deacon
minor bike philosopher
Almost from the beginning I hauled my batteries in a trailer. I did that after the first time a bike threw me on the ground, then jumped on top of me, as I tried to mount it. I know that sound a little pornographic, but it is the truth. I have built a heck of a lot of battery trailers since.
The one thing I am pretty sure of is that, if you plan to drag around a lot of weight in a trailer made with bike wheels, you should support both sides of the wheels. How adult trikes get away with it I have no idea unless the axle is so strong and so well supported that it doesn't allow the wheel to twist. I haven't been able to duplicate that.
I currently have two power trailers. One is made with two 12 inch outside diameter scooter wheels with sealed bearings. It is supported on both sides and give me zero problems. The second is a trailer made with ten inch plastic lawnmower wheels. The axles are long 1/2" bolts with a lot of grease. So far (not long at all) the trailer has done okay. It is much lighter than the supported trailer. The supported trailer is made with lots of heavy angle iron. Not the predrilled stuff either but the solid 1x1 angle iron.
the second is build much lighter. There is a steel axle hanger bolted and welding to a 7" piece of angle iron. The 10" plastic lawnmower wheel is attached to the hanger with a 1/2" bolt and washers from home depot. The Width of that trailer can be adjusted since each wheel is bolted to the side of a board to make the bed of the trailer. I currently have them attached to a foot long 1x8 shelving board. 1/2 inch or larger Plywood beds work better I think. The tongue is just a long piece of metal with a 90 degree turn at the end. This one is the simplest to make and I have made an awful lot of them. I have never had a problem with this design except with bike wheels. With those I have had some twisting problems but it was with 16" wheels. I didn't have a problem with the 12 inch bike wheels but I also didn't run them very long. I had the scooter wheels with the sealed bearings that seemed to work better.
Anyway thats how I haul my batteries around. Carrying heavy batteries seems to be an issue with most folks. Until we all go with lithium trailers will be part of my bike at least. Even after i might have them just for added stability.
The one thing I am pretty sure of is that, if you plan to drag around a lot of weight in a trailer made with bike wheels, you should support both sides of the wheels. How adult trikes get away with it I have no idea unless the axle is so strong and so well supported that it doesn't allow the wheel to twist. I haven't been able to duplicate that.
I currently have two power trailers. One is made with two 12 inch outside diameter scooter wheels with sealed bearings. It is supported on both sides and give me zero problems. The second is a trailer made with ten inch plastic lawnmower wheels. The axles are long 1/2" bolts with a lot of grease. So far (not long at all) the trailer has done okay. It is much lighter than the supported trailer. The supported trailer is made with lots of heavy angle iron. Not the predrilled stuff either but the solid 1x1 angle iron.
the second is build much lighter. There is a steel axle hanger bolted and welding to a 7" piece of angle iron. The 10" plastic lawnmower wheel is attached to the hanger with a 1/2" bolt and washers from home depot. The Width of that trailer can be adjusted since each wheel is bolted to the side of a board to make the bed of the trailer. I currently have them attached to a foot long 1x8 shelving board. 1/2 inch or larger Plywood beds work better I think. The tongue is just a long piece of metal with a 90 degree turn at the end. This one is the simplest to make and I have made an awful lot of them. I have never had a problem with this design except with bike wheels. With those I have had some twisting problems but it was with 16" wheels. I didn't have a problem with the 12 inch bike wheels but I also didn't run them very long. I had the scooter wheels with the sealed bearings that seemed to work better.
Anyway thats how I haul my batteries around. Carrying heavy batteries seems to be an issue with most folks. Until we all go with lithium trailers will be part of my bike at least. Even after i might have them just for added stability.
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