Good Grief---I'm about to tear my hair out. All I want is a transmission cooler, electric brake controller and the trickle charger. You'd think I wanted my own Space Shuttle!

U-Haul seems to know what all these things are, but said he would be putting in the tube and fin cooler (they sell the stacked plates.) I've read the stacked plates are better. (Gina--what kind did you have put in your Element.) Will I be OK with the tube and fin?

Meanwhile, I decided to call the Honda place. They refer me to a place in Iowa. Call them--they can do the brake controller and trickle charger, but say I should go to transmission place for cooler.

I drop my car off at DH's mechanic today to see what they can do. (estimate) They call all over looking for the parts. Even call Honda, who says they don't know what a trickle charger is, but launch into law suits and people trying to haul too much weight.

Should this be THIS hard?? Will I be OK with the U-Haul place?

Thanks!

Go to www.jcw.com and look up your parts and order directly from them. Any shop you trust can install these items.
The type of cooler you need is the size that will fit your vehicle so don't worry if it is a stacked plate or fined tubes because it just doesn't matter as long as it is sized right for your TV.

I went to a local shop called "Trucken Thunder" and they installed my brake controller.

The trickle charger has gator clips on the battery end and an AC plug on the other. Connect the RED clip to the + side of the battery and the black to the - and plug it in.

Your mistake is in the terminology. It's called the "Trailer Battery Charge Line", NOT a trickle charger. It becomes hard when you ask for something that is not standardized phraseology.

I had the HONDA place install my transmission cooler (Yes, the tube-and-fin one) and Camping World installed the Brake Controller and Charge Line.

I don't know about the trans cooler, but for the brake controller, charge line, and battery isolator*, I suggest you check with a trailer shop -- not an RV shop, but one that works on horse and cargo/utility trailers. They will know what they're doing, and probably cost much less.

*(You'll need one of these if you install a charge line. This can be either a solenoid type or a diode type [or maybe both???]. This will keep your tow vehicle battery from going dead while you're stopped for lunch or otherwise parked with the trailer connected).

This is why I had Camping World install my Charge Line; they put in the diode type isolator as a standard part of it.

See, this is why I get ticked off (and I'm usually a pretty nice person.) It was someone at one of these shops that called it a "trickle charger" ( I just described it and said I'm not sure what it's called.) And the Honda place here won't do the transmission cooler because of the "big bad law suit". Whatever--they should be used to it from their stupid breaking front windows.

OK, I've let off some steam now. Thank you, gentlemen, for your answers.

Maybe I'll buy the parts and let my pre-school students install them. I think they could do just as good as some of these yay-hoos.

Geesh

Vickie,

I'd really second checking with a horse trailer shop like Don recommends above. Those folks really know their way around trailers in general and the one I use here loves to work on my "egg." The part of the country you're in you should have no problem locating a good one.

Any Uhual place can do your tranny cooler... MUCH cheaper than Honda would. Mine was the heavy duty one (They have a range of 3) and it was 149 as I recal, installed complete with labor.

I had my "Trailer guy" in Norco do my Brake controller and charge line. As mentioned above, they do nothing but trailer config and repair + welding.. they should know it best and do it quickly. Wasn't very much either.. I think 80.

These folks are someone I've dealt with for years and they even have online instruction videos if you want to give it a go. They have very good prices, they ship fast and free if the order is over $150.00. If you root around in there site you will see everything you are asking for
http://www.etrailer.com/c-TRAN.htm

Vickie B.,
I would also suggest that you check out etrailer as Bill said. I bought my cooler from them and had someone else install it.
You will find that not all tranny coolers are alike. Some are simply "puny". Go with a robust one. Etrailer has several available, and I would install the largest possible. They don't cost that much. I had my installer check and verify the largest he could install in my TV.
My brake controller, I had installed by my RV dealer. No problems.
The trickle charger I bought from Amazon. Get a "smart one" and it won't fry your battery.
Best regards, Vickie.
Mike

Thanks for all your answers. I guess what is making me nervous, is my husband's mechanic (of many years), had me bring in the Element, had it all day to look at it, called around about the parts, and still seemed "unsure". He admitted this would be a first for them, and asked if I could print out instructions from the internet. (I was telling him guys on the Element Club do it all the time.) So, they are no help in telling me which transmission cooler will fit.

I'll go back over to the Element site and see if I can get more specific info. I've read thru the "transmission cooler" posts several times, but maybe I missed something.

Thanks again.

One lesson I've learned the hard way is that if something about a mechanic is making you nervous... listen to your gut (at least that's how it's worked for me).

If a mechanic can't install a transmission cooler.....(maybe there is something especially difficult about an Element -- there could be, for all I know)...it's not usually that hard, is it?

Raya