trailer coupler????

cascade

Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
40
Location
Central Oregon
Bike
1997 ST1100
Wondering what everyone is using for 2 wheel trailers?
Standard ball? worried about tip overs stressing the frame/hitch/trailer.
Homebrew swivel?
Heim?
Store bought swivel adaptor?
Pics are worth bonus points!:biker:

Looking for ideas now that I have found a hitch for my 1100 and am waiting on the HF trailer to go on sale!
Trying to do this on a TIGHT budget!

Found this pic online...makes me think a standard ball will be fine????
severehitchangle.jpg
 
I have a Bushtec with a Heim. It has been rumored that one can completely flip the trailer without upsetting the bike. This is not true. The bike will wiggle a tiny bit.... DAMHIKT.

I don't know if you can find Heim's on a tight budget, but if you can, I heartily recommend it.
 
Do you have a pic of how that is setup??? beefy heim joints are easy to come by and pretty cheap due to all the 4x4 guys using them for steering joints
 
I just remembered seeing a ball that was on a swivel and flopped left and right. Is that the Heim?
Nope, just looked. Check with Karl, he has one. Not sure if Karl is his screen name. Someone???
 
Made 1. pretty simple to do. used 1/2 inches #8 type bolt. over 5,000 miles no problems. do a search trailers posted pictures. Wires run through tongue till swivel/bolt. finish on top of tongue.

Search; Hitch help year 2009. pictures. used 1/4 steel plates, with 1/2 inch hole in center both plates. cut tonge square. welt plates on.
 
I have a regular trailer hitch with a 1 7/8 ball. No swivel or any thing but stock set up just like my truck. Your not going to flip the trailer in any kind of normal driving. Watch for curbs when going into corners and parking lots. I have gone over 3000 miles towing my Kompact Kamp trailer with no mishaps. I really dont think a swivel is needed, but thats just my 2 cents. Do what you feel is best for you.
Ride Safe
Bob
 
I have a Bushtec which uses the Heim joint (spherical rod end). I think it works great. Not only does the Bustec use the Heim joint but it also incorporates a 360 degree swivel in the tongue. The Heim joint itself has limited movement but the swivel will do the job if you have a tip over or worse. I am partial to the Heim setup because of its close tolerances. I can't hear or feel any play when towing the trailer. A trip to your local bearing supplier will overwhelm you on options. You can buy Heim joints for .$99 or many hundreds of dollars. I can't give you any advice other than to use some common sense when purchasing. The 99 cent one is probably made out of pot metal and would last about 8 miles. The hundred dollar one is probably spec'd for corrosive applications. Somehwere in the middle is a good bet.
 
Years ago I built two light weight two-wheeled motorcycle trailers. I towed both trailers thousands of miles with no problem with the hitch connection.
I didn't want a large hitch on my tiny trailer/motorcycle the size of a boat trailer/car hitch. My total gross weight for the trailer was never more than 250lb, even with ice chest.
On both trailers I used a front tie rod end (from a car or 1/2 ton truck) for the trailer side hitch. The motorcycle side was 3/8" x 1-1/2" strap with a hole diameter to fit the tapered bolt. The tie rod end bolt has a castle nut and cotter pin. The old tie rod ends were all metal and had a grease zerk on them, later on/today they are manufactured with nylon bushing. The metal bushing type, was no problem welding onto the trailer, but the nylon type can melt from the heat of welding.
You could probably find the metal type at a salvage or buy a new one, for an older vehicle, at a parts store. Be sure and check the travel in angle of the tapered bolt to see if it will equal your bike lean angle + some, etc.
The tie rod end type I used, is somewhat similar to the Bushtec today, small and light weight yet sturdy.
 
Keep in mind that the photo shows a GW leaned over, and that coupler looks like it is just sitting over the ball and not seated all the way. An ST will lean over a lot more than a GW due to a different configuration of the engine guard/tip over bars. I had GW and pulled a Time Out Camper with a Black Tie swivel on the tongue. I currently pull a Mini Mate camper with my ST1100 but don't have any swivel... yet. I want to add one when I find the one I want. Not too worried though. As Bob said above, if you watch out for getting close to curbs and other large obstacles you should not have a problem. Towed my first camper for a year without a problem before adding the swivel and have towed my Mini Mate all last year without any issues. So I guess I'm not in a hurry to install one.
 
Bigmak96 said:
I just remembered seeing a ball that was on a swivel and flopped left and right. Is that the Heim?
Nope, just looked. Check with Karl, he has one. Not sure if Karl is his screen name. Someone???
Click to expand...

KDT1911 is Karl's handle.

I've seen the trailer tongue mod done, looks simple enough. I think that's how I would go about it. "Floppy hitch" should work fine to...
 
Would love to see pics of modded trailer tounge's!
I saw this online...I dont like it. Seems it would be over to one side or another going straight down the road to me...and want to flop around/be sloppy.
The-Freedom-Pivot-Ball-Hitch1.png

Appreciate all the insight from seasoned trailer towers!!!
 
I have a swivel on my Aspen Senty. Looks just like the one in the video. Don't like the way he hooked up the safety chains. Impossible to cross them plus it's pulling the trailer to one side. I took the back two allens out, got longer ones and mounted my drag chains there. Made the chains just long enough that I can turn OK but won't let the tongue hit the rear tire. Works GREAT but is a PIA when you are trying to pull/push it around by hand. Always wants to turn so you just grab the tongue instead. I really don't plan to try it out to it's fullest but if it did happen, I think I'm covered.
 
Guess I got lucky. The trailer that came along with the Gold Wing already had that swivel coupling installed.:D:D:D
 
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