Hitch mount carrier?

[saddlebum]

On 4/24/2021 at 8:57 PM, Marcarl said:

Make sure you measure the frame after you get it straight, bet the one side will be a bit longer than the other, so you'll have to compensate with mounting the axle of it will fishtail on yah.

Just bend the tongue slightly to the bent side of the trailer that will square the ball up to axle plus make the trailer easier to see out the left hand mirror.

[saddlebum]

On 4/26/2021 at 7:57 AM, SpencerPJ said:

VERY important to have 10-15% tongue weight.  

 

 

Did that once with a 6 ft trailer way overloaded with twenty 8 foot sheets drywall ( I knew better but it was on sale and going fast so I took a chance ). Any way car and trailer whipped back and forth across three lanes several times before I managed to regain control, while going over a bridge. Fortunately nothing come of it but I am sure I was not the only one requiring a change of underwear that day.

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by saddlebum

[larrydr]

I spent many years hauling with trucks ranging form 3/4 ton up the full sized 18 wheeler ..When you extend the rear of truck  past the rear axle and put 800 lb plus weight on it , be careful ...That load will swing wide on a corner and will your vehicle support the weight at the mounting point  .....I don't know all the regulations in the USA , but here in Manitoba that would be a serious highway traffic violation .. The D.O.T ( department of transport ) guys are driving the highways doing spot checks ..The ruling on this has plenty of fine print and I do know because I have been stopped by the transport guys and any infraction will land you a big fine....I still keep a light duty trailer handy for load under 3000 lbs

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by larrydr

[saddlebum]

17 hours ago, larrydr said:

I spent many years hauling with trucks ranging form 3/4 ton up the full sized 18 wheeler ..When you extend the rear of truck  past the rear axle and put 800 lb plus weight on it , be careful ...That load will swing wide on a corner and will your vehicle support the weight at the mounting point  .....I don't know all the regulations in the USA , but here in Manitoba that would be a serious highway traffic violation .. The D.O.T ( department of transport ) guys are driving the highways doing spot checks ..The ruling on this has plenty of fine print and I do know because I have been stopped by the transport guys and any infraction will land you a big fine....I still keep a light duty trailer handy for load under 3000 lbs

 

Like I said I knew better but took a chance and yes there was a good chance of coming out of this a whole lot worse including a major violation fine. I was a lot younger, bolder and defiant in those  early 80's days. Oh yeh I forgot dumb and it was probably lucky I managed to keep  my wits about me and concentrate on driving out of it instead of touching the brakes.

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by saddlebum

[larrydr]

7 hours ago, saddlebum said:

Like I said I knew better but took a chance and yes there was a good chance of coming out of this a whole lot worse including a major violation fine. I was a lot younger, bolder and defiant in those  early 80's days. Oh yeh I forgot dumb and it was probably lucky I managed to keep  my wits about me and concentrate on driving out of it instead of touching the brakes.

 

I have done my share of things that I know that should not be done again ...I did find out mounting points and proper materials are the first thing to consider and as always safety

 

[saddlebum]

7 hours ago, larrydr said:

I have done my share of things that I know that should not be done again ...I did find out mounting points and proper materials are the first thing to consider and as always safety

 

These days I go to Home depot and just shudder at how I see some people load there vehicles. I once saw a guy load too much drywall on the roof racks of an old full size station wagon and against the advice of both me and the guy loading it suggesting he half it and do two trips. He ignored us and insisted it would be fine. as drove out of the warehouse and the back wheels dropped of the curb every piece of glass in that old wagon just shattered. had it not been for the fact that automotive glass is laminated I am sure there would have been glass 100 yards away. Yes I like to think I wizened up some since my mid twenties, I think  

[larrydr]

2 hours ago, saddlebum said:

These days I go to Home depot and just shudder at how I see some people load there vehicles. I once saw a guy load too much drywall on the roof racks of an old full size station wagon and against the advice of both me and the guy loading it suggesting he half it and do two trips. He ignored us and insisted it would be fine. as drove out of the warehouse and the back wheels dropped of the curb every piece of glass in that old wagon just shattered. had it not been for the fact that automotive glass is laminated I am sure there would have been glass 100 yards away. Yes I like to think I wizened up some since my mid twenties, I think  

What is important is that if we cannot help some one else , then maybe at least  we can learn from our own mistakes ......some might call that growing up and getting wiser

[Pasta Burner]

Sorry life happened and everything took a back seat.  Remember this was assembled as a Hobie 16 trailer so the tongue is exceptionally long.  It measures 8’ total, 2’ of which are inserted into the A frame up to the first cross member.  The axle and fender placement are fully adjustable the springs are mounted to a bracket and you just choose which holes you want.  
 

hope to get back to it tomorrow.  Thanks for the tips, will keep you posted.  Initial front to back rail measurements after bending are dead even. 

Edited April 30, 2021 by Pasta Burner

[Pasta Burner]

13 hours ago, saddlebum said:

These days I go to Home depot and just shudder at how I see some people load there vehicles. I once saw a guy load too much drywall on the roof racks of an old full size station wagon and against the advice of both me and the guy loading it suggesting he half it and do two trips. He ignored us and insisted it would be fine. as drove out of the warehouse and the back wheels dropped of the curb every piece of glass in that old wagon just shattered. had it not been for the fact that automotive glass is laminated I am sure there would have been glass 100 yards away. Yes I like to think I wizened up some since my mid twenties, I think  

When we picked up our hardwood flooring from Home Depot two years ago they refused to load both pallets into my F150.  They made us take two trips.  I’m not upset about that, because when I saw the sag when the forklift was free I agreed.

[Pasta Burner]

This is what she looks like with the tongue attached.  That’s 6’ 4” from the A-frame to the ball.  Here’s a link  https://trailerparts.com/1-1-2-square-galvanized-axle-1-800-lb-capacity-with-1-spindles.html to the axle with dimensions 57.5” hub to hub. As @Flyinfool mentioned a rule of thumb is 1.5 - 2x axle width from axle to ball.  I plan to cut the tongue down in length, curious if there are any suggestions on how far?  I’m thinking it might be smarter to get the decking down and wheel chock mounted first to determine axle placement with the intended load.  Also thinking about adding a tongue box.  https://www.harborfreight.com/2-34-cu-ft-steel-trailer-tongue-box-62253.html  I also think I decided on 2x6 Douglas Fir decking.  Next I’m gonna have to figure out where to store this thing 😬. She won’t be a big trailer but I already have four vehicles stuffed into our three bay driveway and another on the street with two steeds in the garage. 
 

Note: I don’t plan on using that crossmember on the back, the original design had two crossmembers fore and aft where the rollers were mounted for the Hobie hulls.  So the axle width sat between the hulls.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Pasta Burner

[Flyinfool]

that 1.5 to 2 times the axle width is not a max dimension, it is a minimum dimension. there is no problem with going longer other than it will take more room to turn around. The longer the distance the easier it is to back up. Look at how long a semi is compared to its width.

[Marcarl]

The longer the tongue the more the trailer will cut the corner. Important thought when you only have 2 wheels pulling. Don't want the trailer to get hung up on something and jerk the scooter.

[saddlebum]

18 minutes ago, Marcarl said:

The longer the tongue the more the trailer will cut the corner. Important thought when you only have 2 wheels pulling. Don't want the trailer to get hung up on something and jerk the scooter.

yeh but if you go fast enough the trailer will just bounce up over

[Marcarl]

10 hours ago, saddlebum said:

yeh but if you go fast enough the trailer will just bounce up over

maybe