Trailer build

[Djson]

Hi everyone

I'm building a trailer that I'm going to use with a trike, (I think) or maybe with the ebike I have.

I have put 4 wheels on the rear and it works quite well. Actually better than I thought.

Obviously I'm only pulling it by hand at this moment.

I want to put a wheel at the front to help with, not tipping up.

I put a wheel in the centre on the front, but of course, it is then almost impossible to turn the trailer going forwards and absolutely impossible reversing.

So I need some ideas on how to do that!

Thanks for your help.

 

[AguassissiM]

In your picture the blue set of wheels has to be connected together and be able to do self steering, large trucks with multiple axels have self steering axels to save the tire from wearing too quickly or ripping them off the rim.

 

[Djson]

In your picture the blue set of wheels has to be connected together and be able to do self steering, large trucks with multiple axels have self steering axels to save the tire from wearing too quickly or ripping them off the rim.

The blue set have a connecting bar to the overhead bar.

The blue and red wheels move ok, forwards and backwards.

What I really want is a single wheel at the very front of the trailer.

The front ofcourse will be attached to the bike / trike.

That is the question "how to make the front single wheel self steering"?

 

[AguassissiM]

Sorry about that, seen the boss coming in my direction and my clumsy fingers managed to post half done replay while flipping the phone upside down.

Your shopping cart has a set front wheels that swivel 360*,this is your answer for your single front wheel,once you start pulling the trailer than the wheel should keep itself strait, the only way to find out is to build it, and since you have put 2 fixed axels (instead of just one axle) it may become hard to make tight turns once the contraption is loaded with heavy items. Hence my first suggestion for one axle to be a self steering one.

 

[Djson]

Sorry about that, seen the boss coming in my direction and my clumsy fingers managed to post half done replay while flipping the phone upside down.

Your shopping cart has a set front wheels that swivel 360*,this is your answer for your single front wheel,once you start pulling the trailer than the wheel should keep itself strait, the only way to find out is to build it, and since you have put 2 fixed axels (instead of just one axle) it may become hard to make tight turns once the contraption is loaded with heavy items. Hence my first suggestion for one axle to be a self steering one.

Yes the shopping cart idea was my first thought, after doing some research. However the small wheels of the shopping cart are almost useless on gravel or rough terrain. Which is 90% of my area.

 

[Djson]

What I need to do is stop the trailer from tipping over the bike or trike, (I am looking at buying a trike) .

So I think I'm going to try to put a cycle fork with wheel through a thick wood strut and see if that works.

Or if not

Put the shopping cart wheels, somehow so that the only make contact with the ground when it tilts.

So that's a job for the weekend.

 

[AguassissiM]

Put the shopping cart wheels, somehow so that the only make contact with the ground when it tilts.

So that's a job for the weekend.

Trying to use actual shopping cart wheel will not work for your purpose however the idea is to use a 16" or 20" bicycle wheel and make it so it behaves like the shopping cart wheel.

Actually this may be more useful to your project, note how they mounted that front wheel, the handle can be used as an attachment point to the seat post on your bike, have a look at at this picture :

Here is the link where I have seen it. Hope it helps you out in your project.