Thread: homemade ATV Trailer advice

Does anybody have advice for me building my own little trailer to tow on a small lifestyle block behind my honda tin tank?
I've already ordered the steel for the frame, I plan for the deck to be 1600x1200, with 600 high sides and fold down front and back. The whole thing should end up weighing around 100kg even after I put a timber deck on it. I'm yet to buy a trailer coupling (I think the quad has a small tow ball so I need to check that). I'm not 100% sure on the wheels though - wondered about pulling axle and wheels off a parts ATV for it. That should work I think? What do people commonly do for wheels on a small atv trailer?

Hi Brad
i have done a few ATV trailers over the years .. What do you wish to put in it [firewood / posts or stock [calf //sheep ]
are you having the wheels under or keep the deck low and run with the tyres on the outside .
i use ATV tyres as these will float over the soft ground better
bikes usually have small balls hahaa
Honda tin tank is that a trike or quad bout 300 to 350 cc is your farm flatish as a heavy trailer can push you around some on steep tracks hahaa dont ask ..
for small jobs i use a plastic trough on bike tyres [no suspension ] and light weight pipe frame to tow behind the 250 2wd quad . My farm is not al flat

Quad trailer wheels and stub axles are a common as mud item. A couple of hundy a wheel I think, incl stub axle and bearings etc.

Check out TM, then see if you can pick some wheels up cheaper, and just buy the stub axles new.

If you're only towing light weights at slow speeds your idea of using atv wheels & tyres would be good. Higher speeds and it could get bouncy without suspension. I would use a regular trailer coupling with a 1 7/8" ball so if you ever tow a road trailer behind the quad or your atv trailer behind your car it's all standard.

I'm going for low deck, wheels on the outside. I'm designing it to carry buckets of animal food, water, tools etc. It will also be used to carry firewood, dirt, small loads of gravel, and general schmuck. I know, the limiting factor is my lightweight 300cc 4x4. I'm aware of its limits though - its towed my 500kg mobile chook house around a bit which is a big ask of a little Honda. My land is not flat.

Xr500, that's getting a bit beyond my budget. Hoping to scavenge parts off wrecker vehicles if I can for cheap!

No good names left, yes it's low speeds off road use only. Good point there.

If I was making it, and this may all be obvious.
Go for the same wheel track as your quad, so trailer follows the ruts.
Straight drawbar so you can turn sharper without catching rear tyres, and allows more room for a human to access the hitch to connect/disconnect.
Although an A frame type allows you to drop a small tool storage box on the front of the trailer.
If you buy tyres for the trailer use the square knobbly type tyres if possible as they are less likely to slip sideways on slopes etc. very commonly available in a 22x11-8.
eg
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...4?bof=AwDAZc0Q

Add heaps of tie down points.
Mudguards strong enough to stand on.
Front stub axles from a 2wd quad may be ok to set up on a box section trailer axle.
Go to a 1 7/8s ball on the quad so you can swap trailers between cars/quads.

Try to use wheels that match your bike, easier if you need a spare

There you go mate all the good advice ,how is your welding ,most likely better than mine
now we just need photo of finished project Cheers

Thanks roktoy that's a thought provoking post.

Brilliant advice here thank you all. I've already ordered steel, so I'll post pics as we go. It will have an a-frame drawbar, but it will be a long narrow a-frame so it shouldn't interfere much with turning circle. Roktoy your comment about taking front stub axles from a 2wd quad is the idea I was looking for!
I'll post some pics when it starts coming together. Appreciate your help.

This is the basic design I'm going for. The main rectangle frame and drawbar will be 50x50x2mm, and the rest of it including side panels 25x25x1.6mm. Maybe a little overkill for a light duty atv trailer.

The track width is wider than the atv wheel tracks i think, especially considering i plan to put the wheels outside the deck not under it. Not ideal, but I want a decent size deck, and a low centre of gravity.

I'm not welding it. I will pay a very useful mate to do the welding.

Thanks for blowing the cobwebs out of the grey matter @Brad S I do love a fun project.

Dont make the drawbar too short - makes it an arse to back

Brads,

Your steel for the drawbar is too light. It will flex like mad and crack thru the centre where the front cross member is.

Try 50 x 50 x 3. You could use the 50 x 2 for the sides and maybe cross members?

I know you're on a budget, but some things you cant skimp on otherwise you risk the integrity of the whole project.

Have a go at the welding. You might surprise yourself!!