CE Smith Trailer Post Guide-Ons with LED Lighting for Trailers

RDM: I found a video on TubeTube with great instruction for installing so it was easy and done with no problems. I really like the lights on the post and feel it will make it easier to back trailer into water in the dark. I recommend this post and a little pricey but I feel worth it.

United States on Sep 14, 2023

Larry McCoyLarry McCoy: For the most part the lighted guide poles installed easily per the included diagram. I removed current guides and installed at intersection of main frame and rear crossmember to avoid any slippage. Brackets and carriage bolts fit well. I removed side reflector to reveal in-frame wiring to running lights and blinkers (White ground, Yellow/Green blinkers, and Brown running lights). I clipped and stripped end of light ground and tested integrity of electrical components by applying to respective battery posts. I was unable to get an adequate ground on boat trailer so I spliced into pre-existing ground wire. All spliced connections were then sealed with heat shrink and put back into frame. Opening to crossmember was then sealed with new self-adhesive reflectors. No drilling into boat trailer was required. Product works as designed and will test sturdiness on the boat ramp in a few days.

One Year Updated Review: Recently had one light that quit working and found connection to original ground wire melted. Other light was functioning properly and was spliced into preexisting harness in same fashion. On non functioning assembly I found that wire had abraded at...

United States on Sep 18, 2019

CrewCut: I had to do a lot of research to makes sure the uprights were long enough on the bottom leg to clear my boat. For some reason, they usually list only the upright height, with no bracket dimensions to judge clearances. The bottom leg is 23" from its outside edge to the end of the tube. Plenty of room for me. The ground screw requires a slightly larger hole than 1/8" . You might have to work the bit to enlarge. I broke one screw off trying to tighten it. I used a fish tape to pull the wire through the tube. It was nice to have the ground ring terminal to wire tie the wire end to the tape. Tight fit, but, it can be done and makes for a cleaner installation. All in all, good product and good instructions. Bad screws.

United States on Oct 15, 2018

D, Charleston SC: Stoutly built and has varied attachment options. Arrived Charleston, SC in 2 days with regular shipping. Uprights are heavy wall box tube that extend about (forgot to measure before mounting) 3ft up into the PVC outer tube. For the kits that have the LED caps included: the instructions state you run the wiring out the base of PVC, but I used a "fish wire" to pull them all the way through and out the end of the steel box tube. The space on the inside of the box tube at the bend is tight, so lubricate your wire so it will pull easier through the bend. This left about 1.5 ft. of wire to make connections to your trailer lighting circuit. I haven't wired in the LED's yet, so can't comment on brightness, but have seen photos online of units in use, and expect them to be suitable to my expectations.
Mounting hardware and electrical splices included.
If the lower leg is too long and hits your bunks or other trailer frame components, simply hacksaw off enough length to allow the uprights to be at your required distance from max boat width.

United States on Jun 14, 2017

Dan: If your wife is an expert at loading the boat in any weather conditions and you know nothing about the subject then this is your answer. We purchased a 1973 Starcraft earlier this year and always struggled to load it. Despite the large bunks on the bottom and keel rollers, the stern of the boat was almost never centered on the trailer when we pulled out of the water. With these guides, I can now drive onto the trailer. Once the keel is in the first roller, it goes on the trailer easily, saving a struggle and potential arguement. Fairly straightforward to install. However, as with most universal mounting kits, the fit is never perfect. There is a 1/2 inch gap between the frame and the U bolts. So far it hasn't moved. However, I plan to install some kind of shim to prevent any possible movement. The brackets are well made, and the steel tubing is much longer than other kits I searched before buying this one. As anyone who has ever backed an empty boat trailer down the ramp knows, visability matters. The upright posts with LED lights are a huge improvement. I highly recommend the guide posts.

United States on Sep 12, 2012