Anglia4's Bike Trailer

[anglia4]

This story starts in the past.

I have always used my typical dirt/rubbish/gib moving trailer for transporting my bucket bike. I've got a little wooden frame I drop in the front to hold the wheels and that's it. Great for taking it down the road to the local track.

But a couple of years ago, a North Island champs round at Edgecumbe happened to coincide with my family camping trip to Ohope beach. So I asked a friend if I could borrow his enclosed bike trailer, loaded up the bike, threw ALL the camping gear in the trailer, and away we went.

It was so bloody awesome for camping, and great being able to pre-load the bike and gear a few days out, and leave it safely locked away in the trailer for the whole trip. I had to have one. It was really nice and compact and light to tow. So I measured it up before returning it, and then set about doing my own design.

[anglia4]

Initially I was going to make basically an exact copy, as it was so compact and just a handy little trailer.

I nabbed the motorcross bike trailer we used when I was young as it was about to be sent for scrap metal. I was going to use it as a base to build on, but later decided that it was too heavy, too short, too narrow and was going to be more hassle than it was worth. So during lockdown #2 I refurbished the old trailer, cut out all the rust, added some new steel, cables, lights etc and sold it to fund the steel purchase for a new trailer from scratch.

 

[anglia4]

10 hours ago, anglia4 said:

Initially I was going to make basically an exact copy, as it was so compact and just a handy little trailer.

Ok so with that thought in mind I set about some designing.

My mate with the little box trailer carried all his gear in his van, I want it all to go in the trailer… so I made it a little longer as I want to make a frame in the front for toolboxes and fuel etc…

Then decided to make it a bit taller so I can get closer to standing up in it as I’ll probably camp in it at the track now and again…

Then I decided it would be handy if I could fit 3 bikes in it as more family members started getting into racing. So I made it a little wider over the wheels…

And then… I started getting serious about the resto on my Austin 7, so I thought I would see how much longer it needed to be for that to fit. Not too much being the answer. So I made it a bit longer…

So yeah… compact handy little trailer has gone out the window.

But I think this one will tick a lot of boxes.

 

[anglia4]

With the old trailer sold I put together a cut list and purchased all the steel, which sat in a bundle in the shed for a year or so.

Earlier this year I finally managed to make some space in the shed and found some time to spend a day cutting and grinding.

Then it sat in this bundle for a good few months until Wednesday this week when I got stuck in.

I’ve got the whole bottom frame welded out, and the front frame tacked up. 
I’m pretty bloody chuffed to finally be getting into it.

It’s really going to push the limits of what I can build in my shed. It barely just fits under the door, luckily the door rollers are flogged out so I can push it up the 20mm it will need to go to get the thing out the door.

[Stu]

This is awesome, nice work! Could you build a modular shelf/Tyre rack in the top at the front so you can jam more shit in when you go camping? Are you going galvanize it or just paint the sucker?

[anglia4]

Yeah I’m hoping to make some modular bits that “clip in”.

I don’t think it will fit into any galvanising bath, so I’m hoping I will be able to get it arc spray galvanised if it isn’t crazy expensive. I’m also looking into industrial epoxy paint coatings.

I don’t want to just brush paint it with hammerite like I have for my standard trailer. Because it will be clad in glued ACM I really don’t want to ever need to be doing rust repairs.

[KKtrips]

You'd be surprised how big can fit in a galv bath, I've seen entire boat trailers dipped.

 

[anglia4]

Yeah but this is big in 3 dimensions. I’ve looked, but am yet to find a big enough bath.

They all tend to be long, narrow and deep. So a wide flat trailer could be dipped sideways, but not if it’s 2m tall…

[fletch]

I think my mate got a big box trailer done at the galvanizers in Stratford. They dipped it 4 times on a diagonal to get full coverage

[anglia4]

I’ll send them my drawings and see what they say

[Stu]

The other option is to make the top unbolt so it can be done in parts. Total pain I know, but double dipping is quite alot more expensive. From memory our single dip rate is 1.69+gst per kg but I'm not sure if that covers trailers. Some galv plants charge different rates for them.

[anglia4]

Yeah I had thought about making it in sections with a few cold galv painted welds to join. But it was just going to be a massive paint in the ass. 
I’ll be happy with anything from epoxy painted upwards, have started sending my drawings out this week to see what’s achievable and what it will cost.

[anglia4]

Got a wee bit more done last night.

Tacked the other bars into the front section and welded out the top part. Thought it might be easier before the upper framework goes in. I didn’t want to start fully welding the bottom and bracing until the top is restrained.

Also got the rear frame tacked up.

[anglia4]

I’ve had to do lots and lots of thinking and careful measuring to make sure this is straight and square, cos my floor is certainly not.

It’s been braced and clamped and pulled with tie downs, but it’s pretty much where it’s in its shape now.

Very hard to get a decent photo.

Most of the posts are in and some of the top frame. Soooo much welding.

 

[anglia4]

I had a whole day to spend on the trailer yesterday so had another big crack at it. Soooo much welding...

I've got pretty much all the frame welded out now and have made the door for the front.

I've heard back from the galvanizers and they reckon they can't do it, so now I'm expecting that I will get it arc sprayed as long as its not going to cost a silly amount.

Next up, along with finishing all the doors, I'll get some chipboard packing sheets to lay a mock-floor cos I'm getting sick of tripping over while I'm working on it and then I can start planning and building the fit-out parts.

Plans include:

• Removable/stowable bike wheel chocks
• Tire/wheel storage
• A stowable mobile trolley incorporating my tools, spares, fuel and fire extinguisher to make set up at the track easier
• A work bench
• Maybe a bed

 

 

[anglia4]

Jesus! 2022 was my last progress on it!

Well, after that update, we decided to sell our house. So I was frantically working on the house for about 6 months and then we moved, and the trailer doesn't fit in the new garage. So its been outside, in the grass since last June/July and its developed a bit of scale. Anyway @Duke Blackwood decided that he wanted it off his lawn, so he came up with a clever scheme that got it moved and forced me into working on it at his workshop.

Yesterday I took a day off work, welded on some mounting points for a future removable tire rack and work bench, fabbed up a draw bar, and welded on the spring mounts.

It was a pretty massive day in the workshop for myself, usually an office fairy... so today I'm pretty shot, to the point where my boss commented this morning on how tired I look 

Anyway, its finally going to be heading off to blast and paint, and then I will make it towable so I can at least move it around while I sell something to pay for the cladding.

[anglia4]

Aaaand it’s painted.

[Stu]

Sick! Nice work!

What are you going to clad it with? ACM? 

[anglia4]

Yeah that's the plan.

Just need to sell a motorcycle or a kidney first.

[Stu]

I might be able to help - let me know some sizes you need and colour required.

One of the businesses brings in ACM, acrylic and ali etc so will try wrangle you a deal if you would like?