Quick Hitch for Bike Trailer

by Sindrone

118K37737

Intro: Quick Hitch for Bike Trailer

A quick connector for a bike trailer. So that the trailer can be switched between multiple bikes easily.
Not cumbersome and keeps the bike looking "normal". My wife and I live about two blocks from the grocery store and want to be able to use our bikes to get the goods. We have limited space were we store our bikes and the storage will not fit a trailer. I want my wife to be able to easily hook and unhook from the trailer while I am at work.

Using
1 X Male 3/8 pneumatic connector
1 X Female 3/8 pneumatic connector
2 X 1/4 (or smaller) eye bolts

STEP 1: Disassemble the Female Connector

First you will need to disassemble the female pneumatic connector.
Using needle noose pliers reach into the threaded side of the connector and grab the spring and give a pull. The spring and another small piece will come out. You may discard them they will no longer be needed.

Before continuing note the action of the small ball bearings and the slide section of the Female connector.

Using some pliers and a wrench loosen/ split the connector. Do not attempt to work the slide while the connector is apart. Other wise you run the risk loosing the ball bearings. Set the slide section to the side until you are finished with fitting the eye bolt.

STEP 2: Eye Bolt Work

Lay one of the eye bolts next to the threaded portion of the Female connector to see how much needs to be cut off/ if any. You will want the thread end of the bolt to be recessed in the connector so that it does not get in the way later

My bolt was too long so i had to cut it down.

Next the peaks of the nut for the eye bolt were just to tall so i had to file them down. Now the nut will drop all the way inside the connector. Now give the bolt a good tightening and it should be snug.
Now reassemble the female connector.

Get the other eye bolt and place in the vise in such a way so that you can open the eye. Take care of the threads. Bend open the eye and insert the Female connector eye bolt assembly. Then use the vice to close the eye.

Instead of using the second eye bolt you could substitute it with a U-bolt depending on your application.

STEP 3: Male Connector Application

Depending on what bike you have, your frame rail type and how old your bike is this next step is different.

My bike has a large enough hole in the frame rail that i was able to insert the male connector by cutting down a fitting and using a washer to fill out the hole.

my wife's bike did not have this hole so i had to cut down the male connector and use a metric bolt to thread into; where i assume the disc brake caliper or a fender support would be bolted on. I have not yet tested this for strength. But I would think i could stand on this connector and it would hold.

Refer to these other Intructables if my poor directions are to lame. Because these guys gave me inspiration

https://www.instructables.com/id/Yet-Another-Bicycle-Trailer/?ALLSTEPS

https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-bicycle-trailer/

35 Comments

Gelfling6 13 years ago

You could probably skip the entire dis-assembly of the connector, by using a pipe nipple to a end-cap, threading the eye-bolt through the end cap, Likewise on the male end, using a end-cap on a male thread, or same nipple to end cap on a female thread. The question though, is mounting it to the frame of the bike... There was another recent discussion, about a low to the ground trailer idea.. the back frame for the bike, might work as the tow hitch..

mouthpear 3 years ago

Yes thats a way better solution to the one shown in this instructables.

Sindrone 13 years ago

That is the great thing about instructables. One can interpret or modify the plans in any way you see fit. This seemed to work best for me in my situation.

supuflounder 8 years ago

Needle noose => needle nose

loosing => losing

vice => vise

joey.heider.1 8 years ago

I just used this hitch set up for hauling my kayak and it worked out great.

druidrat 11 years ago

simple and elegant, couldn't ask for more.
good job

spratjack70118 11 years ago

Hey Sindrone, I used your hitch Instructable for my Mini Teardrop Trailer Instructable. It worked quite well. Thank you.

RedShedProjects 12 years ago

I had the exact same idea but ended up making one out of a nylon block; more complicated but original! :)

chadeau 13 years ago

Must have a different type of connector-I pulled the spring,but the valve did not come out-more disassembly?

Sindrone 13 years ago

yes; you must unscrew the two halves of the coupler. 4th, 5th, 6th pics of step one. I did not make this clear, sorry.

bikerusl 13 years ago

A quick connect coupler can also be purchased for not too much money: http://www.midwestcontrol.com/catdisplay_short.php?pg=119

chadeau 13 years ago

If a person added another nut closer to the eyelet,(3rd to last photo) one could bend the loop w/o damage to threads...

Sindrone 13 years ago

True; it would help to add a second nut. The threads were not damaged in my application, but that is not to say someone else would not have said problem.

Chicken_Potpie 13 years ago

Wow! Thank you for this. It brought back memories from long ago. This design was in popular mechanics in the late 70s or early 80s with plans for a trailer built from pvc pipe. I built one (including this coupler) and it was AWESOME! I towed mine until it was about worn out. This coupler is a great design and can be very cheap depending on where you get the air fittings from.

Thanks again for the memories!

chadeau 14 years ago

I bored a pair of holes in my aluminum-framed Schwinn when I found I received the wrong B.O.B. Nutz from my local shop-but only advise this if there is sufficient thickness in rear stays and double-check for cassette/chain clearance !

ericdncn67 14 years ago

that is slick business. thanks-eric.

Handsome-Ryan 15 years ago

After seeing this I made a hitch to pull my stereo trailer using an airline coupler. I also used a castor wheel bracket to allow for up and down and side to side movement. The rest of the thing is welded and attached with hose clamps and old innertube to protect the frame. My camera was almost dead so the pics are hard to make out but I'll link to them anyway:
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