Confusion sets in!

[Tripmaker]

I have been reading all these posts to the point of total confusion. Planning my 5X10 Generic Benroy I have been searching for a trailer. I read the posts about the Tractor Supply trailer and called for information. They can build to size but it looks like the cost will be around $800. So I figure that the Red Trailer would be more economical. But then I read the threads about the small wheels and bearing on the HF trailers not being up to the task of highway speeds (70 MPH). I'm not looking to race but I want to keep up with traffic. Question is if I get bigger wheels for the Red Trailer are the bearings up to the task or are they the same as the bearings on the HF? Or am I obsessing with this entirely too much? It looks like all of the commercially built TD's and many of the user built TD's have substantial running gears under them. But then I had a pop-up for years with small wheels and never had a problem. Hope someone can shed some light on this for me.

[Nitetimes]

Buy what you want and keep up the maintenance on the bearings including repacking them after you get it and you'll be fine.

[mikeschn]

Look at all the Harbor Freight trailers on this forum with 12" wheels, and we don't have any problems.

When I took my 4x8 to MO last week I checked the temps of the hubs, and there were not even warm. And I was going a solid 75mph.

So I agree with Rich... buy what you like, and keep the bearings greased, and you shouldn't have any problems. I like the Harbor Freight 5x8 trailer, mostly because it's black. I'll probably be buying one of those soon...

Mike...

[Laredo]

<hijack> mike can you please post a link to that trailer? </hijack>

I'm with these guys. The 14' two-gate dual-axle stock trailer carried anything we could convince to walk (or be shoved) through the gate(s) for 15 years, and then what it needed was new floorboards.

2x6 redwood, cut to fit, soaked in linseed oil, slipped into place.
It was 8 more years before we had to sell (lost farm). Greased the hubs like always and I spent a couple of hours and $3 worth of polishing compound cleaning up the paint.

It sold for more than my dad gave for it new.

But -- whether it was hauling 40 head of three-day-old calves or 12 head of finish-weight steers or a 3/2 apartment's worth of furniture, the one thing my dad insisted on was that the bearings were repacked every spring.

[Kevin A]

<hijack> mike can you please post a link to that trailer? </hijack>

Hereya go, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93747

[mikeschn]

Thanks Kevin!

Mike...

[Laredo]

oh ... a landscaper special.

Yeah ...

[Jiminsav]

ok..lets stop the madness.
the hubs on the HF trailer are the same whether the wheels are 12 inch or 14 inch..so it don't matter..as long as the rim fits..wear it.

[Tripmaker]

Thanks for the help guys. Looks like the HF is a heavier axle but I would have a significant overhang going 10' long. I can stretch the Red Trailer but it has a lighter axle. Everything is a trade off. What are your thoughts?

Hope everyone here is patient. If you think I have questions now just wait till I start building.

[mikeschn]

here's a Thought for you...

What if you buy a couple pieces of angle iron, 10' long, and replace the channel on the sides with angle iron? Now you have no overhang, and you've still got the benefit of a bolt together trailer, at chinese prices.

Mike...

[Miriam C.]

Looked to me like that HF trailer had sides bolted on. couldn't you appropriate the top rails, put them in the middle and extend the whole thing???

[Tripmaker]

Looked to me like that HF trailer had sides bolted on. couldn't you appropriate the top rails, put them in the middle and extend the whole thing???

Not a bad idea I'll have to look at that. I guess my original question should have been would an 18" to 24" overhang at the back be too much or would the TD "box" be self supporting.

[GregB]

Tripmaker,

Here is my HF #1740 frame that I've stretched (like many others here) and had welded once I'd bolted it together. It measures 114" from front cross rails to rear, so my overhang will be only 8". I have also increased the length of the tongue somewhat.



GB

[Melvin]

ok..lets stop the madness.
the hubs on the HF trailer are the same whether the wheels are 12 inch or 14 inch..so it don't matter..as long as the rim fits..wear it.

A 12" tire makes 20-25% more revolutions than a 14" at the same speed, those bearings are working quite a bit harder on a 12" tire.

[Miriam C.]

Looked to me like that HF trailer had sides bolted on. couldn't you appropriate the top rails, put them in the middle and extend the whole thing???

Not a bad idea I'll have to look at that. I guess my original question should have been would an 18" to 24" overhang at the back be too much or would the TD "box" be self supporting.

Tripmaker,
Andrew can give you a much better idea about the overhang. It isn't something I would do. You might get away with it for a wihile but eventually something would sag. You would also have to do some big time movement of the axle.