You will need to have a pair of matching bicycle wheels for the trailer already so you can use them to space the side pieces of the frame after you cut all the pieces to size. For example, if you have a bin of some kind that you want to be able to tow, you can measure the bin and make the trailer at least large enough to hold it. If you want to haul a plastic tub that is 24 in (61 cm) by 18 in (46 cm) big, you could make the trailer about 26 in (66 cm) long by 20 in (51 cm) wide. An example of dimensions you can use if you don’t have a specific size in mind is 32 in (81 cm) long by 22 in (56 cm) wide. This will give you a manageable trailer with plenty of room to haul stuff like groceries or tools.
If you don’t have the tools to cut the lumber yourself, get it pre-cut for you at a home improvement center or lumber yard. Note that you need 4 long pieces for the sides of the frame because the wheels will fit between them.
Use any 2 bicycle wheels of the same size for the trailer. Try to find used wheels rather than buying new ones. You can check local thrift shops or used bicycle stores if you don’t already have a pair of wheels.
Use metal brackets that have at least 4 screw holes in them for more stability. This also applies to where the inner side pieces of the frame meet the front and back of the frame. You will need 12 brackets in total; 4 for the outer corners and 8 to hold the inner side pieces of the frame in place.
It’s best not to use plywood any thicker than 0. 25 in (0. 64 cm) or you will end up adding a lot of weight to the trailer. The plywood creates a bed on the frame of the trailer that you can set things on to haul them. You can use ropes or bungee cords to secure items or put some kind of bin on the trailer bed to hold things. Again, if you don’t have the tools to cut the plywood yourself, just provide the measurements to the staff at a home improvement center or lumber yard and have them cut the trailer bed for you.
Electrical box plate covers are thin, flat pieces of metal that are normally used to cover electrical boxes. They work well for this because they are easy to bend and work with. You can purchase them at a home improvement center or online. Once the wheels are bolted to the plates, the plates will be attached by screwing them to the plywood deck and into the innermost side pieces of the frame, so the wheels are held in place and sticking up through the gaps in the plywood deck of the trailer.
Standard electrical box plate covers are at least 4. 5 in (11 cm) long, so drilling the holes 0. 5 in (1. 3 cm) up from the bottom will ensure that the axles have plenty of clearance between them and the wood of the frame.
The exact positioning of the holes doesn’t matter, so don’t worry about measuring them. Just make sure to offset the side holes enough from the top holes so the screws don’t intersect in the wood.
If your wheels don’t have nuts, you can order some bicycle wheel nuts online or buy some at a bike shop.
It’s easiest to do this if you set the trailer on top of something to raise it up so the wheels clear the ground when you position them. You can use something like cinder blocks or bricks to do this.
This can cost anywhere from about $30-$100 USD if you purchase the parts online.
This applies to side-mounted trailer hitches that go on the rear wheel hub on the left side of the bike. There are also some trailer hitch and arm kits that attach higher up to the rear seat post that you can try if you prefer.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for any special mounting guidelines.
The exact method for coupling the arm and hitch varies depending on the model and brand. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for specific directions about safely securing the trailer to the hitch.
