Introduction: No Weld Bike Trailer for Kayaks & More!

By MakerPipe.com
About: Maker Pipe is a simple, affordable, easy-to use system of connectors that pairs with inexpensive electrical conduit you can find at any hardware store. The result is a building platform with endless possibili…

I recently built this trailer so I could get my kayak to the lake easier. I built it without welding and it's totally customizable based on what you are using it for. I'll share the steps and techniques I went through to make it so you can copy it exactly or make a custom trailer that suits your needs better.

Supplies

Frame materials:

Axle materials:

Accessories:

Tools:

Step 1: Cut the EMT Conduit

Again, this entire frame is totally customizable, but here are the exact measurements I used if you are recreating the same trailer as me. Cutting EMT is really simple. You will measure the lengths with a tape measure and mark the cuts with a marker. Then you line the conduit up on the cutting wheel and tighten the handle slightly. Rotate it around the tube a few times. Repeat this process until the cut is complete. For this frame, you will need...

  • (2) 24-inch pieces (These are the cross braces that support the kayak)
  • (1) 28-inch piece (This is the outer axle sleeve)
  • (4) 36-inch pieces (These are the angled pipes that come off the axle)
  • (1) 64-inch piece (This is the horizontal pipe on the right side of the trailer)
  • The remaining conduit will be used to make the connecting arm in step 7

Step 2: Make the Axle & Attach Wheels

To make the axle, you'll start by adding a washer, then a wheel, then another washer, then the stop nut on one side. Then you will need 28" of 1/2" polyethylene tubing. You will use the 2ft section and cut 4 more inches out of the second stick that you have. You'll then want to slice the pe tubing all the way down and slide both pieces over the threaded rod. Make sure to leave some room so you can tighten the stop nut later on. Then you will slide a 28" piece of conduit over top of the threaded rod and pe tubing. Then you can add a washer, a wheel, another washer, and a stop nut to finish off the axle. You'll need to hold the nut on one side of the axle with a 1-1/16" wrench while you tighten the opposite end with another wrench or ratchet and socket. Give your axle a test roll and make sure the wheels roll smoothly while you hold the EMT Conduit. You may have to loosen the nuts a tiny bit if the washers are squeezing the conduit too much.

Step 3: Start the Frame

My trailer frame is a big triangle which helps cut down on total connectors and conduit which in turn saves weight. You'll start by adding two 135 Degree Connectors over top of the 3/4" EMT Conduit axle. They will sit right against the inside washers. In each open end of the connectors, you will add a 3ft piece of conduit.

Step 4: Add the Kayak Supports

Next, you will add the cross pipes that support the kayak. To do this you will measure 8" from the end of the 3 ft pipes from the previous step. Make a mark at 8". Then on the mark will use T Connectors to add a 24" pipe between the two 3ft pipes on each side.

Step 5: Finish the Triangle

Next, you will use two Adjustable Angle Connectors to finish the triangle on one side. Use them to secure the 64" piece of conduit to the top of the right side of the frame.

Then on the left side of the frame, you will do the same thing, but this time use a 10ft piece of conduit and leave it long. This will later be used to make a connection arm for the trailer and bike.

Step 6: Accessorize the Frame

I wanted to utilize the underneath area of the frame and make a basket that could hold camping gear and other stuff if need be. To do this I cut up some fencing and then zip-tied pieces together to create a basket. Make sure to watch out for the wheels. You don't want the netting or gear to hit the wheels. I found it helpful to cut triangles out of the material for the sides and then do one long middle piece. It's not the prettiest but it worked well overall and I'm happy enough with it.

Lastly, I put some pipe insulation over the cross braces and top rails to protect the kayak a little bit. These had trouble staying in place I found so it's a good idea to add a large zip tie around them to hold the foam in place.

Step 7: Make the Connecting Arm

My kayak is 10ft long so my connection arm had to be pretty long so the rear bike tire wouldn't interfere. Because of this, I had to extend the pipe that was sticking out on the left side of the frame. This required some minimal surgery. I cut the left pipe approximately 24" down from the Adjustable Angle Connector and added a long piece of 3/4" EMT Conduit sticking out of the end. It is secured with a Coupling.

At this point, the pipe was sticking straight out about 30" high from the ground. This is not good because my rear bike hub is 15" from the ground. The connecting arm needs to be flush with the hub. I decided to bend my EMT Conduit. I did two 45-degree bends to slope downwards and level out the conduit with the hub. You could also do a back-to-back 90-degree bend if you prefer.

If you don't want to bend at all, you can skip the surgery and bending by using cross-over clamps to add a connection arm at the appropriate height. That's what Tim did in this beach cart. You will want to adjust the length of the connecting arm based on your bike wheel size etc. You want the rear bike tire to be centered with the trailer. It is helpful to use scrap pieces of conduit to mock up the bends and confirm your estimates.

With the connecting arm now flush we want to add a slight bend to the end of the arm to allow the bike to turn without hitting the trailer. My bend was somewhere between 30-45 degrees. This doesn't have to be perfect but just make sure you give your rear bike tire plenty of room for turning.

Step 8: Add the Hitch

The final step is attaching the trailer to the bike. When Tim shared his bike cart, he linked a universal hitch that was around $12. It worked out really well.

There is a black bracket that secures to your rear bike hub with a 5mm hex wrench. Every bike is different so your bracket may not look like mine once it's connected but it should be similar.

3/4" EMT Conduit fits over the other end of the spring perfectly. Inside the spring is a silicone rod that has pre-drilled hole in it. The included hitch bolt needs to run through the conduit, spring, and silicone rod. I just used a 1/4" drill bit to drill all the way through the conduit. You might have to trim the conduit length a bit and line the bolt hole up with the spring and silicone.

Step 9: Enjoy!