Bike trailer build

[Stickystuff]

I haven’t got a specific need for the trailer right now as I haven’t got a track day booked in and I’ve taken my raptor to work to tinker with in my lunch breaks. But after a bit of thought I don’t like that fact that the rear wheel sits on the edge of the angle iron especially as I’m finding it quite hard to get the bike perfectly central. If I do the bike sits up all by itself which is good, but I’ve had it a couple of times it wants to lean over and for some reason more often it wants to lean away from me.
So I picked up a front wheel chock and I’m going to cut the angle iron down at the rear only so that the tyre sits above and not on. This should allow me to wheel the bike up and sit it in the chock for extra security.

It’s wider than the angle iron and I think I’d like to keep it usable as a floor chock too, so I’m going to have to cut the angle iron away at the front. But as the bike sits on the 2inch box that sits all the way down the middle the angle is there more of a guide/ just in case.

I will update when I get round to this. I’ve picked up my middle child a new bike that needs some TLC so that’s a bit of a priority to get that up to date.

 

[redlig]

As has already been mentioned the front strap mounts are far too close to the center line of the bike . the angle of the straps actually need to be as near 45 degrees as possible to hold the bike upright as well as down. Aesthetically it does look neater the way you have built it and it reduces the likely-hood of damaging the corners of the towing vehicle but this can be avoided if you widen the front of the trailer to improve the stability of the bike ,by ensuring the length of towbar is enough to allow the trailer to wrap around the car and not punch a hole in it. If you can get hold of some strong perforated steel /ally or even wire "netting" then you will be able to walk the bike on and avoid the inevitable stumble etc. I've just modified my ex trials car trailer to take a bike and have fitted a length of T&G chipboard that was laying around (suitably weather proofed) for just that reason. Best of luck.

 

[Stickystuff]

In all fairness I got to Mallory and back with no issues on my track bike, 70 odd miles each way.
I’ll see what we have at work and add some wider tie down points. But the wheel chock will also help with stabilising the bike while I’m wiring to strap it down.

 

[pedrobedro]

Mine's a chain but it looks like they're mostly wire now.

Wire ones are to operate a brake on a braked trailer, chain is stronger to secure an unbraked trailer.

 

[Robotstar5]

Wire ones are to operate a brake on a braked trailer, chain is stronger to secure an unbraked trailer.

My unbraked trailer only came with a wire loop to drop over the towball, probably a cost saving exercise while staying within the regulations?

 

[Erie Fred]

My unbraked trailer only came with a wire loop to drop over the towball, probably a cost saving exercise while staying within the regulations?

View attachment 503201

What if the ball snaps off ?

 

[Robotstar5]

What if the ball snaps off ?

You lose the trailer, it's a bad/poor design.

 

[anto44]

When I'm servicing vehicles fitted with a towbar I always check to make sure they're tight. I often find bolts loose on them.

 

[E T]

My unbraked trailer only came with a wire loop to drop over the towball, probably a cost saving exercise while staying within the regulations?

View attachment 503201

I don't know about the UK, but over here it's not allowed to drop that loop over the ball alone.
Too easy for it to come of the ball if the trailer comes of the ball. The wire loop has to go through a coupling.

Like these.

Hulpkoppeling met sleuf

Hulpkoppeling met sleuf voor uw caravan en aanhanger

www.onlinetrailerparts.nl

Hulpkoppeling met veer

Hulpkoppeling met veer voor uw caravan en aanhanger

www.onlinetrailerparts.nl

 

[Robotstar5]

I don't know about the UK, but over here it's not allowed to drop that loop over the ball alone.
Too easy for it to come of the ball if the trailer comes of the ball. The wire loop has to go through a coupling.

Like these.

Hulpkoppeling met sleuf

Hulpkoppeling met sleuf voor uw caravan en aanhanger

www.onlinetrailerparts.nl

Hulpkoppeling met veer

Hulpkoppeling met veer voor uw caravan en aanhanger

www.onlinetrailerparts.nl

That's a lot more sensible/safer, I think my trailer manufacturer just wanted to tick the "breakaway" box at cheapest cost

 

[pedrobedro]

You lose the trailer, it's a bad/poor design.

There are a couple of instances of children killed by runaway trailers, one near here in 2007, Heage accident and another in Bristol in 2015. It's a lot worse than just losing the trailer.