My new project, a trailer for behind my sunfire

Jim · 12-19-2011, 02:56 AM

I wound up with an old tent trailer of kajiji. My sister's boyfriend found it. No pictures yet. The tent trailer part is rough, but that's good because I want to modify it to carry 4 kayaks and possibly a canoe, as well make it so I can reconfigure to carry other things like bicycles possibly.

Apparently my dad figures it has surge brakes. I'm planning on removing as much of the frame as I can to keep the weight down, and adding removable kayak holding racks. They will fit into pockets and be pinned in, so they can be switched for racks to hold other items.

Not sure on the details yet.

FastDoc · 12-19-2011, 11:36 AM

Sounds like a great project at a great price.

What do you think it will weigh and how much is you car able to safely tow?

Weldangrind · 12-19-2011, 12:39 PM

When you say modify it, does that mean that you will remove the tent portion, or do you plan to keep that? With your Dad's sweet welder, you'll easily be able to fabricate some decent racks for kayaks and bikes.

Jim · 12-19-2011, 12:50 PM

I'm planning on it being as minimalistic as possible. The tent trailer body has to go, as well as a lot of the frame.

Doc, I'm not sure what it might weigh, or what my car can tow, I'm hoping it won't weigh much.

MICRider · 12-19-2011, 01:58 PM

I've built two utility trailers out of tent trailers, the first one had 12 inch tires and the other one has 8 inch tires... Given the choice I preferred the one with 12 inch tires. I basically stripped mine right down to the frame and sheeted the deck with three quarter inch plywood. I mounted some tie down rings on the side and put some princess auto lights and fenders on it. Works great and tows like a dream... Guessing it only weighs about 250 pounds? You can tow them with a 4 cylinder car no problem. Your Sunfire should be good to tow close to a thousand pounds counting the trailer but I would try to keep it under that if possible. Post pics of the build, I love that stuff!

Edit: Fixed all the spelling errors and grammar errors that I had done with my cell phone... Still figuring out how the darn thing works!

katoranger · 12-19-2011, 07:34 PM

I think a thousand pounds is okay with the sunfire. You should be well under that.

SpudRider · 12-20-2011, 12:02 AM

That sounds like a nice project.

Let's see some photos.

Spud

Jim · 12-20-2011, 12:55 AM

I should be able to keep the weight down, there's not going to be a deck or anything. It's at my parents place, so I don't have access to get any photo's yet, maybe over the weekend, or next week since I have it off work

In my sunfire owners manual for some reason it says the version of sunfire I have isn't intended for towing, but it's not going to be significant weight I don't think it will matter.

katoranger · 12-20-2011, 10:00 AM

Most small cars say that.

The body of the tent trailer is probably aluminum. You should be able to get some money for that. Just the frame, axle and tires maybe 250lbs.

I believe my 4x8 trailer with mesh floor and gate weighs about 300lbs. I can move it by hand up hills.

FastDoc · 12-20-2011, 11:13 AM

I pulled my race bike (RZ350) and gear with a small trailer behind my Probe GT Turbo. Not approved for towing, but with a combined weight of about 450 pounds it won't hurt anything.

Weldangrind · 12-20-2011, 11:17 AM

I agree with Stew's assesment of your car being able to pull anything under 1000lbs. Beware that some older tent trailers had the axle at the center of gravity, which makes for a twitchy trailer on the highway. It's a very good idea to place the axle 60% back from the front of the deck (not counting the tongue). It would be really easy to relocate a little axle like that.

Jim · 12-20-2011, 01:04 PM

That will probably happen anyways, since I want to move the frame from the outside of the wheel to the inside.

MICRider · 12-20-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim

That will probably happen anyways, since I want to move the frame from the outside of the wheel to the inside.

Have a peek underneath, I'm not sure how yours is made but mine had frame extensions that put the floor out past the wheels... Couple of zips with the side grinder and I had a handy dandy 4X8 flatdeck with the wheels on the outside. Only bad part about my design was I didn't do too beefy of a job mounting the fenders (steel) and my dad has managed to bend them all up hauling his garden tractor... I think he's stepping on them or something

gloud · 12-28-2011, 10:23 AM

I pulled my 3 wheeler back in the day on a converted tent trailer frame I modded to have the ramps for the 250R. What was I towing with ? A ford Pinto! It did just fine, the whole thing with ATC was around 600 lbs most likely. The pinto never broke down because of it.

Jim · 12-28-2011, 06:39 PM

Right on

I don't need it until late spring or summer so I'm not expecting much progress for a while. Thanks for the input.

12-19-2011, 02:56 AM	#1
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	My new project, a trailer for behind my sunfire I wound up with an old tent trailer of kajiji. My sister's boyfriend found it. No pictures yet. The tent trailer part is rough, but that's good because I want to modify it to carry 4 kayaks and possibly a canoe, as well make it so I can reconfigure to carry other things like bicycles possibly. Apparently my dad figures it has surge brakes. I'm planning on removing as much of the frame as I can to keep the weight down, and adding removable kayak holding racks. They will fit into pockets and be pinned in, so they can be switched for racks to hold other items. Not sure on the details yet. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

12-19-2011, 11:36 AM	#2
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	Sounds like a great project at a great price. What do you think it will weigh and how much is you car able to safely tow? __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

12-19-2011, 12:39 PM	#3
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	When you say modify it, does that mean that you will remove the tent portion, or do you plan to keep that? With your Dad's sweet welder, you'll easily be able to fabricate some decent racks for kayaks and bikes. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
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12-19-2011, 12:50 PM	#4
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	I'm planning on it being as minimalistic as possible. The tent trailer body has to go, as well as a lot of the frame. Doc, I'm not sure what it might weigh, or what my car can tow, I'm hoping it won't weigh much. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

12-20-2011, 12:02 AM	#7
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	That sounds like a nice project. Let's see some photos. Spud __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
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12-19-2011, 01:58 PM	#5
MICRider Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,274	I've built two utility trailers out of tent trailers, the first one had 12 inch tires and the other one has 8 inch tires... Given the choice I preferred the one with 12 inch tires. I basically stripped mine right down to the frame and sheeted the deck with three quarter inch plywood. I mounted some tie down rings on the side and put some princess auto lights and fenders on it. Works great and tows like a dream... Guessing it only weighs about 250 pounds? You can tow them with a 4 cylinder car no problem. Your Sunfire should be good to tow close to a thousand pounds counting the trailer but I would try to keep it under that if possible. Post pics of the build, I love that stuff! Edit: Fixed all the spelling errors and grammar errors that I had done with my cell phone... Still figuring out how the darn thing works!
	0

12-19-2011, 07:34 PM	#6
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	I think a thousand pounds is okay with the sunfire. You should be well under that.
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12-20-2011, 12:55 AM	#8
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	I should be able to keep the weight down, there's not going to be a deck or anything. It's at my parents place, so I don't have access to get any photo's yet, maybe over the weekend, or next week since I have it off work In my sunfire owners manual for some reason it says the version of sunfire I have isn't intended for towing, but it's not going to be significant weight I don't think it will matter. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

12-20-2011, 10:00 AM	#9
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Most small cars say that. The body of the tent trailer is probably aluminum. You should be able to get some money for that. Just the frame, axle and tires maybe 250lbs. I believe my 4x8 trailer with mesh floor and gate weighs about 300lbs. I can move it by hand up hills.
	0

12-20-2011, 11:13 AM	#10
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	I pulled my race bike (RZ350) and gear with a small trailer behind my Probe GT Turbo. Not approved for towing, but with a combined weight of about 450 pounds it won't hurt anything. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

12-20-2011, 11:17 AM	#11
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	I agree with Stew's assesment of your car being able to pull anything under 1000lbs. Beware that some older tent trailers had the axle at the center of gravity, which makes for a twitchy trailer on the highway. It's a very good idea to place the axle 60% back from the front of the deck (not counting the tongue). It would be really easy to relocate a little axle like that. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	0

12-20-2011, 01:04 PM	#12
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	That will probably happen anyways, since I want to move the frame from the outside of the wheel to the inside. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0

12-28-2011, 10:23 AM	#14
gloud Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Westhampton Mass USA Posts: 155	I pulled my 3 wheeler back in the day on a converted tent trailer frame I modded to have the ramps for the 250R. What was I towing with ? A ford Pinto! It did just fine, the whole thing with ATC was around 600 lbs most likely. The pinto never broke down because of it.
	0

12-28-2011, 06:39 PM	#15
Jim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Posts: 4,880	Right on I don't need it until late spring or summer so I'm not expecting much progress for a while. Thanks for the input. __________________ "Be excellent to each other" "We are all human. Let's start to prove it!"
	0