I thought that some folks might find this useful or interesting. This is a trailer hitch that I made to haul my race tires. The whole thing cost me less than $100, can be made with basic tools and a welder, and seems strong and secure.
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Home-made Spyder trailer hitch dissassembled. Tools used to build it included an oxy-acetylene torch, MIG welder, electric drill, pipe cutter, die grinder with cutoff wheel (hacksaw would substitute), and dremel with a small grinding wheel. I paid a machine shop to thread the 7/8" shaft for me. Everything else, I did myself.
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Hitch assembled and ready to install. Installation is accomplished by positioning the hitch and turning the thumbscrews in, then clipping the thumbscrew safety chains through the holes in the thumbscrew grips.
Total cost for parts was about $90, not counting the trailer ball. Most of the cost ($62) was for the threaded shafts.
The most difficult part was cutting the holes concentric through the square tubing. Since I didn't have drill bits or hole saws of the right sizes, I cut the holes with the acetylene torch and smoothed them up with the dremel. I made the hole on the front (car) side large enough (~1 3/8" dia.) to pass the pipe through so I could weld it to both sides of the square tubing. The hole on the back side of the square tubing is just large enough (~7/8") for the thumbscrew shaft to fit through.
What I most like about this hitch is that it is so quick and easy to install and remove. It is also very ridged. Once the thumb screws are tightened it feels secure. No movement or play at all.
If I were ever to make another, I'd cut the pipe about 3/4" shorter. The hitch extends farther back than it needs to.
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Hitch installed on the Spyder. Safety chains on the thumbscrews ensure that the hand-tightened thumbscrews can never loosen more than a half-turn. So far they've never loosened at all. I suppose you could put a crescent wrench on them and really cinch them down. But with the thumbscrews and safety chains, the whole thing is self-contained. No tools required. Period.
Welds on the thumbscrews are pretty ugly. I used the gas welder there. Should have used the MIG. I made sure that I got good fusion, though. It's plenty strong.
![Image]()
Trailer connected to hitch, right side. I've made two trips, about 100 miles each, with this setup, and it has worked very well.
![Image]()
Home-made Spyder trailer hitch dissassembled. Tools used to build it included an oxy-acetylene torch, MIG welder, electric drill, pipe cutter, die grinder with cutoff wheel (hacksaw would substitute), and dremel with a small grinding wheel. I paid a machine shop to thread the 7/8" shaft for me. Everything else, I did myself.
Hitch assembled and ready to install. Installation is accomplished by positioning the hitch and turning the thumbscrews in, then clipping the thumbscrew safety chains through the holes in the thumbscrew grips.
Total cost for parts was about $90, not counting the trailer ball. Most of the cost ($62) was for the threaded shafts.
The most difficult part was cutting the holes concentric through the square tubing. Since I didn't have drill bits or hole saws of the right sizes, I cut the holes with the acetylene torch and smoothed them up with the dremel. I made the hole on the front (car) side large enough (~1 3/8" dia.) to pass the pipe through so I could weld it to both sides of the square tubing. The hole on the back side of the square tubing is just large enough (~7/8") for the thumbscrew shaft to fit through.
What I most like about this hitch is that it is so quick and easy to install and remove. It is also very ridged. Once the thumb screws are tightened it feels secure. No movement or play at all.
If I were ever to make another, I'd cut the pipe about 3/4" shorter. The hitch extends farther back than it needs to.
Hitch installed on the Spyder. Safety chains on the thumbscrews ensure that the hand-tightened thumbscrews can never loosen more than a half-turn. So far they've never loosened at all. I suppose you could put a crescent wrench on them and really cinch them down. But with the thumbscrews and safety chains, the whole thing is self-contained. No tools required. Period.
Welds on the thumbscrews are pretty ugly. I used the gas welder there. Should have used the MIG. I made sure that I got good fusion, though. It's plenty strong.
Trailer connected to hitch, right side. I've made two trips, about 100 miles each, with this setup, and it has worked very well.
![Image](http://<a href="http://s1124.photobucket.com/user/heygreg1/media/DSCN0101.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l570/heygreg1/DSCN0101.jpg" border="0" alt="MR2 Trailer Hitch photo DSCN0101.jpg"/></a>)
