Home made tow-behind trailer?

[Walküre]

Just curious how many have made their own trailers. I like the store-bought ones, a lot, but just can't see a few grand for something that I'll only use a few times a year.

I've got all my parts except taillights, and that's only because I don't have $50 for LED lights. Don't want to use the incandescents, due to current drain. The plans I found use torsion axles, and 2" 14 ga. square tubing for the frame, with cartop carrier. I found that the two "exercise machines" that I picked up on the curb on trash day (people buy them, and find they're TERRIBLY hard to keep dusted...), have 15 ga. 2" square tubing, and more than enough for two trailers! I'm into the whole trailer for just about $300, which is good for me. Will look something like this:



So, anyone else built their own?

Any hints and suggestions?

R

[John Schmidt]

You can buy almost the exact same trailer from Harbor Freight for about $400.

[Walküre]

You can buy almost the exact same trailer from Harbor Freight for about $400.

Not even close. Other than they are both "small trailers".

Torsion axle suspension instead of leaf spring suspension, to all but eliminate bounce.

If you are looking to purchase a motorcycle trailer to tow behind your motorcycle, then you really should be looking to purchase a trailer that has independent rubber torsion suspension.

The advantages of rubber torsion suspension are many and include a longer life with smoother ride, durability, dampening effect, easy installation, and maintenance free and easy replacement.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Motorcycle-Trailers---The-Advantages-of-Independent-Rubber-Torsion-Suspension&id=2693052

12" tires, instead of 8", for very obvious reasons. Better tracking, better wear, better angle to motorcycle, down instead of up.

18 cu. ft. instead of 16.5 cu. ft.

Steel instead of plastic fenders.

Fully welded instead of bolted together.

The HF also needs to have the tongue extended, to help eliminate sway behind a motorcycle, and a cooler rack installed.

List goes on and on...I did my homework.

Torsion axle suspension, and 12" tires adds about $150 to the cost of the $400 trailer. So, for $250 savings, I end up with a better trailer.

Here's the UMBT1 trailer that goes for $1000. Now THAT one is "almost exact"... http://www.motorcycletrailer.com/mag1/

http://www.motorcycletrailer.com/mag1/umbt1a.htm

I could have bolted a cartop carrier to the $179 HF trailer, and gotten 8" tires and a leaf spring axle...

Plus, where's the excitement in "buying" everything??  

R

[roboto65]

Here is a link where I got my lights I mounted on my bags on my IS great prices and fast shipping and surely not 50 bucks for LEDs cause that what i got and they were only 6 bucks a piece...

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Lights-sf-Tail_Lights.aspx

[R J]

This trailer has close to 90,000 + miles on it now.   I built it in 1978, sold it in 1999, and his widow still has it for sale.    She is asking a Grand for it.

It has been in all the lower 48 states at least once, some of them 4 or 5 times, and Alaska twice.   I took it up once and he took it up once.    The Trike was used to show the size of the trailer originally.

[Walküre]

Here is a link where I got my lights I mounted on my bags on my IS great prices and fast shipping and surely not 50 bucks for LEDs cause that what i got and they were only 6 bucks a piece...

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Lights-sf-Tail_Lights.aspx

I didn't see any $6.00 LED lights. The cheapest LED was $15.00 (http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lights/Optronics/STL43RB.html). The inexpensive ones seem to all be incandescent. Which ones are you talking about?

These are the ones I want, (http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lights/Optronics/STL8RB.html) along with orange side marker lights, (http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lights/Optronics/MCL44AB.html) and at $20 each side, for tail, and $7 for LED markers, I'm back to $50.00+.

[Walküre]

Love the stagecoach, RJ!

 

[roboto65]

http://www.etrailer.com/p-AL91CRB.html

These are the ones I used for my bags on the IS Ok 6.75 LOL I will say they are VERY bright and heck they have orange and red could use them for brake and turn also .

[Walküre]

http://www.etrailer.com/p-AL91CRB.html

These are the ones I used for my bags on the IS Ok 6.75 LOL I will say they are VERY bright and heck they have orange and red could use them for brake and turn also .

And how would you make them dim and brighten for brake lights? I really don't think they could be wired to work as the brake/turn/tail lights. Two different animals. They're great for clearance markers, though...  You do have to be concerned with legality, especially going across country. Some states are more picky than others.

I don't mind paying $50. Just don't have the spare $$'s right now, and it will be a bit before I'm ready for them, anyway. Just need to know which ones I'll settle on, so I can build the mounting into the rear of the trailer, as I go. I like the oval ones, but they aren't as easy to mount.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Lights/Optronics/STL22RB.html


EDIT...HF has a complete set on sale, for $30, with clearance...looks like I'll go that way:

http://www.harborfreight.com/led-trailer-light-kit-95974.html?SID=f5voenjg0uv66vfa5nlg18a861

It is important to have DOT-approved tail and turn-specific lights.

[Colin]

Buy cheap incandescent lights and just replace the bulbs with LED ones?

[Walküre]

Buy cheap incandescent lights and just replace the bulbs with LED ones?

1157 replacement bulbs, LED, are $30 a pair, with shipping. that's for the stop/turn/brake. the clearance lights are about $7, each. So, $44 plus cost of the fixtures, more than the $50 (or $30 at HF, on sale).

http://www.buy.com/prod/roadpro-rp1157led-2-1157-led-replacement-bulb-2-pack-white/q/listingid/39424112/loc/111/210885143.html

There just ain't no such thing, as "cheap" stop/turn/brake lights, for a trailer. I bit the bullet and got the HF set, since I had to order some nozzles for my sandblast booth, anyway, so split up the shipping...

Got it all, now.

R

[fudgie]

I dont think the draw from non led lights is very much. Never noticed a voltage drop pulling mine. Pulled about 4,000 miles a couple years ago.

[bigdog99]

mine was simple, harbor freight, car topper, personalized for me.
not sure what all the hype is about the type of springs. at 75 plus miles per hour that little sucker flys over the pot holes. i have close to 9,000 miles on mine and short of chging 2sets of tires, when i pull it i dont even know its back there

[Chrome]

Hey R Built mine including hitch and all wiring for under 500. Trailer kit with 12" wheels on sale from HF,used topper off the net,used hitch and new converter.Ordered chrome rims and sold the white ones.Pulls like a dream and holds more than enough but does the gas mileage take a hit.
Adrian

[Walküre]

not sure what all the hype is about the type of springs. at 75 plus miles per hour that little sucker flys over the pot holes.

Just nosy - have you ever pulled a torsion axle small trailer? Just seeing if you've had a comparison.

Years ago we had a small single-man race boat - HUGE horsepower,small cockpit. Fast as the blazes, but VERY light. We had some bouncing...er...LOT'S of bouncing at highway speeds, and ended up putting a torsion on it. Changed everything, a lot. We didn't notice the bouncing until someone that was with us, going to Havasu, told us we were bouncing. Replaced with torsion, and the bounce disappeared. Always believed in them since. The boat was very light, although not as light as the motorcycle trailer will be.

So, even though I already have the torsion's, was wondering if anyone has experience with both?  I mean, I ALWAYS liked orange Kool Aid, and it was the VERY BEST, until I tried cherry!!!

 

And, Adrian - It looks like you used the original tongue length - are you noticing any "sway" at all? My old trailer had a short tongue, on my '86 Wing, and I had to lengthen it, as I could feel it pulling my rear side-to-side a bit. After lengthening it about 18", the sway went away. More just bein' "nosy".

Used hitch...I WISH!! Probably end up making one of them, also. Keep hoping to fall into one, but so far, no luck.

[Walküre]

I dont think the draw from non led lights is very much. Never noticed a voltage drop pulling mine. Pulled about 4,000 miles a couple years ago.

Guess I'm always referring back to the Goldwing days - on the '86, with the notorious stator, and wiring problems, you really wanted to be cautious with extra lights. Although, I like the longevity as well as the limited current drain.

R

[scoot]

Here is a good site for information on motorcycle trailering. They is a lot of stuff on building your own trailer.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/MCTrailertowing/start

I went the easy way personally. I picked this up for just over $1400.00 new.

[R J]

Your best suspension on a trailer IS:

#1.   Air bags
#2.   Torsion
#3.   Single leaf spring
#4.   Double leaf spring.

Have had all 4 and that is the way I rate them.

#1, NO bounce, #2, Some bounce,  #3,  more bounce to the ounce.  #4, hang on to the boys cause they is goin to get rattled, especially if ya run I-70 in Missouri, almost as bad as I-80 in Iowa..

Biggest problem with #1 is you have to carry some kind of air supply.   Trailer mounted pump, cigarette lighter pump, hand pump, or a Schrader valve to fill with.

[Walküre]

Thanks, RJ, and all.

Of course, now that I'm looking more and more, I'm finding more and more!





And, maybe a home-made Uni-Go???

[BuzzKill]

We got a used Starlight trailer from Craigslist.   The new ones run under $1000.

http://www.neoshotrailers.com/

We got a model 19.   Pulls good.

[Walküre]

I looked hard at the Starlight - that's what I had, on my Wing.

While on the subject, anyone using swivel hitches? I like the idea of them, but have always been too expensive for my tastes. I could make one, I believe, but not sure if I want to take the chance on being under-engineered. And I don't have heat-treatment capabilities. The ones I've seen are around $175 but I saw this one, and was wondering how it fared. Seems to me, that it would try to rotate in the coupler, PLUS move to the side. Would that be a detriment? I mean, seems it would always be under an unusual stress.

[Baloo]

I made mine out of an old oak barrel. It used to hold whikey. You should have smelled it when I sanded the outside!!  Go for the twist suspension! That is what I put on mine and I just love it!! It's so smooth that I have to take a look in the mirrors to make sure it's still there. Never feel it jumping or anything!

[B]

Spent $320 on my Harbor Freight TAG-A-LONG (with 20% coupon). Big Girl doesn't know its back there (despite the leafs & 8" tires)...of course I never told her I put the hitch on her rear. 

[Mildew]

I made mine from one of those northern tool kits I've put thousands of miles on it and love it but I think it's a little over kill for a motorcycle. I seen hundreds of motorcycles including valks pulling homemade trailers headed down I 77 from the hillbilly into Virginia. Where's everyone gone? Must be a big ralley somewhere.