motorcycle trailer

[coyotee008]

Hello,
Has anyone seen good plans for trailer for behind a motorcycle. I.E. Honda Gold Wing or Harley touring bikes. I have seen few Kits for sale. But I want to make mine out of Aluminum for the frame and tongue and just Steel for the axel spring assembly. Hold down trailer weight. So I get the weight and balance right for it, so it does not pull squirrelly. Thanks for help. This would be a good project for Miller to add to it site.

[Danny]

I built a trailer about 20+ years ago for behind my bike and a few "custom" trailers since. The magic number seems to be a 60/40 split. Another words you need 60% of the unloaded trailer weight on the hitch, in my builds that does not include the hitch. What I do and this is open for discussion, is take the actual box section of the trailer and split it 60/40 and thats where the center of the axle should be. Easy numbers- lets say the boxed area of the trailer is 10' long, the axle center should be 4' from the rear and 6' from the front. Then you need to load it properly so that you still have the correct amount of hitch weight. I always put longer tongues- (spelling?) on my trailers, they pull straighter and back up easier, back up a snowmobile trailer vrs a boat trailer, big difference. I have no formula for that length, but if I had one for a small trailer like a motorcycle trialer I would say the tongue should be atleast the length of the trailer itself. As a side note I think you may have to use a leaf spring set up, you can add or subtract leafs to make it ride the way you want depending on construction and the weight you will put in it. Torsion bars are not as adjustable (not that I have seen) and not all can be narrowed to the exact width you need.
I know all the great aluminum welders out there may not agree, but I would be careful with a all welded aluminum frame, I have repaired some of these trailers, seems they like to crack and have mounts and brackets brake off. Bolting things togeather for certain areas with stainless bolts may a thought.
Please dont flame me for that comment, it is my opinion and I have repaired a couple of these aluminum utility trailers and am not fond of them (keep in mind that most aluminum trailers are mig welded and I think -agian my opinion-is there tends to be cold starts and the first inch of the weld is all but useless). small trailers really take some abuse from the road and they dont have the ability to dampen out vibration like heavy trialers. I can go on and on with this but I need to get my butt out of this chair and up to the shop.
\ Dan