Just taken two concrete blocks for a ride - 10 miles into Tavistock and back. Quite a few hills I might add, no easy walk in the park. The trailer performed brilliantly, and so did my new hitch.
The new axles were fitted yesterday afternoon, and I set their positions by using the wheel hubs. I dismantled the wheels because I knew that the bare hubs would be more easy to deal with as the chassis and axles were cross drilled. I’ve fitted 4mm nuts and bolts and also Loctite-ed the axles in place. It was very important to get the length correct. The axles will never release themselves now. They are in forever, but it may be possible to remove them by undoing the nuts and bolts and then using brute force.
I re-built the wheels - easy as they are radially spoked - pushed them on and tightened the wheel nuts. This is the first of the improvements. The standard way of fitting the axles relies on the little balls engaging inside the chassis, so you always end up with a little end-float on the wheels. This makes them rattle. My way, the axles are solidly held, and the wheel nut can be tightened quite tightly. The wheel bearing inners are held against the nut and the chassis allowing the outers to rotate freely. No rattle!
The new hitch is very different to the old one. The old one relied on a universal joint system that pivoted on a short bolt. It was prone to rattling and loosening. It was suggested on here that I try a tap washer between the bits of the joint, and I must admit it was a vast improvement.
The new hitch relies on a flexible piece of “plastic” or “elastomer”. It looks just like a piece of red plastic, but it is flexible and bendable. This allows a “universal” movement in many different directions, it also acts as a damper to vibrations. It works a treat.
The downside is that the bit that fits to your bike is a little big. Super in use, but a little incongruous just to leave it there without the trailer. I always left the old hitch in position, but I’ll think again with this one. It looks like it could catch an ankle quite badly when pushing the bike.
I’m glad to be back on the road, and look forward to shopping trips and perhaps a tour in the spring.
Anyway, over to you.
Any questions?
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