I replaced this trailer with a very similar one in 2023. Watch that video here: czcams.com/video/VJ6XAucPbfk/video.html Here is a video about repacking or replacing the wheel bearings czcams.com/video/d-aPvuHWBX0/video.html
I rode for over 50 years and pulled a timeout camper behind my heritage soft tail since 1999. That top link setup is the sweetest idea I've ever seen. Much safer than the ball and coupler. Keep the shiny side up.
I tow a similar cargo trailer behind my Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic. I spent a little more on the trailer buying a Northern Tool Aluminum trailer. I also upgraded to high speed tires. I kept the standard ball trailer hitch and have had no problem with it. The motorcycle has fallen over onto it's side while parked and it didn't take the trailer over with it. Never noticed any binding during curves but I don't lean so much with an Electra Glide. I did wire straight into my motorcycle brake, tail light, and turn signals. Probably should have gotten a light module to separate the brakes and turn signals but I was tight on time. I use the standard trailer four pin connector for taillights and turn signals then have a separate two pin connector for the brake lights that I connected to a red LED third brake light bar. We tent camp and can haul a lot of comfort items.
I just purchased a 2007 Aluma trailer and what is truly amazing as how much better the build quality was on the older units. I believe they used to be made in the USA and now they’re imported from China.
Removing the leaf springs, and only running the main leaf, will remove most of your bounce, and still carry 200 lbs of cargo. Also putting a piece of garden hose on the rear leaf spring mount will stop the spring rattle.
@@OurRetirementAntics I totally understand the rattle from the leaf spring mount. May I ask how you mounted the garden hose rubber? Did you glue a piece of rubber to the bolt head that goes through the leaf spring C-bracket into the trailer frame or? Originally I added a rubber fuel line around the bolt that travels under the leaf spring C-bracket and under the end of the leaf spring but I still noticed I had some slack or movement & rattle. Thanks!
That swivel hitch solution is genius, I was actually looking at one of those today with the same idea; feels good to see someone whose done it vouch for the idea
@@OurRetirementAntics My trailer is sitting in boxes now, and the hitch for the bike was just ordered; I will 100 adopt this method to achieve a swivel hitch after haven seen you implement the idea as well. It's probably stronger in my opinion than anything specifically aimed for motorcycles considering what it was intended for. ~cheers
Put some automotive carpet carpet in your trailer cut and lay the bottom one in and use a automotive contact cement on the under side of your lid to keep it in place it will make it quieter and will not leave rub marks on your equipment your hauling with easy maintenance for cleaning
Really like watching all of your video's. Thanks for posting all of your travels.. I am planning a bucket list trip out to CA and your video's give me ideas of places to stop and see.
Those trailers are made by haul master, you can pick them up at many taller and tool retailers. They range from $400 to $700 depending where you pick it up. They are incredibly stable and can carry more than double the weight of the trailer. Mine has a luggage rack installed on it for extra cargo capacity. If your trailer is bouncing around when towing, you have your tire pressure to high. They are great little trailers.
You can also get them at Northern Tool. I keep my pressure under 20 lbs but still get uneven tire wear. After 10,000 miles or so, I need new tires. But no big deal. Thanks for watching.
I bought the northern tools version. It should have been an easy build. They wired the tail lights backwards. Tried pulling the working through the frame which was rough and sharp, this knicking the wires down to the wire. Had to replace it. They have a custom harness which take 6 wires (3 ground) and converts then to the standard 4 pin flat. I couldn't find that custom harness. Bought the standard 5 wire to 4 pin flat. Now the lights had to be grounded and the connector had to be grounded to the trailer. It took me longer to rewire the trailer than building it. Even the taillights themselves were backwards. It was a mess
Sorry to hear about your troubles, but the trailer is a real bargain I think if you are ok with a functional trailer without all the fancy paint. Thanks for watching.
Do yourself a favor and purchase a trailer wheel hub in the event that you do have to do a roadside repair. The repair will be quick replacing it as an assembly. Great job with the trailer. Stay safe out there and thanks for sharing.
I have gotten good at replacing the bearings. I carry the tools and also a roll of paper towels so I could switch out the bearings and races pretty quickly. And the odds are very low that I will have trouble on a trip because I do a lot of pre trip maintenance. So I am good with my plan. Thanks for watching.
After realizing the swivel hitch is almost never going to turn till you get to 35 degrees lean angle , and /or drop the bike ., I got an aluminium block ( in my case round stock ) & drilled a 3/4 inch hole the length of it , cut it in half & joined it together with a grade 8 stainless steel bolt & jam nut 3/4 inch..The bolt is 6 inches & I counter sunk the head so the whole thing can have some extra length. I also put a jam nut against the head so i can tighten the nut without holding the other end.My trailer tongue got swapped out for the top tube from a swing set ,(much lighter & weather proof & pretested !).
Not only have the prices really gone up on these, they are also currently unavailable. Hopefully when I am ready to purchase they will be available. Nice video.
I built quite a few trailers and pull one myself. The HF setup is a good inexpensive route to go. A swivel hitch is great idea however it can be a bit limited on how far it will bend but the 360 spin is a plus. Menards and Northern tool carry the trailers also. I went just a step further and use a PTO shaft and joint for the hitch which fits directly into my hitch receiver so it has at min 120 degrees of movement plus the 360 swivel. 15-18 psi is a good setting. Ha Ha in an emergency all tools become a hammer. Nice setup and a trailer is certainly a wonderful option. Aren't these Goldwing's just the best?
I have the same trailer. I bought my in 2015 and have around 100k miles on it. We have made some upgrades . The bottom shell started to get holes in it so I sandwiched it between 2 pieces of plywood which allowed me to use some loops to fasten stuff down. I have found 14-16 psi for the tires to work best. I am going to steal your bumper idea though
I love our trailer. I have a piece of plywood in the bottom so I can attach blocks of wood to it to keep things from moving around. Thanks for the air pressure advice. I definitely ran my first set too high. I think the last trip I kept them around 20 PSI but I think I agree with you that I need less pressure. My bed frame rail bumper has worked great. Thanks for watching.
I am seriously thinking about getting the same trailer that you have...I just have to get off the fence and do it. However, when I do, I will make some adjustments. Your trailer is bouncing a lot because you have leaf springs on it. Most people with this trailer remove 2 springs and just run the one bottom spring, but you will still bounce with just doing this. Next, I will pull the complete axle out from under it and toss it. This stock setup uses metric bearings. I will get 2 pieces of square tubing and then buy 2 axles that will use the same bearings for the inner and the outer. The axles usually come with the spindle also. I am a big fan of Timken bearings...have them in my boat trailer. Since I know how to weld, I will weld the axles into the square tubing and set it in place, but not bolted down. The leaf spring will be history and replaced with a torsion setup. I have several friends pulling this same trailer after changing it to torsion axles and there is no more bouncing...just a smooth ride. The tires and wheels will also be replaced with 12" or 14 inch tires and wheels on 5 lugs. The problem that you are having of wearing out the center of the tires is not so much too much air in the tires, but the wheel...it is too narrow from side to side. You need a wider wheel to stop that problem. I will also need to fabricate new fenders as I dont really like the little plastic things that they provide. The swivel hitch that you made looks good. There are hitches like yours that you can buy, but you can also use the stock hitch and make your own swivel with a 3/4 inch bolt and nut...very easy to do and your hitch will rotate 360*. A lot of people also cut 2 inches out on the width of the trailer. Why...I have no idea.
I don't have any bounce. I think the inner and outer bearings are the same size. I did upgrade to better quality bearings. I have not had any problem with the axle. I also upgraded to high speed tires. If you find good after market fenders, let me know. I have cracked both of mine. Regarding cutting down the width, I have heard that some folks buy a small Harbor Freight trailer (but larger than this one) and then cut it down in size. I am very happy with my swivel hitch and see no need to modify it. I have 30k+ miles on the trailer and am very happy with it. Thanks for watching my video and if you ever build your own trailer, I would be interested in seeing photos.
@@OurRetirementAntics If you have a trailer supply store near you, they might have an aluminum or steel fender to replace the cheesey plastic fenders. Doing a lot of price checking for steel to build my trailer will cost me close to $200.00 more than if I was to just go buy this trailer from either Harbour freight or Northern Tool. One comes power coated red and the other comes power coated black and both with 12 inch wheels which is light years better then the 8 inch wheels they use to provide. The other thing I will do is toss the leaf springs and by a set of torsion axles and mount them on a 3/16 x 2 x 2 square tubing. 2 of my friends did this to the Northern Tool trailers they got and I welded a few things together for them and there is no bounce at all going down the road. Had another friend buy one of those store built trailers from "The Trailer Store" and it has been nothing but a night mare with that thing...$1700.00 for the trailer. I will be taking pics and stuff of the trailer build if I go that way or just buy one and do the modifications. Ride safe.
A trailer is awesome for traveling on a bike I built one but I used a 55 gallon plastic barrow it carries all our camping gear and clothing leave's the bike luggage empty for what ever the wife buy's lol
I see a lot of guys running the heim joint but I honestly don't think it swivels any more than a traditional ball. Also you do not have a six-pin. You have what's called a five pin. Great job on the trailer though. We have something similar and love it
It turns 360 degrees , on the threads no less. , Bushtec trailers are the first ones to do this ,& testers 40 yrs ago wondered out loud whether it would last ....My solution / bar stock or round stock aluminum , cut in half & joined back together with a grade 8 bolt & lock nut ..It's strong, provides complete rotation , can be tightened for any wear., & best of all costs little ,(unless you can't drill the hole your self)...Bearings are not needed , it's not going to turn until you either drop the bike or turn beyond approx 35 degree's !
Sorry I am late to reply. What do you mean "a rotation problem". This trailer has traveled many thousands of miles with no problem. Thanks for watching.
If I’ve got the budget for motel…. The last thing I’m doing is dragging a trailer.😊 but, that being said, my trailer is 500lbs with torsion bar suspension and you really notice it when towing….
@@OurRetirementAntics no budget for motels anymore🤣🤣🤣 I’ll have to rewire my trailer that I just purchased over the weekend and it looks identical to yours except that my sides are black instead of diamond plate. How things change overtime
I love your video and I want to thank you for sharing some of your ideas. Last year I purchased an Ironton 40”x48” trailer and added a cargo carrier to it. One of the first modifications was like you I changed out the ball hitch for the heim joint setup. My wife and I ended up riding & pulling the small trailer almost 8,000 miles, through 11 states over a 30 day period from S. California through the Pacific North & Southwest and back over again. The trailer did well. Almost lost a fender in Oregon and a taillight in N. Dakota which makes me wonder does your trailer bounce a lot? How much weight do you think you pack in the trailer? I realize the trailer will bounce more without a load but I’m curious if you’ve heard of or know of anyone modifying the suspension at all? You know to make it function a bit better under lighter loads? What type of horn are you running. Did you mount a horn switch on your handlebars? How did you mount your spare tire under the trailer? I hope you do not mind that I’m picking your brain? I love gathering ideas of different ways to modify things to make them either more practical or to add more functionality or to make things simpler. Again thanks for sharing!
I carry about 100 pounds in the trailer. I know some folks remove a spring leaf to reduce the bounce but I have not seen the need to do that. I had an air horn but removed it because the air tank took up some room. I now have some kind of red neck electric horn just to cause more noise to make people see me. I have a second trailer harness where I hook a wire to the Gold Wing horn wiring from the trailer harness that runs to a relay in the trailer that connects 12V from the same harness to blow the horn. I always want to be careful about attaching things to the Gold Wings electrical system. The spare tire is mounted using a simple U bolt I think I got from Norther Tool that goes around the trailer tongue. If you have other questions, please contact me. Thanks for watching.
Been thinking about adding this to my Harley. So what happens in a worst-case scenario if for some reason, the tongue comes off of the ball? Well, then you have the chains, I guess, but can you imagine that trailer fishtailing all over the place behind a motorcycle yanking at it sideways from side to side. My guess is if that ever happens at highway speed the bike is going down in about two seconds just a thought. I don’t know of any way around this unless someone else does, I’m just trying to think this through before I begin towing.
Hi David, if you saw the part about my swivel hitch, there is no ball. A 3/4 inch bolt connects the eye of my swivel hitch to the hitch on the bike. There is a large flat washer in case the Klein joint fails and a pin through the bolt above the nut. I never worry about that connection. I worry a little about a bearing on the trailer but I carry a set of bearings and races and the tools to replace one on the side of the road. And I carry a plug kit and air compressor as well as a spare tire for the trailer. The connection of the trailer to the bike is something I never worry about. I have over 50,000 miles trouble free with this set up. Thanks for watching.
I thought about that, but after the yellow did not work very well on the inside I decided not to paint it. Also I think the black looks ok with the Silver Gold Wing. Thanks for watching
Nice video. I am thinking about building the same trailer for my Kawasaki Vulcan 900. Do you think a 900 is strong enough to pull the trailer? I do a lot of camping so it would hold my tent, sleeping bag etc. nothing heavy. Thanks
Sorry, I have no clue if your bike could pull a HF trailer. I just know that we really like ours and it makes long trips much more enjoyable. With any trailer, it's not the power to get it going, but the weight and braking power to get it stopped, especially in a panic situation. Thanks for watching.
Yes, you can pull this with a Vulcan 900. I know because I have one & a very similar trailer. 😁 I don't even notice it's there except I have to add a little more throttle because of the extra weight. No sway or bounce ever. The trailer weighs about 130lbs empty, don't tow it that way or it will bounce, & about 200-225lbs loaded with my camping gear. My tongue weight is usually around 30-35lbs & I run the tires at 20psi. Oh, and FYI, it cuts my mpg from around 45 to 35. A small price to pay for being able to bring my tall instant tent & inflatable twin bed. I don't spend a lot of time on YT so I don't know if there's a way to attach pics... sorry. Oh, also, I got my hitch from DenRay in Canada. Took about a month to get to Oregon.
I did not cut it down. It is an actual motorcycle or small car trailer. Northern Tool still sells the same thing. I know of folks that bought the larger HF trailer and cut it down, but I did not have to do that. Thanks for watching.
I really don't know. The Gold Wing weighs over 1,000 pounds with me on it and I figure the weight of the trailer and contents are about 250 lbs, so about the weight of a large passenger. I really don't feel it much. If you decide to try it, get a quality hitch for your MC and also buy the add on plug and play harness for the wiring. Don't start hacking into your MC wiring. Thanks for watching.
I think it is. I had a coupon when I bought mine and it was also on sale. I think the Northern Tool one is Item# 57762. It has a few extras like a basket on the front, a parking stand and maybe a rear bumper. The trailer appears to be the same.
I am sure it has some impact. I get around 34 MPG running 5-10 above the speed limit. But I think my speed has more impact than the trailer. It weighs around 250 fully loaded and is mostly out of the wind. I feel like a large passenger would have the same or more impact as the passenger sits higher on the Gold Wing and is in the wind. So overall, I don't think the trailer has a significant impact. I really like having it on a long trip.
Nice set up you have there. I have a tag along trailer as well. I love it, lots of room, easy to pack. I added a mess of LED lights. Then I added a spare tire that hangs under the trailer. I also upgraded the tires. Anyway, great vid, safe rides always... 8:12
Hi...enjoyed your videos and I was going to get a trailer like you have, but then I changed my mind and have decided to build my own, but with the same dimensions...40 x 48. What I need, if you would, is the length of the tongue tubing from the front of the trailer (frame) to the end of the tubing where your coupler link thingy is...and is the tongue the original length or did you cut some of it off? Also, is the tongue tubing 1-1/2" square or 2" square? I am guessing the tongue is about 48"...+ or - a little. My trailer will be made from 1/8 x 1 x 2 rectangular tubing. I am also going to use torsion axles and Timken bearings. Thank you for a little help.
@@OurRetirementAntics Thank you sir. I changed my size just a little to 36 x 48 using 1/8 x 1 x 2 rectangular tubing and I am also going to use Half axle torsion tubing.
@@OurRetirementAntics Thank you. I have shortened my trailer a little to 36" wide x 48" long. The hubs I got have the cheap China crap for bearings and I am trying to get the race/cups out, but there is no pocket to get something in there to hit the back of the face/cup to drive them out. I have tried heat and it had no effect. Not sure if I can get them out or not as they must be throw a way hubs. Really irritating. You changed your bearings, but did you also drive out the races/cups? What hubs do you have or where did you get them?
I replaced this trailer with a very similar one in 2023. Watch that video here: czcams.com/video/VJ6XAucPbfk/video.html
Here is a video about repacking or replacing the wheel bearings czcams.com/video/d-aPvuHWBX0/video.html
I rode for over 50 years and pulled a timeout camper behind my heritage soft tail since 1999. That top link setup is the sweetest idea I've ever seen. Much safer than the ball and coupler. Keep the shiny side up.
Yes, I love it. Simple, cheap and very safe. Thanks for your comment and for watching.
I tow a similar cargo trailer behind my Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic. I spent a little more on the trailer buying a Northern Tool Aluminum trailer. I also upgraded to high speed tires. I kept the standard ball trailer hitch and have had no problem with it. The motorcycle has fallen over onto it's side while parked and it didn't take the trailer over with it. Never noticed any binding during curves but I don't lean so much with an Electra Glide. I did wire straight into my motorcycle brake, tail light, and turn signals. Probably should have gotten a light module to separate the brakes and turn signals but I was tight on time. I use the standard trailer four pin connector for taillights and turn signals then have a separate two pin connector for the brake lights that I connected to a red LED third brake light bar. We tent camp and can haul a lot of comfort items.
A trailer makes it much more fun on longer multi week trips. Thanks for watching.
Trailer + plywood(2 ft walls) + sm truck cap(roof) = motorcycle camper!🤘
40 years ago I would have done that. But now I want a hot shower, a soft bed and climate control. 😁
I just purchased a 2007 Aluma trailer and what is truly amazing as how much better the build quality was on the older units. I believe they used to be made in the USA and now they’re imported from China.
Never would of thought to bring a chair, good thing I watched this video, was really informative
If you have room, a chair is really handy.... if you like to go to out of the way places and sit and chill . Thanks for watching.
1978 we were one of two who pulled a trailer to Sturgis with a 1974 Honda 750 I might add. Like your hookup.
Thanks for watching
Removing the leaf springs, and only running the main leaf, will remove most of your bounce, and still carry 200 lbs of cargo. Also putting a piece of garden hose on the rear leaf spring mount will stop the spring rattle.
I did the garden hose trick but haven't removed the leaf spring. Have you had any issues doing that? Thanks for watching.
@@OurRetirementAntics
I totally understand the rattle from the leaf spring mount.
May I ask how you mounted the garden hose rubber? Did you glue a piece of rubber to the bolt head that goes through the leaf spring C-bracket into the trailer frame or?
Originally I added a rubber fuel line around the bolt that travels under the leaf spring C-bracket and under the end of the leaf spring but I still noticed I had some slack or movement & rattle.
Thanks!
That swivel hitch solution is genius, I was actually looking at one of those today with the same idea; feels good to see someone whose done it vouch for the idea
Works perfect, is cheap, safe and robust. I love it. Thanks for watching and your kind comment
@@OurRetirementAntics My trailer is sitting in boxes now, and the hitch for the bike was just ordered; I will 100 adopt this method to achieve a swivel hitch after haven seen you implement the idea as well. It's probably stronger in my opinion than anything specifically aimed for motorcycles considering what it was intended for. ~cheers
Put some automotive carpet carpet in your trailer cut and lay the bottom one in and use a automotive contact cement on the under side of your lid to keep it in place it will make it quieter and will not leave rub marks on your equipment your hauling with easy maintenance for cleaning
A lot of good pointers. Thanks
Thanks for watching.
Great Video, thanks for the hitch info.
Happy to help. Thanks for watching.
Really like watching all of your video's. Thanks for posting all of your travels.. I am planning a bucket list trip out to CA and your video's give me ideas of places to stop and see.
Thanks for watching and keep working on that bucket list.
Those trailers are made by haul master, you can pick them up at many taller and tool retailers. They range from $400 to $700 depending where you pick it up. They are incredibly stable and can carry more than double the weight of the trailer. Mine has a luggage rack installed on it for extra cargo capacity. If your trailer is bouncing around when towing, you have your tire pressure to high. They are great little trailers.
You can also get them at Northern Tool. I keep my pressure under 20 lbs but still get uneven tire wear. After 10,000 miles or so, I need new tires. But no big deal. Thanks for watching.
Your videos are always superb! This one is no exception!!
Thank you very much.
I bought the northern tools version. It should have been an easy build. They wired the tail lights backwards. Tried pulling the working through the frame which was rough and sharp, this knicking the wires down to the wire. Had to replace it. They have a custom harness which take 6 wires (3 ground) and converts then to the standard 4 pin flat. I couldn't find that custom harness. Bought the standard 5 wire to 4 pin flat. Now the lights had to be grounded and the connector had to be grounded to the trailer. It took me longer to rewire the trailer than building it. Even the taillights themselves were backwards. It was a mess
Sorry to hear about your troubles, but the trailer is a real bargain I think if you are ok with a functional trailer without all the fancy paint. Thanks for watching.
Do yourself a favor and purchase a trailer wheel hub in the event that you do have to do a roadside repair. The repair will be quick replacing it as an assembly. Great job with the trailer. Stay safe out there and thanks for sharing.
I have gotten good at replacing the bearings. I carry the tools and also a roll of paper towels so I could switch out the bearings and races pretty quickly. And the odds are very low that I will have trouble on a trip because I do a lot of pre trip maintenance. So I am good with my plan. Thanks for watching.
After realizing the swivel hitch is almost never going to turn till you get to 35 degrees lean angle , and /or drop the bike ., I got an aluminium block ( in my case round stock ) & drilled a 3/4 inch hole the length of it , cut it in half & joined it together with a grade 8 stainless steel bolt & jam nut 3/4 inch..The bolt is 6 inches & I counter sunk the head so the whole thing can have some extra length. I also put a jam nut against the head so i can tighten the nut without holding the other end.My trailer tongue got swapped out for the top tube from a swing set ,(much lighter & weather proof & pretested !).
Sounds like a solid plan. Thanks for watching
Not only have the prices really gone up on these, they are also currently unavailable. Hopefully when I am ready to purchase they will be available. Nice video.
Northern Tool appears to have the same trailer. Thanks for watching.
I built quite a few trailers and pull one myself. The HF setup is a good inexpensive route to go. A swivel hitch is great idea however it can be a bit limited on how far it will bend but the 360 spin is a plus. Menards and Northern tool carry the trailers also. I went just a step further and use a PTO shaft and joint for the hitch which fits directly into my hitch receiver so it has at min 120 degrees of movement plus the 360 swivel. 15-18 psi is a good setting. Ha Ha in an emergency all tools become a hammer. Nice setup and a trailer is certainly a wonderful option. Aren't these Goldwing's just the best?
Love our Gold Wing !!!! Thanks for watching.
@@OurRetirementAntics its hard to fault the goldwings. Love them also
I have the same trailer. I bought my in 2015 and have around 100k miles on it. We have made some upgrades . The bottom shell started to get holes in it so I sandwiched it between 2 pieces of plywood which allowed me to use some loops to fasten stuff down. I have found 14-16 psi for the tires to work best. I am going to steal your bumper idea though
I love our trailer. I have a piece of plywood in the bottom so I can attach blocks of wood to it to keep things from moving around. Thanks for the air pressure advice. I definitely ran my first set too high. I think the last trip I kept them around 20 PSI but I think I agree with you that I need less pressure. My bed frame rail bumper has worked great. Thanks for watching.
What a fantastic video! Thank you, sir!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love it! Gave me some ideas. I have been thinking about buying a trailer but didn’t want to spend thousands $$$. Thank you
Good. I have been very happy with it.
Yes a trailer takes all the work out of Goldwing traveling trying to pack everything on bike is aggravating
Agree completely. We love our trailer. Thanks for watching.
I am seriously thinking about getting the same trailer that you have...I just have to get off the fence and do it. However, when I do, I will make some adjustments. Your trailer is bouncing a lot because you have leaf springs on it. Most people with this trailer remove 2 springs and just run the one bottom spring, but you will still bounce with just doing this. Next, I will pull the complete axle out from under it and toss it. This stock setup uses metric bearings. I will get 2 pieces of square tubing and then buy 2 axles that will use the same bearings for the inner and the outer. The axles usually come with the spindle also. I am a big fan of Timken bearings...have them in my boat trailer. Since I know how to weld, I will weld the axles into the square tubing and set it in place, but not bolted down. The leaf spring will be history and replaced with a torsion setup. I have several friends pulling this same trailer after changing it to torsion axles and there is no more bouncing...just a smooth ride. The tires and wheels will also be replaced with 12" or 14 inch tires and wheels on 5 lugs. The problem that you are having of wearing out the center of the tires is not so much too much air in the tires, but the wheel...it is too narrow from side to side. You need a wider wheel to stop that problem. I will also need to fabricate new fenders as I dont really like the little plastic things that they provide. The swivel hitch that you made looks good. There are hitches like yours that you can buy, but you can also use the stock hitch and make your own swivel with a 3/4 inch bolt and nut...very easy to do and your hitch will rotate 360*. A lot of people also cut 2 inches out on the width of the trailer. Why...I have no idea.
I don't have any bounce. I think the inner and outer bearings are the same size. I did upgrade to better quality bearings. I have not had any problem with the axle. I also upgraded to high speed tires. If you find good after market fenders, let me know. I have cracked both of mine. Regarding cutting down the width, I have heard that some folks buy a small Harbor Freight trailer (but larger than this one) and then cut it down in size. I am very happy with my swivel hitch and see no need to modify it. I have 30k+ miles on the trailer and am very happy with it. Thanks for watching my video and if you ever build your own trailer, I would be interested in seeing photos.
@@OurRetirementAntics If you have a trailer supply store near you, they might have an aluminum or steel fender to replace the cheesey plastic fenders. Doing a lot of price checking for steel to build my trailer will cost me close to $200.00 more than if I was to just go buy this trailer from either Harbour freight or Northern Tool. One comes power coated red and the other comes power coated black and both with 12 inch wheels which is light years better then the 8 inch wheels they use to provide. The other thing I will do is toss the leaf springs and by a set of torsion axles and mount them on a 3/16 x 2 x 2 square tubing. 2 of my friends did this to the Northern Tool trailers they got and I welded a few things together for them and there is no bounce at all going down the road. Had another friend buy one of those store built trailers from "The Trailer Store" and it has been nothing but a night mare with that thing...$1700.00 for the trailer. I will be taking pics and stuff of the trailer build if I go that way or just buy one and do the modifications. Ride safe.
nice little trailer.. Buschtec uses the hiem joint on their trailers as well. Smart idea using an isolator for the wiring that's the only way to go.
Thanks 👍
wow!...nice...thank you. Ride, and stay safe.
Thanks, you too!
A trailer is awesome for traveling on a bike I built one but I used a 55 gallon plastic barrow it carries all our camping gear and clothing leave's the bike luggage empty for what ever the wife buy's lol
I would love to see a photo. I really like our trailer and it leaves room in the luggage for our hats 😀
It is too bad that a set of golf clubs won't fit in it. That would satisfy both of my passions.
If there is a will, there is a way 😀. Bungee cords solve a lot of problems. Thanks for watching.
I see a lot of guys running the heim joint but I honestly don't think it swivels any more than a traditional ball. Also you do not have a six-pin. You have what's called a five pin. Great job on the trailer though. We have something similar and love it
Thanks for watching
It turns 360 degrees , on the threads no less. , Bushtec trailers are the first ones to do this ,& testers 40 yrs ago wondered out loud whether it would last ....My solution / bar stock or round stock aluminum , cut in half & joined back together with a grade 8 bolt & lock nut ..It's strong, provides complete rotation , can be tightened for any wear., & best of all costs little ,(unless you can't drill the hole your self)...Bearings are not needed , it's not going to turn until you either drop the bike or turn beyond approx 35 degree's !
STILL HAVE A ROTATION PROBLEM.....BUT I GET WHY YOU DID IT
Sorry I am late to reply. What do you mean "a rotation problem". This trailer has traveled many thousands of miles with no problem. Thanks for watching.
If I’ve got the budget for motel…. The last thing I’m doing is dragging a trailer.😊 but, that being said, my trailer is 500lbs with torsion bar suspension and you really notice it when towing….
I like clean changes of clothes without having to do laundry.😁
@@OurRetirementAntics no budget for motels anymore🤣🤣🤣 I’ll have to rewire my trailer that I just purchased over the weekend and it looks identical to yours except that my sides are black instead of diamond plate. How things change overtime
@@jeffreyengle2762 Oh man! Funny, but you still plan to ride, so great!!!!!
Great Info...
Thanks for watching!
I love your video and I want to thank you for sharing some of your ideas.
Last year I purchased an Ironton 40”x48” trailer and added a cargo carrier to it. One of the first modifications was like you I changed out the ball hitch for the heim joint setup.
My wife and I ended up riding & pulling the small trailer almost 8,000 miles, through 11 states over a 30 day period from S. California through the Pacific North & Southwest and back over again.
The trailer did well. Almost lost a fender in Oregon and a taillight in N. Dakota which makes me wonder does your trailer bounce a lot? How much weight do you think you pack in the trailer? I realize the trailer will bounce more without a load but I’m curious if you’ve heard of or know of anyone modifying the suspension at all? You know to make it function a bit better under lighter loads?
What type of horn are you running. Did you mount a horn switch on your handlebars?
How did you mount your spare tire under the trailer?
I hope you do not mind that I’m picking your brain?
I love gathering ideas of different ways to modify things to make them either more practical or to add more functionality or to make things simpler.
Again thanks for sharing!
I carry about 100 pounds in the trailer. I know some folks remove a spring leaf to reduce the bounce but I have not seen the need to do that. I had an air horn but removed it because the air tank took up some room. I now have some kind of red neck electric horn just to cause more noise to make people see me. I have a second trailer harness where I hook a wire to the Gold Wing horn wiring from the trailer harness that runs to a relay in the trailer that connects 12V from the same harness to blow the horn. I always want to be careful about attaching things to the Gold Wings electrical system.
The spare tire is mounted using a simple U bolt I think I got from Norther Tool that goes around the trailer tongue.
If you have other questions, please contact me. Thanks for watching.
Been thinking about adding this to my Harley. So what happens in a worst-case scenario if for some reason, the tongue comes off of the ball? Well, then you have the chains, I guess, but can you imagine that trailer fishtailing all over the place behind a motorcycle yanking at it sideways from side to side. My guess is if that ever happens at highway speed the bike is going down in about two seconds just a thought.
I don’t know of any way around this unless someone else does, I’m just trying to think this through before I begin towing.
Hi David, if you saw the part about my swivel hitch, there is no ball. A 3/4 inch bolt connects the eye of my swivel hitch to the hitch on the bike. There is a large flat washer in case the Klein joint fails and a pin through the bolt above the nut. I never worry about that connection. I worry a little about a bearing on the trailer but I carry a set of bearings and races and the tools to replace one on the side of the road. And I carry a plug kit and air compressor as well as a spare tire for the trailer. The connection of the trailer to the bike is something I never worry about. I have over 50,000 miles trouble free with this set up. Thanks for watching.
What camera did you use to film this video? Great clarity. Very rich. Thx!
GoPro Hero 10. I finally got a GoPro that actually works almost all of the time. Thanks for watching.
Nice little trailer, serves its purpose for sure. you ever consider spraying it to Match the goldwing?
I thought about that, but after the yellow did not work very well on the inside I decided not to paint it. Also I think the black looks ok with the Silver Gold Wing. Thanks for watching
Thanks for the video from western NC. Just purchased the same trailer used but new to me. Where did you get the T-handle lock on the carrier? Thanks
I don't remember, but probably from Lowes. Thanks for watching.
After looking on the harbor freight website, I have realized they no longer sell this pull-behind trailer!
I think Northern Tool still sells it. Search their website for item 57762 Thanks for watching.
@@OurRetirementAntics I made that comment before i watched the entire video and heard that 🤣😂.
Building a trailer for mine using bed rails as a frame.
Great! i would love to see a photo when it is complete.
Find a discarded aluminum step ladder & use what ever you can from it .
Nice video. I am thinking about building the same trailer for my Kawasaki Vulcan 900. Do you think a 900 is strong enough to pull the trailer? I do a lot of camping so it would hold my tent, sleeping bag etc. nothing heavy. Thanks
Sorry, I have no clue if your bike could pull a HF trailer. I just know that we really like ours and it makes long trips much more enjoyable. With any trailer, it's not the power to get it going, but the weight and braking power to get it stopped, especially in a panic situation. Thanks for watching.
I pulled a trailer 2 up on my Suzuki VL800. you have a bit more power and torque and better brakes than I did, you should be fine.
Yes, you can pull this with a Vulcan 900. I know because I have one & a very similar trailer. 😁 I don't even notice it's there except I have to add a little more throttle because of the extra weight. No sway or bounce ever. The trailer weighs about 130lbs empty, don't tow it that way or it will bounce, & about 200-225lbs loaded with my camping gear. My tongue weight is usually around 30-35lbs & I run the tires at 20psi. Oh, and FYI, it cuts my mpg from around 45 to 35. A small price to pay for being able to bring my tall instant tent & inflatable twin bed. I don't spend a lot of time on YT so I don't know if there's a way to attach pics... sorry. Oh, also, I got my hitch from DenRay in Canada. Took about a month to get to Oregon.
A friend pulls a Timeout camper trailer with a CB750 chopper. You should have no problems
mantap om...keren
what model trailer is it? I have looked on H/F's website and I can't find it
Item 57762 at Northern Tool is the same trailer. Thanks for watching.
@@OurRetirementAntics thanks
Is the axle 48 inches hub face to hub face ? or did you cut it down ?/Are you running one leaf spring only?
I did not cut it down. It is an actual motorcycle or small car trailer. Northern Tool still sells the same thing. I know of folks that bought the larger HF trailer and cut it down, but I did not have to do that. Thanks for watching.
Can a Kawasaki Vulcan 800 pull this?
I really don't know. The Gold Wing weighs over 1,000 pounds with me on it and I figure the weight of the trailer and contents are about 250 lbs, so about the weight of a large passenger. I really don't feel it much. If you decide to try it, get a quality hitch for your MC and also buy the add on plug and play harness for the wiring. Don't start hacking into your MC wiring. Thanks for watching.
I looked at Northern Tool, and the only trailer they have is $700. I wonder if this is the same one. What do you think?
I think it is. I had a coupon when I bought mine and it was also on sale. I think the Northern Tool one is Item# 57762. It has a few extras like a basket on the front, a parking stand and maybe a rear bumper. The trailer appears to be the same.
@@OurRetirementAntics Thanks for the additional input.
How much does the trailer effect your gas mileage?
I am sure it has some impact. I get around 34 MPG running 5-10 above the speed limit. But I think my speed has more impact than the trailer. It weighs around 250 fully loaded and is mostly out of the wind. I feel like a large passenger would have the same or more impact as the passenger sits higher on the Gold Wing and is in the wind. So overall, I don't think the trailer has a significant impact. I really like having it on a long trip.
Tmi
Not sure I understand. Thanks for watching
Yeah that plastic paint is terrible.
It sure is. Thanks for watching!
Nice set up you have there. I have a tag along trailer as well. I love it, lots of room, easy to pack. I added a mess of LED lights. Then I added a spare tire that hangs under the trailer. I also upgraded the tires. Anyway, great vid, safe rides always... 8:12
Thanks for watching. I really like our trailer.
Hi...enjoyed your videos and I was going to get a trailer like you have, but then I changed my mind and have decided to build my own, but with the same dimensions...40 x 48. What I need, if you would, is the length of the tongue tubing from the front of the trailer (frame) to the end of the tubing where your coupler link thingy is...and is the tongue the original length or did you cut some of it off? Also, is the tongue tubing 1-1/2" square or 2" square? I am guessing the tongue is about 48"...+ or - a little. My trailer will be made from 1/8 x 1 x 2 rectangular tubing. I am also going to use torsion axles and Timken bearings. Thank you for a little help.
I'll get that info to you soon. Thanks for watching.
@@OurRetirementAntics Thank you sir. I changed my size just a little to 36 x 48 using 1/8 x 1 x 2 rectangular tubing and I am also going to use Half axle torsion tubing.
@@HondaGoldwingGL1800 The tongue tubing is 2x2.5 inches. From the front of the frame to the end of the tongue is 34 inches.
@@OurRetirementAntics Thank you. I have shortened my trailer a little to 36" wide x 48" long. The hubs I got have the cheap China crap for bearings and I am trying to get the race/cups out, but there is no pocket to get something in there to hit the back of the face/cup to drive them out. I have tried heat and it had no effect. Not sure if I can get them out or not as they must be throw a way hubs. Really irritating. You changed your bearings, but did you also drive out the races/cups? What hubs do you have or where did you get them?
@@HondaGoldwingGL1800 The hubs came with the trailer. I was able to catch the inside edge of the races and drive them out from the back with a punch.