A buddy of mine just bought a 6 x 12 single axle enclosed trailer for almost nothing. It is in good condition with good tires. Nice and solid.

but every trailer I’ve ever had my bike in in the past has always had leaf springs. This trailer of his is a solid axle mounted right to the frame. I can only imagine strapping two bikes to that, and driving across the country. What could happen to your tie downs with all the bouncing and jarring with their not being any suspension.

I don’t know much about trailering bikes, and I try not to do it very often. Is this normal? Is this a good idea to haul bikes in?

 

Was it home made? IMO - it's going to bounce more than one of those inflatable houses at a kid's BDay & be borderline dangerous.

 

If it has a frame , a suspension should be added.

 

As it has no suspension to absorb bad road conditions, all the bouncing will transfer to the bike's suspension.
Thus, making the bike bounce all over the place unless you crush the bike's suspension, which isn't good.
They need to complement each other. Unless you could add leaf springs for a reasonable cost, it's not worth it.

 

Well the inside of the roof should keep the bike in !

 

Are you sure it's not a torsion spring axle, they look solid until you pull off the wheel and see the offset. Leaf springs are not very common anymore.

 

Leaf springs are quite common.

OP:

If this trailer actually has no suspension, the frame of the trailer is bound to fail.

Either a torsion spring or leaf spring axle(s) could be installed onto the trailer.

 

I would be surprised if it was built that way. It may have had a torsion beam suspension and been repaired with a solid axle. I trust your observation but my first question would have been “ are you sure it’s not torsion suspension.”

oops- missed choppers post. I agree with that.

 

You know, I don’t know enough about it and didn’t take a good enough. Look at it. But I’ll bet anything that’s the case. I googled an image of a torsion spring for a trailer and I get it now. I didn’t take a wheel off or crawl underneath it very much. It’s definitely a production trailer and like I said it’s nice. So that’s probably the case.

 

I have to take another look at it. But I’m pretty sure there is a torsion spring and I just didn’t understand. I’m unfamiliar with trailers. I’ve done plenty of it, but I’ve never taken much stock into the mechanics behind it. lol. However, I will mention this. I always put a block underneath the frame of a bike, and then I compressed the suspension a few inches against that block. I never never never haul a bike without a block underneath it. What if your suspension, springs or seal gives away while you’re going down the road with tie straps on it. That could be bad.

For about a three hour window I would load my shovel head into the back of a Ranger pickup and take it to the dragstrip 3-4 times a month eight months out of the year. I have lots and lots of experience with tying a bike down and putting it in a pick up. Another little tip all share, always always use double tie straps at the front. If one tie strap breaks, or gives way you have a second one holding it in place. And personally, I always lock the back in with two tie straps as well.