Flatbed Bicycle Trailer
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instructables Flatbed Bicycle Trailer by Tsanabe A bicycle trailer is a great way to increase the carrying capacity of a bicycle. This tutorial will show how to create a flatbed bicycle trailer using recycled items without the need to weld. Step 1: Step 2: Repurpose Items Destined for the Landfill I picked up an old baby stroller that was well used but no longer functional. I instantly knew that I wanted to make a bicycle trailer with it. I also was able to use parts off of an old golf caddy to make the arm that connects the trailer to the back of the bicycle. It is always a bonus to make things using discarded items and give them new life. Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 1 Step 3: Remove Unneeded Components From the Stroller To create the bed of the trailer, start by removing the Next use a small punch to drive the rivet body into the handle from the stroller and then remove the footrest tube and free the footrest from the stroller handle from the handle. (Photo 2). The footrest is attached with rivets. To remove the Remove the cushion grip from the stroller handle and rivets, I used an electric drill and a self-drilling sheet remove the hook and loop fasteners from the handle metal screw to drill through the rivet head. It works as seen in Photo 3. The handle will be used to form just as well as using a drill bit and it saves my drill the frame of the trailer bed. bits from wear. With just a small amount of drilling, the rivet head falls off as seen in Photo 1. Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 2 Step 4: Attaching the Outer Frame to Trailer The next step is to attach the handle to the trailer to opposite side. Ensure that the screw heads are form the outer rim of the trailer bed. placed on the underside of the trailer bed as seen in Photo 2. At this point you may wish to cut off some of the end of the handle to form a shorter flatbed trailer. For now With the handle firmly attached to the short segments I left the handle as is to see how well I like a longer of the trailer, drill two holes .25 inches (6.5 mm) flatbed trailer. diameter through both tubes on one side of the trailer (Photo 3), insert bolts in the holes then secure with a Use four screw clamps large enough to clamp the nut as seen in Photo 4. Repeat for the other side of handle to the existing part of the trailer frame (Photo the trailer bed frame. 1). The outer frame of the trailer is now complete as seen Start with one leg of the handle and clamp it to the on Photo 5. short outer portion of the frame using two of the screw clamps. Once attached, connect the other leg to the Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 3 Step 5: Attaching the Inner Supports to the Frame Now that the frame is in place use a threaded rod to the threaded rod (Photo 1). connect the two inner supports to the frame. The size of the threaded rod will depend on the hole size of the Once the rod is inserted through the inner supports fittings. Mine allowed me to use a .25 inch (6.5 mm) and the frame, tighten the nuts and cut off the excess diameter threaded rod. threaded rod as seen in Photo 2. Starting from one side, insert the threaded rod The trailer bed supports are now united. through the plastic fittings and place washers and nuts on either side of the plastic fittings as you insert Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 4 Step 6: Making the Arm That Connects the Trailer to the Bike The arm that connects the trailer to the bike is made trailer arm as seen in Photo 5. Insert the smaller of from the leg of a nonfunctional golf caddy (Photo 1). the flattened supports and insert a .25 inch (6.5mm) diameter bolt, 2 inch (52 mm) long, through the Start by removing the leg from the golf caddy and flattened support and then into the trailer arm (Photo remove all unneeded components as seen in Photo 5). Next place the larger of the flattened supports 2. directly on the top of the smaller flattened support as seen in Photo 6 and secure with the bolt. Place a nut Take a .75 inch (19mm) conduit support (Photo 3) on the bolt and tighten. Place a second set of and use a hammer to flatten the base of the support flattened supports midway along the arm. so that it appears as shown in Photo 4. Do the same for a 1 inch (25 mm) conduit support. Flatten one Use a U-bolt, placed on the arm at the farthest point more of both sizes. possible to connect the trailer arm to the trailer frame as seen in Photo 7. Attach the arm to the outer rim of the trailer frame and secure with the flattened conduit supports. Use The arm is now attached to the flatbed trailer frame. existing holes or drill new holes into the edge of the Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 5 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 6 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 7 Step 7: Making the Trailer Hitch The trailer hitch is probably the most interesting and terrain and for making turns. challenging part to create so as to provide a secure but flexible connection. Thanks to the many authors Start by removing the wheels from two casters as on this site, and elsewhere who shared their creations seen in Photos 1 and 2. and ideas, I was able to weigh the pros and cons of the various types of trailer hitches and eventually One of the casters is attached to the bike frame and settled on a hitch that uses two casters to make a the other is attached to the arm of the trailer. The trailer hitch. This type of trailer hitch allows for three- casters are attached to each other with a hitch pin as directional movement and is ideal for trailers with two seen in Photo 3. wheels as it allows for better handling over uneven Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 8 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 9 Step 8: Attaching the Casters to the Bike Frame and the Trailer Arm Attach one of the casters to the rear of the bike on the Finally use a hitch pin to connect the two casters left side as seen in Photo 1. I was fortunate in that together as seen in Photo 3. The hitch pin allows for a existing threaded holes on my bike matched the quick and convenient way to connect and disconnect mounting holes on the caster. If necessary, drill holes the trailer and bike. in the base of the caster to match mounting holes on your bike. Use existing holes in the caster and drill The three-directional movement of the hitch allows only what is needed. Attach with the appropriate- the bicycle and trailer to move, sway and pitch sized bolts that match your bike. I used bushings as without greatly affecting the other. As seen in Photos spacers to keep the caster mounted in a level 4-6, the bicycle can lie on the ground, on either side, position. while the connected flatbed trailer remains unaffected and upright. Take the other caster and use two .5 inch (13 mm) conduit support brackets to connect the end of the trailer arm to the caster (Photo 2). Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 10 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 11 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 12 Step 9: Attaching a Safety Catch Cable Between the Bicycle and Trailer A safety catch cable is connected to the bike frame As seen in Photo 4, cut about 4 inches (102 mm) of and the trailer and is designed to "catch" or constrain the cable housing to expose the cable. the trailer if the hitch should come apart. A hitch may come apart if the fastener fails or the hitch pin was Use a cable ferrule to create a loop in the cable and improperly connected. crimp the ferrule with a crimping tool as seen in Photo 5. The stroller did have a cable-activated side caliper brake, as seen in Photo 1, which is perfect for making Loosely wind the looped cable through the end of the the safety catch cable. Disconnect the caliper brake trailer arm and attach to a steel carabiner that is but leave the brake lever in place as it has a attached to the bicycle frame (Photos 6 & 7). Ensure mounting bracket that will be used to mount the cable that the cable is loose enough so that it does not to the trailer frame. interfere with the movement of the trailer hitch. The best way to contain the cable itself is to locate it Attach the other end of the cable to the bicycle frame within the trailer arm. as seen in Photo 8. To do this, enlarge an existing hole near the end of The safety catch cable is now in place and ready for the trailer arm (Photo 2) and run the cable through the inspection (Photo 9). hollow trailer arm and pull it out of the trailer arm through the enlarged hole (Photo 3). Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 13 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 14 Flatbed Bicycle Trailer: Page 15 Step 10: Making the Wooden Flatbed In keeping with the underlying theme of reusing diameter than the diameter of the screw you are using discarded items, I chose to use wood salvaged from to fasten the boards together (Photo 3).