Venturedad hitch & single wheel trailer

[ctraylor]

What is the size of your box and your tongue weight under normal load? I know you have a different hitch system but thought it might give me a gauge by which to measure mine. Thanx for sharing your experiences.

 

Jerry

Trailer frame is 16X35" and overall is 6'. I haven't weighed the tongue but will estimate about 40lbs loaded. I load the heavy stuff to the back. I have never bottomed out and we ride two up most of the time when pulling the trailer. Usually 2 suitcases and an ice chest. One time I had stuff tied all over it by the time we got home. My hitch is welded to the rack under the trunk. I cut a small hole in the trunk just large enough to drop in the pin.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

After 10 months of non-interest, I think this thread needs a boost.

 

I am currently working on the single-wheel trailer I designed, and am somewhere in the middle of the project now. Hopefully it will see the light of day soon. I have taken the unit out for some test rides, with about 80 pounds of dead weight on board, and it tracked fine.

 

 

Its not entirely new compared to some designs on here, but I feel it improves due to lower center of gravity, reduced length, and less weight.

 

Time will tell, of course.

 

Its not ready for prime-time pictures yet, as its still pretty ugly, but it will get prettier as things progress. I noticed what others noticed: You can feel the extra weight when you lift the bike off the sidestand, but once underway, the loaded trailer seems to just disappear back there.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2011 by tx2sturgis

[Flyinfool]

Even UGLY pics are better than no pics at all....

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Even UGLY pics are better than no pics at all....

 

 

Yep.......but did you notice that four, countem, FOUR of the little smiley guys holding up those signs have only ONE arm?

 

 

What the heck?

 

 

 

[OB-1]

Yep.......but did you notice that four, countem, FOUR of the little smiley guys holding up those signs have only ONE arm?

 

 

What the heck?

 

 

 

 

Yes, but you only know that because there's photos, (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), of the little smiley guys; unlike your photo-less post of your Yet To Be Seen trailer...

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Yes, but you only know that because there's photos, (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), of the little smiley guys; unlike your photo-less post of your Yet To Be Seen trailer...

 

Yet to be seen? Well, yes, it hasnt been seen on the internet yet, but it HAS been seen by motorists around where I live and also the employees at the shop where I'm having some of the work done...those guys ALL came out to look at it the other day....

 

 

Its not what you know, but WHO you know!

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I visited the welding shop today that is doing the custom welding on my new one-wheel trailer. The main part of it, Stage 3, is nearly finished.

 

 

Stage 1: Custom modification to an existing torsion axle, swingarm and wheel. (occurred last fall)

 

Stage 2: Custom fabrication of the hitch and frame, from parts I secured elsewhere. (earlier this year)

 

Stage 3: Construction of the main part, what I call, the 'Luggage Deck'. (ongoing)

 

Stage 4: Fabrication of the swingarm-to-frame attachment point.

 

Stage 5: Final assembly of all the parts. Installation of the lighting.

 

Stage 5: Final Road testing, and adjustments to swingarm, if needed.

 

Stage 6: Licensing and then extensive road trips.

 

Stage 7: Yet to be determined.

 

 

Pictures soon.

 

 

 

 

[OB-1]

...Pictures soon.

 

You said that a week ago!

 

How about so we can see some photos of the Top Secret single wheel trailer?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

You said that a week ago!

 

How about so we can see some photos of the Top Secret single wheel trailer?

 

Its not top secret, but like anyone who might want to market something in the future, I gotta build anticipation, speculation, and rumor!

 

As soon as you put a picture on the net...its out of your control!

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Ok...most of Stage 3 (the luggage deck) is finished. It overlaps to some degree with Stage 4 (the swing-arm mount).

 

I have begun to design the license plate mount and the rear lighting brackets. The fender

design is still in progress. Unveiling soon, but I do have to hit the road for about 10 days, so its all on hold right now....

 

This is a busy time of year for most of us, so the final stages of this project may get delayed.

 

No big deal, since I've been working on it (in one way or another) since October of last year.

 

Further updates in a couple of weeks.

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Since I posted this info in another thread, I thought it might be time to update this thread also.

 

 

I got my trailer completed a couple of months ago...altho I still feel its a work in progress, and many details can be changed, but the overall design and build is finished.

 

I used a modified torsion swingarm for the suspension, and kept the trailer as an open frame design...that way I can bungee on whatever I need, whether its a cooler, or a totebox for going shopping, or a tent and sleeping bags.

 

I used a small u-joint in the design, and used a standard 1-1/4 inch receiver tube. I added a very stout U-bolt to tighten it up and remove all play in the receiver receptacle. I zip-tied a spare tire under the deck, and always carry a couple of small tire irons, and spare tube.

 

It pulls like a dream, and will carry about 120 lbs. I like to keep the weight below about 75 lbs for best handling. It weighs 60 lbs empty. I keep the tire inflated to about 18-20 psi.

 

Its been on several short road trips (200 miles or so), and I use it for running errands all over town. It sure gets a lot of questions when bikers are around and take an interest.

 

 

This trailer is not designed to look 'purdy'...its designed to haul things that dont fit on the bike. Its also very low maintenance, no waxing or polishing needed, and no rock chips on the leading edges from gravel kicked up by the rear wheel, as seems to happen on my other 2 trailers. This thing cleans right up with a garden hose!

 

Its working well for me and really, thats all that matters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2011 by tx2sturgis

[Guest tx2sturgis]

 

Just a few pics I have taken recently as I go about business on my commuter scooter.

 

 

 

[ATTACH]63680[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[ATTACH]63681[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[ATTACH]63682[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[ATTACH]63683[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

[Condor]

I have a question.... On a single wheeled trailer does it add a little weight to the lean angle when stopped, on a side stand, or moving at parking lot speeds since the trailer mass also tilts?? Just curious.....

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I have a question.... On a single wheeled trailer does it add a little weight to the lean angle when stopped, on a side stand, or moving at parking lot speeds since the trailer mass also tilts?? Just curious.....

 

Yes it does.

 

 

But it virtually disappears when rolling faster than parking lot speeds. Two-wheeled trailers tend to become very noticeable at highway speeds if there are curves, and that is when the single wheel trailers become 'one' with the bike: Since they lean INTO the curve with you, they dont widen your sweep, or cause you to have to lean deeper into the curve than normal. You really dont even have to slow down in the sharper curves unless you are entering blind curves, of course all standard riding safety techniques still apply. My trailer is narrower than the bike so anywhere the bike can be ridden the trailer will follow without mishap. Debris or potholes on the road are no longer much of an issue, since you dont have to miss that debris with 3 wheel tracks.

 

You still know the trailer is back there, but you dont have to modify your riding technique as much as you do with a wider two-wheel trailer.

 

OTOH, you can haul more weight and more bulk with a 12-25 cubic foot two wheel trailer, so they certainly have value also.

 

It just depends on what you have planned.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 27, 2012 by tx2sturgis

[Guest tx2sturgis]

So I needed to haul a large box.

 

Single wheel trailer did just fine. The packeage only weighed maybe 20 pounds but was very bulky.

 

 

 

 

[LilBeaver]

I have to say that I have seen a number of pictures of this in the building process and in action and I think this is a superb idea. Brian, you may want to seriously consider looking into copyright/patent for this. I have been on the fence about trailers and the bike for a long time, this would be the perfect solution for my wants and needs!

 

[FreezyRider]

I have to say that I have seen a number of pictures of this in the building process and in action and I think this is a superb idea. Brian, you may want to seriously consider looking into copyright/patent for this. I have been on the fence about trailers and the bike for a long time, this would be the perfect solution for my wants and needs!

 

 

Agreed. I'd be tempted to buy one of those myself. I love the flexibility of that trailer, not being limited by the size or shape of an integrated box.

 

Great idea, great execution!

 

Joe

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Well thanks guys but actually I have seen a few other designs that are close to what I came up with, built before I built mine.

 

I worked on the initial design on paper kindve in a vacuum. I designed it according to what I wanted in a trailer, and then built it. When I had it completed, I went and did a search for single wheel trailers and actually found some similar designs on youtube, of all places.

 

Most of these were a bit larger and not quite as...uh...clean looking. Most of them seemed to be in other countries. I guess right here in America, bigger is better and I have actually had observers comment that its not big enough to haul much, but it turns out it is just big enough to do the jobs I built it to do.

 

I think there would be a niche market for something like this, but lacking time and resources, it seems it will be a one-off for now.

 

I do have another axle and wheel that could be used as a starting point for one more trailer.

 

Hmmm...how about a nice blue or red one?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2012 by tx2sturgis

[DarkLeftArm]

Am I right in thinking that most of the fears of a 1 wheel trailer lie in the fact that there is a possibility of too much tongue weight? Most 2 wheel trailers have the weight centered over the axle. Why does the wheel on a 1 wheel rig have to be to the extreme rear? Could it be designed with the wheel closer to the front of the trailer? Towards the center of the load? I think that would raise the center of gravity some, but it might be worth it to relieve some of the weight on the hitch. I think that even 1/3 of the total trailer weight is a lot for a mc hitch.

Help me out here, my brain is starting to hurt.

Thank you.

[FuzzyRSTD]

Am I right in thinking that most of the fears of a 1 wheel trailer lie in the fact that there is a possibility of too much tongue weight? Most 2 wheel trailers have the weight centered over the axle. Why does the wheel on a 1 wheel rig have to be to the extreme rear? Could it be designed with the wheel closer to the front of the trailer? Towards the center of the load? I think that would raise the center of gravity some, but it might be worth it to relieve some of the weight on the hitch. I think that even 1/3 of the total trailer weight is a lot for a mc hitch.

Help me out here, my brain is starting to hurt.

Thank you.

 

I was thinking the same thing Dark about relocating the one wheel to better reflect the needed weight, or not so much rearward of and to the hitch, but more centering.

 

I also want to comment on what the cost is to patent a build. I have done some research on this for a build of mine, not a trailer, but a Stinger Flagpole Mount that I have designed and built to help the PGR members and to sell at an affordable price for everyone.

 

My finds so far are this;

 

#1. You must find a lawyer whom does this,not all lawyers can or will.

 

#2.The cost of patenting a product is in the neighborhood of $6000.00 . According to a very nice and seemed very intelligent lawyer that was willing to give me some free advise from Lexington,KY.

 

#3.The product must be patented within the first year of completion and or sold to someone else.

 

#4. If someone copies your patent, you still must hire the lawyers and play and pay the system.

 

#5. It usually takes about 12 months for all the research to be done and paper work cleared and filed.

 

This was according to this lawyer whom seemed to be very willing to help me out and took his time explaining and making sense of it all.

 

Fuzzy

Edited March 29, 2012 by FuzzyRSTD

[Guest tx2sturgis]

There used to be a guy in Arkansas and he made some one wheel trailers that looked like a Thule cargo tube mounted on a small frame ABOVE the single wheel.

 

I never saw one in operation, and the website seems to be down now.

 

It looked to me like with the cargo above the wheel, that would reduce the vertical load on the hitch, but at the expense of a much higher center-of-gravity, and a higher twisting force on the hitch structure during turns.

 

It also looked like it would be subject to a speed-induced wobble on fast sweeping turns. I am constantly on the alert for any kind of trailer oscillation. I have not had any problems, and even in high speed sweeping turns on rough road surfaces, I have never felt any oscillations.

 

I CAN feel the trailer back there being moved around by the rough pavement, but have never had a wobble develop.

 

In a single-wheel design, in my opinion, the right way to reduce hitch load is by extending the overall length of the trailer, especially the distance between the cargo deck/box and the coupler. Not by placing the load higher above the wheel. If the trailer wheel is a smaller diameter, then that would help with getting the CoG down, and improve handling, but at the expense of trailer stability at moderate speeds.

 

On my trailer, the gyroscopic stability begins to kick in around 30 mph, and its fully stable by 40 mph. At speeds above that, the trailer is more or less self-balancing, and does not increase the riders workload at all.

 

I'm posting a pic (from another trailer thread) of another members trailer, which shows his bike hooked to a camper trailer. I'm guessing the tongue weight there is around 40 pounds. Maybe 50-60 if a fully loaded cooler is placed on the drawbar.

 

My trailer, in the second picture, when fully loaded, puts about 60 pounds on the hitch, but most of the time its NOT fully loaded and the hitch weight is closer to 45 pounds. I've measured this to be sure.

 

The last picture shows a similar design that would allow some cargo placement above the wheel, while keeping the CoG low. Its a picture I grabbed off the net last summer and cant remember where I found it.

 

It seems to show the trailer without a normal suspension, so I'm guessing its going to have problems with bouncing on rough roads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2012 by tx2sturgis

[Condor]

I have a 'devils advocate' question.... Everyone seems to be concerned about the hitch weight, and it is a valid question, but what about added off center weight?? When leaning the bike...and trailer since it is a one wheel.... does it significantly increase the effort needed to take the bike and trailer off a side stand when fully loaded, or when in a 'oh krap' mode when accidentally getting way off center when stopped just before gently laying it down horizontally.... I think we've all been there at least once.... Also what type of effort would it take to pick the bike and trailer back up on their feet?? Has anyone ever had this happen???

[Jactana]

I'm just finishing a one wheel trailer designed by ScubaDave on trailer towing forum. I had it hooked to the bike on Saturday, and lifted it off the kick stand (empty). It didn't seem to make that much difference, and I have leveling links that make the bike lean a bit more on the sidestand. I guess we'll see next week when I get it on the road.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

.... does it significantly increase the effort needed to take the bike and trailer off a side stand when fully loaded, or when in a 'oh krap' mode when accidentally getting way off center when stopped just before gently laying it down horizontally.... I think we've all been there at least once.... Also what type of effort would it take to pick the bike and trailer back up on their feet?? Has anyone ever had this happen???

 

 

I have had one 'ooopsie' with the singlewheel trailer attached. One nice thing about this singletrack unit is that if it leans over and takes a nap, it wont hurt any important hardware around the hitch/coupler/frame area as a 2 wheel trailer can. (without a swivel hitch).

 

It was noticeably heavier but I was able to lift it all back up to vertical. If I had not been able to, then I would have simply uncoupled the trailer and then lifted the bike upright and then hooked up the trailer afterwards. I dont think the trailer will cause you to have to leave the bike 'horizontal' and go get help, if thats what you're asking.

 

In post #39 here, I described the handling at slow speeds and then faster speeds.

 

Yes, the trailer is noticeable at parking lot speeds, but still maneuverable if you are careful. At speeds normal for around town its 'there' but not affecting the handling much.

 

At cruising speeds, 40 mph and above, its hard to tell its even back there.

 

 

 

 

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I'm just finishing a one wheel trailer designed by ScubaDave on trailer towing forum. I had it hooked to the bike on Saturday, and lifted it off the kick stand (empty). It didn't seem to make that much difference, and I have leveling links that make the bike lean a bit more on the sidestand. I guess we'll see next week when I get it on the road.

 

 

Thats very similar to mine...I like the neat job he did on the swingarm/torsion bar.

 

Let us know how it works out.