Swivel Trailer Ball

[ghostler]

This may be a solution to trailers with standard non-swiveling hitches. Instead of replacing the trailer's receiver, replace the ball on the bike with this swiveling ball. I just found it on E-Bay and ordered it, $50 shipping included from South Carolina.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361121464608

[mountaineerxii]

I got one too, works great!

[ghostler]

I got feedback in another thread on caveats using such a swivel. My Harbor Freight 90153 12" wheel trailer is short coupled enough that it wants to sway at speeds about 70 mph. Thus I keep it under that. Such a swivel could cause the trailer to start slapping back and forth. Thus, I haven't really made use of it. Later, I'm thinking of going to a true swivel hitch on the trailer side.

[trikebldr]

Where did you get that car-top carrier to put on the trailer? Your setup is very much like the one I used for many miles in the 80's, and I loved it. Can't seem to find that style of carrier anymore. They all seem to be really long, narrow and short for better aerodynamics.
The pics show the same trailer behind two different bikes pulling the same sidecar. The carrier was an X-Cargo from Sears. Now I have a very custom trailer that cost about four times what a simple one would cost new to put together. I do have more volume now, but not by much.

[ghostler]

Back in 2014, I dropped by Sears shortly after purchasing my trailer chassis kit. They had the newer X-Cargo tops on display. The one that had the storage capacity of the previous model was now the middle in the line and a couple hundred bucks, very pricey. Salesman immediately spoke up, told me they had the last older display model in the back that was just removed, if I were interested, he'd make me a deal. I bought it for $70 tax included, plus it came with several left over hardware kits. I was a happy camper.

[Pure Pork]

I have a friend that has run a bike shop all his life in Kirkwood, IL and his advice when setting up the trailer to pull was to extend the tongue to twice the distance between the tires. He pulls a "party" trailer behind his Moto Guzzi that weighs about 1,000 lbs. It holds a keg of beer, has a refrigerator for food, a lp grill for cooking, and the top is the right height for standing around for conversation. He had to put elec brakes on it as it pushed him too much trying to stop.

[ghostler]

Thanks, Pure Pork for the bit of info. I don't think my trailer tongue is twice the wheel distance.

Was at Harbor Freight last week, noticed that by the trailers they had a sign stating that trailer sales have been suspended until certain DOT defects were resolved, no notice on when trailer sales would resume. This also explains why no trailers are currently listed on their website.

[hank43]

Thanks, Pure Pork for the bit of info. I don't think my trailer tongue is twice the wheel distance.

Was at Harbor Freight last week, noticed that by the trailers they had a sign stating that trailer sales have been suspended until certain DOT defects were resolved, no notice on when trailer sales would resume. This also explains why no trailers are currently listed on their website.

Was that nation wide DOT, or state wide DOT?

hank43

[ghostler]

Was that nation wide DOT, or state wide DOT? hank43

I believe that is nationwide. Go to https://www.harborfreight.com/automotiv ... cycle.html and take a look for yourself. If you see trailer kits, then let me know.

[Bulrid8]

Just FYI, HF has started selling trailers again. The problem was the tires not meeting DOT standards.
What sucks is they no longer carry the true tag a long trailers. They do have the small utility trailers still.

[ghostler]

They have 2 folding trailer kits for car tow. The trailers all have the 12" rim tires. The trailers with 8" are not available.

[Danger4u2]

I'm not to keen on the swivel ball. Doesn't look like it will have much resistance once it's used a while.
I pulled a dirt bike on a small motorcycle trailer behind my '02 Gen. 1 Concours. If I leaned too far I could
feel the pressure on the ball from the coupler. I was lucky to find a Swivel Safe for $45 dollars. Man they want some
real money for them now. I don't think the person on eBay knew what it was worth. It was buy it now for $45.
I never did install it on the trailer but I will with the Voyager once I get everything in order on the bike.
http://www.openroadoutfitters.com/swivel-hitches
https://kompactkamptrailers.ecwid.com/# ... y=12204275

Looks like it didn't like the vertical phone pic.

[Pure Pork]

I don't post here often lately. In 2013, I put a Tow-Pac add on trike kit on my 97 Vulcan classic 1500 and in 2015, found another Tow-Pac kit used on ebay off a H-D and put that on my Voyager 1300. I don't have to worry about towing my pod trailer now. Very stable with the extra wheels but had to adjust speed going into corners and such. This trike kit is a bolt on, and removing 3 bolts, it converts back to 2 wheels. I will soon reach 72, in May, and I do have issues with my knees and left hip. Pulling a trailer with the trike kit is a breeze. Happy riding to all.

[Me Again]

I don't post here often lately. In 2013, I put a Tow-Pac add on trike kit on my 97 Vulcan classic 1500 and in 2015, found another Tow-Pac kit used on ebay off a H-D and put that on my Voyager 1300. I don't have to worry about towing my pod trailer now. Very stable with the extra wheels but had to adjust speed going into corners and such. This trike kit is a bolt on, and removing 3 bolts, it converts back to 2 wheels. I will soon reach 72, in May, and I do have issues with my knees and left hip. Pulling a trailer with the trike kit is a breeze. Happy riding to all.

Not to get to far off the topic but.
I would be interested in knowing how you fit an HD towpac to a 1300 . Did you buy a bracket or make your own.
me again

[Pure Pork]

I don't post here often lately. In 2013, I put a Tow-Pac add on trike kit on my 97 Vulcan classic 1500 and in 2015, found another Tow-Pac kit used on ebay off a H-D and put that on my Voyager 1300. I don't have to worry about towing my pod trailer now. Very stable with the extra wheels but had to adjust speed going into corners and such. This trike kit is a bolt on, and removing 3 bolts, it converts back to 2 wheels. I will soon reach 72, in May, and I do have issues with my knees and left hip. Pulling a trailer with the trike kit is a breeze. Happy riding to all.

Not to get to far off the topic but.
I would be interested in knowing how you fit an HD towpac to a 1300 . Did you buy a bracket or make your own.
me again

When I put the Tow-Pac extra wheels kit for my vulcan classic I also bought the brackets for the Voyager. I had visions of swapping the kit back and forth since there are only 3 bolts to loosen to take the kit off. However, I found that the set-up from one to the other was so time intense, I searched and found that used kit on ebay. Now I can take whichever one is good to go.