Caught on the streets, this small trailer provides big benefits. It’s an excellent example of using a trailer instead of a truck, and this business owner understands efficiency. For him, the small car trailer certainly makes sense (and cents) as he pursues his business of cleaning up.
I saw this little trailer on the street and just had to follow and ask about it. Fortunately it was only a short way until he pulled into a convenience store to get a drink. I asked about the trailer and he was quite happy to tell me about it. He also gave permission to take the photos. R&W Pet Waste Management. If you’re in Colorado Springs and you have the need, this is a really nice guy.
DIY In A Small Size
This small car trailer is custom fab, on a tiny frame from something else. (It looks to me like it started from the small Harbor Freight trailer, and was modified, but that’s just a guess.) The perimeter for the deck-over design and railing are DIY out of wood and bolted together. The deck is expanded metal, also bolted on. White paint all around make it match the car and the wheels. (Though it looks like some of it could use some more TLC.) This is certainly DIY customizing to meet the need.
The plastic bins and buckets provide the “product” storage and the railing simply holds them in. I forgot to ask about total capacity, but I can’t imagine too much weight from his collections! (Might not want to follow too close.)
Another item worth noting is the trailer hitch on the car. I should have asked about it.
From experience, I know that some automotive manufacturers don’t want you to have a hitch, and trailer towing is discouraged on many small cars. That said, I’ve fabricated hitches for small cars to pull trailers, and it all works just fine. You just have to use your head when building the connections, then stay within sensible boundaries.
I personally think this trailer hitch and receiver are great. Since it’s a tiny trailer with very little weight, it all looks great to me. Kudo’s to the creativity and resourcefulness — for sure. And again, thanks for the photos.
Small Car Trailer With Big Benefits
Benefits for the owner are:
First, Economy. The efficiency of the small car does not change much with this small trailer. His routes are mostly around the city, so high speed and aerodynamics are not as much of a concern. The lightweight trailer doesn’t add a lot of weight to pull around either.
Second, Maneuverability. It’s a small trailer with the right tongue length for his situation, so it maneuvers quite well. He’s able to get in and around things just fine. Also, the car has good visibility, so no problems seeing. These things all contribute to making it easy use.
Third, a Green Footprint. This is related, of course, to efficiency, yet worth calling out separately because he’s running his business with a much greener footprint than if it was a pickup truck. It makes sense, and saves cents. It’s a point of acting responsibly, and we can all contemplate our green footprint (or black footprint as the case may be). I say thank you for thinking.
Small cars with small trailers definitely conserve energy & leave a greener footprint. This small car trailer will do most of what a small truck will do, for less money, less gas and easier upkeep — so why not? It’s a trailer instead of a truck.
Take Pride In DIY
The owner of this small car trailer is justifiably proud of it. Not that it’s a masterpiece, but it does the job, and he’s running his business with the benefits list above. Kudos to him and those like him who are willing to do it different — and better. Be proud of the accomplishments.
I’m not sure why, but I like finding fun DIY small trailers. They come in a variety of configurations to do the job they need. Just remember there are no rules about how to think, so here is a very different and creative little pack trailer. Not the norm for most, but it does the job for him.
If you have smaller-ish needs, consider a small trailer to fill them. While a small car trailer won’t do everything, it’s perfect for a lot of situations. Something to think about for sure. By the way, if you want plans, let us know what you want. We might just design it.
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