hitches for bike trailer

[jocko]

Since my last post I have been doing some experimenting with different hitches for the bike trailer I built to carry 2 x 12v SLA batteries for my front hub driven mtb.

I had been quite excited by the idea of an air hose coupling combined with a castor wheel mount on the LH chain stay and did indeed make a mounting plate up and got it all working. HOWEVER, I am sad to say the castor and mount were not up to the strain and quite quickly distorted.
I have since refined the idea somewhat and have gone to a ratchet-set half-inch universal suitably modifed to fit into the rear of the air hose coupling, one half of which is held with a single bolt to a light steel trunnion mounted on the back axle and also screwed to one of the spare dropout accessory fixing holes with an allen screw. This rig allows movement in three planes (2 on the universal and a twisting one on the air hose coupling) to give full articulation and seems to work very well. The attached photo gives some idea. The eyebolt is for a safety chain and the threaded rod seen is an extra stay to give some rigidity.

[dremd]

Does your trailer have 1 wheel or 2?

The kids bike trailer have a spring rather than the U-joint works surprisingly well. The coupler is a drilled rod on the bike end and a drilled pipe on the trailer side to attach you insert a pin through both of them.

I hope that helps you some.

[MetroMPG]

I used the spring approach on my DIY trailer. It's worked perfectly for 3 seasons of use.

I've beat it up too. Loaded the trailer with so much junk one ride that I bent the "arm" that goes to the hitch.

I've also flipped the trailer (empty) several times, bombing around bumpy corners, or jumping off curbs. No problem!

http://www.metrompg.com/posts/bike-trailer.htm

[MetroMPG]

(deleted duplicate post)

[dremd]

Very cool Metro

The only difference between metro's approach and the commercial approach is that the commercial bike side "hitch" is turned rearward at about 45deg to straighten things out.

[dcb]

I've heard of situations where the local officials treat electric bike and 2-wheel trailer as a 4 wheeled vehicle (i.e. car) and get in a twist about this and that.

I've got one of these in the garage, am thinking about hacking up the under parts and sling a couple trolling batteries under the beam and put the motor(s) on it, and do a flatbed thing over the top of it. Just need control wires to the bike.

The trailer pushing on the seat post might take some getting used to but I think I can manage.

[QuickLTD]

Hi,
First post here. There is a guy near me who mounted a small gas motor (unsure of the HP) to a hand truck to his bike. it was high mounted similar to the bike shown in this post. He uses a rubber wheel off the driveshaft/gearbox as a friction drive for the pneumatic wheels on the hand truck. He had the engine set up like a lawn mower with only a deadman switch and no throttle cable. I know it's still powered by gasoline but im sure similar yet safer system can be done with an electric motor and batteries.

[dcb]

LOL, sounds like the catfood hauler (from The post your trailer thread. - Bike Forums )

[order99]

One of the simplest and cheapest hitches i've ever seen-a thin metal cover for an electrical junction box, about the size of a lightswitch cover. Nick the top and bottom with a file at the center mark, fold in half and seal with some JB Cold Weld. After it's cured, drill a hole to attach to the wheel bolt and a smaller hole beneath for a bolt-in Eye hook. Use a clip-on hook to attach the trailer arm to the Eye and you're done! Cost-about $2 for the cover, bolts and hooks.

I wish I could say it was my idea, but I ripped it off this website:

Instructables - Make, How To, and DIY

I've never seen more Bike Trailer designs-and different mounting methods-before in my life!