My $3 Seat Post Bike Trailer Hitch

Рет қаралды 32,010

2 жыл бұрын

We pull our canoes and paddleboards down the lake behind our bicycles, using a simple seat post hitch system. With just a bit of modification, a 1/2" rope or cable thimble creates a universal joint on the seat post that makes for trouble-free pulling of any bike trailer that is designed to hitch to the seat post. I like simple, inexpensive, and reliable ways to do things, and my seat post hitch ticks all of the boxes for a Backwood Basics design.

Пікірлер: 76

@user-jp1ru7hp7p 4 ай бұрын

i am building a bike camper and i had no clue what i was going to do for a hitch but now i have the perfect thing, Thanks!

@backwoodbasics9383 4 ай бұрын

Great! Hope it works for you.

@ecilopeht Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I really needed to fabricate a simple bike trailer hitch ... my garden plot is about two miles away from my house and now I can zip over there without the use of a car!! Thanks again!

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

I hope it works for you Kurt. Good luck with the garden. First frost for us coming tonight.

@geneharrison3246 2 жыл бұрын

That is awesome , thank you so much you just saved me a headache I was trying to figure out how to make a cart seat post from a bicycle, I came across your video👏👏

@Bikemaddad 8 ай бұрын

Brilliant. Thanks for the info. I want to build a bike trailer for my mobile bike repair business. This helped a ton. I’m going to watch the other video now. Thank you

@elementalgroove 2 жыл бұрын

Great idea you have totally solved my problem with a cheap functional option cheers

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

I'm glad to hear it! Thanks.

@shaunhall960 Жыл бұрын

Thanks a bunch I'm putting together a trailer and wasn't sure how I would connect it. This is a perfect solution.

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

Good to hear! It works well. Good luck on your project.

@AnnettePayne1 Жыл бұрын

Thank you! And very much enjoy your teaching style

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

That's very nice to hear Annette. Thanks.

@nikzel 2 жыл бұрын

Hey, thanks for the video! I'm missing what the end of the trailer looks like that connects to the thimble with the pin in it. I there a U bolt or something similar at the end of the wood rod? Any chance you could take some close up pictures?

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

The end of the trailer tongue is shown in this video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@redrockdesign3333 2 ай бұрын

wow clever idea! just what I needed, thank you sir!

@mrtalmadge2220 6 ай бұрын

Great idea mate and thanks for sharing. How does it hold up when stopping abruptly?

@veganvocalist4782 2 жыл бұрын

You did make me giggle when you said you were using your daughters bike as she wasn't there .... ;D))) I wonder if she knows you take her things apart as soon as she turns her back ;D thank you sir for the tips , I am trying to be more handy with making things from what I have already and recycled materials , it's fun trying to figure it out : )

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Good for you, trying to be more resourceful.

@alexandercorvin2664 7 ай бұрын

Great video, thank you. Maybe you could, however, show us how you attach the arm of the trailer to the hitch that you just made.

@backwoodbasics9383 7 ай бұрын

Thanks. I know, I messed up by not showing it. Since it was a follow-up video, I neglected that part. This one should show the connection. Just skip through all the chatter. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@MrEpistolary 2 жыл бұрын

You, sir, are a freaking genius!

@TrueHelpTV 7 ай бұрын

I love it.. I will absolutely be playing with this concept soon. You should look into Paul Elkins.

@backwoodbasics9383 7 ай бұрын

Will do. Thanks for the feedback.

@thekiltedtexan2480 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant / thanks dude

@ZOT369 3 ай бұрын

Nice! Thx!

@kevincarpenter8141 2 жыл бұрын

I like that design can you lay the bike down without the trailer being on its side I'd like to have a good Pivot Point at seatpost 4 up down left right

@mysticabbagerealm 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome mate, cheers for sharing!

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jordan.

@mysticabbagerealm 2 жыл бұрын

@@backwoodbasics9383 @BackWood Basics how do you connect your trailer to the thimble/safety pin?

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

@@mysticabbagerealm There needs to be a flattened end on the trailer tongue, that will fit in the slot, and be pinned to the hitch. It is shown in this video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html Luckily, it is within the first 3 minutes, so you don't need to be subjected to too much of my rambling.

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

@@mysticabbagerealm This video should show you what it looks like. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@mysticabbagerealm 2 жыл бұрын

to Kind mate!

@heofhebiologicallyreally7084 2 жыл бұрын

This is great! But I need thatt set up, clamp, saws, drills, etc. I have a drill though!

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Hah. Probably a drill is all that is needed. Lopping off the ends is likely not necessary.

@B_r_u_c_e Жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@mariaandujar6518 Жыл бұрын

What a great idea! My husband will love this! Thank you for sharing!

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Maria. I hope it helps.

@JustinCrediblename 11 ай бұрын

perfect example for youtube viewers like me. Thank you :)

@markmannm2 Жыл бұрын

Nice shop! I'm going to a seat neck hitch design and will use 2 hose clamps on a large oblong chain link. The trailer pin will go through a second link on the Two link chain. MarkMannM2

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

Sounds interesting Mark. Good luck!

@johncharette3342 2 жыл бұрын

What are you using on the tongue of the trailer to hook it up to the seat hitch?

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Hey John. I messed up by not showing the tongue. It was on a previous video, so I neglected to show it again. In the past, I used metal conduit as the tongue, squeezed the end together in a vise, rounded it, and drilled a 1/4" hole to fit the hitch. The last trailer had a wooden tongue, with a piece of 3/16" metal attached vertically to the end, to fit into the hitch. Here is the link to the other video. Just skip to the part showing the tongue. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@JakeLongcob 2 жыл бұрын

What is the pin called that goes into the thimble? I really appreciate this video and your great attitude :-)

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jakob. It is just a 1/4" x 1 and 1/2" hitch pin. This one has a D wire that locks it in place. They are commonly used as a safety pin on trailer hitches, and are available either on Amazon or any hardware store.

@GuitarUniverse2013 11 ай бұрын

Cotter pin

@marksedwick7468 8 ай бұрын

Did i miss what the connection was? What is it connected to?

@thinkaboutthis572 11 ай бұрын

Das ist wunderbar.

@a1930ford 2 жыл бұрын

Ok, you showed the seat post kit, but you didn't show the actual mounting on the trailer tongue in the video. Can you explain how that mount to the trailer tongue is supposed to be done. please. I am wondering why just a 1/2" horseshoe was chosen and not a larger one? This is very simplistic in design and that is great, but I wonder how well it holds up over time with the big trailer cart you have in the video. Your tow bar to the actual trailer is a straight piece. Lots of bike trailers use a rounded tow bar that curves up over the rear tire or even a hitch anchored to the bike rear axle. I am in the process of trying to construct a barrel trailer which will be done up like the ones you see pulled by a lawn tractor as cars. It is a total DIY project and every time I view a different video, I seem to get more and more ideas for doing it up. This one may be great, but one issue I can see is that with a suspension seat as my bike has, it would put the seat up higher to add a hitch setup on that post. Ultimately, it defeats the purpose of the suspension seat, as it won't allow the seat to drop down enough. I need a lower seat than what came on my bike, as it sits too high already. My seat also flips up so I can remove my battery from my electric bike. A seat post setup as yours would mean I could not use the seat in the same manner in removal of the battery, as the hitch would then be in the way. No real issue on your bike, but it may be on my own. Can you address this reply with your own thoughts, please? Nice modification and nice video explaining it. I'll have to give it a try and see how it works out. My barrel train car will be done up as an airplane and house my dogs as I ride about my neighborhood. I drove a motorcycle sidecar rig for years and riding with my dogs was a great pleasure, so this bike trailer is something I really want to make for them and me to enjoy. Thanks for the video.

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

Greetings James. I have used this hitch on suspension seat posts. But yours sounds like it may not work for this design, if you do not have enough height for it. You might need to go with a rear axle mounted hitch. The 1/2" thimble is the largest one available locally, and it has the proper inside diameter for most seat posts. I have used this design for canoe and utility trailers on several of our bikes for about 7 years, with no issues. I even pulled a canoe, with two 10 year old boys inside of it, behind my bike in a local parade, using this hitch. If you want to see how a trailer tongue connects to the hitch, I have a link to a previous video in my reply to Nik, about 4 comments below yours. Good luck with your project. It sounds fun.

@michaellaframboise7646 Ай бұрын

Thankyou

@onlyspicekitty Жыл бұрын

i am in the process of building a hitch to hook to the Rear Bike Rack, i will be using a Golf bag Cart as a Trailer, the kind with Air Tires.

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

Interesting idea. Good luck.

@raymondmorisoli1949 8 ай бұрын

The long piece that goes to the seat post is made out of wood!

@harutanaka3647 Жыл бұрын

the center gravity of the trailer is too high. it will rock to the point flip over. Very danger. Need mount it as low as possible. ----- however, I was wondering if you ha e a diy way tp make seat post from conduit?

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

The trailer tongue is in alignment with the top of the trailer. If there is a danger of tipping over, I have not expereinced it. Not sure I understand about a seat post from conduit.I have made trailer tongues fron conduit in the past, rather than from wood. Flatten the end of the conduit in a vise. Drill a 1/4" hole, and grind the end rounded, so it fits into the hitch.

@harutanaka3647 Жыл бұрын

you must be riding super slow. I made a similar connection 5 years ago like yours from parts directly from the hardware store, but I found a trailer without low center gravity like Burly Bike Trailer, Trailer is not stable, Connector needs to be as low as possible.

@allywilkeforsenate 11 ай бұрын

What was the 3/16 bar stock for?

@backwoodbasics9383 11 ай бұрын

I used it for the end of the trailer tongue, which slips into the seat post hitch. I neglected to show it is this video, and have beeen hearing about it ever since. I show it in this previous video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@allywilkeforsenate 11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@zidnyknight3611 Жыл бұрын

Great

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@Caribbeanminds 2 жыл бұрын

Need to show the connection

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

You're right. I should have shown the connection. I had done so in a previous video , so neglected to do it in this one. In the other video, I show how it connects within the first 5 minutes, so you don't have to be subjected to the whole thing. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@thomasmiller1340 2 жыл бұрын

@@backwoodbasics9383 But it doesn't have any swivel action that allows you to lay the bike at an angle as shown in the video, unless it means that the hole in the tongue is much larger than the pin diameter. This video needed to include the tongue and pin clip.

@backwoodbasics9383 2 жыл бұрын

@@thomasmiller1340 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@awakendsails 3 ай бұрын

I'd be scared a car broadside that thing and it swing around and take my leg off. Looks a bit dangerous.

@GuitarUniverse2013 11 ай бұрын

You don’t show the pin. And you don’t show how you attach the piece of wood to your device on the seat post… great ideas are only as good as the details that you can share… Respectfully, you’ve left out to the most important parts!!!!!

@backwoodbasics9383 11 ай бұрын

Agreed. That was an oversight on my part. I had done a previous video showing the connection, and neglected show it again in this one. Here is the video that shows what you wanted to see. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@feyrrari 2 ай бұрын

Lighting response. Thank you for the full demonstration. I actually needed to see the final product in use and the connection and other things im bout to dive in. Im tapping into a fabrication tickle of late😅. Started with a fan base that broke, and well I made a base out of wood. Cut 2 circles. 20 inch radius and 3, 2 inch flex board strips for the walls. Spray painted primer, full can of glossy black. Funny thing I learned. Over spray and use the spary force to push paint around... so satisfying, kinda like a black epoxy. A week later. Finnished with a full can of clear. And then a wonderful happy accident happened. The clear finish dried up in a dry skin looking texture. So i decided to make the whole thing look like that. Now, when light hits the base. ✨️✨️✨️ So nice. RIG, Mr. Bob Ross.🌌

@foam27 7 ай бұрын

zipties are cheaper and faster.

@24nikita Жыл бұрын

You missed out the most important bit. How do you connect the trailer to the hitch. If you have to connect it to the pin well that`s not very safe especially if you have your dog in the trailer. We need to see it CLOSE UP while your manouvering the hitch not 10 yards away. So you connected your hitch to the saddle stem and put your pin in to secure it and said "that`s it set to go" OK but what comes next is to know where you connect the trailer to. The only place I see is the circular part of the pin. Come on Backwood show us properly and finish your demo off by connecting the trailer to which part of the hitch CLOSE UP. Why pay more you ask, well to be sure the trailer does rip the pin out of the hitch.

@backwoodbasics9383 Жыл бұрын

I know. It was a bad move. I neglected it because, in my head, it was a follow-up video, and I just failed to repeat the hitch connection. It is shown in this previous video. Just skip to the hitch part. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNtimZVqr72lhmg.html

@24nikita Жыл бұрын

@@backwoodbasics9383 OK got it thanks, if you get your fingers out of the way.