2+ days of hard work and frustration, but here it is..

QwickFliCk said:

question: are u planning on welding up the joints? i was considering to do it if / when i get a trailer.

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No, did not cross my mind to do that. Many people use this trailer without welding with good results. I'll definitely be checking it after 1st few trips.

Looking good Eric.....ours stands up like that too....gotta save that precious garage space!!

Nice deal and cheap too...

I made this one back in 06 for my friend who also wanted to store it upright in the garage. It was within an inch of the ceiling.

The main, top rack, did have to un-bolt for storage reasons. A second rack was eventually made for two bikes. With a 2,000 lb, spring, axle kit from "Northern", it'd handle two FULL sized bikes. It was all arc, TIG welded. Remove one of three leafs, softens up the suspension for a lighter/softer ride. The frame was square 3/16" steel, 2" box (very heavy)

Just as a side note, on my current trailer, (similar design), I pulled the hubs for a mod. I took out the inner bearings and drilled a hole for a grease fitting that came out inbetween the outer seal and the inner bearing once re-installed. I can now, regrease the rear hub with that grease fitting plus the spring loaded, auto hub grease fitting that fits in the outer end of the hub(replaces the cap).


The last trailer is my current trailer. BTW, truck "bedliner spray" works extremly well as an anti slip and covers bare steel excellent.

I have this same trailer and love it. I haven't hauled my bike yet, but I have made some vertical sides and hauled 2 cu yards of mulch with it without a problem. Once my friend gets better at using his welder I will have him weld it up for me, but I haven't had a problem yet just bolted together. I did repack the bearings with marine grease because I heard that the vasoline looking crap in there is just a preservative.

DavesFZ said:

I did repack the bearings with marine grease because I heard that the vasoline looking crap in there is just a preservative.

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Good to know. I'll add it to my TO-DO list.

TownsendsFJR1300 said:

Just as a side note, on my current trailer, (similar design), I pulled the hubs for a mod. I took out the inner bearings and drilled a hole for a grease fitting that came out inbetween the outer seal and the inner bearing once re-installed. I can now, regrease the rear hub with that grease fitting plus the spring loaded, auto hub grease fitting that fits in the outer end of the hub(replaces the cap).

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Well done! This one comes with Zerk fittings pre-installed for rear bearings

Erci said:

Well done! This one comes with Zerk fittings pre-installed for rear bearings

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Is the Zerk fitting in the middle of the hub, in the center outside edge of the axle, or?

Some of the marine spindles have the fitting on one end and it'll grease both the inner and outer bearings at the same time..

"Buddy bearings" are what I have installed on the end of the rotating hubs: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGv7UOtZjSY]Bearing Buddy II with Auto Check Review - etrailer.com - YouTube[/ame]

TownsendsFJR1300 said:

Is the Zerk fitting in the middle of the hub, in the center outside edge of the axle, or?

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The fittings sit in the back of the hub, right between 2 bearings. I can only assume that both get greased at the same time

I got same one all assembled with wooden deck & wiring few months back for $400. My offsite garage has 2" step, so i may need bigger coaster. This video makes life easy Folding A Trailer - YouTube

How does this work with registration? We are required to register and plate any trailer in Indiana.

I love that this would be less than the hitch hauler which is $370 and close to being maxed out with my Xterra's max tongue weight.

Did this include free shipping or did you have to pick it up?

We must register and plate in Michigan as well. The trailer comes with an "assembly required" title from China and you just take the title and your receipt with you to show you paid sales tax already. I picked mine up from the store, so I wouldn't know about shipping.

Circuitrider said:

How does this work with registration? We are required to register and plate any trailer in Indiana.

I love that this would be less than the hitch hauler which is $370 and close to being maxed out with my Xterra's max tongue weight.

Did this include free shipping or did you have to pick it up?

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Must register in NJ too. Just $18 for the year.
Had to pick it up. Shipping would have been $96 extra!!

Listening to advice: thoroughly re-packed wheel bearings; pulled the floor off and painted the underside :thumbup:

Cyclegear called a little while ago.. my Pitbull stand is in

Eric, if you are utilizing the folding feature, be sure not to pass the tail light wiring through the little holes in the frame by the hinge. That doesn't work out for me.

...The second time I wired the trailer up, I encased the wire in 1/4in flexible plastic wire wrap so it didn't again leave me 100 miles from home at 2am with no running lights. I also snagged a set of emergency magnetic trailer/tow lights in case something like that happened again.

DavesFZ said:

Eric, if you are utilizing the folding feature, be sure not to pass the tail light wiring through the little holes in the frame by the hinge. That doesn't work out for me.

...The second time I wired the trailer up, I encased the wire in 1/4in flexible plastic wire wrap so it didn't again leave me 100 miles from home at 2am with no running lights. I also snagged a set of emergency magnetic trailer/tow lights in case something like that happened again.

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Yup, excellent advice. I figured the wire thing out when I was putting the thing together. So easy to mess up the wires when collapsing the thing (if you forget to ensure there's enough slack in the wires) AND it's easy to pinch them when you unfold the thing.

Picked up 1/2" split flexible casing and will route it outside of the frame holes.. just need to figure out what to secure it to. Also need to properly solder tail lights instead of using screw caps. (Soldered the side running lights, but left tail lights for later, to figure out best wire routing).

Also, I don't think I'm going to be able to put 2 bikes on this thing. I rolled mine on, with tires about 8" from the edge and it left very little room for the other bike, but the bigger issue.. there's nothing to strap the bike to on the side. I have 1 Pitbull stand, so that's easy, but the issue with Pitbull is that you really can't put the bike way out against the edge. The tire has to be at least 12" from the edge because the mounting plate is 24" wide. So no driving together with my buddy to the track

Probably better off anyway.. with 2 bikes, it would be very close (if not slightly over) it's maximum capacity of 1200 pounds (since the plywood floor is 75 pounds).

Got a good, 11.25" wide aluminum folding ramp, but I kind of wish I went with a wider one (there's a 16" wide one, though it's also longer.. which isn't necessary, but wouldn't hurt). Loading the bike isn't too bad, but unloading.. can't see the rear wheel whatsoever, so it'd be easier if the ramp was wider.

Hope this info helps someone planning to use the same trailer.

What if you stagger the bikes, maybe extending the front deck a little to accommodate? Or chop off a few inches from one side of the pitbull plate? I've seen some people build up the deck to clear the wheel wells, but the high center of gravity would be quite dangerous to tow.

I have this stuff going down both sides of the trailer. I just wired it up while it was in the folded position and that left some slack at the hinge that hangs down 3 inches or so while unfolded. I thought I had a wider out pic of the wiring, but I guess not. Note my fancy cable tie to bolt attachment method lol.

DavesFZ said:

What if you stagger the bikes, maybe extending the front deck a little to accommodate? Or chop off a few inches from one side of the pitbull plate? I've seen some people build up the deck to clear the wheel wells, but the high center of gravity would be quite dangerous to tow.

I have this stuff going down both sides of the trailer. I just wired it up while it was in the folded position and that left some slack at the hinge that hangs down 3 inches or so while unfolded. I thought I had a wider out pic of the wiring, but I guess not. Note my fancy cable tie to bolt attachment method lol.

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There are definitely ways to modify the trailer to make it work.. I'm just not sure I want to do it because I'm concerned about having all that weight on it. I could, for example extend the floor out to the sides, in the back, to mount the Pitbull plate out wide, so that tires would end up sitting 5-6" from the edge.

Thanks for the wire pick.. that's exactly how I'll secure mine!

Finally 100% done!! Today I finished up routing the wires. Soldered tail light connections and used heat shrink tubing to keep it sealed. Added flex tubing to allow the trailer to fold without destroying the wires.
And finally.. installed Pitbull trailer restraint :thumbup:

Did you devise a quick disconnect for the license plate? I used the tilting feature a few times and the cheap bracket may not hold up too much longer.

DavesFZ said:

Did you devise a quick disconnect for the license plate? I used the tilting feature a few times and the cheap bracket may not hold up too much longer.

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I did! Thumb screws + wing nuts! :rof: