On 18/04/15 01:03, Chris Baird wrote:
http://www.bikeforums.net/living-car...itch-rack.html

Looks like a pain to remove when getting flat.. In 2004 I rode a
petrol-motor assisted bike on a 2 week trip, and having to undo and
reassemble everything on the side of the road, in Summer, every time I
got a flat, made me conclude that 'Rotary' motors were not a good choice
for touring.

Yes, this is a big consideration. In my original plans I was going to
use 10mm thru-axle wheels, and the ideal plan was to have the axle slide
out allowing the wheel to drop out vertically.

With 9mm QR mountings, due to where I'm looking to put the brake
callipers, I'm thinking the QR drop-out slot will be aligned
horizontally (facing back) and so to release the wheel I'd release the
catch, undo the bolts a little, then pull the wheel backwards then down.

My currently half-built trailer project has Nitto air-compressor
fittings for the hitch, an idea I got from
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bicy...-hose-couplin/
What it might lack in apparently durability, I'm expecting it'll make up
for in simplicity/repairibility/parts-availability.

Yeah I did see that, and agreed you should be able to get something just
about anywhere.

My father in his travels managed to pick up this widget:

http://www.longlandclan.yi.org/~stua...tch-closed.jpg
http://www.longlandclan.yi.org/~stua...hitch-open.jpg

I have no idea where he got it from or where I'd get another if it failed.

It's stainless steel, so should be quite hard wearing, and it gives all
3 axes of rotation with only a little bit of play in the joint.

I'm told this arrangement did not work well in the end:
http://www.bikeforums.net/living-car...l#post12967887

Apparently the bolts wore the mounting hole out into an ellipse after
1000 mi.

Two other options I'm considering:

- Heim joint:
http://www.bikeforums.net/utility-cy...l#post17637003
- Cut-down castor wheel:
http://www.instructables.com/id/SURF...ILER/?ALLSTEPS --
scroll to step 9

Sadly, no, no access to a welder and no knowledge of how to use one.
As for plans for building a trailer, I did see some plans for
building one using a bamboo frame.

For my trailer's frame, I'm hoping to do a design where hose-clamps
could be used for repair in even the worst senario. Sam Mitchell, the
18yo who self-built a solar-powered trike and rode it around the island,
had constant issues with his welds breaking, so I'm thinking anything
welded is to be avoided.

Indeed. Hose clamps should be possible to get anywhere. I've had welds
fail on pannier racks too and while I can carry a hacksaw and drill
without too much trouble (and even then, a lot of small towns have a
"mens shed"), carrying a MIG welder is out of the question.

If I can get a replacement length of aluminium and either brace it
against the existing parts with hose clamps or attack it with some tools
and manufacture a replacement part with it, then that gets my vote.