Arizona Trailer Trash
Building a Wheelchair Trailer
Update 8-20-23 Bike trailers are too small and too flimsy. You'll have to make a new tongue to tow one with a wheelchair. This project began on a whim. I expect it to cost about $500. That's inline with better bike trailers, but mine will be FAR stronger and carry FAR more weight. This blog includes a crazy amount of detail to show what it takes to finish the project. Most of the entries will have a short video, even if it's not there yet. This page is a work in progress. It will eventually match the progress on the trailer, but editing the videos takes time. Expand All Blog Entries 8-1-23 - Evaluate the idea I drew a simple image of a bike trailer. When deciding to build something it helps to give it dimensions and figure out the basic details. The drawing is just a tool for the imagination. 8-9-23 - Wheels and Heim Joint Been lookin at the parts for years. Today something snapped and caused me to click the buy button. There are two wheels and a heim joint coming my way. The heim joint will be a very strong hitch. In case the Amazon listings are gone: Wheels Heim Joint

$119.98 - Two Wheels
$24.99 - Heim Joint
$11.67 - Tax
$156.64 - Total 8-12-23 - Trailer Box Ordered I'd like to build a box from square steel tube with the exact dimensions I want. Tube, floor, welding, powder coat... the cost is too high. A simple solution is a cargo carrier that normally attaches to the back of a vehicle. It won't take much to turn this into a trailer. It's 20" too long, but it looks easy enough to cut 20" out of the center. Click the picture above if the Amazon listing is gone.

$107.99 - Cargo Carrier
8.69 - Tax
$116.68 - Total 8-12-23 - Heim Joint Delivered The heim joint will make a very strong trailer hitch. The "weld-in" tube bung is nicely machined and heavy duty. The misalignment spacers will allow a flat mounting plate with a lot of "misalignment." It's time for a road trip. Need hardware to complete the trailer hitch. Watch the video for an explanation, and the hardware run.

$12.48 - Hitch Hardware 8-14-23 - Wheels Delivered There's a problem with the wheels. It took a long time searching with very few options, so this is it. Gotta make these wheels work. They're good rims, hubs, spokes and tires. They came with only one bearing in each wheel. Both bearings grind like they're packed with sand. That's the feeling you get from really bad bearings. They diliberately used defective bearings. The trike they're made for doesn't need bearings in the wheels because the wheels don't rotate on the axle. The axle rotates. In each wheel, the second bearing is not a bearing at all. It's a stamped steel part which is pressed into the hubs. The axle locks into this part to drive the wheels. Just watch the video... 8-15-23 - Trailer Box Delivered The cargo carrier is better than expected. It's very solid with a nice finish. The Amazon listing claims 40 pounds, but it feels heavier. Watch the video to see if it will work.

$273.32 - Total Spent $156.64 - Wheels and Heim Joint
$116.68 - Cargo Carrier
$12.48 - Hitch Hardware
$285.80 - Total Spent