swivel or not?

[Wizard765]

I know with all the knowledge here that someone can explain this for me. I have a utility trailer I want to modify to pull with my scoot and wanted to know if a swivel hitch is necessary or can I pull with just the standard hitch and ball. It seems that with the trailer on the ball there is enough side to side movement that a swivel is unnecessary but the idea seems right.

Any takers?

 

Wayne

[buddy]

I have the standard hitch on mine which is a Harbor freight with a diamond plate toolbox,have no troubles at all so far.I can turn just fine in town or on hwy.Later on I would like to get one only because if I lay the bike down the swivel hitch will save the frame work from bending but for now I'll keep on going which is around 1,250 mi on trailer,we will be taking it to Eureka Springs Ark. this weekend.

 

Buddy

[Ol Erns]

I also have the standard hitch, well over 10,000 miles on the trailer. haven't had any issues yet. That includes getting things over pretty far in the mountain switchbacks. Matter of fact was just down to Branson, MO and Eureka Springs this past weekend. Just under 2000 miles. No problems. Lots of rain, but what a neat area.

 

Erns

[sarges46]

Trailer for the first gen...swivel hitch...no problems...never dropped bike to test.

 

Trailer for 2nd gen...no swivel....dumped bike...trailer hitch popped off the ball saving my frame.

 

I am looking at a swivel. I personally believe in them. Many don't have em and do just fine.

[Mean Dog]

Personally I don't run a swivel on my trailer. I did a lay down test were I laid the bike all the way over onto the foot boards and motor guards, still had room on the ball for it to go further. Of course if by some chance I were to get it completely horizontal I wouldn't be worried about the hitch anyway!

 

Dog

[Marcarl]

Scamper laid down this summer all on her own with the trailer attached, never worried about it until now that you asked, everything turned out fine, but I didn't stop to look to see if she could get more tired than she already was before she would come unhooked.

[Yammer Dan]

Installing hitch on "Black Beauty" Now something else to think about! Thanks Guys!!

[curt99rsv]

Personally, I run a swivel hitch because it was on the trailer when I bought it.

Here's a different angle to look at that I read on a different forum several months ago. They said they had a blowout at speed on a trailer without a swivel hitch and the violent thrashing caused them to crash the bike. They believed that a swivel might have saved them from going down.

Just a thought.

 

Curt

[Monsta]

Not sure how a swivel hitch could prevent or reduce the weave that results from a flat tire on a trailer...

[allen]

We pull a camper trailer, I have pulled with both, I will not pull a trailer unless it has a swivel, thta is just the way I am.

enjoy the ride

allen & patti

[eagleeye]

I've never pulled a trailer, but, if in the future I do, how much does one of these swivel hitches cost?

BTW, I ride an 86VR.

Thanks,

Steve

[Wizard765]

I've seen them from $145.00 to $195.00.

 

I think I'm going to try without. There seems to be enough movement so I don't believe there will be a problem. Anything I've seen is that MAYBE if they had a swivel it WOULD have saved them. Nothing definite. Also I believe that when pulling a trailer I would be driving somewhat different or more conservative than without the trailer.

[James Ardrey]

I pull a trailor w\ a swivel hitch because it is just an added safey issue beyond the afore mentioned bending the frame issue. I have heard of riders w\ trailors that actually flipped upside down and were able to keep the bike under control and just scratched the top of the trailor. I'm afraid the outcome could have been disasterous if the trailor was not on a swivel and the hitch did not release. I followed a guy up the winding road to lake Tahoe who was riding a Goldwing and pulling a trailor and on every sharp curve you could hear the klunk of the hitch and ball at their limits. It seemed pretty scary to me. I've known people that have had a standard hitch for a long time and no problems as described here in previous posts so again it's a personal preference issue.Ride on!!!

[Monsta]

I've seen them from $145.00 to $195.00.

 

$70.00

 

http://www.neoshotrailers.com/options.html

[VTirelli]

I hit the limit on mine last year, winding road in the rain about 35 mph. Scared the living poop out of me and everyone behind me. Pushed me clear across into oncoming traffic. Somehow I was able to downshift and accelerate out of it. Don't ask me how. My buddy riding behind me saw it bottom out on the hitch.

That night I ordered the swivel from the hotel, it was waiting for me when I got home.

Won't pull a trailer without it again.

[jbabin]

Here is my 2 cents worth.

My trailer had a standard coupler when I purchased it, we did an 1800 mile trip around Superior last summer and noticed some binding on the tighter curves. This summer I added a swivel since then I have not noticed any binding at all, I would not pull without one now.

[Burninator]

I bought a camper and it came without a swivel hitch. I ordered and installed the swivel hitch before towing the trailer. On my first trip I didn't make a wide enough turn when entering a parking lot and the right trailer wheel caught the curb pulling the 86 Venture down quite hard. The swivel hitched worked as intended and neither the bike or camper suffered any damage. I like the piece of mind that comes from eliminating potential damage when a regular hitch is used. Spend the extra money and protect your investment. You will sleep better at night.

[Guest longtrain59]

In '04, I went with other friends to load another friend's 04 Venture and Bushtec trailer, with a swivel hitch, that crashed on I-25 in Colorado. The bike low sided and then high sided and the trailer flipped on the deck lid and ground off the spoiler.

 

So much for swivel hitches. They may help to if a person drops a bike past the crash bars.

 

Swivel hitches are a great concept, but I don't think they are worth the cost.

[Thom]

if you want to make you own swivel hitch you can cut the draw bar behind the cuplar , weld in a plate 3/8 thick plate with a 1/2 in hole in each end , you need a 4 1/2 in. grade 8 bolt , 2 heavy washers , 1 valve spring from a auto head , at least 1/4 in thick urethane washer , i buy a cheap cutting board from the dollar store cut it to size drill a 1/2 hole in it , put bolt , heavy washer , spring through the 1st plate urethane washer 2nd plate heavy washer nut . tighten the nut down until the cuplar just stop moving , install a lock nut after done .

you can tighten the nut down to keep side to side bounce out .

i made one for customer 3 years ago and shortly after that he was selling them on ebay :rotfl:

[LUCKY PHIL]

I Run Swivel And No Suspension On My Unit. Just Adjust Tyre Pressureto Compensate For Different Loads. Ran The Same Set Up Behind The Hyabusa At Close To 270kph And It Was Rock Steady.

 

Keep The Black Bits Down

 

Lucky Phil:225:

[Thom]

i have seen that in eur. , what size tires do you use ? i think i'll make a trailer with out springs and try it . can all ways add them later .

[LUCKY PHIL]

I Use 135 X 10 4ply Mounted On 10" Mag Wheels With A 5 Stud Center. At The Moment I Am In The Process Of Fitting Hydraulic Disc Brakes With Electric Acctuator As Fitted To Normal Caravans Over Here

[Thom]

i wish 10 in. tires where sold more up here , they are very rare up here . that disc brake sys. sounds great , what brand , size ? how about doing a write up and pics ?

[LUCKY PHIL]

O.k. As Soon As I Get It Fully Sorted I Will Post A Complete How To With Pics And Parts List.

[Thom]