Pusher trailers?

[Dragon]

I am wondering what experience folk have had with pusher trailers. I have an electric scooter that has had external parts broken, but the heart runs fine.

I would like to make a one wheel trailer that would clamp on to either tadpole or delta trike that I have similar to a burley trailer. With the small wheel the entire package could be ten inches tall and 8 inches wide and 18 inches long not including the tongue.

I would be expecting it only to be "assistance" coming into play at speeds in excess of ten mph rather than as "motor only" where the wheel might spin out or track badly, used only to improve distance range, rather than make the trikes faster.

The idea also is to be able to put on /take off the trailer in moments so the trike becomes a normal trike.

Are there light issues to attend? Parts sources? The trailer would be a drag when freewheeling, but impossibly so? Legal issues? Things I have not thought of?

 

[ZnsaneRyder]

I have a pusher trailer. It's a 6.5HP gas trailer with two wheels, and it tracks great, and I pedal as well as use the engine.

Now your electric 1-wheel trailer should be just fine if you get your hitch and balance right. I wonder where you would mount the batteries to run your trailer? Electric would be nice to get free charges from electrical outlets in town!

These forum threads are full of links to get parts, and also ideas. Each trailer I have seen here is different, so check them all out.

Some push trailer threads:
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=8305
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=12502
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=17133
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=17624

 

[Dragon]

Stealth Electric along side

It was very interesting going through the threads but what I have in mind is very different from what I saw there. Most are way too big and I would not like to have the trailer actually behind the bike but more something that would run along side staying parallel to the rear wheel, perhaps even lifting off the ground when not in use, and not higher than 10" anywhere.

I am running a Catrike pocket so the whole "Connect to the seat" thing will not work anyway, but want to connect down low such as many trailers do with enough swing room for turns around 15' radius which is all the Catrike can do in any case.

The batteries for the scooter are small and sit in front of the rear wheel so are out of the way and work to hold the wheel to the ground which I see as a big problem as it will have little other weight to it. While it would be ugly a visegrip welding clamp would be a perfect quick disconnect of the sort I have in mind, I will have to keep looking for the perfect arrangement. I plan to skip the motorized hand truck phase.

Btw I am familiar with the Polk County Police, a friend spent a year and a half in jail over less provocation.

 

[cooltoy]

What kind of scooter do you have? I may have an idea for you if the scooter is like the one in my pic.
Also, I've seen a setup like you mention, with the drive wheel running along the right side of the bike as you mention and will look around for a pic.

 

[cooltoy]

Found them, the last pic is the "hitch", allowing the unit to swing up and down with the road conditions.(It is left a little loose)

 

[Mountainman]

just for the heck of it

you should take a look at a new thread called

99% done 196cc ----- one powerful (cool) trailer bike built

ride that thing

 

[Dragon]

What kind of scooter do you have? I may have an idea for you if the scooter is like the one in my pic.
Also, I've seen a setup like you mention, with the drive wheel running along the right side of the bike as you mention and will look around for a pic.

Other than mine was red, yes that is exactly what the scooter was.

 

[Dragon]

This is the beast I am starting with

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg15/Dragonwlkr/trikersp3.jpg

 

[cooltoy]

Well...You can remove the metal frame and throw the rest aside. You will notice that the frame holds the wheel , the motor and chain. To guess, I'd say it's around 6"x18"
Now try to picture this mounted to your bike as you would a rear rack, over your rear tire, mounted in three locations. (behind the seat and two supports attached to the two wheel nuts). The bats. can be zip tied under the crossbar. A simple heavy duty ON/OFF spring loaded button is fine as a throttle.
The wheel sits on top of your bike wheel and as it spins, it turns the other wheel moving you forward. All it takes is about three feet of 3/4 inch square tubing , a drill, a grinder and three bolts, along with two hours of your time.
Very easy, very simple, never slips when wet and works better than you would think!

*edit* after posting, I noticed you posted a pic. I thought you wanted to power up a normal bike. Never mind.

 

[Motormaker]

I built a gas powered side pusher that might interest you. Stude 13 on here built one out of a small gas scooter. You could adapt your electric similarly.
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