Thinking of buying a 6’ x 4’ car trailer for about £250 and converting it so it can carry 5 bikes. It would be nice if I could also use it for doing tip runs, so whatever I do to it can’t make it unusable for anything other than carrying bikes. The question is how would I do this? I’m up for a bit of DIY, even welding if the kit isn’t too expensive to buy/hire.
Not tried it myself but I've seen standard Erdé type trailers with roof bars fitted across then roof rack type bike racks fitted. This would allow you to use the trailer itself for carrying other stuff at the same time - great if you're planning on camping.
Often thought about doing it to mine but not been in the situation where I've needed to for a few years now.
EDIT - I'm assuming here you mean a trailer for pulling behind a car, not a trailer to put a car on. Hope I've got that right
Ever welded before?
Takes a lot of practice to do it properly, rather than just a 'dollop' sticking something together.
Can you work in timber?
I made a slide in frame out of timber that I could =, err slide in or out of the trailer bed. Held 5 bikes very securely. 3 forward facing, 2 rear facing. (I can weld well but timber was so much easier and also lighter)
Put some tie down eyes into the bed, and with the bikes in by the front wheels tie down straps held the timber frame and bikes without movement.
Dual use, bike trailer and general use trailer*
Brenderup 6 x 4, 500kg. When loaded you did not even know it was there. Towed beautifully.
Ever welded before?
I was hoping nobody would ask. Truth is I have been a welding engineer for 15 years but I can’t actually weld. Think of me as a football manager that never made it as a player. I did a three day course and was rubbish at it. I feel the need for redemption.
I made a slide in frame out of timber
Could you elaborate on this a bit please? Got photos?
I’ve seen a few with a lid made out of WPB ply, hinged at the front of the trailer, then with bike racks bolted to that. Would be very easy to do
Here’s some inspiration
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143300872218
Thinking of buying a 6’ x 4’ car trailer for about £250
I’ve been on the lookout for something similar, but there is nothing around at that price near me that isn’t predominantly wood.
Blimey, trailer prices have shot up!
Blimey, trailer prices have shot up!
Aye, I’m even considering a new one from a guy in Kirkcaldy it’s that bad! 🙈
I had a wee erde 122 for a few years, paid 100 quid for it during really bad snow we had years back, sold it last year for 130, they're going for 3 times that now!.
Here's one I made earlier...
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Still needs a bit of work. I need to extend the drawbar so the bikes are clear of the tow car.
Secondhand trailers are going for as much as new ones right now. I bought a 4x3 one last winter for £75 secondhand and similar ones are now going for upwards of £250! Keeping mine as it's being used for doing up may parent's garden and I've also done it up a bit with new wheel bearings, tyres, a cover and cleaned up the wiring connections. As long as I can store it I'll keep it as they're handy things to have.
OP - some trailers have the bed only bolted on to the chassis so you could remove that and bolt a frame on for the bikes.
I have an Ansems camping trailer which I bolt normal roof bars/bike racks on to. I can just get 6 bikes on long 150cm bars. If I didn't want the space in the trailer for camping there wouldn't really be any advantage over roof racks on the car.
If you really want to do it, I'd look at doing something with fork mount carriers bolted to a wooden base. Don't underestimate how much width you need for five bikes, although being able to stagger the mounts forwards and backwards may make a big difference.
Double your budget and look for Ifor Williams P6. Should be able to find one with sides or stock canopy - just load it like a can then. Tail ramps make filling and emptying easy for tip runs.
I've got a Duuo trailer I need to move on if it's of use to anyone. It's one of those things that the box comes off leaving you with a flat bed trailer, as mentioned by reluctantjumper up there ^^^.
Wait until tomorrow and I can take some pics of one of ours. Use it for guiding and it's just a small flatbed with a wooden frame built in. Basically you just need to build yourself something that you can carry bikes like people do off the back of a pickup. H-frame with some padding and inner tubes to strap bikes in. Then some slots to out back wheels in on the floor to stop them sliding side to side.
I don't have any pictures unfortunately.
With the Brenderup that I had, opened the tailgate and the frame slid in. It was sized to be a reasonable fit, something like 2" x 2". Then there were 'stringers' inside with openings for the wheels to drop into.
Tie down eyes were fitted to the sides of the metal body, and then used motorcycle tie down straps with hooks on, but shortened otherwise there was 1" webbing strap everywhere.
3 at the front of the trailer facing forward, 2 at the rear facing rearwards.
Ive got a 8x4 wooden box trailer (about 18" deep). Contemplated bolting some roof racks to it, does it need to be any more complicated than that?