[quote="absolutsnwbrdr"]HF or NT work well for a budget trailer base. NT seems to be a heavier gauge metal. The 45mph limit is written by the lawyers, but those trailers are fine well beyond that. Good grease in clean wheel bearings does wonders.
There are a couple known failures of the HF trailers (very small percentage), all of which can be mitigated by an easy tongue modifications and regular wheel bearing maintenance. The modification that many feel is an absolute must is the tongue modification. It reinforces the tongue of the trailer, and also extends the coupler forward which stabilizes the trailer and makes backing up easier. It can be done on the HF and the NT frames. Mine can be seen here:
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=1067349#p1067349 You'll also read here that some people claim you absolutely have to weld the bolts. This is not only very untrue (welds cannot flex with road vibration), but an improper weld will actually weaken the metal. Use some quality Nyloc nuts during assembly and you'll be fine.
If you have the tools and skills to fabricate your own base, then go for it, because you'll get exactly what you need. If you can afford a fully-welded trailer frame from a manufacturer, then that's a great choice as well. The choice is up to you and your budget. Use the search function here, and you'll find lots
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