Utility Cycling - single-wheel trailer build (updated as I go along!)

Hello everyone. I am building a single-wheeled trailer for use in my courier business. Eventually I hope to be capable of carrying much greater loads, but for now this will be a big step up.

I'll update this as the trailer progresses, and you can see the problems I run into, where I change my mind or get new ideas, etc.

Firstly, this will involve welding - I got a second-hand arc welder for £20, so I'll be welding things together rather than some kind of bolt-on arrangement.

Some home-made trailers that are particularly inspiring:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=8417031&postcount=56
http://www.instructables.com/id/new_trailer_completed_march_09/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Single_Wheeled_Bike_Trailer/

And a few othes that I'll post up when I find them again!

I was going to make the main frame and basket of the trailer out of salvaged angle iron, but I since was very lucky and found some ideal material. I will reveal the source, incase anyone else wants to try their luck. There is a very large Royal Mail depot not too far away, and I noticed a skip on their site full of bikes (none that didn't need a lot of work), bike parts, and separate front baskets. Here are what the bikes are like:

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2009/03/26/1238066747351-1l5z21uw9h4j3-280-75.jpg

And the baskets I got:

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/8189/dscf5525small.jpg

I will use two, cutting one end off each of them, then welding them together. I started doing this with two of the wrong type of baskets - note how they are asymetrical, and bent that way, whereas the type I just showed above will be mostly symetrical once I cut that extra bar off the long edge.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3339/dscf5523small.jpg

So, today's job is to go back to the skip and see if I can get a partner for the "right" type of basket. There were three types I noticed, in all. I should note that I did in fact speak to the manager of the workshop on site and had his express permission to take what I wanted from the skip :)

Today I was also cutting up bike frame bits:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7064/dscf5524small.jpg
You ain't Raleigh any more...

I plan to attach that part to the basket of the trailer kind of like this:

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3927/dscf5526small.jpg

With the forks cut off, turned 90 degrees (anti-clockwise in that picture), and welded back on. See the first link at the top for an example.

I will then have to fashion some kind of custom hitch, which I'll worry about later.

As for the back of the trailer:

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9084/dscf5528small.jpg
Something like that. I'll improvise how well it needs to be attached. I don't know what wheel I'll use yet, but it will come from a kid's bike when I find one, I guess.

The piece in the above picture: this is what you call a frozen stem :/
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8968/dscf5529small.jpg


So that's it for now. I'll post again when I've done some more on it. Eventually it will all be painted green, to match my company colours. I hope it will look pretty cool - we'll see.

Thanks for your interest.

--Joe

I am excited to see this thread progress, I love DIY projects. Great ideas.

Hi Joe,
Good to see you have made a start. Nice find with the post office bikes, I thought of using a shopping trolly basket for mine at first! this could still be an option? Just cut the wobbly wheels of and weld up the flappy bit.

Make sure that the forks you have actually fit around your back wheel? - remember your back wheel is wider than a pair of front forks due to the cogs etc

Youv'e probably already seen my cobbled together hitch - (wider than the back wheel)

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch.jpg

As yet still untested. I'll try and get a couple of pics done to show you it hooked up.

Keep updating your progress mate, I'd like to see how your getting on

Regards
Tom

Keep updating your progress mate, I'd like to see how your getting on

+1 :thumb:

Thanks for the interest.
BossCat - yea, I did a bit of manual re-proportioning of the forks I'll use to connect the trailer to the bike. They fit just about right, now.
I like your hitch a lot, it looks better than simply a set of front forks sticking out from the trailer. I do have some spare handlebars/stem that I suppose I could employ. Hmm. It does mean more welding, though, and I'm really not very good at it. I'll see how it looks when it's coming together.

Yesterday I retrieved two more baskets, a very heavy-duty panier rack, and an entire frame of one of those post bikes (including a very useful lock... the kind that is fixed onto the back of the frame and inserts a bar through the rear wheel).

I'm heading out to do some hacking and whacking now.

Hello again. I've been getting some advice from my technically-minded friend, and have come up with an alternative frame design. The pieces are now cut - though they do need to be trimmed a bit. I'll try to weld them tomorrow, if I manage it.

Once it is welded as shown, I am going to cut out a ~10cm section from the middle of each of the short ends (and the cross braces), then shift the resulting two long halves back together, thus making the whole thing about 40-45cm wide. This is so that it will be no wider than my handlebars. I have drop handlebars on my bike, and they're fairly narrow. The frame as it is now is already narrower than handlebars on many hybrid/commuter bikes, but I want to be able to go exactly where I could go before, on my current bike (since I don't know when I'll be employing new bikes or anything).

Plus, a single-wheel trailer needs to be pretty narrow, I imagine, for stability.

Seeing this lovely big trailer frame is tempting me to make a two-wheeler instead, though. The one-wheeler will be such trouble to get right!

My idea at the moment is to paint the frame green, and then have a black fabric linining on the inside of the cage, so that the green tubing is visible from the outside. I reckon it would look pretty cool.

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/7497/dscf5574small.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/1527/dscf5572small.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4787/dscf5573small.jpg

Before you start welding. A little tip! Get a length of wooden dowel rod (cut it to size) and slip a couple of inches of it into the basket tubing - (you could glue it as well?) then slot it all together. This will reinforce your tubing at the weld points plus make your basket SOLID and easier to weld.

Comming along nicley mate :thumb:
Tom

Hi rtciv,

Sorry for hijacking your thread, but as were working on the same kinda project I dont think you'll mind to much?

Done a bit more work to my mono hitch today. Iv'e got some aluminium angled plate that you may have seen me use on other trailers? I drilled 4 holes in plate and used a couple of clamps! (think there used to bolt satilight dishes to walls?) to secure the angle plate to my hitch. Drilled another couple of holes in plate for trailer frame then bolted it all together. I haven't put my grey box back on yet as I cant just yet? - The bolts that clamp on the hitch stick out a little bit much to slip the box on. I may have to drill the box and clamp through it.

Attached to bike - need to trim bolts down a bit.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch1.jpg

Hitch attached to frame - I can get a good 45 degree turn but I think with the box on it will be reduced due to the box hitting the hitch.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch2.jpg

Clamp Bolts - You can see from this picture how the bolts stick out into the frame area where the box will sit.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch3.jpg

Full Setup - Took a few pics but this was the only half decent one that turned out. Will get a few more taken.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch4.jpg

Still a bit of cleanup grinding to do and a fresh lick of paint. Yes (I KNOW) theres a BIG gap between hitch & tyre, its just the way it worked out. Also the hitch is not welded up completly square! but it'll have to do for now.
I found an old ironing board, the legs are bent about right I may get my mate to redo the hitch - We'll see.

Regards
Tom

Got some more done today. Grinded off a few knobbley welds and bits, was going to grind off where stem was attached to bike frame but mate came around for his grinder - (iv'e had it 4 weeks).

As you can see mine was once a Raleigh - Don't know how badge got turned upside down? You can also see (maybe?) from this pic it aint straight - mate must have welded it squint!

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/squint.jpg

As my mate took his grinder back (I'll loan it back :)) I thought i'd just do a wee quick paint job. I also bolted my grey box back on.

Damn - forgot to take a pic of clamps/brackets bolted through box :mad:
http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/quickpaint2.jpg

The turn is not great due to box being on. I could extend the angle bracket out further to give me a better turning circle but I have now drilled and bolted throught the box:rolleyes:
You can see the two bits where the old bike stem was welded - I still have to grind these off and do another paint job.
http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/turn.jpg

This is how it looks all hooked up.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/hookup.jpg

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/hookup2.jpg

I suppose I best go take it for a test run now that the box has been bolted back on.
I'll report back how it handles/tracks and if there are any hicups!

How's the welding coming along rtciv? You got you basket done yet?

Regards
Tom

PS... The yellow spider bungee is just to holdthe lid on until I make some sort of hinge and lock.

Good stuff, BossCat! That's looking pretty well sorted out. I'll be interested to hear how it handles, especially as you add weight to it.

I haven't done any productive welding yet, it's taking me a long time preparing the metal. I have 13 joints to weld for the basket, and so 26 areas that need paint removing. It's taking about 15-20 minutes for each 2-3" section so far. I'm not looking forward to stripping the rest of the basket! Realistically it's going to be another month at least before I get it sorted, if it works at all. If I had bought a trailer when I was going to, three weeks back, I'd be up and running by now. It's more fun and "credible" to build it, I feel, but it's certainly holding me back.
Things do take everso long, don't they.

I wonder, what are the dimensions of your trailer? The whole thing, from the hitch to the back wheel, and also then the cargo area.

Thanks

Hi rtciv,

After a few test runs (empty) the trailer tracks ok, you hardly know its there. Today I done a bit of shopping. While buying my shopping I think I was unconsciously buying heavy stuff - 8 tins beans - Sugar - big bag of spuds etc.
Having loaded up my shopping I headed off to my mates about 2 mile. The trailer handled ok, the bike a little wobbley but I think that happens with all trailers? I cant take SHARP turns due to the box but so far this hasn't been a problem.
When I got home I weighed myself on the bathroom scales - A peanut off 12 Stone :D I then picked up all my shopping and stood on scales again - 14 Stone dead. So my trailer handled 2 Stone today :)

Just mesured the trailer - Lenght 63in from hitch to rear of tyre. If you look at the picture you'll seen theres a bit of a gap between tyre & trailer, there is also abit of a gap between trailer frame & wheel. I done this as I planed to attach a dynamo to the rear of trailer frame, which would be driven by a chain from trailer wheel. You may just see a small bar in front of the trailer wheel? - this will hold the dynamo/cordless drill motor? ;)
http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/hookup.jpg

The load area is - Length 20 1/2in X Width 12 1/2 in. just fine for my shopping trips ;) Should I need to haul anything bigger i'll use my bought (2 wheel) trailer. I also have another long/large haul trailer im still working on...
http://tinyurl.com/phcses
http://tinyurl.com/ole94k
http://tinyurl.com/pmhx4o

I wont be able to continue with my BIG trailer (above) until a scource out more materials :innocent: ;)

Regards
Tom

Wow, how about this mono trailer I just found.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z3iU73Uw_T8/R7XiBxVqVpI/AAAAAAAABk0/uKMbv0bzE9E/s1600/look%2Ba%2Btrailer1e.jpg

Guys blog.
http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2008/02/snowbike-timeline.html

Regards
Tom

Hello again. Well, true to my intention of updating as I go along, I'd like to express my current thinking on the whole project.

You'll be dissappointed to hear that now actually I'm thinking more of making a longtail, plus a two-wheel trailer. It would be better for my intended purpose, I think. I could make a really nice-looking and solid xtra-cycle style rack with the red steel tubing I have from the baskets, and also I could weld the bike itself together, instead of bolting.

I'll keep thinking.

What about building something like this....

http://www.cyclofiend.com/working/images08/wb080-1trailer1.jpg

http://www.cyclofiend.com/working/2008/wb080-bethhamon0208.html

There are pictures of it carrying two big bucket type panniers?
Regards
Tom

That doesn't look good enough, BossCat. It's all about the image.

Tonight I did the first welds of this project, and now the trailer basket is in two pieces instead of three! I'll put pictures up tomorrow.

Glad to hear the weldings coming along.

TRY sticking to the one thing - Mono Wheel - Longtail/Xtracycle - 2 Wheeled Trailer? Dont jump from project to project because of the odd hicup. Everything takes time mate.


That doesn't look good enough, BossCat. It's all about the image.
I think that would be eye catching for your courrier business? (cant spell courrier :D)

Regards
Tom

Aye, I am very indecisive. I think? I'm not sure, actually.


The plan was originally to make a one-wheel trailer and also a two-wheel trailer. But I think it would make more sense to make a longtail plus a two-wheel trailer (to be used when needed). I reckon a longtail would be more striking and generally look better and more capable than having a trailer permanently attached.
At this stage in the trailer side of the project, it's just about basic welding of the basket, which I'd have to do anyway. So I'm getting that done, regardless.

http://uk.geocities.com/topcattc@btinternet.com/monohitch1.jpg

That hitch design doesn't allow much vertical movement of the trailer relative to the bike. Why don't you orientate the rod ends the other way, like this....

These plates have a nut welded onto the insides, you can just make out the thread...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/singlewheel/DSC00039.jpg

The rod ends are attacjed to the swingarm by threadind them onto high tensile bolts welded directly to the swingarm. This allows you to 'tune' the length of each leg of the swigarm.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/singlewheel/DSC00032.jpg

I welded wingnuts to the bolt heads that attacj the trailer to the bike. Makes it quick & easy to hitch the trailer to the bike.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/singlewheel/DSC00144.jpg


The swingarm is a steel fork with the legs cut off and welded at 90 degrees.
The finished product...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/singlewheel/DSC00044.jpg

My welding:

The two pieces held together by a length of old inner-tube:
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/846/dscf5606small.jpg

The first weld, done where the parts were held tightly onto each other:
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3112/dscf5608small.jpg


The second weld, on the other side of the basket. Here there was a ~1.5mm gap which was really hard to fill without blowing holes in the end of the tubes. I eventually got it joined, though:
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1447/dscf5609small.jpg

They are possibly the least attractive welds ever laid down, but I don't mind about that. It's been raining all day today so I haven't done any more yet. Now that those two welds are on it should be much easier to reinforce them, and do the other welds as well.

Damn!!! This lads not paying any attention :rolleyes: I'll have to cycle down with ma BIG Whip.

Didn't you see my tip about wooden dowle?

Regards
TC

Yea, I did, and last night while desperately trying to align the tubes, I wished I had some. But I didn't, so I just did it anyway. It wouldn't have made my welds any neater anyway, to be honest. That inner-tube tie held it all as tight as it would get, there was a slight gap at one join but the other three were flush.

Hmmm !


Right, Welds; I'm going to have my two-penn'th .... .... ... So I hope no one takes offence.:thumb:

Here is my bike trailer, it is fully welded using a MIG welder; a decent industrial set and with the correct gas mix, but more importantly the tubing is mainly 2 mm wall thickness, and I am qualified and very experienced welder, so all of the joints have been properly prepped; even so, some of the welds were far from perfect, and required rework and rectiyfing.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/trailer014.jpg

A 1.5mm gap is sometimes more benifical, allowing a full penetration, full fusion weld, rather than a weak on the surface "blob" that often occurs with butted up joints, especially when working with thin walled tubing.

At the moment I do not have access to any welding gear, either MIG, "Stick" or Oxy/Acet gas. However, I am building a steel single wheel bike trailer for myself. The tubing that I am using is 10 mm |(outside) diametre X 1.5 mm wall thickness hydraulic pipe: All of the joints will be brazed, using a reasonably cheap propane gas torch, flux coated brass rods, an extra tub of flux, and a propane cyclinder.

This I can do at home; I live in a ground floor flat, without any workshop facilities, and I am doing the "Hot work" outside on the communal lawn (the tube bending, cutting, etc. is all being done in my kitchen).

Brazing on steel, or brass welding as it is correctly known is a very forgiving method and is extremely suitable for bicycle related work. After all, up until the widespread use of tig welding only a few years ago, virtually every joint on a steel bike was brazed.

This is the torch that I am using: http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/fc109-gas-torch-with-nozzles As you can see, it is a realively inexpensive torch set, and it does supply more than sufficent heat to complete the brazing work when using 3 mm flux coated rods.

Propane is a "dirty" burning gas, producing a lot of carbon soot if the flame is not set high enough, that is why I am using extra flux in conjuction with the flux coated rods. Joint preperation is also very important; all of the joints I am making are cleaned throughly with a piece of emery until shiny. I am then using a piece of coarser emery cloth to literally score the joints surace before coating with the made up flux paste. This will allow a better flow of the molten brass into the joints.

Brazing (or brass welding) is also very tough, and will allow a better flexing through the the completed joints. Welding, and especially poor welding can actually weaken a joint resulting in catastrophic failure due to stress cracking. A little flexing is not a bad thing, especially if you take into account the current state of the majority of Britain's roads :(


OK;

Most tool supply shops, etc. will either stock, or be able to source the propane torch. If you live in a larger town or City, a smaller independent garage or engineering works will often sell you Brazing rods and some flux (ask to see the foreman, charge hand, etc. and offer cash :innocent: ).

If you live in a more Rural area, go to the local Agricultral or horticultral machine dealer (tractors, mowers, etc.) almost all of these will retail a single Brazing rod and a small tube of flux.

A supplier of Hydraulic pipe can be found in most towns; a full 6 metre length of (uncoated bare steel) 10 mm pipe recently cost me £8+VAT (Stauff UK, Wymondham, Norfolk). If the company also does hydraulic installations, you may be able to purchase a few lengths of off-cuts or scrap tubing for a small donation to the "Tea fund."

Failing all that, if you live in the UK and are still struggling, send me an email or a personal message, and I will see if I can help you further.

Regards

Gareth.

That's a very good looking trailer, Gareth! I will come back later to ask you about "painting" it and such.

Thank you for all the advice about welding and brazing. I reckon I'm going to stick to my stick, though, and continue arc welding it. I've got a lot better already and my later joints seem much improved. I'll get some pics up soon.
I just need to get something built ASAP, really.

In general: I have almost finished the basket of the trailer. All last week it kept raining five or six times a day, so I never got my welding gear set up to finish it off. Hopefully I will do that today.

Then I need some wheels, which I think I can source quite easily. I may also need some more tubing, since I need to construct the "wrap" around the outside of the wheels, to hold the outer drop-out. I think I'll use dropouts cut from actual bike forks, to save fabricating those from plate metal.

Oh, and regarding the longtail bike - the mountainbike frame I was going to use is actually aluminium, so I will need to find another one (I want to weld it). There don't seem to be many suitable bikes for sale around here at the moment.

That's a very good looking trailer, Gareth! I will come back later to ask you about "painting" it and such.

I may also need some more tubing, since I need to construct the "wrap" around the outside of the wheels, to hold the outer drop-out. I think I'll use dropouts cut from actual bike forks, to save fabricating those from plate metal..

Have you considered using the front forks and headset tube from something like a cheap kiddies BMX?

If the complete head set tub was cut away from the rest of the frame, it could be used in conjuction with a couple of quick realese type pins, so that wheels and forks rotate through 90 degrees for storage.

This is not my idea, but one gleaned from another single wheel bike trailer project that I found posted on the internet:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/bike%20trailer%20single%20wheel/flat_t1.jpg

The painting of my 2 wheel bike trailer was a relatively simple and straight forward affair, as I brush painted it with three coats of paint; Hammerite red-oxide primer/undercoat, Hammerite smooth dark blue topcoat, and finally a coat of hammerite hammered dark blue. Here is a copy and paste from my bike trailer blog on; www.overthegate.com (http://www.overthegate.com)

"I'll bet that you lot had thought that I had forgotten about my Bike trailer, and it had become an abandoned project.

Well, you were not far off the mark; working hard on the Ocean Observer, meeting Lois and forming a new relationship, and my new virgin plot allotment have consumed a lot of time recently. But last week I had the opportunity to finish the rubbing down to bare metal and repainting my two wheel bike trailer at long last; it's only taken me 9 months to get around to it.

Anyway last week I got the paint on, and over the weekend I actually managed to reasemble the trailer. As it was me, one incident, and one technical problem arose.

The incident;

I spent all of Thursday painting: One coat of Hammerite Primer undercoat, one coat of Hammerite Smooth dark blue top coat, and one coat of Hammerite Dark blue hammered finish paint. Because I live in a smallish ground floor flat without a garden, I chose to undertake the work in my internal hallway. Suspending the bike trailer from a piece of timber resting on the toilet, and bedroom door frames. All well and good in theroy, but damn well dangerous in practice.

I had opened all of the five windows and internal doors in my flat to allow ventilation, but there was no wind, and therefore no draught. At approx. 5 pm, Lois found me passed out on the sofa. I had stopped for a cuppa after finishing the third and final coat of paint, but had not realised that the paint fumes had built up. I was awoken abruptly by Lois, and dragged outside into the fresh air, and it took a good few minutes and a little "mouth to mouth" for me to return to my senses. So if it says use in a well ventilated area on the tin, follow that advice, and if possible do the painting outside.

The problem that has arisen;

Originally, 10 years ago this Bicycle trailer was designed and built to be towed behind a fixed frame mountain bike on 26 inch diameter wheels. My Falcon Explorer has 700c diameter wheels fitted, and therefore the the trailer's drawbar is not long enough to fit to the seat post; my chosen towing point. I now have to make a new bracket to fit onto the rack of my current bicycle, and it may be another couple of weeks before I am tearing about Norwich with trailer loaded with shopping, etc. following behind me.

The bike trailer hanging from the door frames and the first coat of red-oxide primer on;

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment003.jpg

This will give you some idea how small my place is; Who else do you know who keeps their bicycle and bike trailer in their living room? ROFL .

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment005.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment009.jpg

The smooth finish dark blue topcoat on;

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment015.jpg

The hammered Blue topcoat on.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment011.jpg

The bicycle trailer frame paintwork completed.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/2wheelbiketrailerrefurbishment00-1.jpg


The bicycle trailer refurbishment is now finished,

From this;

[/img]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/Biketrailer006.jpg

To this:

Note; I have fitted my two drinks bottles for the photo.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/trailer014.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/Bicycles%20and%20bits/trailer012.jpg

Have you considered using the front forks and headset tube from something like a cheap kiddies BMX?

If the complete head set tub was cut away from the rest of the frame, it could be used in conjuction with a couple of quick realese type pins, so that wheels and forks rotate through 90 degrees for storage.

This is not my idea, but one gleaned from another single wheel bike trailer project that I found posted on the internet:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m230/Gareth_Lewis/bike%20trailer%20single%20wheel/flat_t1.jpg

Ah, yes that's how I was going to do it for a single-wheeled trailer, but lost somewhere in this thread I mentioned that I've changed plans. I was going to make a single-wheeled trailer, plus a two-wheeled one. But I since thought it might be better to make a two-wheeled trailer plus a longtail bike. As such, I need wheels on each side, which is somewhat more complicated and will need good precision in construction.

If I made a single-wheeled trailer I really couldn't carry a great deal on it at all, so I reckon a longtail bike would be better anyway, and then this two-wheeled trailer for really heavy stuff.


Thanks for the info about painting. I'll certainly be doing mine outside!

Do you use your trailer around Norwich still? I am in Norwich a fair bit, and I'll definately notice it if I see it. I've seen two people with bakfiets, two or three other trailers (all shop-bought ones), and someone has an 8-freight as well.

Yes, I use my trailer in and around Norwich; I live in the Catton Grove area on the northside of the city and can be seen doing the supermarket run up to Asda on Boundry road and Tesco's out on the Wroxham road. I can usually be seen around Anglia Square, and occosionally I'll tow the trailer down to the market place and the Forum in the city.

The Eight Frieght is made by Mike Burrows of Burrows engineering, which is about 4 or 5 miles from Norwich at Rackheath

Hi everyone. I'm still here. I got an angle-grinder the other day, and it's pretty fun. It makes light work of getting paint off and preparing the surfaces well. Here's some updates:

I bought a bike at a car-boot sale for £5 to take the wheels:

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/6387/dscf5675small.jpg


My plan for the single-wheeled trailer:

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5433/dscf5679small.jpg

My angle-grinder and the surfaces I get from it:

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7629/dscf5683small.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9485/dscf5682small.jpg


The rear of the trailer basket, with the small U-piece of metal nailed onto the wood to hold it in place while I make the welds:

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/3050/dscf5684small.jpg

Where I'm at now:

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5852/dscf5686small.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8732/dscf5685small.jpg


I tried to grind out hollows in the tubes when I was butting them against each other, or laying them over each other (in a + shape), to get a snug fit and facilitate a nice weld, but I didn't really do it well enough so I might reinforce or just re-make the fork-to-basket joint.

Today hopefully I'll get the whole rest of the basket done, and then think about the hitch.

Thanks

Hi Joe,

Looks like you've settled on a one wheeler! Looking ok mate - but I think your wheel is a little to close to the basket? maybe have an inch or two gap? ...Are you putting a mudguard over the wheel from thebasket?

Also the forks. You have them pointing UP, where as if they were pointing down it would give you basket a bit more ground clearance. You have to remember that you want your basket kind of level so you have to take that into account when attaching your hitch.

Keep it up mate, its comeing along nicley :thumb:

Regards
Tom

Hi Joe,

Looks like you've settled on a one wheeler!

Well, that's what I'm doing right now, at least. I still have the other basket I made, that's for a two-wheeled trailer at some point


Looking ok mate - but I think your wheel is a little to close to the basket? maybe have an inch or two gap? ...Are you putting a mudguard over the wheel from thebasket?

It's just the perspective, there's a fair gap there really. I'll get another pic to show you. Yes I'll probably put a mudguard on it.



Also the forks. You have them pointing UP, where as if they were pointing down it would give you basket a bit more ground clearance. You have to remember that you want your basket kind of level so you have to take that into account when attaching your hitch.

Keep it up mate, its comeing along nicley :thumb:

Regards
Tom

Yea, I intentionally had them pointing up so that the trailer would be lower to the ground. I'm about to weld the headtube-based pivot onto the other end of the basket, so I'll have another look at the measurements and if it will be level. I can always make slight adjustments to that at the other end, near the hitch, I guess.

Thanks

Well, I only had a couple of hours to work on it today, with rain taking up most of the day. The head-tube should be ready to go on tomorrow - I've ground out the joints for it and such. I shall have to be very careful not to weld through the head-tube, or it will interfere with the movement of the forks.

I'll write more tomorrow, but for now here's something to look at:

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8731/dscf5733small.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5504/dscf5734small.jpg

Seeing the side-on photos I now see the gap at the back wheel, also the hight of the basket looks ok.
I think you should add a Vertical piece of pipe/tube - weld it to the forks and up under the rear of the basket. This IMO would add a bit more strength to the basket.
You only have 3 welds holding your Forks/Basket together after time and bumps this may begin to flex and snap?

Now comes the tricky part? The Hitch, I say tricky as I thought I had sussed out a good design with my half crankshaft hitch but I had to rethink it into what it is today, even that could do with a little adjusting :)

I'd like to see close ups of the front of the basket and your hitch assembly?

Keep it up mate its coming along nicely :thumb:

Regards
Tom

Seeing the side-on photos I now see the gap at the back wheel, also the hight of the basket looks ok.
I think you should add a Vertical piece of pipe/tube - weld it to the forks and up under the rear of the basket. This IMO would add a bit more strength to the basket.
You only have 3 welds holding your Forks/Basket together after time and bumps this may begin to flex and snap?



You mean like this?

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2944/trailer1f.jpg

I was planning to add something like that - there's a lot of leverage on the forks/basket attachment point otherwise.

You mean like this?

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2944/trailer1f.jpg

I was planning to add something like that - there's a lot of leverage on the forks/basket attachment point otherwise.

Yep thats it :thumb: You have to think if its flexing a little now! How much will the forks flex once the basket is full of stuff?

I was going to add a spring like attachment to the back of mine to give the basket/frame a bit of give when going over bumps etc - Like the bob trailer. You could maybe add something like that instead of the tube/pipe?

I'll try and get a piccy done of the spring that I was going to add.

Regards
Tom

That Spring pic....

http://jwd.org.uk/bikespring.jpg

How long is that whole spring/bolt assembly, BossCat? Is it from the rear-suspension of a mountain bike?

Well, I got the fork/headtube swivel sorted out today:

Hack-saw job:
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/439/dscf5740small.jpg

Rigged up (balanced) ready for welding. The wall-thickness and metal strength were much greater than in the tubing I'd been welding so far, so I could really do some nice and aggressive welding on this piece:
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/8572/dscf5741small.jpg

Not a great picture, but there's the whole thing now, minus the hitch. It's quite long:
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/2470/dscf5743small.jpg

I did also put on the supports for the rear fork. Then pulled them off again to place them in a better position, but then it started raining again, so that's for tomorrow/Friday/Someday now.

Thanks for looking.

How long is that whole spring/bolt assembly, BossCat? Is it from the rear-suspension of a mountain bike?

Yeah its off an old kids bike I cut up to make my mono wheel. Its 170m about 7inch long. The forks would have to be attached to something like a hinge that allows them to flex then the spring would be attached to basket and forks.

You say your trailer is quite long! you could shorten it (LATER) once you get it up and running. If it is to big? just cut out the middle section completly. Then joint/weld the two baskets back. You could weld a strip of metal all along the underside of the two tubes of the basket.

I see in your pile of scrap red bikes a nice piece that looks like it would make a good over over the wheel rack/mudguard? The piece sitting on top of the purple bike.

The trailers looking really good mate. :thumb:

Regards
Tom

It's finished! It works! I've been riding it around, it's so exciting. I can't stop smiling! I'm going out to ride it more. Pics and video coming later.

Well, it's all done. Kind of. Actually, not at all - I still need to cut out the right-angles along its left side, and also grind all the paint off, repaint it, put a floor in, and whatever else.

But I can pull it along behind my bike and carry things in it.

Somehow I didn't get any pictures of the bike side of the hitch being made. Essentially, though, I made two of the following:

[10mm nut]//[12mm nut]//[short 10mm bolt]

//'s denote a weld.

So basically the 10mm nut replaces the original axle nuts on my bike. The 12mm nut acts as a spacer to accomodate the protuding length of axle, once the 10mm nut has been tightened down. The 10mm bolt then acts like an axle extension, to which the trailer can be attached.
I'll get closeups of the hitch later.

Today's work:

With the ends cut off the blue front forks, I slid into them part of a rear triangle from another bike, with good dropouts to use in the hitch:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5473/dscf5817small.jpg

One of the dropouts needed expanding:
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/954/dscf5814small.jpg
Ground out:
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8573/dscf5816small.jpg

The arms of the hitch set in place. I welded this in-situ, to keep them from moving out of position:
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4347/dscf5818small.jpg

All done:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7299/dscf5820small.jpg

It was terribly fun to ride, I couldn't stop smiling. It certainly turns heads.

Handling was very easy, and I couldn't notice it was there really. I tried loading it with about 20lbs or so, and it felt about how I'd have expected. When I get a floor in it I'll try it with varied loads in different arrangements.

Here's a quick video clip of the trailer in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyCFTuDwQOc

Thanks

Looking good mate. I like your slip-in dropouts :)

The trouble I had was my rear wheel is quite wide and I couldn't find forks big enough to fit around it? So I had to do a make up.

I see that you added the bracer bar at the wheel section of your basket. Can I suggest that you also add one or two bracer bars along the bottom of your basket as you only have your two welds holding it all in place. You may find that once loaded up these welds will begin to flex and possible snap?

Cant wait to see it when its all finally done with a nice paint job :thumb:

Regards
Tom

Looking good mate. I like your slip-in dropouts :)

The trouble I had was my rear wheel is quite wide and I couldn't find forks big enough to fit around it? So I had to do a make up.

I see that you added the bracer bar at the wheel section of your basket. Can I suggest that you also add one or two bracer bars along the bottom of your basket as you only have your two welds holding it all in place. You may find that once loaded up these welds will begin to flex and possible snap?

Cant wait to see it when its all finally done with a nice paint job :thumb:

Regards
Tom

Already done! :D

I'll post pics later.

It did indeed flex and bounce a great deal, about those two welds.

I need to add to the welds I made today, but I'm all out of electrodes. They'll hold, I'm sure, but I want to make them stronger to avoid them needing repairs later on.

Regarding my forks/hitch - well those blue forks you can see, I had to manually reposition quite a lot. They were far too narrow originally, and I just bent them out wider. How wide are your tyres? There's about 1.5 tyre widths either side of mine, before the arms of the hitch-forks.

How is the trailer attached to the bike? I see the dropouts in the trailer but I can't tell from these photos how the trailer is retained on the bike. How does the mechanism allow the trailer to pivot up and down at the bike and not slip off?

How is the trailer attached to the bike? I see the dropouts in the trailer but I can't tell from these photos how the trailer is retained on the bike. How does the mechanism allow the trailer to pivot up and down at the bike and not slip off?

Hopefully this picture helps:

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2559/dscf5829small.jpg

The dropouts from the trailer just hook onto the axle extensions I made (described a few posts ago), and then there's a washer and wing-nut tightened up to them. The droupouts can rotate quite freely, it seems. They do work their way up a bit, but apparently only to a certain point. The droupouts are very deep as well, so I shouldn't think it will be a problem, especially since I'll only be using it on roads (fewer bumps and such).

---

The far side of the trailer in this picture (the right side of the trailer really) used to have right-angled pieces leading into the lateral struts, so I cut all of those out today and welded in some curved sections. Also I added reinforcements along the length of the basket. It is noticalby more rattly and bumpy now, unfortunately, but I guess it was neccessary to give it some strength:

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3230/dscf5832small.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3492/dscf5830small.jpg

Thanks rtciv, interesting design.

I think the open dropouts and possibility of one of the arms becoming uncoupled would make me nervous, especially since it could end up in the spokes. This alternative popped into my head when I looked at your design, not shown is the spacer that would be tightened down by the bolt but would allow the trailer to pivot up & down...

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/swtrlr.jpg

That's certainly a safer design, I reckon. Unfortunately I don't know if the long nuts would be available anywhere...
The thread on bike axles is unlike any "normal" thread that the hardware store knew about, so I would imagine you'd have to use dedicated bike axle nuts, which probably aren't produced any longer than they currently are. It also would be quite tricky to weld two or three of them together because their threads would have to be lined up perfectly.

When writing that, I just realised that actually there's still an obvious way around this problem, sticking with your idea:

[10mm axle nut]//[spacer]//[10mm conventional nut(s)]

where again // denotes a weld. So the axle nut goes onto the axle as normal, and the axle protudes into the spacer (like in my current design), but then the third piece is not a 10mm bolt as I currently have, but a 10mm nut, allowing the dropouts to be hitched on like in your diagram.

So yesterday I actually carried some stuff in my trailer:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=9505159#post9505159

Two things:
The hitch dropouts had indeed worked fairly loose by the time I'd got back with that bike strapped to it. It was a very, very wobbley load, though. I will think about how to improve them... or I could just weld the dropouts "closed" and employ a hitch design as suggested by cyclaholic.


Also, the frame of the basket is excellent for clipping bungees to, and tieing things down (or with rope). As such, I think I might like to preserve the "skeleton" of the basket... perhaps I will put in a wooden floor, but leave the rest open. Recall that I will be using this as part of my courier company, additionally I could have a removeable "coat" for the whole thing. Imaging draping a sheet of fabric over the entire basket, that extends beyond the long edges of the basket so that it can be wrapped down the sides and secured underneath, perhaps. That might be the best way to do it. The vast majority of the time it isn't raining, of course, so I won't neccessarily need a cover as standard.

It's unfortunate but unavoidable, I think, that the lovely paint job I have planned will be quickly degraded by attachment of bungees, and leaning the trailer against walls and such.
(http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=29977)

You're almost there... I think the closed ends on the trailer with the axle nut design mod you described in post #44 will take care of the problem. Definitely worth a try.

The wooden floor and rain cover sounds like a great idea. Don't sweat the wear'n'tear, it's a working trailer not a pampered showpony, the wear gives it character. :thumb:

How about........

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2252/dropouts.jpg

such that when a nut is tightened up against the hitch droupouts, the L-shaped cross-section of the dropouts means it can not come off the bolt/axle until the nut is removed.

Does it make sense?

Any updates on yer trailer yet Ritcv? ie paint job etc

Regards
Tom

Any updates on yer trailer yet Ritcv? ie paint job etc

Regards
Tom

Hmm, it's been a while! I did have it all painted and finished, but then broke the hitch arms right away. That was from trying to sit someone in it. I only just repaired them this week, and once I re-paint that area I'll get some pics up.

Bah, they're broken again. The trouble is that the welding is so difficult (relative to my level of skill). The hitch arms are broken again, at a different point. I don't think it's repairable at all, I might have to hack off the hitch arms altogether and start over with a new set of forks. The more I repair them, the weaker they get.

A note to everyone - I got this trailer for work, I'm a cycle courier. For £50 I could have bought a very good brand new trailer, but I wanted to build my own. It's set me back 5 months so far and taken around 60 hours of work.
It's "fun" to build stuff yourself but without the proper facilities to do so, it's not really the best idea. I just wanted to be able to say that I made it, instead of buying it.