This is one of those build it instead of buying it threads!
In August I went on a weekend camping trip to Front Royal, VA and the Skyline Drive. I had everything I needed for a one-up, weekend camping trip loaded onto and into the bike and it all fit fine, but there was no way I could have fit one more thing on or in the bike. That could become a problem because I am looking at a few longer trips next year and my wife is actually starting to enjoy riding on the Wing. If she agrees to go on a weekend trip on the Wing, there is no way we could get everything into the bike. The solution to my problem is a trailer, but I don't have the money to spare to buy a trailer and roof-top carrier, so I decided to make my own.
I have a 12' row boat sitting on a 14' trailer in my back yard, and one day while I was cutting the grass that trailer was staring at me and yelling: "Pick me, pick me!" So I started looking at the possibilities. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it might just work but the trailer is too big: it is even too big for the boat, so I knew it would be really too big for the bike so it would need to go on a diet. Before starting, the trailer was 14 feet long and it could be extended to 16 feet with a total width of 60 inches.
The problem I was having was the axle. It was too wide for anything that I wanted to do, and I was lacking the tools to make it work. Also, did I mention that I was trying to do this on a shoestring budget, so buying another axle was out of the question?
I didn’t have a welder so I thought I was stuck and I was ready to give up on the entire idea. I was sitting with a bunch of guys talking one night at a park, and I mentioned what I was doing and that I wished I had a welder when one of the guys mentioned that he had a welder and that he would let me barrow it for a while, so my plans were back on track.
Since this is my boat trailer, and I had no intention of giving that up, I knew I needed to accomplish a few things when I am done. I needed a trailer small enough and light enough to pull behind the bike so that it won't push the bike in a turn, but I also needed a trailer big enough that will still hold the boat so I can go fishing. The tongue was already long enough that I could extend the trailer length from 14 to 16 feet, so why not monopolize on that. Why not have two tongues for the trailer: one for the boat and one for the bike.
I thought I had everything figured out, so it was time to get busy. I broke out the grinder, cutting wheels, and the welder and got to work. I took one foot out of the axle and the overall width of the trailer and I shortened the length by six feet when I have the trailer configured for pulling behind the bike. When I have the trailer set up for the boat, it is only 18 inches shorter than when I started. I also lost about 175 pounds. If only it were that easy for me to lose that amount!
Because this is a boat trailer, everything is galvanized steel so that needed to be changed. After too much sanding and priming and more sanding, I have decided I HATE sanding! My finger tips were sore from using piss cans to paint this thing, but I was now ready for the next step: electrical. I got a lot of practice and now I am getting pretty good at soldering and everything is working as advertised so it was onto making the deck and cargo box.
I still wasn’t sure what I was going to use for the deck until I started to price .062 aluminum diamond plate… remember – shoestring budget! $120.00 for the piece of diamond plate I needed or $25.00 for a sheet of plywood: I went with the plywood. Someday I may change it, but for now it is good enough. For the side rails, I finally decided on some 2x2’s with rounded corners and edges, and after some painting, I think should look like metal tubes. While I was walking through the big blue home improvement store, I stumbled onto a 15 cubic foot waterproof cargo bag on close-out for $15 that could not be passed up.
I just need finish it by painting the rails and then finally bolting everything together and down for the last time. Final thing will be figuring out the ice chest rack.
All totaled, I have spent:
Angle iron for the axle - $12.00
Plywood - $25.00
2x2’s - $7.00
Bag - $15.00
All totaled $59.00, and only a little more to go until it is finished. Now I better get busy on a trailer hitch for the bike!
In August I went on a weekend camping trip to Front Royal, VA and the Skyline Drive. I had everything I needed for a one-up, weekend camping trip loaded onto and into the bike and it all fit fine, but there was no way I could have fit one more thing on or in the bike. That could become a problem because I am looking at a few longer trips next year and my wife is actually starting to enjoy riding on the Wing. If she agrees to go on a weekend trip on the Wing, there is no way we could get everything into the bike. The solution to my problem is a trailer, but I don't have the money to spare to buy a trailer and roof-top carrier, so I decided to make my own.
I have a 12' row boat sitting on a 14' trailer in my back yard, and one day while I was cutting the grass that trailer was staring at me and yelling: "Pick me, pick me!" So I started looking at the possibilities. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it might just work but the trailer is too big: it is even too big for the boat, so I knew it would be really too big for the bike so it would need to go on a diet. Before starting, the trailer was 14 feet long and it could be extended to 16 feet with a total width of 60 inches.
The problem I was having was the axle. It was too wide for anything that I wanted to do, and I was lacking the tools to make it work. Also, did I mention that I was trying to do this on a shoestring budget, so buying another axle was out of the question?
I didn’t have a welder so I thought I was stuck and I was ready to give up on the entire idea. I was sitting with a bunch of guys talking one night at a park, and I mentioned what I was doing and that I wished I had a welder when one of the guys mentioned that he had a welder and that he would let me barrow it for a while, so my plans were back on track.
Since this is my boat trailer, and I had no intention of giving that up, I knew I needed to accomplish a few things when I am done. I needed a trailer small enough and light enough to pull behind the bike so that it won't push the bike in a turn, but I also needed a trailer big enough that will still hold the boat so I can go fishing. The tongue was already long enough that I could extend the trailer length from 14 to 16 feet, so why not monopolize on that. Why not have two tongues for the trailer: one for the boat and one for the bike.
I thought I had everything figured out, so it was time to get busy. I broke out the grinder, cutting wheels, and the welder and got to work. I took one foot out of the axle and the overall width of the trailer and I shortened the length by six feet when I have the trailer configured for pulling behind the bike. When I have the trailer set up for the boat, it is only 18 inches shorter than when I started. I also lost about 175 pounds. If only it were that easy for me to lose that amount!
Because this is a boat trailer, everything is galvanized steel so that needed to be changed. After too much sanding and priming and more sanding, I have decided I HATE sanding! My finger tips were sore from using piss cans to paint this thing, but I was now ready for the next step: electrical. I got a lot of practice and now I am getting pretty good at soldering and everything is working as advertised so it was onto making the deck and cargo box.
I still wasn’t sure what I was going to use for the deck until I started to price .062 aluminum diamond plate… remember – shoestring budget! $120.00 for the piece of diamond plate I needed or $25.00 for a sheet of plywood: I went with the plywood. Someday I may change it, but for now it is good enough. For the side rails, I finally decided on some 2x2’s with rounded corners and edges, and after some painting, I think should look like metal tubes. While I was walking through the big blue home improvement store, I stumbled onto a 15 cubic foot waterproof cargo bag on close-out for $15 that could not be passed up.
I just need finish it by painting the rails and then finally bolting everything together and down for the last time. Final thing will be figuring out the ice chest rack.
All totaled, I have spent:
Angle iron for the axle - $12.00
Plywood - $25.00
2x2’s - $7.00
Bag - $15.00
All totaled $59.00, and only a little more to go until it is finished. Now I better get busy on a trailer hitch for the bike!
opcorn: :mrgreen:
