New Welding Machine

[TopCatGr58]

Finished Trailer!

Hey there folks,

Just wanted to post the final shots of the trailer with the enclosed fenders, the loading ramp mounted to the frame with wingnut bolts, chains welded in place, running and tail lights in place, and painted.

I used rubberized undercoating for the insides of the wheel wells, basic gloss paint for the frame after a base coat of rust converting primer, some metal flake green on the fenders to match the bike colors, and some truck bed liner spray for the bottom of the loading and storing rails for better traction!

Now, I just need a trailer hitch for the SUV!! Ordered it tonight!
T.C.

[Ken Talbot]

Boy, with such a nice trailer you're gonna have to go out now any buy yourself a H***** !

[ratbyk]

Trailer

Looks to pretty to use!
How about a shot with the bike on it? Maybe with the Canadian or Mexican border in the back ground. Tee Hee
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[Dragonrider]

GREAT job T.C.!

(and Ken, you crack me up! )

[wildbill]

That looks good TC.Are you going to put a floor in it so you will have a place to stepup when loading your bike?Just a thought.If you owned a GEO Tracker I had a hitch.Don`t own the tracker now still got the hitch.How long did it take you to build that, looks like a factory job.Keep the rubberside down.

[MAXIMAN]

Like my paw always told me..."son you don't have to be a good welder...if you're a good grinder!"

[mro]

Looking good

You will want to keep an eye on the fenders.
Welded on fenders have a habit of cracking welds or the metal next to the weld over time,
sometimes not a very long time.....


mro

[TopCatGr58]

Geez, Cody, you must be bored?

To drag out this old thread!! And MRO, you may not have been able to tell by the photos, but the fenders are welded to the frame at the top, and again along the bottom both front and back, so that they don't FLEX at all, so I don't think they'll be coming loose anytime soon! Regrettably, the rattle can paint job isn't doing very well, due to storage outside, bird droppings, etc.! But it's still working well, and I'll probably be using it in a couple of weeks for the XS East rally in NY. SWMBO prefers I trailer Godzilla than riding the 10+ hours straight on the bike, and my back and butt also prefers trailering, and I'm not wore out by the time I get there, so I can ride more effectively and safely during the 2 days worth of the rally!
T.C.

[mro]

04-12-2004

So.....
How many miles on the Godzilla Ferry?


mro

[fredintoon]

On the next one - - -

- - - don't forget about the suspension?
Hi TC,
good work for a first weldment. I'd have suggested welding up a few bicycle racks or garbage can stands before attempting a vehicle. Just remember the farm-welder's mantra:- "Length replaces strength."
For the next one, rubber-in-torsion trailer suspension units save a lot of thinkin' and look far neater than leaf springs.
Find a custom sheetmetal shop to break up a length of channel from 1/8" steel diamond plate to give tire grip.
About ground wires; My apprentice welding experience taught me not to wear naily boots when using an argon-arc welder (this was way before they were called TIG welders) because the high frequency current grounded itself into the welding table via the hobnails and you felt it, oh yes. I also learned why all the journeyman welders wore elastic sided boots the first time I used an oxy-acetylene cutter and the sparks got inside my shoes.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[mro]

oh yes !!!

First time I was playing with my plasma cutter a piece of slag dropped on top of the loafers I was wearing. Could not get it off fast enough.


mro

[TopCatGr58]

Not exactly my first weldment!

Hey Fred,

Thanks for the suggestions. Fortunately, my first little project was a little roller cart for my welding machine and shield gas bottle, those photos are in another old thread! I also did several practice runs laying beads on flat plate, then doing some butt welds, etc.! And yes, I tend to make the beads very long, I like strength over beauty, and like Cody said, I have a good grinder!

I used some truck bed texture spray in the wheel channel, and it's a fairly snug fit, so I don't usually have trouble getting it loaded and unloaded.

I made it on purpose small, just to hold one bike, and with the large tires, they work like shock absorbers fairly well, and I wanted to keep the height low for ease of loading, so that's why I didn't put any springs on it. I wasn't aware of the other type of suspension cushions? It pulls very well, only jumps on very badly surfaced roads. I've had it up to 80+mph easily.

MRO, I've got a few thousand miles on it, one trip to Suches, Ga. and back to Va., then to NY, NJ, and back, also to W. Va. and back. I only loose 1 mpg with it in tow due to the large wheels, and low wind profile....no big folded up tailgate, just the bike itself, mostly tucked behind the SUV. I'm happy with it's performance, suits my needs.
T.C.

[fredintoon]

Rubber in torsion trailer suspension

Hi TC,
they are called posi flex trailer suspensions, this is our local supplier:-

http://65.110.80.25/pdfs/10_TrailerAndTowing.pdf

You can find them most places because you'll need a local source rather than come up to Canada just to buy trailer parts.
30 years back in the UK ones much like them were marketed as "indespension units"
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[mro]

trailer parts

I have an account with these guys
gotta watch what you buy tho, some stuff is not worth $4!t...
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...39+166843&Ne=2


mro