Utility Trailer?

Warebear

Warebear

Member
So I am interested in the idea of having a small (4x8ish) utility trailer for all around use, from moving to pulling motorcycles.
I liked the Harbor Freight folding trailer, and was wondering if anyone had experience? If not, any recommended brands or things to watch out for in my Craigslist searching?


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Warebear said:
So I am interested in the idea of having a small (4x8ish) utility trailer for all around use, from moving to pulling motorcycles.
I liked the Harbor Freight folding trailer, and was wondering if anyone had experience? If not, any recommended brands or things to watch out for in my Craigslist searching?


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Click to expand...
I thought about that trailer too since it's foldable but idk I don't think I'll trust it. I was looking at pj trailers those are the best at least what some guys say around 950 used to 1250 new . Big tex is cheaper but some guys told me to not waste my money so idk.

Out in the Boonies
 
Man, I just don't trust those cheap trailers they sell at HF, Tractor Supply, etc. My dad bought one years ago and it was a piece of shit. I just traded a Corn Pro 16' trailer in on this one made by Triton. It was $2200 but is all aluminum
& will hold a bike or quad no problem. Plus its light enough that I can push it around the yard. The sides make it handy for hauling loose shit too. There are other manufacturers of these types out there & frankly they are much higher quality than
the cheap ones out there.

Triton.jpg
 
Can't beat a good used trailer. Just make sure to crawl under and check ALL THE welds, look for cracks, breaks, or inconsistencies in the paint that may indicate a cover up. Try to pull on wood planks to see if they're rotting out. See if you can jack up the axle and spin the wheels to listen for rattle in the bearings, I would still budget for a good bearing swap on day one. A good used trailer will save you a lot and if you sell it down the road it won't have lost so much value.

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I just recently purchased a 8.25x5.25 utility trailer. I have a 2012 Tacoma I daily drive so I wasn't too concerned about it being a little heavy for my TJ to pull. It's great for pulling around axles, roll cages, etc.; anything me or my buddies buy for our Jeeps lol. I paid $350 for it on Craigslist, and put a new set of barrings in, two new tires/wheels, and new lights. It really didn't need that stuff but now it's like a brand new trailer. All in all I have about $500 in it and it's basically a brand new trailer. Tows great! Good luck on your search.
 
Rb1boxer_3 said:
I thought about that trailer too since it's foldable but idk I don't think I'll trust it. I was looking at pj trailers those are the best at least what some guys say around 950 used to 1250 new . Big tex is cheaper but some guys told me to not waste my money so idk.

Out in the Boonies
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Big tex is a damn good trailer. Idk why they said not to waste your money on them. I don't think the PJ trailers are bad but they are built lighter than the Big Tex trailers. I know that for sure.

ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1483749554.743383.jpg

I just bought this 12 ft x 83 inches Top Hat brand trailer a few months back. It was $2200 brand new but I added the basket across the front, a water cooler rack, a bulldog hitch, swing up jack, and spare and spare mount. I was gonna buy a Big Tex but the place by me that sold them just up and closed one day when corporate came in and locked the doors. I also went with the Top Hat as I bought it through my local John Deere dealer who I purchased my weedeater, edger, and blower from and plan on buying a zero turn mower through them sometime.
 
Very nice good price too. Yea I wanted to get a big tex that's what the whole thing went to saying about pj. Since there's a big tex dealer right near my house.

Out in the Boonies
 
I picked this trailer up from my B-in law for free, but Craigslist would be around $350. It was sitting in woods for a few years. It's a tilt trailer which is nice because I don't need big tailgate or ramps to load 4wheelers. It's 6x10, has new tires, bearings, led tail lights, and put decking on floor and sides. Also used 1 foot sections from a electrical 8 foot metal wire guide. Perfect c-channel width for tailgate slide. I have two sections for tailgate positions now, will add two more. This allows me to move tailgate forward to backfire different sized loads. Not too heavy, manual and 4:10's move it around with out problem.

IMG_3849.JPGIMG_3850.JPGIMG_3851.JPGIMG_3852.JPG


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I bought one of those HF 1750lb trailers about 5 years ago. It came in 2 big boxes and it was a great weekend project for my youngest son and myself. I pull it behind my 2-door JK. I love it. I've used it to move 3 times and have helped several friends move with it. It's paid for itself many times over. It's light, heavy duty, and cheap! I would recommend it to anyone interested in buying one.


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One thing to make sure you check when you buy one of these is whether you can fit a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood or OSB in the trailer. Some that are advertised are in fact 4 x 8 but you can't haul a sheet flat.
 
Ive used the hell out of my HF trailer. Many trips to the dump, camping trips, and long runs. Is it cheap? Yes. Is it functional? Yes as long as you dont over load it. 1200 lb cap on mine. Ive built up the sides and put 3/4 plywood on the floor so it doesnt fold anymore. I just got a boat trailer axle Im going to swap under it also so I can go to a 15"wheel and the security of a better axle. Had my trailer for about 6 years now.

EDIT: I will say if you can spend a lil more and get a better built trailer if you can afford. Look for used. I needed one stat and was on a budget but have been happy with it

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cavfighter said:
Ive used the hell out of my HF trailer. Many trips to the dump, camping trips, and long runs. Is it cheap? Yes. Is it functional? Yes as long as you dont over load it. 1200 lb cap on mine. Ive built up the sides and put 3/4 plywood on the floor so it doesnt fold anymore. I just got a boat trailer axle Im going to swap under it also so I can go to a 15"wheel and the security of a better axle. Had my trailer for about 6 years now.

EDIT: I will say if you can spend a lil more and get a better built trailer if you can afford. Look for used. I needed one stat and was on a budget but have been happy with it

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My boss has the HF one that folds up and they made it to where it doesn't fold also which helped to stiffen it up some. It's not too bad for what it is. I've used it several times before I bought my trailer. I think it would be great for a small offroad type trailer with a little bigger axle like you mention.

When I bought my trailer new I kept looking for used. Not a bad idea, just wasn't crap used in my area and what I was wanting, people wanted new price anyways so I went new.
 
Things to keep in mind..

Do you actually need it to fold? Space issues
The metal is fairly light gauge (used to sell these things under a different companies name), will it hold up to all of the intended uses you want?
They are a great deal, for their intended use, and can be modified as noted by several people already.
If you really want a trailer that does exactly what you want and have the skills (or a buddy that does) consider building your own.
Time is a consideration too, so how fast do you need it?
 
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