Motorcycle trailer

[Steel cowboy]

So last Tallahassee ride, I was on, I was a bit overloaded. I decided to build a trailer I had up in my attic, a 1989 Sears bolt together trailer. It’s the same one they sell in Northern tool and harbor freight. I had to buy a 2”x2”x6’ piece of steel for the tongue, and some nuts and bolts that got lost or borrowed through the years. The Sears Xcargo shell I also had in the attic. I replaced the tires and rims, purchased them at Rural King. I made my own swivel hitch and used a piece of galvanized sheet metal I had for the floor, I also used some sheet metal to close off the inside of the fenders. I made the cooler holder from a piece of 2”x2” aluminum right angle and riveted it together. The cooler I had. It tows great and if there is a third tally rally I’ll feel more comfortable riding the wing. I’m thinking of putting my Hitch doctor hitch on my valkyrie, maybe take that up next time. But if I don’t use the trailer, I’ll just sell it.

[TJ]

 

[OLDFRT]

Resourceful and handy kind of guy, ain't ya!!!

[Jess from VA]

Nice work.   

In a tuck (fetal) position, I could probably camp out in that thing, in a pinch.   

[Avanti]

“I’ll just sell it”

The hitch or the bike?

[Steel cowboy]

Sell the trailer.

[Avanti]

Ok, door number three.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I’m interested in your hand made swivel hitch. Do you have a pic of it ?

[Steel cowboy]

I’ve written the “how to make a swivel hitch” in case some riders that have asked wish to copy.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/fzhn7pf

Goldwing trailer swivel hitch
I used a 6’ piece of 2”x2”x1/8” steel square tubing to make the tongue. I Cut off a 6”” piece for the front of the swivel piece, joining to the hitch. I purchased a 1 1/8”” lift pin from Rural King. You will need to remove the plastic coating and cut off the handle. Next grind down the pin head so it will slide into the 2x2 tongue with out rubbing on the inside walls. Next purchase 4 collar’s to fit a 1 1/8 pin, plus 2 sleeves to slide on the pin. The collars have Allen screws to lock them on the pin witch I removed. I made a template for the 2 collars threads to keep them aligned with the sleeve between them and spot welded them up. Now the “dog bone” created from the collars and sleeves welded. I next set the “ dog bone” along the outside of the square tubing, keeping the one collar flush with the end of the tubing. I marked the holes from the collars to the tubing and drilled corresponding holes in the center of the tubing. Make sure the collar is flush with the end.
Using 1” long bolts, I bolted the collars inside the square tube of the trailer tongue. MAKING SURE THE BOLTS USING A LOCK NUT DON’T COME DOWN TO FAR TO RESTRICT THE PIN FROM ROTATING. Bolted the other “dog bone” using the same procedure (holes aligned and flush drilled for the hitch side. I used a flat aluminum spacer as a shim to go between the front hitch and trailer tongue. Now the ends of the front and rear halves I cut a square piece of steel to weld as end caps to the Two pieces. Before I welded them up I drilled using a step bit a 1 1/8 hole centered on the caps.
Pushing the pin from the back end of the trailer side of the tongue, I guided the pin through the square tube and collars and out the cap. What I did too was drill a 1/4 inch hole in the tubing to install a trough pin past the pin head so it wouldn’t slide back out.
The hitch side of the tubing is basically built the same way as the trailer side. Measure the “dog bone” Make sure your collar is flush to the end too. Remove the Allen screws.
Using a square piece of steel and drilling a 1 1/8” hole I welded the “cap to the hitch side too. On the hitch side the “dog bone” does not need not be bolted down the way the trailer side was.  If all went right the tapered side will come out past the hitch collar. I drilled a 1/4” hole through that square tube used a long bolt and passed it through the tube, pin and hitch to lock it in.
The pin can’t slide back or forwards . I used an eye bolt to lock the pin on the hitch side and clip the chains to it too.
Pictures to follow, they might not be in the properly sequence. Any questions just ask.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thank you  nice write up. 

[Avanti]

Sense you have round collars in a square tube there should be room to run the trailer light wiring inside the 6 foot tube to the rear of the trailer.

I used square stock that I bored and than chamfered one edge so the wire could pass through in one of the lower corners of the 2x2 tube.

[Steel cowboy]

I tried that, but it was a bit tight. Running outside makes it easier to spot a bad wire. Actually the wire would have to enter the square tube behind the pin on the trailer side.

[Flrider]

You are definitely a very resourceful guy, I have seen some of your past projects like the Valk Interstate LED headlight conversion, fog lights led conversion, the trunk taillights and also the under the truck slide out step.
Way to go Eddie