Trailer Build - hopefully in improvement to my current one

[Harald]

One thing i realized that I will need to do is make a sway bar since tne air shocks are plumbed together. I am thinking a 7/16" round bar and bend it to fit the application. What I don't know is what kind of steel and temper to get.
If someone can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

Can't you plumb the shocks to separate schrader valves? Being a truck camper owner, I can tell you that the trucks airbags need to be on separate lines to minimize the sway when that VERY top heavy load wants to tip to one side or the other.

 

[BkerChuck]

Sway bars are typically made of a spring steel rather than a straight 1018 or 1045 material. You'd be far better off buying a sway bar out of a salvage yard and fabbing your brackets to fit it.

 

[Panman]

Sway bars are typically made of a spring steel rather than a straight 1018 or 1045 material. You'd be far better off buying a sway bar out of a salvage yard and fabbing your brackets to fit it.

Finding something light enough and narrow enough will be key.

 

[Auburn]

Sway bars are typically made of a spring steel rather than a straight 1018 or 1045 material. You'd be far better off buying a sway bar out of a salvage yard and fabbing your brackets to fit it.

Finding something light enough and narrow enough will be key.

FJRAY got me to thinking. Did a quick search on ebay and found a sway bar for a snowmobile that looks like the right diameter and size. For a few bucks it is worth a try to see if it will work.

 

[Auburn]

Clearing out the garage for tech day tomorrow. Here are both trailers side by side. They are the same length from the front of the ice chest on the Bushtec to the back of the trailer. I have the fenders completed and painted black with hammered paint.

 

[NTXFJR]

Too cool. I'm used to stuffing 10 lbs of crap in a 5 lb sack. If I had a 10 lb sack I prolly wouldn't know what to do with it but the wife would, she'd find 20 lbs of crap to put in it! Cool looking build you have going on there.

 

[Auburn]

So it has been a while since I have posted. L:ife and work got in the way.

I had minor (I thought) problem to solve. That was how to do a sway bar. After the idea of using a snowmobile sway bar was floated, it got me to searching for one that would work. The first one I found on eBay would work it was "W" shaped, but figuring out how to mount easily was beyond my skills. Then I searched again on eBay and found the one in the pictures below. Mounting was something I could figure out with this one.

Bottom shot

Sitting down

Another up shot. The bushings are 1", ended up using a Rigid Conduit 2 hole strap to hold. Took a while to find something that would work

After setting up, I stroked the air shocks through their full stroke, everything moved smoothly, no binding. Bounced on each side of trailer, and it just sat there flat, just what I want.

So initial tests are promising. We'll see once I get it a little further along to do a ride test.

 

[Hudson]

Achiu and I were just talking tonite about the trailer and your progress. Hope it is ready to show at Tech day!

 

[Auburn]

Finally got some more time and figured out how to do the lid latch. I bought some slam latch components and lock assembly for the lower doors under buses.

Lid up:

Now I can start putting the sheet metal on. Hope to have that done by end of next weekend.

Lid down:

Lock and operating assembly

Top view lid up:

 

[Auburn]

Made a bunch of progress last weekend. Here are some teaser pictures. (sorry for the crappy cell phone pictures)

Writing is done, sides, front & back are skinned and painted. Just have the lid to put on and paint. Color is Rustoleum hammered black.

 

[Auburn]

More progress. Lights wired up

tail lights & license plate light

Brake lights

Left turn (caught it between flashes)

 

[Auburn]

Trailer is complete. Just need to get inspected by State Patrol, then licensed.

 

[harper]

A thing of beauty. Is the plywood bottom just a stiffener? Is there a more waterproof skin beneath the plywood? Will you give us rides in it tomorrow?

 

[Auburn]

A thing of beauty. Is the plywood bottom just a stiffener? Is there a more waterproof skin beneath the plywood? Will you give us rides in it tomorrow?

marine grade plywood in the bottom, only steel frame under it. Cheaper than sheet metal.

 

[Niehart]

^^^^ Like ^^^^

 

[Fred W]

Nice work! Will be interested to hear how she pulls.

 

[CAJW]

It turned out very slick, double the Pieman like. I might have missed it in the thread, but did you figure out what the total cubic ft. capacity is? Also, is the plunger switch next to your wiring panel for an interior light or perhaps alarm system?

 

[Auburn]

It turned out very slick, double the Pieman like. I might have missed it in the thread, but did you figure out what the total cubic ft. capacity is? Also, is the plunger switch next to your wiring panel for an interior light or perhaps alarm system?

Internal dimensions are:

39" W x 71" long x 25" tall = 39.88 Cubic Feet

Correct the switch is for the LED light mounted to the underside of the lid near the back.

I am going to install a battery box to carry a spare battery the same size as the FJR battery, but also to use as a source when the trailer is unplugged so I can use the light in the trailer. Also it will be set up to be charged while the bike is running.

Weight wise, the trailer was 170 lbs before the sheet metal went on. There is about 110 lbs of 22 gage sheet metal installed. The trailer is about 280 lbs. Higher than I wanted, but I couldn't justify ALU at $400 per sheet (3 needed) verses $38 per sheet for the steel.

All in, I am sitting at about $1100 for the trailer, that includes the spare wheel/tire assembly.

 

[Hudson]

Witnessed the handiwork today, it looks great! Super well made.

 

[raesewell]

I appreciate how much work went into the trailer, however, why would anyone want to attach something so ugly to such a beautiful bike. Just sayin'.