# DIY Bicycle Trailers - Tips and Questions!!!



## William9_17 (Jan 2, 2010)

Hey everyone. I'm pretty new here so I'm not sure of the rules for posting yet or if a thread about DIY Bicycle Trailers belongs in the Commuting or Cargo Bike Forums so I'm posting both. I've been looking into buying a cargo trailer for my bike for a while now but I've noticed most of them either A - Suck or B - Cost more than there are worth. I made this thread for people to exchange tips and and be able to ask questions about what you can do as far a DIY trailers. The best and most cost effective I've come up with is buying a Hitch Cargo Carrier for designed for a car or truck. They cost from $50 to $300+ for the really fancy ones but that isn't bad considering nice bicycle cargo trailers are at least that much. Most can carry 300 - 500+ lbs and only weigh 25 - 50 lbs which isn't bad. They usually are 4 to 5 feet long,20" to 3 feet wide and 3" to 2 feet tall. Hitch cargo carriers are perfect because they're usually made of steel, the hitch bar is always perfectly in the center and usually hollow and if it isn't you can make it so with a bit of welding to keep everything together when you remove the bolts that attach the tow bar and basket together on some of the cheaper models that aren't welded together. All you have to do after that is find bicycle trailer axles that you can buy online for $30+/- along with push button wheels, tubes and tires. Then run the axle though the hollow hitch bar, put your brackets in place to keep the axle perfect centered and solid and weld it all together and put the wheels on. Then you can either buy or make a bar to attach the whole set up to your bike like any other trailer. You can find spare hitch bars online for a resonable amount...I'd say starting at $200 for everything including parts if you do all of it yourself. If you're not handy you're local welder or auto shop could probably help you out...It shouldn't take them that long if they're an expericanced with welding. Well I hope my solution to the bicycle cargo trailer helps you or give you all some ideas. One last note I'm not sure what the rules are about putting up website addies and product names so if someone could tell me wheather or not it wouldn't be breaking any rules that would be great...I know of a few great sites and products. Take care everyone!


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## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

Don't expect that kind of capacity. You're still somewhat limited to single axle designs that require some of the load to be placed on the bicycle. So the bike weight limit comes into play. You also have to consider the manner in which you plan on attaching it. You need to clear the bike wheel but still attach to a secure location, usually around the rear dropouts. You also need to allow for up, down, left, and right movement. I would probably use a curved tube and a heim joint.


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## pimpbot (Dec 31, 2003)

*I have a bud who has one of those....*



Schmucker said:


> Don't expect that kind of capacity. You're still somewhat limited to single axle designs that require some of the load to be placed on the bicycle. So the bike weight limit comes into play. You also have to consider the manner in which you plan on attaching it. You need to clear the bike wheel but still attach to a secure location, usually around the rear dropouts. You also need to allow for up, down, left, and right movement. I would probably use a curved tube and a heim joint.


he bent the square box section that goes in the hitch receiver. He only had like 100 pounds on it, but he took his SUV on some fireroads. He ended up rebuilding it with much thicker box section steel, and its been fine ever since.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

I am a little/lot confused. Are you asking about something to haul behind a car, or haul behind a bicycle?


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