Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Northern has their trailers on sale, and I'm looking into building a 5x8 cubby. So I was wondering what you folks think about this:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200356494_200356494

Good? Bad? Better option elsewhere?

Payload capacity 1306 lbs

This isn't what I see other when they claim heavy duty. You might want to look around and compare.

I was looking at that one also. I wanted to see one in person and went to the local Northern Tools store to see if they had one. It's an online item only. I hate buying something that I can't see first. I decided on a custom built trailer instead.

We have a northern tool and harbor freight B&M stores in this area,, my little quick capsule review of both trailers would be that northern appear to have more flex.. lots of use of L shaped angle iron. their price is also higher for the trailers and rated for less according to claims. HF charges less claims more capacity and seem more rigid.. both could use some help to become long lasting reliable trailers but it seems that HF models require less of this..


Having both storefronts within 20 miles makes it easy but i would get the trailer from HF and get the 12" wheels from NT (axles too if i knew enough about them to know what would be an improvement) or if buying a HF with 12 wheels and tires get the spare from NT as theirs is the same thing but about 12 bucks cheaper. Spare tire mount options are that HF has one that bolts on and mounts with an arm for a good price and NT has the U bolt clamp to the side or under one that pulls the wheel against the frame. price for both is within a couple bucks so the options are open.

just my .02

If you go to Northern Tool they have an unadvertised 5x8 trailer
that is $319. It seems to be a nice trailer for teardrops. The axle is
37" from the rear of the trailer which puts it at a good distance
for many of the tear designs.
Ron

That's the one that Spinnernut and I modified. It seems like a better trailer than the Harbor Freight that so many of us have built on.

drammons wrote:Northern has their trailers on sale, and I'm looking into building a 5x8 cubby. So I was wondering what you folks think about this:

So long as your finished trailer body and contents aren't going to weigh more than 1300 pounds, I think it will do just fine

A trailer body is a basic box and as such, it doesn't really need a stiff frame - I would prefer lightweight angle iron than a much stiffer trailer frame but which weighs twice what the lightweight one does myself

Other opinions may vary, but FWIW, I would feel quite comfortable building a lightweight trailer on that frame

Don

not having any view of the Northern trailer. I am now using a HF 1480lb gross foldable trailer. Bought a 5 x 10 Red trailer last fall, it is built well, but is so high off the ground, my ball hitch is 18 inches. May change the axle on the red trailer down the line, but now building on my two foot extended HF trailer.(5.5 x 10 ft puffin like TTT) To go past the wheels from four foot, need to add sixteen inches to get over the wheels.

I just ordered that exact same frame. I'm planing on extending it another foot or two , to a 9-10 foot length by replacing the side rails. Other than that I think it'll be ok for a tear drop. I built a 4x4x4 trailer on a similar frame and it was fine, packed to the door with camping gear. it was heavy. I had a welder weld the frame at the joints because i didn't trust a bolt together. I will do the same with this trailer, only hopefully this time i will be doing the welding. I'll keep you posted and take lots of pics when I get started.

Art