build your own auto trailer
JustMe
computers and misc) from a storage unit about 200 miles away. I'd like
to build a quick and dirty trailer for the job. Anyone know of plans I
can download for nuthin? Thanks.
Ron Peterson
What's wrong with renting?
--
Ron
SMS
Wait for a sale and a 15% off coupon from a Harbor Freight store.
Right now you can buy am 860 pound capacity trailer from their stores
for $145. You can probably sell it for at least $100 when you're
through, maybe you could sell it for the whole $145, considering the
assembly time. It's complete with lights and all. You need to add a
plywood bed.
See it at
"http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42708"
but buy it at the store.
It's a lot of assembly, not something you can do in the parking lot of
the store and tow it home. You'll save a lot of assembly time if you
have an impact wrench and compressor to use.
I doubt if you could build a trailer for less than what Harbor Freight
charges.
The one I bought is
"http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42709"
and it was around $208 on sale, with a discount coupon.
Where are you located?
Frank
"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:ww%1k.3705$ZE5....@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com...
I was going to suggest Harbor Freight but you beat me to it. I think even
the OP buys the parts, it would cost more. And then he needed to have it
licensed and perhaps required to provide the design and structural
calculations to get it approved for road use.
ChrisJ
We splurged and got the 1175 lb capacity trailer from Harbor Frieght,
also bought cheap with a coupon (IIRC we paid $280 + tax). We've used
it now for coming up to 4 years with no problem. I'll admit it's not
the finest example of trailer craftsmanship but for the price and
considering how many loads it's hauled, it's been a most economical
purchase.
chris
Dennis
>SMS wrote:
>> Wait for a sale and a 15% off coupon from a Harbor Freight store.
>>
>> Right now you can buy am 860 pound capacity trailer from their stores
>> for $145. You can probably sell it for at least $100 when you're
>> through, maybe you could sell it for the whole $145, considering the
>> assembly time. It's complete with lights and all. You need to add a
>> plywood bed.
>>
>> See it at
>> "http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42708"
>> but buy it at the store.
>>
>> It's a lot of assembly, not something you can do in the parking lot of
>> the store and tow it home. You'll save a lot of assembly time if you
>> have an impact wrench and compressor to use.
>>
>> I doubt if you could build a trailer for less than what Harbor Freight
>> charges.
>>
>> The one I bought is
>> "http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42709"
>> and it was around $208 on sale, with a discount coupon.
>>
>
>We splurged and got the 1175 lb capacity trailer from Harbor Frieght,
>also bought cheap with a coupon (IIRC we paid $280 + tax). We've used
>it now for coming up to 4 years with no problem. I'll admit it's not
>the finest example of trailer craftsmanship but for the price and
>considering how many loads it's hauled, it's been a most economical
>purchase.
I have a similar trailer that I bought at Costco and have been using
it for 15 years now. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done. I've
hauled (literally) tons of stuff on it. In my state (OR), you don't
even need to license a trailer with a gross weight under 1800 lbs.
Dennis (evil)
--
I'm behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave,
dodging the bullet and pushing the envelope. -George Carlin
SMS
> We splurged and got the 1175 lb capacity trailer from Harbor Frieght,
> also bought cheap with a coupon (IIRC we paid $280 + tax). We've used
> it now for coming up to 4 years with no problem. I'll admit it's not
> the finest example of trailer craftsmanship but for the price and
> considering how many loads it's hauled, it's been a most economical
> purchase.
Yeah, I checked mine, and that's the one I bought too, not the one I
earlier stated. Mine has the 12" wheels, not the 8" wheels.
"http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90154"
It was on sale for $250, IIRC, and I had a 15% off coupon, so it was
$212. I had to get it licensed as well, which meant towing it down to
the DMV for an inspection.
It's adequate for my needs. Yes, the craftsmanship isn't that great. I
found that when unfolded, the bolt holes don't line up all that well,
and I have to use a ratcheting strap to pull the two sides together to
be able to put in the bolts. Definitely not for continuous commercial
use, but for occasional use it's just fine.
The casters that it rolls on when folded lasted about one day before
breaking. I replaced them with heavier duty casters from Harbor Freight,
but this complicates the unfolding, since after I let the trailer down
on the wheels I have to remove the casters prior to unfolding because
they won't clear the frame like the smaller ones.
I covered the wiring with wire loom and routed it in a way that it
doesn't get mangled when folding and unfolding.
It was quite a project to assemble it. I wish I'd had an impact wrench
at the time.
Gary Heston
SMS <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote:
[ ... ]
>It was quite a project to assemble it. I wish I'd had an impact wrench
>at the time.
Well, then you should have picked up
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45252
or
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92349
While the 12V isn't intended for lots of use, it's still handy. All it
needs is an adapter to turn a scissors jack, and tire changing becomes
a breeze.
The 120V wrench goes on sale for $40 occasionally/
Gary
--
Gary Heston ghe...@hiwaay.net http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
"a member or members of Osama bin Ladens' Al Qaeda network, posing as
computer programmers, were able to gain employment at Microsoft..."
claim made by Mohammed Afroze Abdul Razzak to police in India, 12/01.
phil scott
rent one from U haul, make the round trip in one day., it will be
cheaper...for the cheapest rental try craigs list.
SMS
This is true. You can rent their smallest trailer for about $20 a day.
Even doing it in two days would be fine.
I see ads on craigslist for the Harbor Freight trailers selling for more
than they cost new. Not sure if they're actually getting these prices
though. They're including extra wheels and the stake sides and the
plywood, but still $500 is very high. I think he could at least get back
the purchase price.