# Refurbishing my bike trailer



## Gareth (7 Sep 2008)

I now have my Bike trailer out of storage. It has not been used in four years, and is in a bit of a state, so I have started to service, repair, and refurbish it ready for my trip. At sometime a pigeon had crapped on it, fetching off some of the paint, it had started to rust in places, and the tyres that I fitted when I built it 1999 were really not suited to the task. 

I had originally used a pair of bright red 16 X1.75 knobbly tyres for the trailer, envisioning slip and off-road grip requirements, and because they were on 50% sale at Halfords. The Knobbly tread just increased friction and rolling resistance making it a chore to tow the trailer. The Bright red tyres also clashed with the dark Midnight blue and gold of the trailer (I am such a tart). The first job that I have done to the trailer is to change the tyres, I now have a set of Schwalbe City Jet slick 16 X 1.9 tyres on it. I did a quick 6 miles with the empty trailer behind my commuter bike around Norwich the other evening, and it was a Joy to tow, easily bumping up and down the kerbs on the cycle paths. Last night, I cycled over to Asda 2 miles away to do my weekly shopping, it was my big monthly shop which included a lot of frozen food, taters, veg, canned produce, washing powder, softener and a 12lbs case of honey (more Mead making to come) load amounting to a total of around 25 kg's. My 3 Thermos cool bags fitted the cargo area perfectly, It towed easily and did not snake under braking, it bounced up and down the kerbs without disturbing the load, and looks a whole lot better now it has the standard black tyres on it.


This will be a complete refurbishment, requiring a total strip down, bearings regreasing, rebuilding, rubbing down and repainting. I have plenty of Hammerite Midnight blue paint in the cupboard, and will only need a small tin of hammerite gold paint, to complete the refurbishment. A small tin of paint at less than £10 is not going to break my bank account.

So far this is is not going to plan: The original steel mudguards that I made were hot spray galvanised, and there is some corrosion, especially where it is most visible, caused by bird droppings. The plan was to clean the surface with gun wash paint thinners and repaint with Gold Hammered effect Hammerite paint. But the new Gold Hammerite paint won't stick to the galvanise, this means that I will require the proper Hammerite primer-under coat @ £9.99 per 500 ml tin. 

All is not lost though, as the trailer's main frame was made from gold coloured zinc passate coated hydraulic pipes, and the original coat(9 years old) of midnight blue smooth Hammerite paint is peeling badly. Most of this peeling is probably due to the Hammerite being applied directly onto the galvanised steel frame. With a 500 ml tin I will have more than enough primer to do all of the metal surfaces of the trailer (and some). 

Here are a few photos of my bike trailer, before I refurbish it.
Looking down on it with the draw bar resting in the storage position on the cargo deck. To give you some idea of scale; wheels 16 inches in diameter. Cargo deck 30 inches long X 18 inches wide (Overall width to outside of wheels 26 inches), the wheels have been set at about 2 inches to the rear of the the centre line, to impose a load upon the drawbar and towing bicycle to prevent the trailer from nodding up and down around the wheel centre. Overall unladen weight is 22lbs.(10 kgs) I have successfully hauled almost 75 kgs over 5 miles on it, but the average payload that I haul is around 15-20 kgs. It was great to use during family cycling outings, carrying all the extra waterproofs, picnics and all the other stuff essential to a family day out that my townie wife and two children required. In her dotage one of my Lurcher bitches used to ride home on the trailer, after thoroughly knackering herself out on such trips. Jumping off and then back on again investigating interesting smells etc.





A side view of it. Note; when I originally designed and built the trailer, I chose "an over the Wheel" type drawbar that connects to a tow point on the bike's seat post. Most commercially available bike trailers have an off-set drawbar that connects to a tow point on the bike's rear wheel axle. As I use my trailer off road as much as on road, this high tow point seemed a very sensible idea to me.
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Two, 1 litre bottle holders fixed to the drawbars swan neck ... ... ... It's thirsty work hauling a bike trailer.



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A close up of the towing point. It's the end from the gas strut found on Agricultural telescopic handler bonnets. You will have a smaller version on the tailgate or hatchback of your car. It works in exactly the same way as a standard car 50mm towing ball.



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A closer view of the front. You can see the peeling paint, surface corrosion and rust.



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The view of the rear of my bike trailer. As you can see by the postion of the 3 reflectors, I like to be seen clearly by other traffic and road users.



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## palinurus (7 Sep 2008)

I like the look of that, pretty heavy-duty. Reminds me I have loads of stuff to take to the recycling centre but have been too lazy to dig out my trailer recently, maybe next week.

I've got one that attaches to the seatpost, it's a cheap one I picked up for about £50 a few years ago- unsophisticated but it works for hauling stuff around locally. Your trailer looks very much better!


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## Gareth (27 Sep 2008)

*A month on, and at last some progress !*

A couple of photographs of the refurbishment work to date on my bicycle trailer frame as promised.

Taken from the front, right hand side corner looking towards the rear.
You can see the new; front and rear "Low level" cargo retention bars. These are to stop smaller loads slipping off the front or rear of the trailer. You can also see the new tube brazed to the drawbar fixing tube. This is for a stowable jack stand to keep everything horizontal when the trailer is parked and removed from the towing bicycle. The four new bungee retention eyes; One fitted to each quadrant just fore and aft of the wheels to stop the load holding elastic bungees slipping along the frame and then not securely holding the load.




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My bicycle trailer's frame from the right hand side rear, looking towards the front. You can see all of the new bits but from a different angle.
Ths photo will also allow you to appreciate how much work that I originally put into making this frame some 9 years ago.




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Later on today the wire wheel will be put onto my cordless angle grinder, and the rest of the paint, rust, and corrosion will be removed ready for the brush application of the Hammerite special primer.


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## palinurus (27 Sep 2008)

Bungee-retention eyes! Now I've got a case of trailer envy.

I finally did get down to the dump this morning, and after that I returned a faulty dehumidifier to Homebase. My trailer's gone a bit rusty too, might be time for some Hammerite for that. I'll probably use it tomorrow to get a pumpkin home from the allotment.


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## Gareth (7 Oct 2008)

Sorry about the delay, it has been an horrendously busy week.
Here are the photos of the new safety/security chain holder that I mig welded to the bike trailer's drawbar. The idea is that the trailer is then locked to the bike, which is desirable when parking up at the shops, or in the city, etc. although it will never be used as the primary security chain and lock. It will also act as a safety device should the coupling socket ever detatach itself whilst the trailer is being towed on the road etc.
Showing the new bit of chain, and the padlock as it will be, when attached to the bike. There is still another eye to be welded to the towing hook so that the padlock can be snapped locked on to the towing bicycle.



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This padlock has been permentatly assigned to the bike trailer, so the addition of a stowage postition for when the trailer is parked up at home or in storage seemed to be appropriate.



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## mickle (7 Oct 2008)

Gareth. I love you man. Fantastic thread about a wicked trailer. And you have a cordless angle-grinder! Respect.


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## Tharg2007 (7 Oct 2008)

this is great, looking forward to the next post!!
what sort of tubing did you use? also can we have some close up shots of how you attach the wheels to the frame?
is it heavy? are the mud guards fibreglass?


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## Gareth (7 Oct 2008)

mickle said:


> And you have a cordless angle-grinder! Respect.




I have a lot of cordless kit. Here's just over half of it!


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## mickle (7 Oct 2008)

Blimey O'Reilly! That's a whole flock!

Careful they don't melt!


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## Gareth (8 Oct 2008)

Tharg2007 said:


> this is great, looking forward to the next post!!
> what sort of tubing did you use? also can we have some close up shots of how you attach the wheels to the frame?
> is it heavy? are the mud guards fibreglass?




Hi Tharg,

_I_'ll get the camera out again tomorrow evening, and fully answer your questions then.


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## Gareth (8 Oct 2008)

The specs of my home-made bike trailer are as follows:

Majority of the material used is 16 mm outside diameter steel hydraulic tubing. The drawbar socket tube is 22 mm outside diameter hydraulic tubing ...............the drawbar insert is 16 mm diameter round steel bar, and had to be turned down on a lathe at work so that it fits nicely inside the 22 mm tubing. The retractable parking stand is made from 15 mm hydraulic tubing, and slides easily into the 22 mm tubing. Cross braces for the corners are 20 mm X 3 mm mild steel, the wheel fixings are made from 5 mm thick mild steel plate. The cargo deck is made from 6 mm WBC exterior plywood, with two strips of 3 M, 100 mm wide none slip tape added. 

Cargo deck 30 inches long X 18 inches wide.

Overall width to outside of the frame is 26 inches. 

The mudguards have been made from 1 mm thick mild steel sheet MiG welded together, and have been coated with hot sprayed galvanising.

Overall unladen weight (before the latest modifications) was 22 lbs.(10 kg's); I expect the trailers unladen weight to be no greater than 25 lbs (12.5 kg's) when I have finished welding all of the new and modified bits to the frame. 

The wheels 16 inches in diameter and are fitted with Schwalbe City Jet slick 16 X 1.9 tyres. I originally used a cheap pair of knobbly tyres, but these created an unacceptable amount of tyre friction and increased rolling resistance 

The wheels centres have been set at about 2 inches to the rear of the centre line, to impose a load upon the drawbar and towing bicycle to prevent the trailer from nodding up and down around the wheel centre. 


A close up of the wheel drop outs, including the additionally drilled hole for the saftey washers.






A close up of the frame's underside, showing the set back from the centre line, and the 4 welded in bosses for fixing the mudgaurds in place.


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## mickle (8 Oct 2008)

You could have had it finished by now if you hadn't wasted so much time posting about it on here!!


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## Gareth (8 Oct 2008)

Your absolutely right. 

I've been on and off this refurbishment for 6 weeks now. But working 50+ hours per week, having 3 minor ops on my right eye, a weekend away with friends, a lazy day with company, a passion for backgammon, owning a bird of prey, all the domestic chores involved with living alone, and getting side tracked on to other little projects has not helped me any.


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## Tharg2007 (13 Oct 2008)

Bump!! any updates?


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## john2702 (13 Oct 2008)

Am afraid I cheated and bought an Avenir Mule!


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## Gareth (13 Oct 2008)

Tharg2007 said:


> Bump!! any updates?




Alas nothing done to the bike trailer in the last week or so. Well, apart from making a couple of Aluminium, 6 mm threaded hand knobs on the CNC milling machine at work.

I have four more welds to do on the drawbar fixing bolt bosses, and then there will be no stopping me regarding the repainting.

I shall be going for it this coming weekend, as I am fast approaching another large monthly shopping trip again.

After the success using the bike trailer last month, prior to beginning the refurbishment. I am determined not to use the car for this months major shopping trip.


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## Tharg2007 (13 Oct 2008)

great idea ditching the car for the shopping trip. How you going to paint it? hammerite or will you splash out on a powdercoat?


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## Gareth (13 Oct 2008)

Brushed on Hammerite throughout;

Hammerite Non-ferrous special primer over everything, and then Dark hammered Blue on the frame, Hammered Gold over the Galvanised Mudguards (some of the hot spray galvanise has deteriorate due to pigeon poop), and Hammered Silver on the wheel rims to hid the mess after the surface rust has been removed.

The original coat of Dark hammered blue stayed on the galvanised hydraulic pipes used to make the frame without the use of a primer for 9 years. I am hoping that it will be another 9 years before I have to repaint again.


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## Tharg2007 (13 Oct 2008)

wow 9 years is good. I was going to say if the last lot hadnt been on that long maybe a different method would be in order, I recon with the primer it will last longer. Maybe a spray with some lacquer after too.


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## Gareth (15 Oct 2008)

A brief update on the bike trailer refurbishment. 

Although I removed the mudguards several weeks ago, before beginning the welding work on the main frame. It was only today that I got around to removing the reflectors prior to doing the paint prep work. 

The mudguards are made from 1 mm thick mild steel, and the exterior was coated with hot spray galvanising, a bird had pooped upon the mudguards while they were in storage resulting in rust and corrosion starting to show in one or two places, including the build up of dried road salt behind the two rear reflectors. The interior of the mudguards were just plain mild steel coated with Finnigan's' waxoyl. This has given nine years of faultless service, through; rain, snow, slush, mud and road salt. The waxoyl coating has remained intact, and the original brushstrokes are still visible. 

Currently, I am sub-contracting into a specialist hydraulic engineering company, and so I have the opportunity to drop the steel mudguards into a bath of part's washing fluid. The idea being to remove the waxoyl coating prior to repainting. This will give me the chance to paint the inside of the mudguards with the primer, and the Hammered Gold topcoat, I will allow the Hammerite paint to dry for at least two weeks, I'll then give the inside of the mudguards a new coat of waxoyl over the Hammerite, which I hope will last for the next nine years. 


Pictures of the work in progress on the mudguards to follow during Friday evening.


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## Gareth (26 Oct 2008)

With the Tricycle now gone and the cash "resting" in my bank account, I really haven't got an excuse not to complete my bike trailer's refurbishment. 
I have wasted most of today; I was supposed to go out with the 3m's metal detecting, but the weather was appalling. However, this evening I have completed the rubbing down and painting a of coat of Hammerite special primer on to the mudguards.
The rust was whipped off with a twisted wire wheel fitted into my cordless angle grinder, and then the remaining glaze on the hot spray galvanising was busted with a Scotch bright abrasive pad (just like a very strong pan scourer).
Now, this is a serious bit of kit, and should only be used wth the additonal side handle fitted (OK!, OK!, I know I haven't got it fitted) and with the operator wearing full safety goggles (No problems there; I value my eyes too much!). Safety glasses are no good as odd pieces of wire wheel can fly anywhere.




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Here is a photo showng the internal section of one of the mudguards. Note; you can see the bare steel where the hot spray galvanise did not reach. Not bad condition for nine years with only a coating of Finnigans' Waxoyl to keep the mud, rain, slush, snow and road salt at bay.



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The mudguards ready to be painted with the Hammerite special primer. I have already removed all of the rust with the wire wheel in the angle grinder, and have busted the surface of the galvansie and the surface corrosion with a scotch bright abrasive pad. 



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All followed with a good clean down with a rag soaked in cellulose "gun wash" thinners, so now I am ready to apply the coat of primer. Note the latex gloves ...... When I built the rowing boat last year, I learnt my lesson about the ladies not appreciating a man's hands covered with; glue, paint, rubber solution, etc.



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30 minutes later, and the primer has been applied to both the internal, and the external sections of the mudguards. I word of caution here, as I have found out to my cost that cellulose thinners will not clean Hammerite special primer from paint brushes. The brush is now written off, and has been consigned to the bin. I bought 6 brushes for 99p, so there's no major expense or loss.



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## Gareth (28 Oct 2008)

I am a little disappointed with the rather expensive Hammerite Special primer for none-ferrous metals.

The coat on the exterior section of the mudguards is OK, but 95% of this area was hot sprayed galvanise, and 5% was where the rust had taken hold. The paint has taken, and it is quiet a good coverage,
The internal sections of the mudguards is a different story. The primer has not taken, and was flaking off. About 75% of this area was plain mild steel, and the primer is just not holding on.
However, I have a trick or two up my sleeve, and so this evening I have rubbed down the whole of the internal sections removing all of the paint. First with P60 emery cloth, and then I have acid etched ...... yes, acid etched the surface with some car battery acid, while rubbing down with P240 wet and dry silicone paper........ Don't try this out at home!. I have given it all a very good rinse with boiling water, stood the mudguards on top one of my room heaters to dry while I cooked dinner, and then washed the surfaces down with cellulose thinners again. 30 minutes next to the room heater, and I am absolutely certain all of the remaining thinners on the surfaces have evaporated, and so have repainted the insides of both mudguards again.
Tomorrow I will know if my little trick has worked or not. Hopefully I can get on and paint the hammered Gold top coat on to them.
A couple of photos showing the extent of the flaking and peeling paint. Note; that this coat of paint is only 48 hours old.




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## Tharg2007 (28 Oct 2008)

hope the new coat sticks! great shots.
Looking at your first post was thinking the trailer looks really heavy but at 10kg its only 1kg lighter than my bike. Carting the lurcher round sounds like great fun, I love lurchers.


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## Gareth (28 Oct 2008)

Tharg2007 said:


> hope the new coat sticks! great shots.
> Looking at your first post was thinking the trailer looks really heavy but at 10kg its only 1kg lighter than my bike. Carting the lurcher round sounds like great fun, I love lurchers.




Greetings Tharg,

If you (or anyone else) is interested in Lurchers, or anything else countryside related, why not pay a visit to another set of boards that I frequent; http://www.overthegate.com

You can read and participate in many interesting subjects there, and see an awful lot of my exploits; Building the rowing boat, the ferret box, the garden archway. Including the many step-by-step photo recipes that have completed, including; Home-made Mead, Sourdough, Scotch eggs, Fruit vinegars and many, many more.


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## Gareth (29 Oct 2008)

The little trick with the battery acid and wet & dry paper worked, the recoating of primer taking hold and doing what it was supposed to do.




With the primer now holding on to the steel and dry, it was time to have a go with the first coat of Hammered Gold top coat. 

The hammered Gold topcoat is quiet a thick paint, and I found that the best method of applying with a brush was quickly. Slow and steady brush strokes felt like I was using thick treacle, but quick light strokes proved to be an efficient method of getting the paint on to the surfaces.

One mudguard completly done, and the second mudguard with the top coat applied to the internal surfaces only.

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Both Mudguards top coated and time for a cuppa.




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## jay clock (30 Oct 2008)

can't wait for more....


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## Gareth (19 Dec 2008)

Just to bring you all up to date.

The bike trailer refurbishment is still on going. I have done very little to it since the last post. Workng an average of 55 hours per week, commuting 6 hours per week, domestic chores, and chilling with my friends have curtaled this little project.

On the up side, my friends and I have; been metal detecting, glass painting, glass engraving, playing Backgammon and other board games. 

I have some time this weekend. All of the mechanical and welding modifications have been completed, all I have to do is the rubbing down. repainting, and reassembly.

Me chilling with my 3 friends;




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## mickle (19 Dec 2008)

No IMG Gar.


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## Gareth (19 Dec 2008)




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## Gareth (19 Dec 2008)

And just show you the state that I have got myself in with my little arts and crafts projects; two photos of working progress on my dining table.






The step-by-step process of making my matchstick covered pencil cases.






A finished pencil case.






The current state my dining table is in, after glass and ceramic painting and glass engraving.






The coffe grinders that I picked up from my local 99p shop: I have to get these painted by Christmas eve, or the three women in the photo above won't get their pressies from on time.


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## Gareth (27 Dec 2008)

During the days running up to my Christmas break, I spent a few minutes each lunchtime practicing my newly found pipe bending skills on lengths of scrap hydraulic pipe.
I just the love the aestethics of engineering pieces with circles, sweeping radii, and equalateral triangles, especailly if I have designed and made it myself.
6 months ago I would have never been able to produce multiple bends maintaining an accuracy in all 3 dimensional planes; plus or minus (+/-) 1 mm and plus or minus (+/-) 0.5 degrees.......... Time and experience makes perfect. 

The following 3 photos show my practice efforts at making a section of space frame containing 120 degree angled bends. Unfortunately the lengths of available scrap pipe that I had to hand would only make sections one bend short of my requirement for the side space frames that my new single wheeled bike trailer will be made up from.

Going for it with the pipe bender.





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Putting in the last bend: That's 10 mm outside diametre galvanised steel hydraulic pipe with a wall thickness pipe of 1.5 mm. It requires approximately 20 kg/metres of force to make the bends, and the handle of the pipe bender is only 300 mm long. So that is in excess of 60 kgs of force that I am having to put on the handle for each bend.




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A few grunts and five or so minutes later, my practice piece is done.




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I now have sufficent lengths of 10mm hydraulic pipe for my new single wheeled bike trailer curtesy of Stauff ltd. Over the next few days I will be completing the refurbishment of my original bike trailer, and then bending up sections and components for the new one.


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## Gareth (8 Mar 2009)

Alas, I have still not completed the refurbishment of my orignal bike trailer, there is only the top coating of paint to apply and then reassemble the componants. Being self-employed in the middle of a recession has meant that I am actually working longer hours; an average of 60 per week. I have to take the work while it is there because I do not know where the next job or contract is going to come from. A new lady in my life has also meant that I have been out wining and dining, etc. in what little sparetime that I have.

However, during lunch breaks, I have managed to bend up the majority of the hydraulic pipe that I am using to make the single wheel bke trailer that I want for pleasure cycling days out and picnics this summer.

I have now bent up the major componants of the single wheel bike trailer's space frame. The photos show them laid out on my living room carpet, and over the next few weeks I will braze them together to make a Monocoque space frame type chassis: that means that each componant shares the stress loading of the one's next to it, and evenly distibutes the loadings throughout the frame work. 
The rectangles are 750 mm long X 400 mm wide, and I have used 10 mm outside diametre (uncoated) steel hydraulic pipe throughout. This single wheel bike trailer has been specifially designed and diamensioned to carry two cool bags (or one large cool box), a large Kelly Kettle, and the cyclist's spare waterproofs, etc. The maximum designed carrying load is 25 kgs with a built in >| 200% overload capacity (25 kgs+ 25kgs+ 25kgs= 75 kgs). So far I have ustilised an overall linear length of 8.4 metres of hydraulic pipe.




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Just a quick mock up of the componants, to see what the single wheel bike trailer frame will sort of look like, including the load that it is designed to carry: two Thermos cool bags and a large Kelly Kettle.
Hopefully this picture will give you some perspective of the size.


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## twowheelsgood (18 May 2009)

Hi Gareth,

Interesting thread. I'd thought about doing something like this too.

Both your new and orignal trailer look _hugely_ over-engineered to me, especially as the design target is to carry only 25kg. Indeed your orginal trailer looks like what you see in Europe as a moped trailer.

25kg is only about the limit of what you can carry on a pannier. You could easily accomodate that load by adapting (strip it to the chassis) one of the better constructed kiddie trailers which are easy and cheap to get second hand.

I actually picked up a secondhand vitelli camping trailer, which is a serious bit of kit that is designed to carry 50kg (twice what most are designed to do) in a kind of basket arrangement. Itself only weighs 8kg all in. (In fact I'm rather pleased as it was £300 worth for £40...) I'd look into this kind of design and use the tubing as a "chassis" frame only. I think those side pieces are just unecessary weight - but they look cool. You also don't necessarily need a high side frame if the things inside are bagged or boxed - you just bungee them down.

It actually looks bigger in the flesh and has a load area of about 90cm*60cm - so easily enough to carry what you wanted. The basket appears to be 3-4mm steel rod.






You also have to think about a coupling which in itself be expensive and how to mount the wheels. If you use bike wheels (like a bmx), you'll need to support both ends of the axle (again more weight), whereas trailer wheels have a thicker axle and hub and can simple be attached to the outside.

As for painting - don't bother for the price of a few large tins of hammerite, you can get a powder coat if you shop around. The finish will never be satisfactory and you'll be forever touching in spots with paint. My trailer was made in 1992, is powder coated and is not exactly "as new" but is still neat and serviceable after 15 years.


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## Gareth (29 May 2009)

I'll bet that you lot had thought that I had forgotten about my Bike trailer, and it had become an abandoned project. 

Well, you were not far off the mark; working hard on the Ocean Observer, meeting Lois and forming a new relationship, and my new virgin plot allotment have consumed a lot of my time recently. But last week I had the opportunity to finish the rubbing down to bare metal and repainting my two wheel bike trailer at long last; it's only taken me 9 months to get around to it. 

Anyway last week I got the paint on, and over the weekend I actually managed to reasemble the trailer. As it was me, one incident, and one technical problem arose.

The incident:

I spent all of Thursday painting: One coat of Hammerite Primer undercoat, one coat of Hammerite Smooth dark blue top coat, and one coat of Hammerite Dark blue hammered finish paint. Because I live in a smallish ground floor flat without a garden, I chose to undertake the work in my internal hallway. Suspending the bike trailer from a piece of timber resting on the toilet, and bedroom door frames. All well and good in theory, but damn well dangerous in practice.

I had opened all of the five windows and the internal doors in my flat to allow ventilation, but there was no wind, and therefore no draught. At approx. 5 pm, Lois found me passed out on the sofa. I had stopped for a cuppa after finishing the third and final coat of paint, but had not realised that the paint fumes had built up. I was awoken abruptly by Lois, and dragged outside into the fresh air, and it took a good few minutes and a little "mouth to mouth"  for me to return to my senses. So if it says use in a well ventilated area on the tin, follow that advice, and if possible do the painting outside.

The problem that has arisen:

Originally, 10 years ago this Bicycle trailer was designed and built to be towed behind a fixed frame mountain bike on 26 inch diameter wheels. My Falcon Explorer has 700c diameter wheels fitted, and therefore the the trailer's drawbar is not long enough to fit to the seat post; my chosen towing point. I now have to make a new bracket to fit onto the rack of my current bicycle, and it may be another couple of weeks before I am tearing about Norwich with the trailer loaded with my shopping, gardening tools, etc. following behind me.

The bike trailer hanging from the door frames and the first coat of red-oxide primer on:




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This will give you some idea how small my place is; Who else do you know who keeps their bicycle in their living room:




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The smooth finish dark blue topcoat on:




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The hammered Blue topcoat on:




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The bicycle trailer frame paintwork finally completed:




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The bicycle trailer refurbishment is now finished, there is just the towing point modifications on the bike luggage rack to do, and the subsequent photos to take and post when is complete. 

From this, nine months ago:

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To this, today:

Note; I have fitted my two drinks bottles for the photo.



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## mickle (29 May 2009)

Wicked.


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## Amanda P (29 May 2009)

Hmm. Wait till you see mine... just off to the powder coaters next week with it.

It has a spaceframe design not unlike a Moulton and not unlike this

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/...er single wheel/singlewheelbiketrailer008.jpg

Two wheels though. Built from steel tube scrapped by StarTubes at Elvington, all brazed construction (no nasty blobby welds). It doesn't have those mudguards that Gareth's has.

It may be up for sale at the York rally....


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## twowheelsgood (2 Jun 2009)

That looks pretty good to me Gavin. The electric blue bidons are a neat touch! 

I "almost" enjoy shopping since I got the trailer and it's strangely satisfying to take the recycling from the house and get a week's food in a single journey without going near the car.

My design was basically similar to the Vitelli which I was extremely lucky to find at that price but the basket would be fitted around one of those large PVC storage boxes you can buy in B&Q for waterproof, removeable transport and storage.

I'd never actually ridden with a trailer before and was extremely impressed at how comfortable and stable it was compared to loading up the pannier past what was really sensible.

How much was the powder coating uncle phil? I was quoted £25 but the colour would have to be "whatever large order we were doing that day".


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## Amanda P (2 Jun 2009)

I haven't taken it to Hutchinson yet. I would be surprised if it came to more than £30. 

I pay cash and I don't ask for a receipt, so it's possible that I'm getting a 15% discount...

Fair choice of colours though. I'll just get it done more quickly if I'm happy with satin black or whatever colour another large order is!


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## TopCat (8 Jun 2009)

Nice trailer Gareth. Just goes to show what a little TLC can do.

*passed out on the sofa*?

I think you painted indoors on purpose so you'd get mouth to mouth 

Tom


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## Gareth (2 Apr 2010)

A lot of people have asked me about the hitch that I use on my now 11 year old home-built bicycle trailer. So I have recently taken a few photos of it for you all. I use a 10 mm industrial ball joint assembly, often found on the connecting rods of process machinery. I made up a suitable fixing arm for the ball joint from a length of 16 mm diameter steel bar, mitred it, welded it to a piece of 4 mm thick mild steel plate, and utilising 8 mm diameter stainless steel socket head bolts, flat washers, and nylock nuts;

A brief recap:

The trailer just afer I had refurbished it about 18 months ago:






and recently ready for action on a charity shop run:






The components laid out before final fitting on to my bicycle's frame:






Fitted into position:






Note; that it has left sufficent room to accomodate my bike lock under the saddle:






and finally with the trailer hitched up and ready for a utility run:






Note; the additional piece of chain and the padlock that I have included. This gives me some additional security when the bike and trailer is left outside of a shop or parked up on the city cycle stands, and also as an extra safety device if the trailer should ever jump the hitch when I am towing a load, etc.


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