Hammer Time! Bike Trailer

This trailer is a hodgepodge of the simplest, no-weld trailer components found on Instructables, friend's trailers, and frustrations via trial and error at our warehouse (shameless self promotion - www.hammertimeprojects.org ) The goal is to make the trailer accessible to anyone who can get a hold of these basic tools and materials...

Tools (borrow from a friend )
-Hacksaw (angle grinder and miter saw optional)
-Powered drill with steel bit, 1' wood bit, Phillips bit
-1" Conduit bender
-Calipers (optional)

Materials (acquire at a used building materials store, bike co-op, and construction site dumpster.)
-15' or so of 2x4
-6' or so of 1” diameter conduit
-2 any size bike wheels (front or rear)
-1' of angle iron (bed frame works great)
-busted bike tube
-garden hose
-2 large hose clamps
-screws
-heavy duty staples (optional)

Note! you will find there are no exact dimensions in this Instructable - this is not because we didn't measure anything, but rather to let one build the trailer based on its function and to allow one to incorporate materials that may be laying around.

Step 1 The Frame

Step 1: Cut the 2x4s to your desired dimensions and lay out the frame like in the first picture bellow. I think the total frame dimensions we used were about 2' x 4'.

Step 2: Take your bike wheels and measure the width of each axle from inner nut to inner nut using a caliper tool, ruler, or string. It is important to measure both bike wheel axles as they may differ (a front wheel as compared to a back wheel with a cassette).

Step 3: Space the 2 lateral sets of 2x4s on the left and right of the frame (circled in pic 4) as wide as each wheel axle (pic 3)

Step 4: Cut 2 more 2x4s as as long as the width in between the lateral sets (pic 4).

Step 5: Screw all 2x4s together with 2 screws per joint (pic 5).

Note! Screw the frame from the most inner 2x4's to the outer as to not block the placement of your power drill.

Comments

[CluthaDubh]

Superb I like this one, glad i found this site

[Spy1440]

Hey this is a great idea. Can you tell me a rough estimate of the weight of the trailer? I am starting to think that this would be pretty heavy.

[sockeye101]

Those are some huge fenders! What are they made out of?

[sharpie.stories]

windshield wiper bottles, coat hangers, and zip ties! I was going to do an instructable on that as well but forgot to take pictures.

[onrust]

I hate it when I do that.

[drewSaysGoVeg]

Sounds like a good instructable

[gkern]

Nice design!

[kittywitty]

I think I might get my dad to help me build something like this, and have my honey bike me around. Thanks !

[frankvanw1]

Hi, nice instructable! Would this trailer design work with 2 x 3 inch lumber. Just a thought to save a little weight.

[bo88y]

1x3 furring/strapping would probably be OK for light-duty applications, but with careful selection of the pieces, and some thickness-doubling pieces where the dropouts are mounted. Pre-drilling for the screws, too. And smaller-diameter conduit.

[glorybe]

I don't have a pic of this but I noticed an act of genius in bicycle trailers. The guy took a huge 20 ft. ladder and put two wheels on one end and the other end attached right under the saddle. That trailer could carry a huge amount of cumbersome objects. It could be a home on wheels or even a way to peddle along and easily camp in quickly made tree houses along the way as the ladder would be handy for getting up the trees. That ladder extended so i suspect it would reach above 30 ft. when extended.

[bo88y]

good way to move a ladder around, too.

[blindweezy]

Well done, and properly explained with great photo documentation! Bravo.

[mehallez5]

Rad. It makes fabricating a trailer feasible in a no electricity situation as well.

[thingy]

Nice dude, I need about three of these. I gonna put some removeable sides on them.