Build a small utility trailer for Zongshen Sierra 200?

[Weldangrind]

I don't know who that someone is, but he's a wise fella. Mrs. Weldangrind would soundly disagree with a limitless motorcycle and trailer lifestyle.

Not only could the flat top fender be a good place for a toolbox, the area in front of it would nicely capture something relatively square, like a gas can or camp stove. Rounded fenders inside the cargo area make that area sort of unstructured. As well, you'll be piling who-knows-what in that trailer, so you'll want some support over the wheels.

[SpudRider]

As usual, W&G has made an excellent observation concerning how round fenders affect storage. However, using the 55-gallon drum, as Allen suggested, would certainly facilitate construction, and make the fenders easier to remove for wheel maintenance. Perhaps you can combine these two suggestions, and find a large, rectangular, plastic tub to cut in half for the two fenders? :idea:

Spud

[Jakhack]

Mrs. Weldangrind is indeed a lucky woman to be married to such an intuitive man!! Tell her I said that and you will get something special! Not sure what, but it will be special...

Your idea for the space in front of the fender is EXACTLY the same idea I had and why I added that space - a modification from the original bicycle trailer plans, shown on page 1 of this thread. I plan to put a gas can on one side and a rectangular water jug on the other. I wanted that weight towards the front of the trailer, which will leave the 4' long space in the middle for my tent cot. My sleeping gear should nestle in between the wheel fenders above that. I use Gander Mountain Dry bags for most of my gear. They are inexpensive, very heavy duty and they work. Never had any water or even dampness get in them. Recommended:

http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...gs_11_1/2_x_19

Because everything is basically weather proof or in dry bags, I was not concerned with a cover. I will just strap or tie everything down and be on my way. I actually use ropes with a trucker's hitch to tie everything down. If you are familiar with that procedure, you can get everything incredibly tight - about as tight as ratchet straps, using just rope. The rope only takes a little space - this is also the reason for all the holes I put on the top railing - perfect for threading rope through. The holes all have a radiused edge - top and bottom that I made with a large countersink bit. I think it will work slick without cutting the rope.

Then when I get to my destination, I can use the rope to tie up my food bag away from the bears, tie down the tent in high winds, set up a tarp on rainy days or use as a clothes line for the wash. You do use clean underwear every day while you're traveling don't you?

[katoranger]

Spud, the plastic tote was going to be my next suggestion. Gets the squareness without needing to fab from scratch. Plus available in many sizes at the local walmart.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by katoranger

Spud, the plastic tote was going to be my next suggestion. Gets the squareness without needing to fab from scratch. Plus available in many sizes at the local walmart.

Also, the plastic would be easy to clean, repair, and remove for wheel maintenance.

Spud

[Jakhack]

I really wasn't going to work on this anymore today, but Spud's suggestion seemed like such a good one, that I eventually went to my nearest home supply center and got a tub to try. I could not get one actually large enough. Width was no problem but I needed a tub 24 inches long and the best that I could do was 23". So I decided to try it anyway, and will replace it later if necessary. Here is the tub I started with:



I used the table saw to cut it up, but cracked the plastic in a couple of places. If I had used a plywood blade, it would have worked fine, but I only has a crosscut blade. I just went slowly and got the job done. It looked kind of rough but I used some black car door trim to put a nice edge on the inside of the fender. It will work great I think, looks good and did not take too long. Tomorrow I will attach it with pop rivets. Pretty cool, huh!

[katoranger]

Ready made fenders. Chinarider style.

[SpudRider]

Your trailer looks beautiful, Jak! Since you are not going to add a lid, it appears you are nearing completion.

Spud

[FastDoc]

Very good job. It's fun to see how you have integrated the advise of your fellow Chinariders.

How much do you have into the project for materials so far?

[Weldangrind]

That looks great! Now I'm visualizing a modular plastic container system where another container snaps on top of the wheelwells.

Great idea on the countersink bit. I'd like to learn about the trucker's hitch you talked about; I can manage a reef knot, but that's all I remember from cadet training.

Thanks for the Gander Mountain tip. I've heard them advertised on the radio, but I've never looked into their product line.

[Jakhack]

Yes, Spud, I am nearing completion on the trailer itself. I still have to put the polycarbonate on the end and pop rivet everything in place. Then lights and hook-up and I will start on the cycle side of the equation. Which brings me to a question - should I just continue this thread or start a new one on making a hitch for the Zong? I do have some preliminary thoughts on how I might do that, and intend to lay the ideas out here for comments and suggestions. That has certainly worked well for the trailer build itself.

Also, Spud, you mentioned that the tub fenders would be easy to remove for wheel maintenance. Actually, they will be pop riveted in place, not hard to remove when I am in my shop, but drilling them out on the road would not make for efficient wheel maintenance. Which is why I revised my wheel mounting system a while back when someone's comment made me think I had boxed myself into a corner. And I had. So I redid the angle iron brackets and mounting so that each wheel axle goes through a support held on with two bolts UNDER each side of the alum frame. In other words, remove four bolts and the steel mounts and wheel will drop down and out of the trailer. They are 1/4 bolts so I will have to carry a 7/16 or 11 mm and crescent wrench to service a wheel, but this is doable on the road.

Regarding the trucker's hitch, Weldandgrind, I think I learned this from my Dad, who was a commercial fisherman in Alaska and could do fantastic things with rope. Over the years I have seen at least 4 different ways of making a trucker's hitch with the main difference being how the loop is made that is used for tightening the rope strap. I have seen an overhand, slip and figure 8 knot used, and then a couple of other variations that are more complicated but easy to untie. The main problem with the first three is not that they don't work, but that these loops tend to jam and it can take forever to undo them. If you check out You Tube, look for "truckers hitch" and watch the demos of different techniques. You will see three or four different ones.

The one I prefer because it is fast and easy, and unties quickly is the following:


Because of the "pulley" action on the rope, you can really get things tight. I even saw an application where two loops were used at each end which multiplied the pulling forces even more. I used this hitch to tie down my canoe for years and never had a line let go. I would get the rope so tight it would "sing" when you plucked it. Try it...

Doc, I have the receipts but do not have a total on the project so far, but I will have to add them up at the end, because apparently this is one method the state DMV will accept in determining the value of the home-built for the trailer registration tax and license. But from memory - around $100 for the aluminum angle, steel angle and alum sheet. The polycarbonate for the sides and bottom cost $35 a sheet and I think I can finish it with one sheet. The hitch - steering yoke or u-joint - cost $24 and I have about $30 into bolts, washers, rivets, etc. I am not going to include the cost of broken drill bits!! Finally, and most expensive of all, were the wheels where I have almost $300 invested. If I were to do it again, I would use a less expensive wheel rim, probably used, but put on the new airless tires. I think it would cost much, much less and be totally flat proof. All this material is enough to also build the cycle hitch, so the cost of that is included as well.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Jakhack

Yes, Spud, I am nearing completion on the trailer itself. I still have to put the polycarbonate on the end and pop rivet everything in place. Then lights and hook-up and I will start on the cycle side of the equation. Which brings me to a question - should I just continue this thread or start a new one on making a hitch for the Zong? I do have some preliminary thoughts on how I might do that, and intend to lay the ideas out here for comments and suggestions. That has certainly worked well for the trailer build itself...

Either way is fine, Jak. The two topics are closely related, so they will work well together in a single thread. However, the trailer hitch topic certainly merits its own thread, and you could easily provide a link to it from this thread. Indeed, you could also provide a link from a new, trailer hitch thread back to this thread. :idea:

Spud

[Jakhack]

Today, I buttoned everything down. The final part of the trailer - the end - was cut and installed and the floor pop riveted in place. The fenders were mounted onto a brace attached to the polycarbonate side. Each fender is held in place by screws, so they can be removed easily for easier wheel maintenance or cleaning.

I don't know what the trailer weighs but it is almost complete and I can still pick it up so I would guess 45 to 50 lbs, but I will weigh it in a few days. I set it up on a table on its end so I could get at the bottom for more work. You can see the installed fenders, the end panel and see that it is looking pretty good.



The last thing I did was start to connect up a LED tail light which will be mounted on the top of the rear rail. It would be easier to mount it on the lower end rail, but I do not think it would be as visible as it will be located higher on the trailer. Also, if I mounted it on the lower rail, it would hang down a bit and might be knocked off in the event I hit a log, rock or low slung wildlife. Also, to channel and protect the wires under the trailer, I installed a some poly conduit with a 90 angle that will angle up in the front of the trailer to the underside of the trailer tongue.

Here is what the underside of the trailer looks like with the conduit for the trailer lights in place. The conduit is attached with two clamps screwed to the bottom of the center rail.



Tomorrow, I should finish it. Then the work on the cycle hitch will begin.

[Weldangrind]

That looks great! If you want to delete the conduit, you could use cab tire; it's quite weather resistant and durable.

[SpudRider]

You did a beautiful job, Jak. Thank your for documenting your creativity. I'm sure your work will help many riders, whether they own Chinabikes, or something else.

Spud