Trailer frame kits

[dannost]

I'm getting ready to start a trailer, and was going to get a kit that is all pre-cut pieces from overlandtrailer.com
However I have emailed them numerous times to get some information and no response.
Has anyone dealt with them?
Or is there another company that makes DIY trailer frame kits?

[Paintsalot]

I'm getting ready to start a trailer, and was going to get a kit that is all pre-cut pieces from overlandtrailer.com
However I have emailed them numerous times to get some information and no response.
Has anyone dealt with them?
Or is there another company that makes DIY trailer frame kits?

I thought maybe https://wandertears.com/trailer-frames
But it looks like they are more of a custom build.
I got a Stirling bolt together. So far, so good. I haven’t started building anything on it, but I do have the trailer together.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FischAutoTechGarten]

I'm getting ready to start a trailer, and was going to get a kit that is all pre-cut pieces from overlandtrailer.com
However I have emailed them numerous times to get some information and no response.
Has anyone dealt with them?
Or is there another company that makes DIY trailer frame kits?

I'm torn between the Steel Ironton 5x8 and the Aluminum Ultra-Tow 5x8, bother offered by Northern Tool. Looks like Empty weight of the steel trailer before any accessories (e.g. decking, stake sides) is about 265lbs (GVWR 1980 - Payload 1715 = Empty Wgt 265)... Empty weight of the aluminum trailer before similar accesories is about 186lbs. 79lb weight savings isn't that compelling for $350 extra. However, what is compelling is the shipping costs (I live nowhere near a NorthernTool store)... The Ironton is $458.75 to ship, the Ultra-Tow is $134.29. Feebies help too... The Ironton came with a $50 gift certificate, the Ultra-Tow a $100 gift certificate.

Total costs Ironton $549.99 + $458.75 - $50 = 958.74
Total costs Ultra-Tow $999.99 + $134.29 - $100 = $1034.28
$75 difference between the two. Suspect the IronTron would be more durable over the long haul, but does weigh 79 lbs more (which accounts for the bulk of the durability).
Knowing the aluminum fenders and tailgate mounts are not very strong on the Ultra-Tow, probably means spending another $50-$100 to sure those up.

The more research I do. I'm feeling like I should take the weight penalty and go with steel. I live in the Desert, rust isn't a huge issue.

Anyway, those are very inexpensive options for very light duty tear drops.

[philpom]

I built a 5x8 camper on the Harbor Freight Super Duty 4x8 trailer kit. Worked out great and we're a few years in.

Currently selling for $549 (I used one of those 20% off coupons when I bought mine)
Trailer weight 276 lb
Capacity 1720 lb
GVWR 2000 lb (don't ask me why they don't add up, ask HF)

This is a bolt together kit. Comes with tires, lighting, hitch, chains etc. I was able to take my paperwork to the tax office, register it and get a title with the supplied VIN number. Took plates home the same day.

[menorto]

I built my squaredrop on a Stirling 5x8. Used their tongue extension to get proper length between it and my vehicle. Had the tongue sag driving a short distance. Reinforced it before our maiden voyage and it collapsed about 450 miles from home. I do not recommend this kit. The tongue drawbar only extends to the back of a thin metal triangular structure at the front of the a frame. This causes it to bend as all the stress is at this triangle and not dissipated back through the frame. I replaced the thin metal with 1/4 inch steel plates and then the stress caused the a frame c channels to buckle and collapse. Cost me $1200+ to have the tongue rebuilt properly. BTW, the trailer/camper weighed under 1500 lbs and tongue weight was about 110 lbs.

[QueticoBill]

I put in a 2x2x1/4 steel tube to extend tongue on NT and works fine. The point where tongue crosses first frame cross piece is weakest frame point especially with axle moved back.

[GTS225]

I would suggest to all that are building their own frame, whether from a kit or scratch, to make sure that the tongue extends through the first three crossmembers. The low-cost utility trailers I've seen only hit the front and second c-members, and with a load, the second c-member bends down, and the front one twists.

Just my observations.....Roger

[QueticoBill]

I would suggest to all that are building their own frame, whether from a kit or scratch, to make sure that the tongue extends through the first three crossmembers. The low-cost utility trailers I've seen only hit the front and second c-members, and with a load, the second c-member bends down, and the front one twists.

Just my observations.....Roger

Agree. Most kits don't even have a center member. Check out my build thread for drawings and photos. I usec2x2x1/4 because it was readily available. Pretty sure 2x2c3/16 or even 1/8 would have been fine.

[TimC]

I built my squaredrop on a Stirling 5x8. ...

I have my 700# Foamie on a Sterling 4x8. The tongue (2x2.5" x about 16") was bent after a couple thousand miles. Not as severely as GTS's trailer. I just replaced that bent tongue with what Sterling calls a 2' tongue extension after failing to locate square tubing at 2x2.5" anywhere online or locally. It may effectively be "2' longer" after installation, but, the thing is 3' long. Before I saw GTS's tongue photo I thought that there was going to be too much leverage on that long tongue so I cut about 14" off and drilled new mounting holes. I also added a chunk of hardwood inside the tongue to beef it up a bit. That should keep the bolts from crushing/deforming the tongue. Obviously welding some steel reinforcement would have been better but I'm not a welder. Also, I couldn't find a stock square tube of 2x2.5".

Here's another reason I would not purchase this trailer again. The following photo is the front of the trailer bed where the A-frame member of the tongue meets the bed frame. This is repeated on the other side of the bed/a-frame member meeting point. In these locations there are three holes in the tongue member. Two are filled with bolts (a little better than empty holes) and another one I assume is a wire routing channel which is about an inch in diameter (open hole and a terrible location for this unneeded hole). I brought this up to Westbrook (which markets their trailers as Sterling at many big box outlets) as a possible design flaw; including clear photos of the area of concern. Their response was they weren't concerned.


So look closely at that joint between the bed frame and tongue member... yes, the frame member is sliced by the factory to allow the tongue member to slide right through. So that bed frame member has only the top and bottom (about an inch and a half each) to support the tongue. I will be adding some reinforcement to the tongue and bed frame.

Let's just say that I would not recommend Sterling 4x8 or 5x8 kits. They are fine for taking a few bushels of grass clippings to the compost site but they are in no way capable of handling their rated capacity on todays roads. I'll go back to Northern Tools 5x8 kits on my next build.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Well, I learned that Northern Tool is no longer carrying the Ironton Steel 5 x 8 Trailer.
https://www.northerntool.com/products/i ... city-37552

They have a cheap galvanized steel one
https://www.northerntool.com/products/s ... 12-5265876

However, it looks less sturdy than even the Aluminum Ultra-Tow.
https://www.northerntool.com/products/u ... city-49802

Very disappointed. Should have jumped on the Ironton 5x8 Steel Trailer 3 weeks ago instead of waffling... Snoozed and Losed....

[TimC]

...

Very disappointed. Should have jumped on the Ironton 5x8 Steel Trailer 3 weeks ago instead of waffling... Snoozed and Losed....

That's a bummer. I certainly didn't pay $850 for my Sterling 4x8; NT's current price. I did mention in my last post that I would not purchase this model again and I'm pretty much going to stick to that thought even though the Ironton 5x8 is no longer available through NT. I'll stick to old pop-up frames such as this one. A former Flagstaff by Forest River...



I've been lucky in my pop-up finds so far usually paying nothing to a couple hundred dollars up front then selling appliances and such to gain back most or all of that investment. When I cut, grind, wire brush and rust treat these trailers they come out very nice. If you think about the fact that most of these frames have just a few thousand miles on them and are rarely used in the salty road winters. They almost always have the original tires; the Flagstaff being a 2002 model. I get a chuckle when the owner selling says "Look at the tread. There's plenty of life left!" 23 year old tires... what could happen? I always carry two spares with me when I pick them up.

I have about $50 in supplies to refinish the one pictured. So other than I bought 14" rims for $25 and will put some new tires on those at just over $100. A LOT of man hours on the tear down though. Included in that return on investment is $30 tipping fee at the dump for all the non-recyclable materials. The metal was donated to the local Habitat ReStore. Currently I'm $21.45 positive and I have a nice trailer to build on or sell. It's currently post on FB Marketplace for $675 (can you tell I don't really want to sell it?).

Shhh!, don't tell anyone about recycling pop-ups! I don't want my hobby of tearing down pop-ups to become harder to find or more expensive...

[FischAutoTechGarten]

As the title states. Several months ago, the Ironton 5x8 Steel Trailer was discontinued at Northern Tool. Left a bit of a hole in the inexpensive DIY Trailer space.
( https://www.northerntool.com/products/i ... city-37552 ) 

However, they have another 5x8 Steel Trailer with the same branding as their 5x8 Aluminum Trailer... Ultra-Tow.
( https://www.northerntool.com/products/u ... ty-5569378 )

Similar Capability, but different fenders and a few other details.