goldfishin

where would one get the wheels for building a bike trailer? are there companies that sell the hitches?
i'm thinking of building a 4 wheel model with the front wheels being able to turn. although, maybe it would be wiser to stick with two wheels. (i'll be using it to go to the home dept a mile or so away... and for groceries too.) if i stuck with two wheels, it would probably end up as a wooden version of the bikes at work trailer, just much cheaper. so, i guess the real problems are the hitch and the wheels... where and which ones do i get?

Cyclaholic

My favorite place for wheels and materials are dumpsters and council cleanups. you can buy wheels at your bike shop, and materials to build a trailer at your hardware/building supplies shops. I think some trailer companies sell their hitch mechanisms as spare parts but they're usually an expensive option. I've always built my own.

How handy are you? what sort of tools do you have access to? Once you know what tools and materials you have then you can design your trailer within their limitations - no use designing a hitch that requires plasma cutting and CNC machining if all you have a basic woodworking hand tools.

gerv 

That's it exactly. Unless you are pretty handy with tools and doing things yourself, your best bet would be to pick up a used trailer. They frequently sell for about $50 for an Instep or a Bell, but I think the hitches on the Burleys might be better and a Burley might cost a little more.

On the other hand, a DIY trailer would be a work of art.

Eli_Damon

This site (https://bikecart.pedalpeople.com/) gives instructions on building a trailer. Unfortunately, I lack the knowledge, equipment, and skill required to follow the instructions. But maybe you could use them.

goldfishin

i should clarify the wheel problem. it's more a problem of what wheels and how to attach them.

Cyclaholic

I use 20 inch and 26 inch wheels because they meet my structural integrity requirements, are readily available. Tires and tubes are also readily available.

This is my chassis during construction...



To fit wheels to a wooden trailer you need to distribute the load along a structural member. Here's details on how I did mine....



The hitch is my design. I've used this design on a number of trailers with different applications, its a good design but requires some welding. I bolted it to an aluminum angle mount I designed specifically for this wooden trailer so as to distribute the forces to the chassis correctly....









I've hauled over 200 lb on this trailer with no issues.

Sammyboy

If you don't mind a seatpost hitch, folks here say that a piece of old tyre looped round the seatpost and fastened through your trailer arm works well.

bikensurf

As far as wheels are concerned, I got found an old bmx bike on craigslist for $10 and used the wheels off of that and then gave away the frame. The wheels needed new tires and tubes which I picked uo for about $20 at Dick's Sporting goods. I normally wouldn't shop there for bike stuff but it was the cheapest I could find. I'll post pictures of my trailer including the hitch on my "bamboo trailer" post soon, been too busy.

huerro

This link for a DIY trailer has a DIY hitch made of chain too.

https://www.bikesacrossborders.org/diy/trailer.html

vulpes

Great link. Thanks. Are you involved with Rhizome and the bikes Across Borders Project?

huerro

No, but I volunteer at Austin Yellow Bike, kind of an allied org. We do pretty much the same thing, but locally.

oldfool

Small wheels from hardware stores and even walmart. Bike wheels come from crusing suburbia ahead of the trash truck on trash day. The middle class and the poor throw away good stuff.
Check this site for a cheap, easy trailer. Doesn't have to be bamboo which cost more that metal here.
https://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html

gerv 

Certainly an inspiration! I like your design. I built a trailer last year out of conduit, but the thing was such a mess... It would be easier to build a wood frame and create drops like yours.

However, the hitch sounds like it would require some strong welding skills, which I lack.

Also... just thinking here... wouldn't the hitch be a lot stronger if it were connected to the seat and chains stays rather than the hub?

Cyclaholic

Thanks

I've never liked those conduit designs, I think they're just too flimsy to safely carry any worthwhile payload. For a similar ammount of effort and skill you can build a much sturdier chassis in wood.

Only basic welding on that one. You can prep all the bits and take it into any place that welds (most auto body repair shops, etc) they'd be able to weld it in a few minutes.

Good question. The answer is yes.... and no it depends on the frame. No if its an alu or cf frane, maybe if its a steel frame. Consider that you'd be clamping to relatively thin walled tubes and stressing them in their weakest plane. The QR or axle is actually an exellent point to place the load, alternatively I would prefer a seat post clamp arrangement like a trail-a-bike before going to a seat/chain stay clamp.

Doug5150

If you want a high-weight-capacity 4-wheel trailer, I think the best thing to do is go buy a gardening wagon at Lowes or Home Depot, and just make a new handle and hitch for it. These wagons are kinda heavy--40-50 lbs or so empty,,,, but they have a LOT of nice features if you can stand the weight. Sides that flip down or remove, the bed and sides are made of steel mesh, the wheels have ball bearings in them and their stated weight capacities are often over 1000 lbs (which I think is more than a little optimistic) but it's safe to say they're weight limits are usually far beyond anything you'd want to pull with a bicycle. The wheels don't stick up above the cargo bed level, so you can strap BIG items to it that are much larger than the cargo bed.

They're also cost much less than anything comparable you can likely build yourself: where I live Lowes sells a wagon like this that's 24 x 48 inches, for $80. If you look around online, you will see that you would spend at least ~$20 each just for the wheels. Judging from the prices I see at my local metals supplier, the steel alone for this wagon would cost you well more than $80, unless you used scrap/salvage. There's quite a bit of welding on this thing, and even if you have your own welder, doing that costs money too.

It's not listed on the Lowe's website, but the one I've seen looks like this one:
https://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...1443_200311443
-only the Lowe's one is $79, and it's painted yellow. The steering linkages seemed a bit loose, but fatter bolts could tighten them up a bit.

Also--part of the reason that I like the idea of a 4-wheel cargo trailer is that you can use it separately of your bike. ...Although you probably want to spray-paint it a different color before going back to Lowe's with it. ;)
~

gerv 

The wooden chassis has a one advantage for the DIY builder: It is much easier to work with wood, tools are more common, than conduit (where you need to obtain a bender and then learn how to bend). It is easier to attached the dropout mechanism for the wheels (as you have done above...).

The big downside for wood, though, is weight. I would think the wooden trailer would be at least 5 pounds heavier. Although an extra 5 pounds would not be a show stopper to my mind.

Sounds like a great winter project.

cerewa

Conduit benders are really easy to learn to use, and conduit is very strong.

Conduit benders are not a common tool, but it is only one tool.

With wood, attaching a secure trailer-tongue struck me as the biggest challenge.

Raiyn

While I admire the homebuilt jobs I'm glad I just rehabbed a kiddie trailer.

Cyclaholic

Yes, agreed.


It may be a little heavier for the same overall size (maybe), but if properly designed & built you'll easily have a sturdier trailer that will carry a greater payload.

John Lesar

This is a trailer I am working on. I used a garage sale aluminum ladder and some Ebay wheels. Still need to finish the tongue and hitch.

Trailer empty_small.jpg Trailer full_small.jpg

vulpes

Sweet! What a great idea. I can't wait to see how the tongue and hitch come out.

oldfool

[QUOTE=John Lesar]This is a trailer I am working on. I used a garage sale aluminum ladder and some Ebay wheels. Still need to finish the tongue and hitch./QUOTE]

I'm on my way to buy a ladder. Thanks.

gerv 

That is a work of art...

donnamb 

This is beautiful, John. Of course the frippery-loving female in me can imagine painting the rungs different colors and such.

SpecialKev

Nice design, great idea!

I am also very interested in seeing how you build your hitch. Can you post pictures of the detail of how you connected the peices and taached the wheels?

Thanks

Kevin