Harbor freight trailer will break and crack over time. ?????

[2bits]

... but back to the frame question... nudge nudge

I see alot of people buy the HF frame, and then do all the upgrades that have been mentioned and I think man, what a waste, because you end up with a pile of wasted parts and money.

I might suggest for those with out welding ability or access, to custom make a frame out of angle like the old trailers were made and using quality grade bolts to hold it together, and once it is all together take to your local muffler shop and have them weld up the joints. Everyone had a muffler shop around, just don't go to a big name one, they are always worried about liability and will charge you like crazy. Sorry to "Profile" but go to the smaller Mexican owned ones where the owner works there, or at least go to a "Good ole boy" shop, (hows that for white boy profiling LOL) they are usually excited to get to work on something unique. You get the rest of the stuff like the axle, wheels, fenders, etc, from Tractor Supply or Northern tool and when you end up, you have chosen all the parts the YOU want and don't have to do a lick of welding, and didn't waste a bunch of money.

As far as brakes, to me it depends on the size and weight of the teardrop. My teardrop weighs around 800lbs and I can barely feel it back there. I towed it initially with my old 1971 Chevy truck with an inline 6 and manual brakes. That's manual brakes, and a tiny engine, no problemo. Also, when my brakes completely went out a couple weekends ago coming back from Lake Bob Sandlin, all I had was my emergency brake in the truck to stop, and it stopped just fine too. That is a big real world testament in my mind that it would be overkill for my particular trailer. I won't speak on larger trailers because I don't want to speak on things I don't have direct knowledge of.

[boxcar]

Thats a great idea on the trailer .... and I agree an800lb load probly does not need brakes unless you are towing it withan MG or a bug most cars weigh out at more than 2400lbs Good hauling to you....Boxcar

[Larwyn]

Re read my post .... I wasent through......Boxcar [img]:thumbsup:[/img]

Once you curve that roof of the box beam down attached to the floor and wall then add the partition wall attached to the walls, floor and roof, it becomes a torsion box by woodworker's standards. Not sure what it is by engineering standards. "Technically" I suppose (do not take the following description seriously, it is tongue in cheek, okay?) it is probably a modified torsion box/box beam hybrid, stick constructed curved enclosure with ingress, egress apertures on a mobilized pneumatically supported ferrous grid.

I never attacked your profession, only the expectation that the existence of a degree should impress anyone.

Like I said, I doubt that we feel much differently on the safety issue. I simply had issues with the way you presented your wishes as if they were legal requirements, and you were frustrated by my failure to either shut up or agree with you. I believe, if we had this conversation around the campfire it would be much less frustrating. On this forum we are all somewhat mechanically inclined and share an interest in the outdoors.
I'm sure there is common ground in there somewhere.

[boxcar]

You know what . your probubly right wed get allong great around a camp fire. Or any where else. I have enjoid our descusion emensly and look forward to future discusions.....Boxcar.... and as far as the box beam vs. the tortion box I'v prety mutch put that one to bed....Boxcar

[Cliffmeister2000]

I just found and read this entire thread this morning, and decided to risk getting on someone's last nerve by stating that I thoroughly enjoyed the entire mess!

[boxcar]

Thanks Cliff it was fun....Boxcar...

[madjack]

http://tinyspell.numerit.com/
...this is aimed at no one.....................
...having been involved in/around/with construction since I was 8yrs old(I grew up in the trades), I know what a torsion box is compared to a box beam...a TD is a torsion box...I also have little regard to people who throw their engineering degree around since much as Larwyn, I have spent years repairing...on the fly...mistakes that the engineers have made.......
...having built and towed trailers since before I had a drivers license AND having over 20yrs and 2million+ miles of experience as a heavy haul trucker(including 2yrs as an instructor/safetyman/CDL sate examiner) I have a bit of knowledge about safe towing procedures(I even stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once)
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS applies not only to your environmental surroundings but also such things as the condition of your vehicle and tow...how it is hooked up...how you regularly inspect...your personal skills and anything else remotely connected to the job at hand...
California, being the land of fruits/nuts/veggies has some of the most misguided laws in the nation(they are not alone in this)...the split speed limit is just one example...in Louisiana(the land of Cajuns, rednecks and peckerwoods), trailers with a gross weight in excess of 3000#s or exceeding 40% of tow vehicle weight must have brakes......my tow vehicle, a Pontiac Aztek w/tow pckg(the worlds ugliest vehicle) which weighs in at 3750#s is rated by the GM ENGINEERS to tow 2000#s unbraked and upto 3500#s braked.
I did not post the above to stick my finger into anyones eye...it is just my thoughts and experiences...I have enjoyed the discussion and hope it doesn't head downstream and cause one of the admins to lock it down...heck, I have only been back a few daze .....................
madjack

p.s. I attempt to not assume anything since the definition of assume is to make an ASS outta U and ME.....................MJ

[boxcar]

So your asumption is that every driver you are giving advice to is an over the road trucker with years of expierience towing trailers in all road conditions. So whats good for you must be good for them. I on the otherhand realize that the majority of posters here are not. So I choose to recomend the safest configuration when giving advice.
No one ever sed that being an engineer means that one is allways right. We are all human . I have personaly worked with engineers that take a minimalist tach on all there projects. I do not.
The Tacoma narrows bridge was designed by an engineer. Lesson lirned
And it was a tortional box. Does the word tortion mean anything to you????Tortional boxes are flat by design. The idea of a tortional box is to allow flex without creating memory. Otherwise (it will allways return to its origanal shape). When you take your tortional box and atatch it to a second, Then a third a fourth and so on.. at right angles you have created a box beam. A rigid box of any length. And by the way most construction projects are designed by architects ... then the poor engineer has to try to make the design work. With limited sucsess at times.
I don't know why everyone is picking on California . I love Disney land
And we all know the grate state of Texas seems to be free of any poor political desisions. Trust me I live in one if not the worst politicly screwd up states in the union (Oregon) ... By the way I grew up in the construction industry to. My dad and boath my brothers are still in it . I was framing houses when I was 12years old....Thats how I payed for my education. I have a fairly good grasp of wood working. I don't remember how we got so sidetracked here ... But it has ben fun.....
Boxcar...

[madjack]

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS applies not only to your environmental surroundings but also such things as the condition of your vehicle and tow...how it is hooked up...how you regularly inspect...your personal skills and anything else remotely connected to the job at hand...

p.s. I attempt to not assume anything since the definition of assume is to make an ASS outta U and ME.....................MJ

(including 2yrs as an instructor/safetyman/CDL sate examiner)

...many of my students didn't even know what clutch was....
...if everyone knew EXACTLY what I know, we couldn't have these fun discussions
madjack

[boxcar]

Thanks Mad jack... Oh not to chainge the sublect [img]:applause:[/img]
But what transmition did you use in your trike?...Boxcar...

[madjack]

...not my trike...the TD is the first one we built and later sold to the man with the trike...other than the pic, I have never seen that trike...since it is V8 powered, I would think it has an automotive transmission(but I dunno)...................
madjack

[boxcar]

Definatly an unusual towrig....boxcar...

[Endo]

Back on topic.

... but back to the frame question...
I see alot of people buy the HF frame, and then do all the upgrades that have been mentioned and I think man, what a waste, because you end up with a pile of wasted parts and money.

A lot of people also build on the HF frame without any "upgrades".
I have done it a few times.
No money "wasted" at all.

Quotes from people who have ACTUALLY used a Harbor Freight trailer (from page 1 and 2 of this thread, I'm sure I can find more).

I had my first teardrop for 5 years. It was built on a HF frame.
It had thousands and thousands of miles on it! Numerous trips to Michigan, Florida and into Canada.

I NEVER had any issues.

2 years and 8,000 miles

I've used and abused this trailer for a few years. Other than the red paint turning a not so manly pink in color, this trailer has worked fine for me.

My Dad has one of the 4 X 8 tilting bed HF trailers.
I know he uses it quite a bit and its 5 years old.
I also might mention there are 18 miles of washboard roads between their house and the nearest pavement, if that helps you in your assumptions.
I'm pretty impressed with it actually.

I've used two and have never had a problem.... over 50k miles.

I don't think you need to worry. I have almost 7000 miles on my HF 1700# trailer. I just got back from a 2200 mile road trip, hitting nasty potholes and bumps the whole way at 75 mph. No problems at all.

If you can weed through all of the off topic "stuff" in this thread
I think the general consensus on the Harbor Freight trailer (from people with actual experience)
is clearly positive.

Case closed.

[eamarquardt]

I love a good bicker! If we all thought the same, there wouldn't be nearly as many ways to "skin the same cat" (figuratively speaking).

Although the servicability of the HF trailer myth has been pretty much put to bed (they seem to hold up OK) I am still convinced that many of the folks using them are using them unsafely (legal or not) and that for those that spent money replacing the axle, springs, welding, etc, the initial investment in a HF trailer represents "false economy". After gathering the materials, a no compromise frame can be fabricated in a day. If anyone needs help, here is an open invitation!

Cheers,

Gus

[len19070]

I'm sorry, I've been holding my tongue for a while now, and I don't mean to call the Kettle Black

BUT!

Within all these Safety, over building /Under building, ya need Brakes over this weight if your car weighs this, and not if it weighs that and my opinion...though I've never done it but this is my opinion, here's a box beam, here's a torsion beam, here's a picture of my Aunt Sadie.

Endo has hit the nail on the head.

If you can weed through all of the off topic "stuff" in this thread
I think the general consensus on the Harbor Freight trailer (from people with actual experience)
is clearly positive.

Case closed

But one thing keeps coming up over and over.

A photo of a very light trailer, with a cargo basket on the back and what I see as a rack for either a Quad Runner or 2 Motorcycles.

Does my vision fail me, is my assumption incorrect?

If I'm correct wouldn't a 300 to 400lb extra weight behind the wheels cause an extremely, and excessive Negative tongue weight.

How does this thing stay on the ground?

Let alone not act like a a "Happy Fish" going down the road.

Once again, I don't want to be mean. But if your gonna Preach Safety,

Ya might want to get a better Poster Child.

Listen to experience.

I would much rather get an operation from a doctor who has done it several times than from one who has read about it and has a few different views on it.

Let loose the arrows.

Happy Trails

Len