cheap trailer is starting to take shape!

[bj66]

I bought a flatbed trailer to pull behind my tour deluxe. Paid a whopping 35 bucks for it. Anyway, i have narrowed the bed and shortened it as well, narrowed the axle. Added some paint. Things left to do. Wire the bike, add tail lights, bearings and seals. Maybe a tire. But so far am up to a whopping 50 bucks invested. Here are some pics....

[skydoc_17]

Hey Bernie,

I like this a LOT! I think pull behind trailers are very over priced! Plus, I love a good deal.

I have been fooling around with a pull behind myself, but mine is not as far along as yours.

Very nice job,

Earl

Edited July 19, 2010 by skydoc_17
CRAYON BROKE!

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Wow....lookin good! From the first pic the last pic is quite a change...resizing the frame, adding the paint, and the fenders too...

 

 

What was that box originally?

 

[bj66]

heck if i know the brand, it was an older box. My dad had it sitting in his business shop up on a rack for at least 15 years, its used very little. Looked like a big bar of soap. Had to fix that right away. It isnt very big. The deck of the trailer is 28x36. Carrier is about 10 deep if i remember right.

[bj66]

from looking at some of the pics, i need to clean my shop.......I am thinking of getting some xtra blinkers from a motorcycle so i can use some beehive lenses like i have on my bike already. Is it possible to make a stop/turn signal with the one bulb in the blinker? Heres a pic of the turn signals on my bike. I think it would look cool on the trailer as well.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

If you install a couple of dual filament sockets and incandescent bulbs, then its possible, but you will need an isolator on the bike to make all that work. Or you can buy a back-off type unit to make the single filament bulbs act like dual filament bulbs.

 

Since your building it from scratch, also consider using LED tail lamps, and wiring it as a 5 wire system to match the factory wiring on the bike. If you do it that way, you will have 2 turn signals, 2 or more running lights, ( which could be combined with the turn signals), and a separate brake light (or lights).

 

Using a 5 wire system, and LEDs, you wont NEED an on-bike isolator. Simply fusing all the lines to the trailer will protect the bike's wiring in case of a short.

 

Using LED inserts in those bee-hive lamps is easily done....just look over some of this stuff:

 

 

http://www.customdynamics.com/motorcycle_lights.htm#Motorcycle%20LED%20Tail%20Lights

[Condor]

I bought a flatbed trailer to pull behind my tour deluxe. Paid a whopping 35 bucks for it. Anyway, i have narrowed the bed and shortened it as well, narrowed the axle. Added some paint. Things left to do. Wire the bike, add tail lights, bearings and seals. Maybe a tire. But so far am up to a whopping 50 bucks invested. Here are some pics....

 

Well that's making a silk purse out of a sows ear.. Nice job!!

[KiteSquid]

I have to disagree with the original poster, it is not cheep looking, but it was very inexpensive!!!!!!!

 

Good job!!!!!

[mrich12000]

Nice work!! I like the car topper, where did it come from? I'm thinking about building a trailer like yours. Cheers..Michael..

[bj66]

Nice work!! I like the car topper, where did it come from? I'm thinking about building a trailer like yours. Cheers..Michael..

The topper is an old used one that my dad had, It hasnt been used in years. The cheapest new topper i have seen is at Sears. THe have a good sized one for 99 bucks.

[KeithR]

I had a box similar to that one years ago that was mounted on the roof of my motorhome. So it may be an older style motor home storage box??

 

Keith

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Dang! Thats all I needed to find them....RV Storage Pods...not cheap tho.

 

 

http://www.icondirect.com/ProductCart/pc/Storage-Pods-c8.htm

 

 

[flb_78]

Looks better then the first trailer I built.

 

http://thereifixedit.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/cf3ae37f-07d1-4d11-8a6c-886682ad5e29.jpg

[Bubber]

Looks better then the first trailer I built.

 

http://thereifixedit.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/cf3ae37f-07d1-4d11-8a6c-886682ad5e29.jpg

I think I have to agree with you! But it worked didn't it? LOL :yikes:

[Yama Mama]

That looks really nice BJ! You did a really good job with that.

I always liked this one, but it serves only one purpose.

Yama Mama:beer:

 

 

[bj66]

I had to give the trailer a test run tonight. Pulled it for a few miles. Couldnt tell it was back there either. Of course it was empty. I had a buddy follow me, he said it pulls good,straight as a string. No bounces either. Looks like I got a winner.......Oh by the way the dirty fat guy in the picture is me. Only thing I am missing in the picture is ice Cream.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hey Beege...it looks good...just the right size I'd say...have you weighed it empty? Im guessing 120 pounds? Did you remove any leafs from the axle? Or maybe its torsion...cant tell from the pics.

 

Also...what about painting those wheels? Maybe blue, or black, or maybe some nice "baby moon" type wheel covers will dress it up!

 

[bj66]

Almost done with it, gotta do wheels and wheel bearings. Then its look out highway! here are some more pics.

[Kregerdoodle]

Thats looking great!!!

[Squidley]

Can't beat that with an ugly stick, even a stick uglier than Kregerdoodle. You definitely have got your monies worth fixing that one up

[randyg]

Done good bj. You took something old and made it new again. With all the $$$$ you

saved you can buy more chrome. Have fun with it and ride safe.

randyg

[bj66]

I'm pretty much done now. I just added new tires, wheel bearings, and new fenders. All I have left to do is mount the spare tire. Here is the finished product

[massey130]

that is very nice. i hope you get lots of care free use from it. good job!

[KiteSquid]

So what is the total finished cost of the trailer????

 

 

It looks COOL!!!!!!!!!!

 

Nice job!!!!!!!

[Brake Pad]

don't ride it like a motorcycle when pulling that trailer, all the rules will change