Toy Hauler success! Progress on my D.I.Y. bike trailer.

Here's what I've done so far:

Traded for a retired contractors 5 X 10 enclosed single axle trailer with new tires and spare, plus hitch and wiring installation. (about $1500. value I figure).

2 Harbor Freight adjustable front wheel chocks (about $90).

6 Tractor Supply 5000LB floor anchors ( $20-ish...)

1 old metal bedrail from a goodwill store ( $5 ) I cut up and drilled bolt holes in to reinforce the anchors from underneath the floor.

2 Northern tool rubber wheel chocks ( $15)

1 Harbor freight Tri-folding 1500LB aluminium ramp ( $104 on sale!)

So in total, about $1730-ish, and another 3hrs of work un-f***ing various faulty grounds for the ga-zillion lights to work on the outside of my new toybox... And Voila!











I still need to figure out a solution the the super-flimsy, unusable poor excuse for a shelf on the upper inside front wall. Pre fab stuff costs more than is justifyable, and I need to research how to secure weight to these flimsy ass walls. I also need to get a spare tire carrier mounted on the tongue, but for now she's good to hook. I loaded up the scooters & drove to Sonic for a shake just to see how it towed!

More to come, but I better find some more $$$ first!

 

I've done the same things for my 6X12 trailer. We use it to haul dirtbikes mostly and have a fold-out bed which clears the wheel chocks so we can sleep in it when we're playing in the mud. Securing anything at all to the walls requires that you hit the metal studs the plywood is attached to. I drilled into these studs and inserted hollow-wall anchors to screw (whatever) into...worked out well. As to shelving, I got some of that plastic coated wire shelving (6'X12")at Home Depot and the braces that are supposed to be installed beneath the shelf. I flipped the shelf upside down (so the L shaped lip would point upward and keep things from falling off the shelf) then secured it to the wall anchors by hanging it from the topside of the shelf rather than bracing beneath. This has worked very well for me. I wish I could send you a picture but son jacked my camera!

 

Put up some pics when you get a chance- I'd love to see whatcha did. I'm hoping to scavenge some type of alum cabinet or shelving from a sport trailer or a wrecked boat because anything new is damn expensive... I'm trying to avoid the whole "open shelf & bungie net thing".

Hey- where ya at on the penninsula? I'm from Lacey/Oly. Wifey's from Shelton...

 

I'm in Port Ludlow on the Olympic Peninsula, my business is on the Kitsap Peninsula in Hansville (Point No Point). Check out the plastic garage cabinets sold at the big box hardware stores, they are roomy and lightweight...I have two of these mounted on the front wall of our trailer. With the wire shelves flipped upside down and braced from the top things don't slide around much, bungees really are not necessary (although I use them as a secondary precaution with expensive helmets on the shelves).

 

Fuel economy is going to be your biggest expense. I have found that it was cheaper to haul my bikes in the back of my econoline. I have a 6x12 utility trailer with two axles and even dragging it empty I lose 30% of my mileage.

Get rid of the shelf hanging over your motorbike.

Be careful of having your motorcycles at the front of the trailer. Can increase the tongue weight.

Nice looking trailer btw.

 

Interested in how your bikes will handle pulling the trailer? Seems like finding mirrors would be a problem too.