I'm looking to go from roof carry for my kayaks over to a small trailer. I really like the Yakima Rack and Roll, but $2k is challenge car money. i figure I could make something up for under $500 starting with an HF trailer.
So, copy this
Starting with an HF 40"x48" cargo trailer.
Plausible?
So, a small HF trailer with 12" tires is $225. I already have a cheap universal roof rack from Walmart that I plan to reuse. It seams I just need to work on mounting the bars to the trailer, and I am concerned that the tow bar might be short for dealing with the overhang from a 14' boat.
that tongue looks bolted on....take it off and weld an extension on.
You'll probably want to avoid setting the wireing on fire, melting the insulation, etc. I'd twist some welding wire around the pigtail, then shove the whole mess deep into the tongue tube, far away from the welding seam. Leave the wire sticking out, though, so you can pull the whole mess forwards when you are done welding.
3/4" sched40 gas pipe will hold yakima saddles and other yakima accoutrements just fine. Yakima towers don't like the pipe though...
Are those torsion axles on the Yakima?
This thread here should give you idea overload.
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=121567&hilit=kayak+trailers
It is 17 pages of just homemade Kayak trailers.
JoeyM wrote: that tongue looks bolted on....take it off and weld an extension on.
Even better, the whole tube the tongue is on looks bolted to the frame, just get a longer square tube.
Woody wrote: Are those torsion axles on the Yakima?
It looks like it has coilover shocks instead.
moparman76_69 wrote:JoeyM wrote: that tongue looks bolted on....take it off and weld an extension on.Even better, the whole tube the tongue is on looks bolted to the frame, just get a longer square tube.
Oh, you're right.....I can (now that you've pointed it out) see the pair of bolts in one of the cross members.
moparman76_69 wrote:JoeyM wrote: that tongue looks bolted on....take it off and weld an extension on.Even better, the whole tube the tongue is on looks bolted to the frame, just get a longer square tube.
Correct, the square tube is bolted to the frame then the tongue is bolted to it. The trailer comes disassembled so it would be easy to substitute parts as you assemble it.
JohnRW1621 wrote: This thread here should give you idea overload. http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=121567&hilit=kayak+trailers It is 17 pages of just homemade Kayak trailers.
Thank you, I'll finish the thread later, but I found this on the first page and I love it.
It is made with the same trailer I'm looking at, and those lengthwise 2x4s are simpler and cheaper than running bars to mount J cradles.
That should tow nicely behind a civic.
While it will add a bit to the weight and require drilling some holes, I'd recommend a 7' chunk of 2 1/2" and a 7' chunk of 3" so the tongue can be made normal length and then stretched out with a pin to kayak length. Storage will be easier and the trailer can be used for other purposes.
Alternately, my dad had one he used for his inflatable boat and to make it longer he had a long chunk of channel iron with a coupler on one end and a ball in the middle. He would slide the channel under the trailer and hook the non-coupler end to something at the back of the trailer and lock the trailer's coupler onto the ball. Took a couple of minutes and the tongue was 6' longer. Add wiring extension and safety chain provisions and you are set.
You'll need to log in to post.
