Trailer Question

[Paul]

Hey guys I am picking up my HF trailer today after work (I have had a rain check for the past month and a half.) My question is how much do I want to cut it down. How wide do I want to make it? It is 42 inches wide now by 48 long.

Also has anyone set up their trailer to carry their pet (dog) and if so what mods did you make to carry him or her?

I have a 5 by 10 sheet of 1/8th inch polished aluminum diamond plate that I am building my box out of. I have access to CNC machines at work so I will just program it in and cut it all out and assemble it. I was thinking of sliding truck cap windows on the side for ventelation but I am still not sure what to do for carring Ringo as he likes to and we like to take him with us when we can, and if I could figure out how to make a safe comfortable way to haul him in the trailer that would be great. Any ideas would be great and pictures would be even better. Here is a picture of Ringo he is a Blue Heeler (Austrailian Cattle Dog)

Thanks in advance for all your help,

Paul

[Cougar]

This might help you...

http://forums.delphiforums.com/MCTrailertowing/start

and I am sure some others will chime in here a bit as well

Jeff

[MiCarl]

I'm in the process of making one for our Labrador retriever. Unfortunately no pix as yet, but my thoughts:

 

The HF trailer I bought was 40x48. I wanted to not add much overall width when towing the trailer so I decided to narrow the bed to 30". If I recall correctly, that will make the box about the same width as the bags on my 89.

 

Our dogs have always traveled in a crate which has floor dimensions of 20X30. I decided to reserve an identical space in the trailer for the dog. I'm putting that space at the left rear corner with the 30" going front/back. The inside height will be 22" because that fits the doors I bought (3 14X22 Insulated RV cargo hatches). The one for the dog will be mounted vertically. Of course I picked up a 20X30 bed for in there.

 

The front of the box turns down at a 45 deg angle just ahead of the dog space. Another cargo hatch goes in this spot to give access to the front of the compartment.

 

On the right side there is a cargo hatch to give access to the side compartment.

 

The whole thing is to be framed in 1" square aluminum tube. This is my hold up as the guy doing my welding has been busy. The inside walls of the dog box are also framed in 1" square tube, forming a roll cage for the pup (just in case!).

 

I'm going to skin it in the 0.10" plastic sheet they use to fab stock car bodies. I'm planning to insulate the dog box portion.

 

I bought a solar/passive vent that will go in the roof of the dog box. On a sunny day it's supposed to move 11cfm. The only part I haven't worked out is the air intake. I don't want to pull it from underneath because of pavement heat and potential for exhaust fumes passing under there. I haven't settled on whether to bring it in from the front or with a scoop from the side. I'm leading toward front.

[Rottdoglover]

IF you're going to make your little buddy ride in a trailer behind the bike and breathe exhaust, at least put LOTS of padding & bedding in it to help smooth out the bumps. And maybe a fresh air duct on top of box.

[cowpuc]

Dont know what size to advise but I always weld up the seams after I bolt them together, its amasing how much flex that takes out of the whole contraption, another word of advice - its also a LOT easier to get a good weld when they are brand new!!

[Flyinfool]

If you ever watched someone drive down a dusty road you have seen how the exhaust will be a solid cloud behind the bike.

For the safety of you pup I would make the trailer wide enough that you can have the air intake out in the fresh air to the side of the trailer.

Possibly a snorkel out the side would work as well, it will just look funny.

Even though you may not be getting a lethal amount of carbon monoxide inside the trailer, there likely will be some and it is not good for the dog.

I would also have a window of some type so that you or your passenger can see the pup while under way.

Watch your trailer spring sizes. The stock springs are designed to handle a certain weight, if you are well under that weight the springs will do little to soften any bumps.

Take into consideration the orientation of the dog compartment and make sure the the front of the dog compartment is well padded in case you have to hammer the brakes in an emergency situation.

 

As you can tell I have no concern for aesthetics here, just the poor pooch.

 

What ever you come up with for a final design, please do some testing without the dog.

Load the trailer with the anticipated traveling weight including something fragile and expensive to simulate the dogs weight and do not tie it down. Put a battery powered CO monitor in the dog compartment and go drive a hundred or so miles including some bumpy roads.

[a1bummer]

I have the HF trailer you mention for my bike as well. I just replaced the tail lights yesterday. The ones that come with them are JUNK. I didn't make it any smaller. I bolt down a car top carrier as far back and to one side as I can. That leaves me room for the cooler up front and my folding chairs on the side. I also strap my tripod grill to the bottom. I can get a lot of stuff on there and it pulls just fine. I get some weird looks with some of the things I haul with it behind the bike though.

[Paul]

I have no intention of putting Ringo in before I give it a good once over and a long ride with a C02 dector. I plan on padding the whole box for the dog in 2 inch foam that will then be carpeted. I am buying a small trailer widow for that side of the trailer that has the dog box built in. I also am getting a solar exhaust fan that should work fine. I found on ebay a nice chrome intake vent that will work great and look good with my diamond plate. Found it under boat vents. I plan on putting the intake vent in the front on the top side as high as i can get it and running a small duct on the inside corner going to the dog box. I plan on putting the solar vent on the top which will be my removable lid that will secure with 4 spring clips so everything will be easy to load. I am going to put the solar fan on with wingnuts so I can take it off when not taking the dog and I will cut a round piece of diamond plate to cover the hole with a gasket so it wont leak.

Also I am not usingthe junk trailer lights that came with the trailer I plan on putting LED lights on instead.

Wish me luck I start cutting today.

Paul