Trailer Hitch Adapter for Trike?

[Ron from BC]

I'm trying to find a way to attach a pet/child trailer to a trike. Almost all of the trailers use the same arm and connection method to the left side of the bike's axle but with the trike this connection part needs to be mounted in the center of the bike. The only adapter I've come across is this:

Delta Trike Hitch Adapter | Ridekick

Use this hitch plate adapter to attach the hitch plate to the frame of your delta-style trike. The adapter wraps around the frame for an easy, secure fit.

ridekick.com

The weld mod to the standard adapter part is fine but the method that they use to attach to the rear of the trike (hose clamps?) is kind of hokey.

 

[Gordon71]

I've seen several on Amazon that attach to the seat tube.

 

[Ron from BC]

Hrmm...I don't see how that would work. The arm on the trailer is only so long and connecting to the seat tube would be both too high and bring the trailer far to close to the rear of the trike to make any turn at all.

 

[Gordon71]

No idea if it would work or not as I've never had a trailer of any kind. Seems to get good reviews.

Amazon.com

 

[Gordon71]

For what it's worth there were a couple of good reviews from trike owners.

 

[Ron from BC]

Thanks, I see what you're getting at. I have a trailer already and am just interested in the hitch adapter to the trike frame itself. Almost all pet/child trailers (Burley, PetSafe etc) use the same arm that attaches to the front left corner of the trailer and connection adapter to the left side of the axle but to make this work that adapter has to connect in some way to the center area of the trike.

 

[Kerrith]

I have the same situation. I've jury-rigged a connector, fastening it to the center of the 3/4" cross member of my M-350 etrike but it needs to be clamped tighter. I'm reluctant to drill a hole in the cross member to lock its position. I was hoping to find one designed for etrikes and our kind of trailers.

Post here if you find one.

 

[prestoOne]

Weehoo uses this set up to attach to the seatpost, and the black pieces are basically PVC bushings. $35 seems like a good deal but if you want to try and do the same with pipe fittings that can work.

 

[Kerrith]

Thanks all.
Re: " ...same arm that attaches to the front left corner of the trailer and connection adapter to the left side of the axle but to make this work that adapter has to connect in some way to the center area of the trike." Yes. That's the same as my trailer. I'm sure someone will eventually come up with a hitch for us with etrikes.

 

[Nvreloader]

Ron - BC
If you don't like the hose clamps you can also use "U" clamps, they come in several different sizes and lengths, and also in a square formed arch, see info here,

"U" clamps - Google Search

Get a size that just slips over the axle of your trailer and tighten it them (2) down, one on each side of the hitch point.

HTH's
Don

 

[Kerrith]

Thanks

Nvreloader, I'll check out the "U" clamps.​

Kerry

 

[charlieboom-boom]

Thanks all.
Re: " ...same arm that attaches to the front left corner of the trailer and connection adapter to the left side of the axle but to make this work that adapter has to connect in some way to the center area of the trike." Yes. That's the same as my trailer. I'm sure someone will eventually come up with a hitch for us with etrikes.

Try worksmancycles they sell a heavy hauler trailer under accessories and then other accessories is where I found the trailer and then under hitch none is listed a THA hitch. $60.00. The phone # is 1-888-3-WHEELER. I could not find the hitch any where else. I bought mine from LibertyTrike.com but they don't sell them anymore since the started welding a bracket on the frame to bolt a trailer hitch bracket to. Come to think of it Worksman Cycles makes the frames for Liberty Trike. Liberty Trike used to sell a bracket thats where I got one for my delta trike 3 years ago. But they stopped carrying them when they started welding them on.

 

[Kerrith]

Since posting I've bought two of these clamps https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GDG5P0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1. I use them with my M-340 and M-350 etrikes hauling 60 lbs of groceries 7 miles.

 

[R1CK]

I started looking for a hitch or coupler to add a bike trailer to my trike. All of the ones I found online looked like poor quality and were overpriced. Those also involved changing the adapter so I couldn't switch the trailer easily from my trike to Jenna's bike and back. I came across this thread and got the idea to make one. I figured I would share this in case anyone else needs to make something similar.
With a vague idea and some measurements, off to Home Depot I went. I already had a piece of hose as a base around my lower center bar so I didn't need a new one but if you don't then get one. I got:
1 1 - 3/8 in x 5/8 in Frame hinge from the fence department
4 3/8" x 1-1/2" Fender Washers
2 3/8" zinc hex nuts (I used 2 to reduce them vibrating off)
1 3/8" zinc lock washer (This goes between the bolt and the coupler that comes with the trailer)
1 3/8" x 2" zinc hex bolt
1 3/8" galvanized hex nut
1 3/8" x 2" galvanized bolt
1 3/8" galvanized flat washer
I used the lock washer on to out against the bolt side that you put the hitch coupler on. You may ask, "Why didn't you get galvanized for all of the bolts, nuts, and washers?". Well, that is because the fender washers of the size I needed only came in zinc, the gremlin in my brain didn't like the way they looked with the galvanized bolts on that side. My total was $7.67 (would have been another $4.14 if I didn't already have the hose).