How to Make Your Own Trailer Hitches

Instead of loading a lot of items in your vehicle to move from one place or another, using trailer hitches can make moving easier. It can easily be attached to any vehicle provided it has a male hitch socket. Here is one way to make a trailer hitch for moving your equipment.

Step 1 – Create a Design

Create a design for your trailer. You can choose to have a trailer without a roof. A fully enclosed trailer can be circular, rectangular, or somewhere between the two. Include measurements in the design to guide you in choosing materials.

Step 2 - Create the Hitch

Make sure you include a hitch in the design. The hitch is the mechanism connecting the trailer to your vehicle.

Step 3 - Get the Measurements

Measure you materials based on the details of the design you made to guide you with how much material you will buy. Always remember to get more than you need just in case problems with cutting or measurement occurs. You will always have extra.

Step 4 – Choose a Wheel and Axle Set

Make sure you choose one that is sturdy and can handle the size of the trailer you designed.

Step 5 – Trace the Designs

Trace the designs for the body of the trailer on metal sheets. Cut out the outline. Weld the parts together. Make sure the parts are welded properly so that there are no gaps in between the parts.

Step 6 - Place the Wheel and Axle

The axle is a rod placed in the middle of wheels. If you want a trailer that tilts backward when it isn’t attached to a vehicle, place the axle near the body’s center of the trailer. It should also be placed at the center of the width of the body.

Step 7 – Get the Tongue Weight

The tongue weight is the amount of force exerted by the trailer on the hitch. To get the tongue weight, determine the weight of the full frame and use 5% of the total. Make sure your tongue can handle that weight.

Step 8 - Place the Tongue

Turn the frame over and place the tongue. The tongue extends from the frame and allows it to connect to a vehicle. It includes the hand wheel, the latch, and the coupler. Place the tongue ahead of the axle. The standard tongue is formed by two steel pieces with holes. A round bar is often placed in the hole to join the two pieces together.

Step 9 - Connect a Latch to the Frame

This allows the trailer to remain balanced. This will be used in hitching the trailer to a vehicle as well.

Step 10 – Connect Fenders to the Frame

Connect fenders to the frame to protect the wheel. Using low heat, weld the pieces together. Small metal rods may be used. You can attach an angle iron to help in supporting the fenders. You can weld angle iron together to reinforce the back of the frame. If you are building an open trailer, this can be used to support the gate you will build.

Step 11 – Paint the Trail

After all the parts are assembled, the trailer may be painted to whatever color you like. Just attach the trailer to the vehicle if you need to use it and stow it away when you don’t.