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Simple No-Weld Bike Trailer by mr.mcninja on May 23, 2012
Table of Contents
Simple No-Weld Bike Trailer ...... 1
Intro: Simple No-Weld Bike Trailer ...... 2
Step 1: Gather Materials ...... 2
Step 2: Disassembly ...... 3
Step 3: Wheel Assembly ...... 4
Step 4: Fork Assembly ...... 5
Step 5: Mounting Trailer ...... 6
Step 6: Outfitting ...... 7
Related Instructables ...... 8
Comments ...... 8
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Intro: Simple No-Weld Bike Trailer This instructable is entered into the "Wheels Challenge." If you enjoy it, please vote by clicking the "Vote" button in the upper right corner of this page. Thanks for reading!
As with all good instructables, this one was born out of necessity. I needed to get a bunch of stuff from point A to point B.
I am a scavenger so I needed a bike and trailer to get me around to garage sales, curb alerts, landfills, dumpsters, etc. Growing up, I was taught to never let anything go to waste. It's kind of my life's ambition to reclaim, re-purpose, and reuse. We live in a culture of waste, where all goods have become disposable. If you take anything from this instructable, I hope it's an inspiration to think twice before you throw something useful away. I built this entire bike trailer, beautiful and functional as it is, at zero cost entirely from other peoples' trash!
Since Instructables is already inundated with bike trailer tuts, I wouldn't have created this one if I didn't think it was simply better than all the others. In addition to being free, eco-friendly, strong, sturdy, and nimble it was exceedingly simple and quick to make. It required no welding, grinding, sawing, or drilling and took a total of 4 hours of planning and construction! Let me show you how I did it...
Step 1: Gather Materials This bike trailer was built primarily from two things:
1. A steel framed "Big Wheel" type tricycle 2. An old 10 speed mountain bike
The tools you'll need are very common:
1. Socket or wrench set 2. Allen Key set 3. Pipe wrench 4. Screwdriver 5. Pliers
The specific make and model of the trike is a "Micro, Spinmove." Though I don't think its necessary that you track down this exact trike for your own bike trailer, I have to say this one worked out perfectly.
Because the old 10 speed was a junker, it took some extra elbow grease to crack through the layers of rust a grime. However, I'd rather take more time and effort parting out a nonfunctioning bike than dismantle a perfectly good bike. Which leads me to our next step...disassembly. http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Step 2: Disassembly The only part of the trike we need is the frame. You'll have to remove the handlebars, front wheel and fork, seat, and both rear wheels. See the image of the trike for directions.
From the bike, we need the front fork and both wheels. Again, see the image above for directions or check out this video:
Now that you have separated what you need from what you don't, we're ready to move on to assembling the rear wheels. Before we do, take a look at those left over parts you won't be using for this project. The garbage may be their most likely destination, but ask yourself if these parts could still serve useful to you or someone else.
My spare parts were donated to a local charity that runs a bike shop assembling and repairing bikes for individuals who depend on them to get to and from work.
Just sayin' give it some thought. On to assembly...
Image Notes 1. Use an Allen wrench to loosen the bolts at the base of the stem. The handlebars and fork will detach from the frame. 2. Use an Allen wrench to unscrew the seat from the frame. 3. Use a socket set to remove the wheels from the frame.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Image Notes 1. Remove the handlebars by unscrewing the single bolt at the top of the steer Image Notes tube. The handlebars will lift out (I had to use a hammer to persuade them). 1. You'll need both wheels and the front fork (not pictured). Lucky for me, the 2. Use a socket set to unscrew the bolts holding the front wheel to the front fork. tire treads and inner tubes were all in good shape! 3. To remove the fork from the frame, use a pipe wrench to unscrew the top "fork nut." Unscrew the following nut and the fork will lift out. Don't lose any washers or ball bearings as you remove the fork! 4. Use a socket set to unscrew the bolts holding the rear wheel to the rear fork.
Step 3: Wheel Assembly After much consideration, I determined the best way to fix 26 inch mountain bike wheels to the trike frame. Your trike design may differ, but the Micro Spinmove has caps at each end of the perpendicular frame tube. It originally had a rod that extended through its length which was the axle that the plastic tires spun on.
First remove and discard the axle.
Then removed each end cap from the frame.
Connect the caps to the length of threaded bolt extending from the hub of each wheel using a washer and nut.
Just fit the caps back in to the perpendicular tube of the frame and you're rolling!
You may be asking what keeps the end caps from flying off during use. Friction alone is not good enough. What I did was have my local hardware store cut and thread a rod that extends from one wheel to the other and replaces the bolts that ran through the center of each wheel hub. When I screwed a nut to each end, the wheel hubs stay firmly in place, allowing the tires to spin freely.
Image Notes 1. End Cap
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Image Notes 1. At one point, I experimented with 16 inch wheels (pictured). Bigger wheels are more stable. 2. Old axle I pulled from the trike. I didn't need it to make the bike trailer, but it is much to useful to throw away.
Step 4: Fork Assembly To attach the mountain bike fork to the trike frame, you simply reverse the steps you took removing the fork from the bike:
Make sure the ball bearings are in place at the crown of the fork, then slide the fork in to the frame.
Now, lay in the second set of ball bearings, followed by the nut from the mountain bike. I had to use some spacers left over from another bike project to account for the extra length of the steer tube.
Tighten everything down with the fork nut.
All the parts fit like they were made for each other! The fork now turns freely inside the frame. To help smooth the turning action, you may want to add some axle grease to the bearings before you tighten everything down.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Image Notes 1. Nut 2. Spacers 3. Fork nut 4. If you don't have spacers, you could just use the trike stem. That's the part that connected the trike's handlebars to its fork.
Step 5: Mounting Trailer A bike fork is designed to straddle a bike wheel. A front fork, however, is not designed to straddle a rear wheel. The difference between the wheels is their hub. The rear hub is longer to accommodate the rear gear set. In order to make the trailer's front fork fit the rear wheel of a mountain bike, you'll have to widen it.
Widen the fork to the point where it will just fits outside of your bike's rear fork (I prefer the stomp and yank method).
Look closely on your bike's rear fork and you're likely to find a conveniently placed threaded hole on either side.
Line up this holes with the small holes on your fork tines and screw them in with the appropriate screw.
You're almost ready to haul...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Image Notes 1. Stomp 2. Yank
Image Notes 1. Conveniently placed threaded hole
Step 6: Outfitting You could do a lot of different things with this trailer but for my purposes, nothing beats a large plastic storage bin. The frame has a platform where the child's seat had been mounted. Simply use the same allen bolts and holes that once held the seat on to affix the storage bin or whatever you're situation requires.
If you are using a storage bin, I like the idea of strengthening it with a 2x4 lengthwise across the top as another instructable recommends. I also like the idea of a small tool box filled with tools and tie downs also suggested on another instructable .
This really is a beautiful website; where creators share, borrow, and improve upon each others ideas. I know it's unlikely you'll find a "Micro Spinmove" tricycle atop your local scrap heap but by showing you my unique approach to the concept of bike trailer, I hope to have given you a few more ideas for your bike trailer project. Without the inspiration of others, this project would not have been possible.
Thanks for reading!
If you found my instructable inspiring, or in the least enjoyable, I'd appreciate your vote in the "Wheels Challenge" closing on July 2, 2012. Click the "Vote" button in the upper right corner of this page!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/ Related Instructables
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Comments
4 comments Add Comment
testcase says: May 24, 2012. 1:13 AM REPLY It looks to me that you miss one angle freedom. When you tilt your bicycle to 60 degrees (for example), doesn't one of trailer wheels go up? When trailer is loaded this can cause problems with riding.
rimar2000 says: May 23, 2012. 6:30 PM REPLY I like everything, except the cleats. That little screw (forst photo in step 5) looks too weak for the work to be done. And the hole for it is located too near the edge of rear forks.
Fixig that, it is for me a good idea.
mr.mcninja says: May 23, 2012. 6:59 PM REPLY I'll give you that. The original plan was to mount the trailer fork drop outs right onto the rear wheel hub, but the skewer was too short. If the screws ever became a problem, I'd find a longer skewer.
rimar2000 says: May 23, 2012. 6:31 PM REPLY "forst" = "first" (here in Villa Elisa)
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-No-Weld-Bike-Trailer/