trailers for standies

[48Rob]

Hello Brian,

Yes I clicked on the member icon which took me to the profile area, where I looked to see how new the member was, and how many posts had been made. I then scanned the previous posts and learned where the member was located.

I'm sure it was not your intent to be impolite, I was offering my opinion on how I felt your message in general came across.
Your past posts have generally been polite.

When you admonish a new member that they should not expect much help if they do not follow "your" idea of disclosure, you send a message that is less than polite.

As this forum is somewhat self regulated, I chose this opportunity to gently suggest the same.
It is not my intent to start a war with you. You seem like a nice fellow. Like you, I have invested a lot of time over the years trying to help others here, and learn new things.
I saw something that I felt was not in keeping with the general mood of the forum and chose to speak my mind.
A new member, or old member should not be made to feel unwelcome or that their questions are not worthy of a reply because they choose not to offer up their personal identification information.
Maybe someday we will meet, and we can share a couple beers and a warm cheery campfire to discuss it and other world issues.

Rob

[M C Toyer]

What's the smallest and/or most affordable trailer you'd dare use to build a small standy?

Really helps to know where you are, to be able to help you.
Without details how do expect answers? .......even from the wonderful, helpful people here on the Forum.
If you are afraid to post your Real name, address (or at least the city or even state you live in) your e-mail address, and your phone number. Then you should not expect much
Just a pet peeve of mine.....But....OK????
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

I usually stay out of discussions of this nature, but I gotta say, Brian, in my opinion, you are way over the top and out of line here.

Very few posters use their real or entire real names here and I see no reason why anyone would post their e-mail and/or phone number when the pm feature is readily available if a direct and/or personal dialogue is wanted. I checked you profile and signature block and do not see your last name, e-mail, or phone number - so why are you insisting others should?

A quick review of Betty's few postings would reveal she was reticent to reveal her exact location in her introductory post - perhaps she felt the questions intrusive and that is why she stayed away so long. I've followed almost all you posts so I've got a feel for your focus and personality but Betty probably doesn't and was a bit intimidated by your aggressive, and again in my opinion, rude response.

Now I admit, I've asked about locations of new posters that are in my general area that I might be of help to, but I try to preface that with my proximity and "if you don't mind me asking"

M C Toyer
Pilot Point TX

[BettyOKLPN]

Yes, OK stands for Oklahoma. My first name is Betty. My intention for the post was not to say I'm looking to buy anything right now. I was wondering what type of trailer would be suitable for a small homemade camper that a person could stand up in. Are the 4x8's from Harbor Freight or the 5x8's from Northern Tool good enough?

[48Rob]

Betty,

They might be?

What you need to try to do is estimate how much your finished trailer will weigh, and compare that to the rating of the particular trailer you are interested in.
It can be difficult when you are just window shopping or dreaming, to know what a finished trailer might weigh.
If you can determine what the finished size might be, and what accessories you would like, you can compare that to finished examples here, to get a rough idea.

Rob

[tac422]

Hello Betty,
Welcome, I'm glad you stayed
( I probably would not have, had I been in your position )

Here's a link to a "standie" built on a harbor freight 4X8 trailer using a dropped floor. The link below shows the dropped floor construction.
There are several similar builds on here.
It's not a lot of floor space, but it works really well for us.


http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=44091&start=75

[BettyOKLPN]

Thank you all.

[BettyOKLPN]

Brian, thanks for telling me about the standy frame in Eufaula, Oklahoma. I might be interested in it if I was ready to act.

[Woodbutcher]

Several people that have made a standy look for an old pop up and strip it down to the frame. Most larger pop up frames should carry the weight of a standy if you are careful to keep your building light. Another plus is they usually come with a title that can make registering your build easier if your state requires that.

[Vedette]

Yes, OK stands for Oklahoma. My first name is Betty. My intention for the post was not to say I'm looking to buy anything right now. I was wondering what type of trailer would be suitable for a small homemade camper that a person could stand up in. Are the 4x8's from Harbor Freight or the 5x8's from Northern Tool good enough?

Hi Betty
I am glad you stayed too!
I apologize if I came off as rude in my initial post! As others have suggested.
But, it was not the intention of my post!
I truly was attempting to help you.
Now to get myself into further hot water with other Forum members that may not have the same opinions that I do??
I had just read a lengthy progress report in the "Build Journal" section of the Forum (and had just finishing commenting to Sandi on it) about another poor soul that bought one of those cheesy HF or Northern Tool utility trailers kits (great for what they are sold as "utility trailers" for hauling your yard waste to the dump or picking up supplies from your local Home Depot)
But, as a foundation for a Teardrop or Standy trailer you might want to tow across the country, they are a waste of both time and money! And a huge mistake right from the get go!
After you replace the axle with a torsion ride axle, replace the wheels and tires for larger ones, extend the frame to make it fit the size of the trailer you really wanted to build, lengthened the tongue, welded up the bolt together joints and repaint the thing. You could build one to your specs for way less money.
Wish I knew the actual number of sales that were made on Amazon's Black Friday Sale of these "utility" trailers to uninformed prospective Teardrop builders that thought that they were saving money by being cheap. And the actual number that will sit in some garage some where never to be finished.
Now, as a steel fabricator and professional street rod builder. I will give you "my opinion".
For building a standy I would look for a reasonable priced used pop up tent trailer (that are abundant and dirt cheap) and provide you with a bunch of re useable stuff you can and will use in a Standy. They are also very close to the footprint you need for most standy designs and are very easy to modify to fit ( with a welder!)
Your other choice would be to draft exactly what you want, buy exactly the torsion axle you ant and need, buy exactly the wheels and tires you want (with the correct offset) find a reasonable welder fabricator........and have it built! Money well spent and probably a savings in the long run.
Sorry if I have offended any of the HF or NT guys, but after towing my Teardrop over 34,000 mile at high speeds, I am glad the only "utility trailer" chassis I pull, is the one I take to the dump just one mile away.
Betty.........Good luck with your future project! Do your homework! And Please do not hesitate to PM if you have any chassis related questions.
Good Roads
Brian










I

[Vedette]

Hello Brian,

Yes I clicked on the member icon which took me to the profile area, where I looked to see how new the member was, and how many posts had been made. I then scanned the previous posts and learned where the member was located.

I'm sure it was not your intent to be impolite, I was offering my opinion on how I felt your message in general came across.
Your past posts have generally been polite.

When you admonish a new member that they should not expect much help if they do not follow "your" idea of disclosure, you send a message that is less than polite.

As this forum is somewhat self regulated, I chose this opportunity to gently suggest the same.
It is not my intent to start a war with you. You seem like a nice fellow. Like you, I have invested a lot of time over the years trying to help others here, and learn new things.
I saw something that I felt was not in keeping with the general mood of the forum and chose to speak my mind.
A new member, or old member should not be made to feel unwelcome or that their questions are not worthy of a reply because they choose not to offer up their personal identification information.
Maybe someday we will meet, and we can share a couple beers and a warm cheery campfire to discuss it and other world issues.

Rob

Hi Rob
I too look forward to meeting you and discussing the matters of the world over a beer around the fire.
And to those that know me .......it is always a long conversation?????
I too am not here on the Forum to go to war with anyone, as I respect the fact that we all have our own opinions on everything.
Maybe my manner and willingness to express mine may come across as harsh to some?
But, I do feel we all have the same deep down intentions to "Help" others before they make mistakes that could have been avoided with knowledge.
And just to set one other record straight,,,,I HAVE posted my full name, e-mail address and phone number many times here on this Forum and the TJ Forum, when I am asking for help or information in my posts to the general membership.
PM's work too!
Anyways........I have made my apologies to Betty and have no ill feelings towards anyone here on this Forum.
Good Roads
Brian
ke the comer,

[KennethW]

{{Now to get myself into further hot water with other Forum members that may not have the same opinions that I do??
I had just read a lengthy progress report in the "Build Journal" section of the Forum (and had just finishing commenting to Sandi on it) about another poor soul that bought one of those cheesy HF or Northern Tool utility trailers kits (great for what they are sold as "utility trailers" for hauling your yard waste to the dump or picking up supplies from your local Home Depot)
But, as a foundation for a Teardrop or Standy trailer you might want to tow across the country, they are a waste of both time and money! And a huge mistake right from the get go!
After you replace the axle with a torsion ride axle, replace the wheels and tires for larger ones, extend the frame to make it fit the size of the trailer you really wanted to build, lengthened the tongue, welded up the bolt together joints and repaint the thing. You could build one to your specs for way less money.}}

You are right in that, If you intend to replace 90% of a trailer the low cost trailers are a bad buy.
But for the first time builder on a budget that is not building a high end camper and just want to get out on the road. The HF trailers are just fine. The leaf spring are not as nice as a torsion axle but they work good enough.
The tires and wheels will not last a lifetime, but one should replace the tire after a few years because of age anyway. My HF tires lasted over 8000 miles and the only reason I changed them is I have another trailer that will not get many miles on it.
One can easily build wider and longer then the frame without any problems.(teardrops are really light if you built them light)
There is really No reason to weld up a HF frame. The frame is designed not to be welded. The box of a teardrop will make the trailer stronger then if it was used as a flat bed.
If one is going to build a higher end teardrop. Yes,go for a higher end trailer. But if you are looking at a simple low cast build a HF trailer will be fine.

[Woodbutcher]

I agree with Kenneth. Brian comes from the high end perspective of a street rod builder. Is he right that a custom trailer is better then a HF or Northern Tool trailer? Yes. But they come at a much higher price. So if money is not an issue, that is the way to go.

There are hundreds of teardrops out there on mass produced trailers. I have done 2 trailers using them. I have made one on each brand of trailer. My current trailer is on a 5X8 Northern Tool trailer. I did add wheel spacers to put 15" tires on it. Not because I was afraid of the 12" tires, but because I tow with a Jeep Wrangler with 32" tires and the 12" just look to small. I have the original bearings, (that I repacked) still on the trailer. There are more then 15K miles on this trailer now with countless thousands to go. So don't be afraid of either of these trailers as long as you build responsibly and safely. I might also suggest checking out some older build journals from members here and send them a PM and ask how their trailer has held up. The best place to get a worth while review of something is from someone who has used it.

[Vedette]

We have to put an end to the "Misconception" that custom built trailer chassis cost "So Much"!
Who decided this in the first place?
Even here in Canada, where we have to pay 25 cents on the dollar (todays exchange rate, but could go to mid 60's buy summer?), plus shipping, duty, and brokerage fees; I can get all of the steel, new (to spec) Dexter axle, hitch coupler, safety chains, and tongue jack for under $500.0 0Canadian dollars.
Note: I didn't include the wheels and tires in that list, as your are replacing the 12" HF ones anyway to tow across country.
And no I didn't include cutting, welding and drilling time as labour, but if you can weld you can do this yourself. Or if you have a friend who can weld it may cost you a case of beer. Or if you have no metal work skills or any friends. Then factor in the 2 to 3 hours it will take a competent metal fabricator to build a traditional teardrop chassis.
Once again, HF trailer users are willing to concede that custom built chassis, with torsion suspension are far superior; but like to imply that they cost SOOOO much more!
Another urban myth!
I will stand by my opinion ........because I can't even imagine towing my dump trailer as far as New Mexico or to California 5 times, like I have Miss Piggy.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi
Note: Sandi concurs as she has taken the utility to the dump!

[Woodbutcher]

Brian, I do not want to get into a war with you over this. You are in the metal business, you weld and fabricate your own parts. Most people here are not able to do that. Most would have to pay someone. They also probably would not be able to design a trailer plan to give to a welder to build. How many builds here have been made with a Sabre Saw, a drill and a skill saw? The average builders have very limited skills, and tools. That is where a HF trailer is a good fit.
The custom built trailer I made in 2007 cost me $1300.00. I designed it, my brother who was in the steel business bought me the steel. We cut and drilled all the parts in his shop. But he had no welders available to weld it together, so I took my parts to a local welding shop for assembly That was $425.00 8 years ago. I searched several welding shops till I found one that was reasonable. Then I had to paint the trailer, bolt on all the stabilizers and the torsion axle. Then I needed to install the coupler, safety chains and wire the thing. Now if someone does not have access to those services or are able to do all that work themselves the ready made trailers are fine. Are they equal in quality. No. Are they a great value for the money? Yes. Some people only eat steak. Others eat ground beef. Both sustain life. I am not afraid of towing my Northern Tool trailer anywhere in the country. I have 3, 4K mile trips on it with dozens of closer to home trips without any issues what so ever.

[Vedette]

Brian, I do not want to get into a war with you over this. You are in the metal business, you weld and fabricate your own parts. Most people here are not able to do that. Most would have to pay someone. They also probably would not be able to design a trailer plan to give to a welder to build. How many builds here have been made with a Sabre Saw, a drill and a skill saw? The average builders have very limited skills, and tools. That is where a HF trailer is a good fit.
The custom built trailer I made in 2007 cost me $1300.00. I designed it, my brother who was in the steel business bought me the steel. We cut and drilled all the parts in his shop. But he had no welders available to weld it together, so I took my parts to a local welding shop for assembly That was $425.00 8 years ago. I searched several welding shops till I found one that was reasonable. Then I had to paint the trailer, bolt on all the stabilizers and the torsion axle. Then I needed to install the coupler, safety chains and wire the thing. Now if someone does not have access to those services or are able to do all that work themselves the ready made trailers are fine. Are they equal in quality. No. Are they a great value for the money? Yes. Some people only eat steak. Others eat ground beef. Both sustain life. I am not afraid of towing my Northern Tool trailer anywhere in the country. I have 3, 4K mile trips on it with dozens of closer to home trips without any issues what so ever.

I have no intention of going to war with anyone here!
We can just agree to disagree!
And if I could get 1300.00 US $ to build Teardrop Chassis, I would quit working on old cars tomorrow.
$425.00 for just the welding ......8 years ago????? Man that buys a lot of beer! Even at the Canadian Beer prices which are almost three times higher than beer in the USA.
Didn't know HF came with stabilizers? Our cheapo Home Depot equivalents don't! Torsion axles install with only 4 bolts (I use the optional 8 bolt mount).............But, for $1300.00 US $ .....my chassis would come totally assembled Not in a box with bad instructions.
Wow, there could be a whole new market opportunity here for me!
But......I am really trying to be retired here! I just want to go camping!
Good Roads
Brian