lot of shrink wrapping as I only have a hair dryer for the heat gun. I hadn't heard of the solder filled connectors. Can you suggest any good heat guns for the work. I'm going to be adding a second battery to my boat this spring and eventually will do a stereo upgrade.

 

[jetboater4life]

I wasn't able to get the CE Smith light wire all the way down through the metal post. I think that would have been a cleaner look. Someone said they were able to do it with a fish tape which is a tool I've been meaning to add to my collection for quite some time. Just make sure it will reach the rear connectors for power and ground under the trailer. My connections were pretty tight and I wasn't in the mood to splice in additional wire.

 

[HidnNOS]

[USER=337]@HidnNOS I agree, I was in a hurry to get them done and haven't done a lot of shrink wrapping as I only have a hair dryer for the heat gun. I hadn't heard of the solder filled connectors. Can you suggest any good heat guns for the work. I'm going to be adding a second battery to my boat this spring and eventually will do a stereo upgrade.[/USER]

My work has a very small torch, not much bigger than a sharpie we use for wiring of aftermarket gauges, meth kits etc. Not expensive at all and im sure readily available anywhere they sell that stuff

 

[HidnNOS]

Here is how I routed my wire. Through the tube would have been cleaner but this was a better option than zip ties or dangling wire. Honestly, my technician did this for me, I just told him I dont like ghetto. I like working with detail oriented people!