Which Harbor Freight Frame To Use

[len19070]

Of the three Harbor Freight Frames avalible, the 1800 LB, 1175 LB, and the 990 L. All 3 will carry anything you want within reason. It all comes down to the quesition; what size wheels do I want? If you don't care about looks and only want functionality..Save your money, and get the 990 LB'er. On my production model, "Bare Bones"
http://www.geocities.com/len19070/Bare_ ... ilers.html

I use the 1175 LB with 12 inch wheels and thats fine. On my personal trailer, i used a 990 LB. But, i put a 2000 LB axel on it. Why didn't i just build a new frame? Because of that little piece of paper (certificate of origin) that comes with an HF frame, in PA thats worth $100.
I think the real deal is the 1800 LB frame. It comes with 5 lug X 4.5 hubs. This alows you to put any type of tire you want on it. Nothing looks sharper then a teardrop with big fat wheels and fenders . Also, big tires don't spin as much, saving wear and tear on your running gear. I have not yet been able to find 5 lug X 4.5 hubs for either 1175 LB or 990 LB. I am an RV technition by trade and i have tried this many times, to no avail. There axel spindels are real ODD BALLS. Good friends of mine that know what their doing have tried to match larger 4 lug tires to these HF hubs several times, once again, to no avail (Backspacing is the problem) "they all work on paper unitl you try them"
So, by the time you buy the 1800 LB frame, dump the stock wheels & tires on Ebay, the 1800 LB frame is only going to be about $75 more than the 1175LB'er
My vote is the 1800 LB frame.

Happy Trails

Len

AKA Dr. RV

[DestinDave]

Len: Is the HF 1800 a bolt-together or a weld frame? Main reason for asking is could I extend the A-frame/tongue so I could add a battery and storage box on the front and not have to worry about jack-knifing? Also, I want my tear length in the 9-10 foot range. I don't think a foot overhang at the rear of the frame should pose a problem (not much weight on the end of the tear). Also, can the axle position be adjusted to keep weight balanced properly for the tongue? From all my research, I couldn't buy the steel, axle, wheels, tires, etc for the price of the 1800 model.

[len19070]

Dave, The 1800lb frame is a "bolt together" As far as extending the toung, have a look at it first. Its prety long to start with. I have a photo around of one of my Bear Bones Trailers with a big cooler on the front and theres plenty of room left for a Battery. I have extended these frames using bed rail. The longest I have extended one was 15" at the rear. BTW Bed rail is great stuff anytime I see one in somebodys trash, i bring it home with me. Its a VERY STRONG, HARD STEEL. That said I have moved the axel position as well. But only after stregnthining the frame with...you guessed it, Bed Rail. I agree with you you can't buy the stuff for a frame any cheeper, and theres no delivery charge, and it comes with Papers. 5 lug rims as well.

Happy Trails

Len

AKA Dr. RV

[Arne]

Extending the tongue would take some work. It starts on the side rail, comes under the front cross rail and meets up with the opposing part, forming a triangle. Where they come under the front cross rail, there are brackets welded on. It is built this way to enable the trailer to tilt.

So, you could probably replace both pieces with longer parts, or go to a single tongue that runs down the middle (which is what I did).

I had to replace the original tongue parts because I widened the trailer and the stock configuration would not work....

[len19070]

I did away with the 2 front mounts. Cut 2 spacers for each side out of Black pipe, mounted them inside the upper & lower "C" Chanel and through bolted the entire thing with a 1/2" bolt. The rear mounts I did the same way. The new extentions were 12" longer.

Happy Trails

Len

[Ross Wade]

Hey Len,

Check these trailer frames out. http://www.redtrailers.com/Trailers.asp This is pretty close to the Northern Tool frame. The reason I chose this kind of frame over the HF frame, is because of the single tounge.

My trailer has a 9 1/2' floor on an 8' frame. Roly Nelson helped me with the floor extention process. It was easy to extend the length of the frame and tounge. I left the axle in the original spot, had a new 1/4" thick 2" square tounge cut to the length I needed. I had to reposition the angled tounge supports more forward. Bore a few new holes and that was that.

When we head up to Mystic,CT this year....I am going to pick up my new RedTrailer, for the new tear, while we are in Pennsylvania.

This is just the way I built mine and the reason I used that type of frame.

Ross

[Joseph]

Hey Len,

Nothing looks sharper then a teardrop with big fat wheels and fenders

Can't agree with you there - that looks as "modern" to me as the little twelve-inchers. IMHO, nothing looks better than the old classic tall skinny spoke wheels & tires from the '30s. Now if I could just find a set to fit on my four-lug hubs...

Joseph

[BufordT]

Hey Len,

Nothing looks sharper then a teardrop with big fat wheels and fenders

Can't agree with you there - that looks as "modern" to me as the little twelve-inchers. IMHO, nothing looks better than the old classic tall skinny spoke wheels & tires from the '30s. Now if I could just find a set to fit on my four-lug hubs...

Joseph

Chip's got this little 8" go cart wheels on his tear and I was sitting looking at those wheels on his tear this past weekend and they look great.

Bufordt