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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: ogg on October 31, 2010, 05:34:34 PM
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Jeeps have such limited cargo space that some full time Jeep drivers do what I do and use a utility trailer from time to time for Home Depot runs and the like. I use a Harbor Freight 1200lb kit trailer with 12" wheels, which was the only thing I could afford at time. I wasn't really planning on taking it on long highway trips or off pavement, but now I need to use it to haul some camping gear a few hundred miles. I won't be taking the trailer off pavement on this trip but might consider doing so in the future, on maintained forest service roads, fire roads, etc. Has anyone else on this forum used a Harbor Freight or similar bolt together trailer like this (long highway trips, and/or soft-road) that can share their experiences with it?
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I can't see it being a that bad highway. but off road or bad side roads could sure knock it up.
do you have a picture of it? I can't see it being that badly built. also if it's a registered trailer it should have weight ratings to somewhere!!
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with 12'' wheels and I assume the tires are also small would be a challenge offroad. Maybe getting a solid axle off a vehicle with FWD and some larger leaf springs under it so you can throw on some big tires would get you there.
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I've have one of those little red trailers. Mine has the 8" wheels, all they had at the time. It's 4 years old and been down some back roads, gravel, dirt and sand. It get loaded with about 500#s of camping gear many times every year and works good. Just make sure you check the wheel bearings and repack them with good grease. I think that the deck is 40"x48". I topped it with 3/4" marine ply and made 1"x4"slat rails for the sides. Mine was $96.00 on sale.
JR
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I run the 4'x8' version with 12" tires, was given the rolling frame for free and built a nice 8" rail all the way around out of angle iron. Sheeted with treated plywood and it's been a great little trailer. I also rewired it and changed the coupler for a 2" ball. The angle iron sides do a lot to stiffen these little things up.
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Biggest problems are the loosening of the bolts that assemble it, they are metric sized, undersized in strength, material is thin pressed metal, the coating discolors and rust begins easily, the bearings are Chinese brand, and practically everything on it is imported and sold by them exclusively.
I'd look for an old pop-up camper to dismantle. I'd look for a pwc trailer. Lots of usable trailers out there on CL that need a little TLC and can be had for cheap.
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Thanks, guys. The trailer is one of these kits, except I didn't weld mine like this write-up shows: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f104/harbor-freight-folding-trailer-modification-write-up-review-463480/. I built up a wooden box on mine that is more finished and has a sort of tailgate and cross bars on top for a canoe or kayak. I bolted the two halves of the trailer frame together with some reinforcement on the sides, so its not foldable anymore.
Bikerjr1, how do you check the wheel bearings? I did repack them with marine grease when I built the trailer frame, but I'm not sure what to look for now that I've been using the trailer. The bearings are one concern I have about the long road trip.