Bike trailer modification

[Gazdaman]

So I picked up this beasty recently, swapped for an iPod touch, got to drag my MX bike around since it's not road legal.

https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/images/vehicle_1178.JPG

A nice simple design, has leaf spring suspension and plenty of tie down points. Excellent. The only thing that worried me slightly was the gap in between where the front and rear wheels sit. How the hell are you supposed to load the bike?

Anyway, the guy who I bought it off provided me with a big chunk of box section to weld in the gap.

But I when I actually tried loading my KX125 onto it, the wheel wells are a bit far apart, and would only really suit a bike with a longer wheelbase. So my mate Dave and I decided we'd do a bit more modification. So we cut the back plate off the front wheel well, and the tube behind it deciding to fabricate a U section.

https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/images/vehicle_1180.JPG
Section cut off.

https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/images/vehicle_1181.JPG
The basis of the new 'U' shaped section behind the front wheel well. Two bits of angle iron, a floor was added afterwards from a piece of sheet steel.

https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/images/vehicle_1183.JPG
And there it is finished.

The large piece of box section is nicely parallel to the sides of the trailer. But sadly it shows up that everything else is on the piss.

The proof was in the pudding, when I tried to load the KX125 onto the trailer earlier on it took two of us, and we had to pretty much carry it on.

After the modifications, I managed to load the heavier Husqvarna alone. Lovely.
https://www.gaz-racing.co.uk/images/vehicle_1184.JPG

My first go at welding, I was shockingly poor, but getting better.

Gaz

[CarlosCBR]

Doesnt look too sturdy. Let us know how it holds up.
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[Gazdaman]

[delvey91]

No thought has gone into that design at all

Axle should be much further back or the drawbar should of been extended and the bed moved forwards, I wouldnt trust anything on it

[Gazdaman]

I agree that it is the weirdest design that there ever was! I can't see who the hell makes a bike trailer in the first place that you can't roll a bike onto.

It just seems mental.

Either way, it works pretty well now. And I've still got an angle grinder and a MIG welder should I want to change anything.

Gaz

[growler]

that axle needs moving back so the weight of the load is at least balanced better to be front heavy or you run the risk of hitting a pot hole and the hitch letting go!!!!!!
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DILLIGAF

[mad4it028]

mate that is dangours
1st the axle is too far forward so the weight of the bike is in mid air you should beable to disconect the trailor and wheel it about with a bike on it should balence like a see saw
2nd thats really not how to strap a bike on for 1 it will ruin your seat

2 straps 1 each side from bars to ancer points i normally put 2 on back too but never over the seat
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[621andy]

Looks a bloody death trap

Try sticking the towbar on the other end of the trailer

The nose weight must be -50kg!
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'93 Africa Twin RD07, C-90,MTX-125,H-100,XL-125, a 125UAG(CG copy!)

[Gazdaman]

I'll likely be whipping the axle off in the coming weeks to give everything a proper paint and change the tyres. So there's always the option to just grind the leaf spring mounts off and move them back to a more suitable position.

And it was only strapped down for the photo. I normally an R&G handlebar strap, the one each side of the subframe, and one over the seat for good measure.

Gaz

[robs321]

Just a quick heads up, if your van has commercial insurance I would check that it allows towing a trailer, most dont and they want extra bucks for the privilege.

[Gazdaman]

Not my van, the trailer was only popped on there to support it while we loaded the bike.

But I didn't know that, so I've learnt something today.

Gaz

[Gazdaman]

So I figure I'll move the axle back about 18"-2'.

It's only a weld at each end of each leaf spring, so shouldn't cause too many problems.

I ordered two new tyres and tubes today too. So once that's done I could do with fabricating some way of afixing my light board to the back and maybe a way of hooking up the ramp.

That'll be a job for next week.

Gaz

[Hockeystorm65]

I have actually seen one like that before but what yours is missing is a plywood 'deck with two holes cut in it for the wheels to drop through into the steel channels. The tie down points on the other one were deck lugs that screwed through into the steel mounting points in the frame. They effectively held the deck on to the trailer. I think the point of that design was to make the trailer more multi purpose when it was not transporting bikes.
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[Gazdaman]

[Hockeystorm65]

...not uglier...just 'personalised'

Sorry to further add to the frustration with this, but that is probably also why it has an asymetric axle. If the deck is plywood sheet or steel mesh then it provides it's own ramp for getting the bike on to it and tied down.. Quite a dinky design really!
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Good judgement comes from experience.....experience comes from bad judgement!

[SamJL]

I agree, the axle is far to far forward!

I have a similar design, at over 50mph it gets very very unstable, and tends to fishtail down the road. I had to cut and weld the axle as it was so bad.

I suggest doing the same, mine got that bad once, I had 2 bikes on it, and 1 of them snapped the straps and got dragged down the road by its handlebars, made quite a mess! Mine is a 3 bike trailer, and with 3 bikes on it, it was an absolute death trap before I adjusted the axle. It was still pretty bad with 1 bike on it. Seriously scary when your going down the motorway, and suddenly the back of the car is all over the place!
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[Gazdaman]

Yeah this seemed to tow fine, and from past experience, unladen trailers aren't too keen at the best of times. But this sat at 60 without any troubles. It did resonate slightly and bounced up and down a little bit, but certainly no fish tailing.

I wonder if my welding skills are up to relocating the axle, load bearing weld etc.

Gaz

[Hockeystorm65]

[Gazdaman]

I certainly would like to leave it as it is! But I was reading some websites and it says the axle should be about 60/40 towards the back of the load bed.

And as a poster listed above, it would make the nose weight of the trailer a negative I would think. Not by a lot but still not ideal. But then again, I do have a big heavy car, and a single motorbike.

Maybe I'll try it and see if it's ok without moving it.

It doesn't seem particularly difficult, but I would worry slightly about my welding skills.

Gaz

[SamJL]

My trailer with a similar design is perfect with no bikes on it.

It's as soon as it gets weight on it, it all goes to the back of the trailer, and it gets very very unstable. Towed with a Range Rover, and still unstable.

I really would move the axle back!
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2009 CBR1000RR
2004 KTM 200SX
2004 KTM 65SX

[sickpup]

[Gazdaman]

[warped one]

A mate at work makes these.


https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motorcycle-trailer-runner-builtin-wheel-chock-ramp-bike-/110584528897?pt=UK_Trailers_Transporters_Parts&hash=item19bf5a0001#ht_591wt_1137

Probably abit more stable than what your using now.
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amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

[Gazdaman]

[Pedd]

why not just cut off the towing hitch bar and put it on the other end of the trailer, alot easier than faffing about shifting the axel.
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