nuts and bolts of a HF trailer

[LDK]

Are the harbor freight trailer nuts and bolts good quality or should they be replaced??? Before I go any further I thought I should ask. thanks guys----Larry

[wannabefree]

I used them. Don't know if that means they are any good or not

I also used locktite. You know, I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

[Creamcracker]

I used them ...no problems
Philip

[Larwyn]

I had a bit of problem with the supplied bolts breaking during assembly so ended up replacing them all with grade 8 hardware from TSC as well as welding all the cross members in place.

[Larry C]

I had a bit of problem with the supplied bolts breaking during assembly so ended up replacing them all with grade 8 hardware from TSC as well as welding all the cross members in place.

Larwyn,
Were you running the nuts with a hand ratchet or an air nut runner? I am about to assemble my trailer. Mine won't be for my Tear build, it's just a utility trailer. I have found several things I have corrected/changed so far (axle, bearings and springs)
The bolts that came with mine are M10 diameter, Grade 8.8 which equates to our SAE grade 5. This should be more than adequate for this trailer. This size/grade bolt should be torqued to 33ft. lb. (lubricated threads). I will try this torque spec on my bolts with a hand ratchet as a test before using my air ratchet.
Actually, I am documenting and photographing all phases of my assembly. I will note all areas of consern and corrective action I take. The fastener test will be next. I will torque all bolts to spec to see if anything loosens in the future. The combination of proper torque and lock nuts should eliminate problems, assuming the bolts take the torque spec.
So far I think the parts of this trailer (1175#) are pretty solidly made. However, as with many products at this price point, one has to expect to do some reworking and tweeking.
BTW/ in case anyone is interested, my wheels with tires weight 17.5# each.

[Rock]

I just put a new HF 1175# trailer together for use as a utility trailer and I used an impact on every fastener. Not sure of the torque as I let off before the wrench stalled out, but they are torqued to at least 75 ft-lb.

Maybe that one bolt missed heat treat or something. If they are truly 8.8 then they are plenty strong.

Eric

[Larwyn]

I just put a new HF 1175# trailer together for use as a utility trailer and I used an impact on every fastener. Not sure of the torque as I let off before the wrench stalled out, but they are torqued to at least 75 ft-lb.

Maybe that one bolt missed heat treat or something. If they are truly 8.8 then they are plenty strong.

Eric

I took the picture of that one bolt because it was interesting to me that a thin portion of the bolt head remained with the bolt when the rest of the head twisted off. Several of the bolts failed during tightening, either with the air wrench or on final tightening with the ratchet. The air wrench that I used was a cheap Harbor Freight Butterfly wrench which is not a high torque device, the bolts all required tightening with a hand wrench. I have used an air wrench enough in my life to know better than to trust them for final tightening.

[Rock]

I wondered what that witness mark was! That's a new one to me. Definitely a manufacturing defect. Basically it delaminated. Very scary.

Eric

[Larwyn]

tork bolts always by hand forget the power tools.

I personally find the power drivers, whether electric or pneumatic, quite useful. It is not that hard to learn to use them effectively. With a little experience you can feel and hear when it is time to throttle back on the tool. You do have to pay more attention to what you are doing than any loud music or other distractions. I agree that you cannot blindly hold the trigger until the tool stops. I have had jobs where, if I refused to use impact guns, I would have become unemployed very quickly. If you have power drivers, it is up to you whether or not to learn to use them properly. Even a simple claw hammer can be a useless, thumb busting, wrist wrecking piece of junk to those who refuse to learn how to use it.

I have broken bolts with a hand wrench and it almost always results in bloodshed and busted knuckles. At least when they fail with a power driver it is usually painless....

[aggie79]

I had a bit of problem with the supplied bolts breaking during assembly so ended up replacing them all with grade 8 hardware from TSC as well as welding all the cross members in place.

I broke several during the assembly of mine. I used a cordless driver - not impact wrench - to fasten and then hand tightened with a socket wrench. Just about where the bolts were feeling snug, the bolt head sheared off.

So, off to the hardware store for some good grade 5 and locktite.

[synaps3]

I did it all by hand on my first frame. It worked well for me.

[Larwyn]

Are the harbor freight trailer nuts and bolts good quality or should they be replaced??? Before I go any further I thought I should ask. thanks guys----Larry

In answer to the original question; No, at least in my case the bolts which came with the Horror Fright 4x8, 1800 lb. capacity trailer were not of good quality (or even acceptable quality) in my opinion. I have tightened many thousands of bolts with no connection to a HF trailer over the years and think that I just might be able to tell, maybe not. It was nearly 5 years ago that I assembled my trailer so it is not likely that the bolts you get with a trailer today are even from the same source, they could be better, could be worse, good luck with that.

[A_J]

It was nearly 5 years ago that I assembled my trailer so it is not likely that the bolts you get with a trailer today are even from the same source, they could be better, could be worse, good luck with that.

This is pretty much a spot-on observation concerning the low priced China sourced goods; very poor QC especially for the hardware. I have gained the habit of simply replacing most or all the hardware that is supplied with low cost consumer goods before attempting assembly.

Unfortunately, it seems like most of my local hardware stores/home centers ALSO carry nearly all China bolts, but at least they have been of reasonable quality.

When doing big jobs with bulk hardware needs, or looking for high grade stainless steel fasteners McMaster Carr has been my go-to retailer. Some of it is imported, but all of it is good.

It seems like the last time I used Lawson's hardware it was top notch as well, but $$$

[Toytaco2]

I'm always amazed at how so many of us buy the HF trailers and then start replacing all kinds of stuff during the assembly. I'm guilty myself as I replaced the bearings with new higher quality units right off the bat. Sort of defeats the purpose of purchasing a low cost unit to begin with.

But, I'm just curious..... has anyone ever put one together for their build and then just had it fly to pieces........ bolts, springs and couplers break, axles bend, etc, etc. If so, I haven't heard about it yet. Are we just being paranoid?

If all the mistrust of the components is backed up by people's actual experience, then its time we more strongly discourage their use and urge our members to please consider another trailer.

Just my 2 cents,

Mike

[parnold]

I have a 39" wide hf trailer that I've had for 15 years. I towed it from Jersey to Wisconsin, and several trips across Pennsylvania. I built a box for it for when I played tournament paintball with my sons...



I had it pop off the ball doing close to 80mph on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and it whipped back and forth like crazy. The tongue bent on it. I'm guessing the box and contents were probably in the area of 500 lbs. Thankfully the chains held just fine.

I still use the trailer as a garden trailer.

Even back then Harbor Freight was "junky" stuff, but I'm more than happy with what I got out of it.

Did I mention that I never checked, or repacked the bearings?