The Elite HF Trailer Club

[wannabefree]

Just put another 4000 miles on the old HF trailer. We had a couple interesting things happen. First, while bouncing over socal potholes I bent an axle. The wheel still turned freely but the wheel sticks out about 1/2 inch at the bottom relative to the top. Inspected the welds and they look OK so we continued. Later we noticed one tire was missing a 3 x 10 inch piece of tread. Replaced the tire and the other one as well just to be extra safe.

So while no fatal failures, we definitely have a couple issues with the old HF. We'll replace the axle before another long trip. The tire guy said 55 psi was about right for the tires, not the 80 recommended by HF. So we ran with less air in the tires and less bouncing behind us. Both of these problems could happen with any trailer. We can argue over whether they might be more likely with HF, but would probably not get anywhere. The price was, and is, still right.

[tkteardrop]

1st teardrop HF trailer 10,ooo miles no issues.
2nd teardrop Northern Tool 5x8 its the same manufacturer, no problems.
1 HF utility trailer a little over 30,000 freeway miles, (15,000 miles loaded close to capacity) repacked the bearings once and 3rd set of tires are about done.
Maybe you get what you pay for, but these are better than what they
cost.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I'm up to about 2000 miles on the trailer! Its doing quite well, other than getting a flat tire while sitting in the garage! Its even been down some rough dirt roads going at a pretty good pace.

[Alphacarina]

I built my enclosed motorcycle trailer on a HF 1740 frame. The trailer is 4 X 6 with a 24 inch Vee nose, so 4 X 8 overall. It's not quite 5 feet high and weighs about 750 pounds empty

I bolted everything together and then welded every joint on the frame. I added a piece of channel from the crossmember just in front of the axle to the hitch so that I could lenghten the tongue by about 6 inches. This also gave me the support point for the Vee nose. I used a piece of 3/4 inch ply for the deck and bolted that to the frame with 10 3/8th inch cap screws. The welding and the ply really made the flimsy frame a rigid unit. I reversed the axle (put it above the springs) to lower the trailer and make it easier to ride the motorcycle up the rear door/ramp and into the trailer

The motorcycle weighs 600 pounds (1979 Honda CBX) and I've towed this combination right at 11,000 miles over the past 3 years. No 'fatal' problems with the axle or the bearings, but it did wear my tires funny . . . . much more worn on the inside edges than the outside. The wheels/tires are 175/80-13 on aluminum alloy wheels. The axle just isn't strong enough to keep from flexing when used on a 1350 pound trailer - I cannot imagine using this trailer at anything approaching the 1740 pound advertised capacity

I've always wanted to put matching wheels on the trailer to those on my car but with the HF axle, I couldn't make them fit - The axle is much too narrow for the high offset wheels used on a FWD car

So - I replaced the axle with the Reliable #1252 from Northern Tool. It's a standard axle with a 60 inch width, 48 inch spring centers and 1 inch axles. Since *NOTHING* on any HF trailer is 'standard' I had to cut the spring perches off the axle and narrow them to 45 1/2 so the axle would fit the frame. The stock HF hubs cannot be reused since the original axle is not 1 inch . . . . it's some smaller, metric number which makes the bearings nearly impossible to find in a pinch

I've about got it all back together and with the 205/55-15 tires on 15 by 6.5 inch BBS alloy wheels, it's going to look like a professionally built trailer for the first time

If I had it all to do over, I would forget about starting with the HF frame and running gear. Buy a STANDARD axle, (one that takes STANDARD hubs) some angle iron and weld up a complete frame. While the stamped tin frame, oddball lightweight axle and hubs are certainly sufficient for a lightweight teardrop, it's also important to have your project use standard parts so if you need to make a repair somewhere out on the road, you have a chance of getting parts

If you insist on going the HF route, by all means go and buy a second set of bearings and seals and carry them with you wherever you go - I think the only reason I never needed mine was because I was carrying the spares and because I removed the wheels and greased the bearings each time before I set out

Don

[timlsalem]

I just want to thank everyone on this thread for the reassurance you've given me. I have my tear built and loaded up with supplies for the 2300 mile road trip I keep putting off. I just keep worrying that my HF frame isn't strong enough for that kind of trip, going from Ohio to Oregon. The only mod I made was to put a 3/4" bolt and lock nut in where the pins were to go if I wanted the trailer to bend. I am actually moving to the NW due to the very bad expeiriences I've had with the VA's out here in the East. Wish me luck as putting off is over and time to leave is here.

[Woodbutcher]

You'll be fine. Check your lug nuts and tire pressure and take it out for a long test drive. Just start off on side streets and work up to faster traffic. I assure you, you will get comfortable as you go. After a nice test ride, stop and feel the hub and tires to see if they are hot. If not you are all set. Have a good trip and enjoy yourself. That is why you built this thing in the first place.

[Larwyn]

I just want to thank everyone on this thread for the reassurance you've given me. I have my tear built and loaded up with supplies for the 2300 mile road trip I keep putting off. I just keep worrying that my HF frame isn't strong enough for that kind of trip, going from Ohio to Oregon. The only mod I made was to put a 3/4" bolt and lock nut in where the pins were to go if I wanted the trailer to bend. I am actually moving to the NW due to the very bad expeiriences I've had with the VA's out here in the East. Wish me luck as putting off is over and time to leave is here.

The Kerrville Texas VA Hospital is absolutely the most helpful, friendly and professional such facility that I have ever dealt with. If not for the VA you people would have been relieved of my presence long ago....

I can only hope that you find a similar facility wherever it is you are headed. And if the doc says okay.....................