I’m gauging interest in home made trailer hitch for the spyder. Price estimate is $200ish total including shipping in continental USA.
REPLY if you would be interested in buying one.
Availability: I’m estimating late summer
Payment scheme: $50 deposit - refundable if you change your mind. Final $150 payment when the finished parts are ready to ship.
Design: I would duplicate the hitch I made for my spyders. 2” square steel tube with 1 1/4 inch hitch receiver (Class I style).
Finish: Rustoleum flat black paint
Material: Mild Steel
Weight: 12 lbs
Operation: Two rods thread into the towing eye nuts. The hitch bar slides over the two threaded rods and are secured with hitch pins. Installation or removal takes about 2 minutes.
Function: I’ve had very good service from mine for almost 10 years now. I plug in a bike rack, a luggage rack and occasionally a 4x8 foot utility trailer. Nothing has cracked or broken loose so far. Long term trailer use could cause trouble with the factory frame nuts fatiguing due to the trailer banging and yanking on the hitch. I’ve had zero problems with the dead weight of the luggage rack.
Disclaimer: Not responsible for what you do with the thing. If you load a spare engine and transmission on it, something will break. Yes it looks funny. No, it doesn’t make the front wheels lift off the ground. Yes, it will shift the center of gravity very slightly. No, it won’t be smart to drive autocross or run a track-day with a rack loaded with luggage.
The imgur link has quite a few fabrication photos from when I made mine.
Video of removal... https://i.imgur.com/cRGcH7E.mp4
This topic was modified 5 years ago 5 times by cyclehead
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : February 18, 2020 8:32 pm
2
INTERESTED!
Definitely will take one. No question about it.
http://zero3nine.com/files/dospwn.gif
Posted : February 19, 2020 8:31 am
Interested.
Posted : February 21, 2020 4:00 pm
Interested! Would love to be able to get the Spyder to other parts of the country with a second person but not a second vehicle. This combined with the rear deck luggage rack makes this a serious possibility.
Posted : February 23, 2020 8:15 am
I had to waffle on this idea for a few days. But with lots of suggestions and help from my friends, I think I’m happy with a path forward. I plan to buy up a batch of steel material next week and get cracking. My parts will have some strict recommended limitations for their use and carry weights, and some ugly warning stickers plastered all over. I have the luxury real-world data from using and abusing my current home-made parts for the last 9 years.
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : February 23, 2020 9:14 am
1
I had to waffle on this idea for a few days. But with lots of suggestions and help from my friends, I think I’m happy with a path forward. I plan to buy up a batch of steel material next week and get cracking. My parts will have some strict recommended limitations for their use and carry weights, and some ugly warning stickers plastered all over. I have the luxury real-world data from using and abusing my current home-made parts for the last 9 years.
If you sell to anyone in California you will have to add a warning about contracting Cancer.
Posted : February 23, 2020 8:48 pm
1
Are the stickers easily removable? Haha. I love this trailer hitch. I can't definitively say I'm in, but the price is great and the hitch itself is amazing and thank you for making this.
2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder, 2021 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
Posted : February 23, 2020 8:51 pm
Good news. This is going to fly! A local fabricator is taking on the whole project. He will produce finished parts almost exactly as described above. He may have the first parts ready in 2 weeks. I will keep everyone updated.
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : February 28, 2020 9:02 pm
Hitch adapters are ready to ship. Here’s the website. I think he has two remaining from the first batch, ready for immediate shipping. Many thanks to my buddy for making this happen!
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : April 20, 2020 3:03 pm
1
Thanks bought one.
Posted : April 30, 2020 9:18 am
I hope you enjoy it. I was lucky to find a company to take over the project. I spoke with the owner yesterday and he only had one hitch remaining from the first batch. You may have snagged it!
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : April 30, 2020 4:12 pm
@simplemoney I did a group buy long ago, I found a machine shop that made a batch of them. Your best option is to locate a machine shop that can make some for you. Mild or stainless steel, about 12 inches long 7/8 inch OD, with M22x2.0 thread. Make up a batch of them and you can probably sell them on the forums.
This post was modified 3 years ago 2 times by cyclehead
I make Amateur Armrests - see the Commercial Forum. I also have SMT repair seals available.
Topic starter
Posted : October 20, 2021 7:30 am