"Rescue" Bike Trailer

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This is my first welding project. I almost don't want to say its a welding project since it was an existing trailer and I'm simply modifing for my own use by adding some channel and making some brackets. But hey, there's welding involved and prior to this I'd have to have someone else do it.This ugly thing started life as an old  "Pop up" trailer. It was stripped for the aluminum  & let sit for the last 2 years. I bought it sight unseen from a co-worker. ($50 delivered ).  I liked the fact that popups set low to the ground making loading & unloading of motorcycles easier. I started by cutting off all the crap left behind from the pop-up camper; Cables, Pullies, Step Braces, Stablizers, Cable Cranks & Propane brackets, etc.I stripped it to metal, sealed it, primed it, painted it, undercoated the bottom & inside the C-channel. As it sits I have $110 into it not counting the "bolt togather" 1,000lbs ramps I picked up for $40. ( HF )So $150 into it. It still needs tires& wheels ( $40 each @ HF) and a light kit & some other crap, but its comming along now that I picked up a welder ( a HF beginners special ).  I'll post photos as I move along. At least you don't need a tetanus shot to look at it anymore.I know ...I know... its a 110v 90amp HF specialU.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:Started on the center strip. All I could find is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/8" angle so I'm welding it together up the middle to get the 3" channel I wanted.Not the prettiest welds in the world....but they put a smile on this jarheads face.Last edited by GrumpyBiker; 08-31-2010 at 08:04 PM.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
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Reply:Hi Grumpy, I would really like to see some close ups of the welds from the harbor freight welder. I have wondered for quite a while how well they weld. I am a miller fan myself but am temped to pick up a HF whenever I walk into the store. Your project is interesting and I look forward to seeing it complete. Jamo
Reply:Viewing my welds would not do any machine justice. These are some of the first weld I've ever laid.  Slow going for me but having a blast learning ! !    I'll see what I can do about getting a photo though.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:Originally Posted by GrumpyBikerThis is my first welding project. I almost don't want to say its a welding project since it was an existing trailer and I'm simply modifing for my own use by adding some channel and making some brackets. But hey, there's welding involved and prior to this I'd have to have someone else do it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1It is a welding project- like you said you would have taken it to someone else in the past.but I hate to tell you this you didn't save any money......... it seems like it now but this weldin' chit just cost mo' money down the road
Reply:More like balls, spatter & slag ! ! !    I've been grinding my welds flush anyway.  But I can say I now have a greater respect for some of the welds I've seen. Especially like ones on the St. Louis Arch & some of my Brothers custom bikes.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:well----- if its gat  balls  it  be  strong  enufffff
Reply:Originally Posted by GrumpyBikerStarted on the center strip. All I could find is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/8" angle so I'm welding it together up the middle to get the 3" channel I wanted.Not the prettiest welds in the world....but they put a smile on this jarheads face.
Reply:Interesting....most folks say that machine is totally wrong for sheet metal or anything thin as it only has  a high - low setting.....Hmmmm.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:It's not really great with sheetmetal either since it's a FC machine. The real issue is it just doesn't have much in the way of max amps. To do thicker material you must have the power. Thinner material can be done with a bit of skill and proper joint configuration.I'm trying to be possitive and not just bash the machine. The machine is very limiting. It only has the power to do thin material, and then because it's FC not very well. The sad fact is that because of it's price, many grab it as a beginning machine. In reality it's so limited that it makes it very difficult to make satisfactory welds, especially in the hands of someone who's learning..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:[QUOTE=DSW;418789]I'm trying to be possitive and not just bash the machine. QUOTE]Its okay, I have no plans to buy anything larger so I'll just have to do with what I have. This is just hobby & minor repair stuff for me and I won't be wiring 220v into my out  buildings where most of the repairs need to be made.Just please dont tell my little POS 110 welder that it cant weld 1/8" mild steel, you know it cant, I know it cant ...... but it sure as $hit seems to be under the impression it can.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:The 1/8" steel I've got for this is beveled & welded on both sides. I got the 2nd section on today. I don't have a lot of time each day to devote to this so its a little at a time. Flipped it on is side & started welding the bottom today as well. A friend said I committed a cardinal sin ...... I ran out of wire ! ! !   I'll do 20 Hail Millers to atone for it!I hope ya'll don't mind. I seem to take a lot of pix.Last edited by GrumpyBiker; 09-02-2010 at 07:35 PM.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:I finally got the last section welded into place. I bought some more .30 Lincon wire as suggested but switched out the .35 tip  for some Lincon  .30 ones again as suggested. ( for some reason this machine comes with .30 wire &  .35 tips) I still have to make & weld up some tail light brackets & wire it as well as figure out where to weld some bracing for the wheel chok & tie down bolts before putting the decking on.....But its getting thereU.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:I used to work in a junk/scrap yard decades ago, and when a similar pop-up camper came in, I grabbed it and stripped it bare.  It was made of thin rectangular tube, but some of the joints were pretty badly cracked.  So, after some cutting, shortening, joint prepping, welding, and wiring (I reused the tail/brake lights, with a fabbed guard over and under them), three channel rails, and a plywood deck, I had a really nice one or two bike trailer.  It even had landing gear.It had surge brakes, which I didn't need but fixed up anyway.  The suspension, however, was way too heavy for the trailer and one bike (lotta pop-up weight was removed, of course), so I took out all but two leaves for a softer ride.Point being, of course, it looks like yours has a few leaves in each spring, so you might want to put a bike on it and jump up and down to see if there's enough give to prevent your bikes from taking a beating, or bouncing against the tie-downs, on the road.Just some radom thoughts.
Reply:Just a question;  are you really using a stickout as long as it looks in the last set of pics?It appears to be about two inches!  Maybe that's just the camera angle.Nctox,  Stickmate LX  235AC/160DC  HH210
Reply:LOL. no, actually I was playing with a video camera the wife got me. It lets you capture photos frame by frame so I saved & posted a few.  That one just made for kind of a cool pic. Actually I've been wondering if I was welding a little too close but I haven't burnt the tip yet.....yet !Last edited by GrumpyBiker; 09-04-2010 at 11:40 AM.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:Originally Posted by tkanzler it looks like yours has a few leaves in each spring, so you might want to put a bike on it and jump up and down to see if there's enough give to prevent your bikes from taking a beating, or bouncing against the tie-downs, on the road.Just some radom thoughts.
Reply:I got started on the liscence plate bracket yesterday. Had trouble trying to figure out how & where to mount it. The taillight has a plate light on it to light up the license plate...so long as the plate is mounted under the light. But the trailer sits so low if I pulled out of a parking lot that had any kind of a dip it'd tear off the plate as the kit came with a plastic license plate mount. I decided to use a large gate hinge & weld it to the frame under the light. That way it can pivot & not get bent up when pulling forwards & backing up......I Hope ! !Today I have some holes to fill & the forward lights to mount.U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:Originally Posted by GrumpyBikerI am a little concerned about whether it will bounce around behind me when I tow it with a bike on it. I guess I wont know for sure until I do it.
Reply:Today I got around to making patches & filling the holes in the frame left behind from its "pop up" days, holes for the fold out stairs and cables for the pulleys etc.I also got the front lights mounted, now that the holes are filled where they were to go. I also welded in some 1" x 1/8" angle for support for the back section of the trailer.....U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com
Reply:I like the gate hinge for the license plate  great ideaMaxus Pro-125 MigChicago Electric 90 amp DC flux-coreLincoln Electric AC 225 tombstoneO/A torchM/O mini-torch10 acres of flatland15 acres of holler
Reply:Got the decking on today. 3/4" exterior grade plywood & stainless steel screws with finish washers ( love those things ).  On to the wheel wells....U.S.M.C.VFW-8054www.usmvmc.orgusmilitaryvetsmcmarion@gmail.com