WizardOfOdds
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Posts
- 276
Warning - long append, but if you are considering building a trailer kit, you may want to read this
Introduction:
I recently purchased a 1720# HF trailer kit to replace the one I lost to a rear end collision (see Tip Top Tier Drophttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56232&start=15#p1087994). The one I lost was (purchased about 2006) carried the model number 6464 and the only major complaint I had was with the coupler (more about this later). Otherwise, I loved the trailer, so I had no reservations about getting the same kit for the rebuild. But I was not prepared for the problems I encountered.
Fit & Finish:
While unpacking, it appeared to me the new trailer was not as refined as the original - the finish was not as smooth. For example, there were splatter burrs on the axle
and at least some of holes appeared larger than on the original kit (which could indicate a change to account for misalignment problems).
I had to file down a rather high bump in order to mount one of the angle irons (which joins the tow arms to the chassis).
Coupler:
On the old trailer, I was never able to adjust the coupler nut to allow the lever to work without residual play (jiggle), even if I tried lifting the coupler to relieve pressure while toggling the lever. If I tightened the adjustment nut to eliminate jiggle, the lever would not work. If the nut was loosened to just allow the lever to work, there was residual play. To be safe I always used a wrench to insure there was no play after locking the lever and checked for play at every stop. Since the coupler can be easily replaced, I did not consider this a major reason to avoid the trailer.
It looks like I may have not been the only one to have problems - there were TWO warning labels on the coupler, a huge warning on the shipping box, a large warning label on the FRONT COVER of the instruction booklet as well as warnings inside the booklet! Beside all the added warning labels, the new coupler included retaining and lock pins the original trailer lacked. Perhaps the new coupler will prove an improvement.
Wheels:
As I recall the 6464 came with high speed tires, but apparently not with the new one.
Unable to Mount Hubs:
As has been experienced by others (see this linkhttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=58980), I also was unable to mount the wheel hubs. One hub fit one side, but not the other - so clearly the two axle spindles were not identical. The other hub fit neither side - so clearly at least one hub had a problem. It turns out one spindles was not fully machined down to fit the bearing. With regard to the hubs, the inner bearing race was not fully seated on the bad one.
Unable to mount tongue
The tongue arms connect in three locations: at the coupler apex, at the frame angle iron, and near the arm centers at the tilt hold-down brackets. I found it impossible to align the arms with all three points. Further, it became apparent while centering the coupler, that the welded angles of the arms did not match the angle at the attachment point. Even when the anchor bolts were very loose, rotating the arms scraped the paint off the anchor angle irons.
Although I could force fit the arms by bending the hold down brackets, this caused the frame bed to warp and the hold down pins could not be inserted (see photos on bed frame warphttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=60816).
After many many days of work, I discovered several possible reasons for the problem, the biggest being the difference between the two angle irons supplied (see photo below and details in the frame warp threadhttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=60816).
Axle Misalignment
After squaring the bed frame (done without the tongue arms installed because of the problems mentioned above), it became apparent that the axle was not perpendicular to the frame.
A quick measurement indicated the trailer would track several inches to the side of the tow vehicle. After several days of work, I discovered two probable reasons. First, the the spring carrier set backs differed from one side to the other (set back mounting holes differed) and secondly the leaf springs had different set backs from the ends to the axle pin (see photo).
I determined I could substantially reduce the misalignment by interchanging the two leaf springs so the two errors partially canceled each other. Although far from perfect, the tracking alignment was a lot better than it was before the switch.
Conclusion
I spent far too much time trying to correct problems I should have not had to research and correct. I was assured I would get a replacement for some of the defective parts, but at best the process is very slow (original email to HF on Aug 2, still waiting for key parts on Oct 21). These kits can be a great bargain but apparently it may require a lot of time and work that I did not plan for. Lets hope I get the parts and this trailer on the road so we can camp again.
Introduction:
I recently purchased a 1720# HF trailer kit to replace the one I lost to a rear end collision (see Tip Top Tier Drophttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56232&start=15#p1087994). The one I lost was (purchased about 2006) carried the model number 6464 and the only major complaint I had was with the coupler (more about this later). Otherwise, I loved the trailer, so I had no reservations about getting the same kit for the rebuild. But I was not prepared for the problems I encountered.
Fit & Finish:
While unpacking, it appeared to me the new trailer was not as refined as the original - the finish was not as smooth. For example, there were splatter burrs on the axle
and at least some of holes appeared larger than on the original kit (which could indicate a change to account for misalignment problems).
I had to file down a rather high bump in order to mount one of the angle irons (which joins the tow arms to the chassis).
Coupler:
On the old trailer, I was never able to adjust the coupler nut to allow the lever to work without residual play (jiggle), even if I tried lifting the coupler to relieve pressure while toggling the lever. If I tightened the adjustment nut to eliminate jiggle, the lever would not work. If the nut was loosened to just allow the lever to work, there was residual play. To be safe I always used a wrench to insure there was no play after locking the lever and checked for play at every stop. Since the coupler can be easily replaced, I did not consider this a major reason to avoid the trailer.
It looks like I may have not been the only one to have problems - there were TWO warning labels on the coupler, a huge warning on the shipping box, a large warning label on the FRONT COVER of the instruction booklet as well as warnings inside the booklet! Beside all the added warning labels, the new coupler included retaining and lock pins the original trailer lacked. Perhaps the new coupler will prove an improvement.
Wheels:
As I recall the 6464 came with high speed tires, but apparently not with the new one.
Unable to Mount Hubs:
As has been experienced by others (see this linkhttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=58980), I also was unable to mount the wheel hubs. One hub fit one side, but not the other - so clearly the two axle spindles were not identical. The other hub fit neither side - so clearly at least one hub had a problem. It turns out one spindles was not fully machined down to fit the bearing. With regard to the hubs, the inner bearing race was not fully seated on the bad one.
Unable to mount tongue
The tongue arms connect in three locations: at the coupler apex, at the frame angle iron, and near the arm centers at the tilt hold-down brackets. I found it impossible to align the arms with all three points. Further, it became apparent while centering the coupler, that the welded angles of the arms did not match the angle at the attachment point. Even when the anchor bolts were very loose, rotating the arms scraped the paint off the anchor angle irons.
Although I could force fit the arms by bending the hold down brackets, this caused the frame bed to warp and the hold down pins could not be inserted (see photos on bed frame warphttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=60816).
After many many days of work, I discovered several possible reasons for the problem, the biggest being the difference between the two angle irons supplied (see photo below and details in the frame warp threadhttp://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=60816).
Axle Misalignment
After squaring the bed frame (done without the tongue arms installed because of the problems mentioned above), it became apparent that the axle was not perpendicular to the frame.
A quick measurement indicated the trailer would track several inches to the side of the tow vehicle. After several days of work, I discovered two probable reasons. First, the the spring carrier set backs differed from one side to the other (set back mounting holes differed) and secondly the leaf springs had different set backs from the ends to the axle pin (see photo).
I determined I could substantially reduce the misalignment by interchanging the two leaf springs so the two errors partially canceled each other. Although far from perfect, the tracking alignment was a lot better than it was before the switch.
Conclusion
I spent far too much time trying to correct problems I should have not had to research and correct. I was assured I would get a replacement for some of the defective parts, but at best the process is very slow (original email to HF on Aug 2, still waiting for key parts on Oct 21). These kits can be a great bargain but apparently it may require a lot of time and work that I did not plan for. Lets hope I get the parts and this trailer on the road so we can camp again.
