D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Just a tip, when you fold your tarp over the trailer, do the folds on the sides, not the front. If you do them on the front they can collect water. Something I learned driving flatbed.
Harbor Freight 40x48, Spectacular Mediocrity
- Thread starter charlesshoults
- Start date
charlesshoults
New member
Ah, that's good to know. I'll end up moving a few hooks around to work a little better, and will change the direction of the front flaps.
charlesshoults
New member
Finished
Thank you. I hope the thing performs well.
I made a few tweaks. I've added four rings front and back, and since the metal of the frame is fairly thin, the bolts are long and go through both sides of the front and rear crossmembers. I switched out the Sisal rope with poly. The poly rope is easier to work with and doesn't chafe the hands as much. I've added padlocks to both ammo cans, and I've mounted the spare tire from the Jeep to the front of the trailer.
I bought two big bundles of firewood at $10.99 each, and stacked them along the front of the trailer. That reduced bouncing and made the trailer drive a bit better. Next, I wanted to get more space inside the Jeep, so I moved the tire. Tongue weight is considerably heavier than before and I've not driven it with this configuration yet. For anyone who has one of these trailers, what is the likelihood of bending the tongue? I still have a small tent and two cots to add along with some of my sons clothes and some minor camping gear. I'll have to make sure to put it on or behind the axle to balance things out. I'm thinking about getting some small eyes to bolt on top of each fender so that I can tie smaller things down there as well.
The trailer cost me $186, $30 to register it, about a $100 for lumber. Cost for ammo cans, tarp, rope and miscellaneous hardware, I bet I'm between $500 and $600.
Even the license plate looks enormous when compared to the trailer.
Thank you. I hope the thing performs well.
I made a few tweaks. I've added four rings front and back, and since the metal of the frame is fairly thin, the bolts are long and go through both sides of the front and rear crossmembers. I switched out the Sisal rope with poly. The poly rope is easier to work with and doesn't chafe the hands as much. I've added padlocks to both ammo cans, and I've mounted the spare tire from the Jeep to the front of the trailer.
I bought two big bundles of firewood at $10.99 each, and stacked them along the front of the trailer. That reduced bouncing and made the trailer drive a bit better. Next, I wanted to get more space inside the Jeep, so I moved the tire. Tongue weight is considerably heavier than before and I've not driven it with this configuration yet. For anyone who has one of these trailers, what is the likelihood of bending the tongue? I still have a small tent and two cots to add along with some of my sons clothes and some minor camping gear. I'll have to make sure to put it on or behind the axle to balance things out. I'm thinking about getting some small eyes to bolt on top of each fender so that I can tie smaller things down there as well.
The trailer cost me $186, $30 to register it, about a $100 for lumber. Cost for ammo cans, tarp, rope and miscellaneous hardware, I bet I'm between $500 and $600.
Even the license plate looks enormous when compared to the trailer.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
See, now your tarp is perfect! As for bending the tongue I wouldn't worry too much, those little trailers are much stronger than anybody given them credit for.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
It will be interesting to see how long before the weight of the ammo can tweaks the fender.
charlesshoults
New member
Fenders
I have a couple other things I'd like to do with the fenders, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to get to it. First, I want to add two or three small eyes to the top of each, along the outer edge, and matching eyes along the wall, just below the line of the tarp. It would be handy if I could strap small items into that space while minimizing additional weight on the fenders. I'm also thinking about a steel bar bolted to the outside of the fender along the lower corners, to help prevent distortion caused by the ammo cans.
I also need to add some kind of bracket to stabilize the bar that the spare tire is mounted to. Right now, it's just a 1/2" square bar held against the back of the front wall by the two hooks through lug holes on the wheel.
Also made a dashboard mat to mount my GPS instead of using the damned suction cup on the windshield.
I have a couple other things I'd like to do with the fenders, but I'm not sure if I'll have time to get to it. First, I want to add two or three small eyes to the top of each, along the outer edge, and matching eyes along the wall, just below the line of the tarp. It would be handy if I could strap small items into that space while minimizing additional weight on the fenders. I'm also thinking about a steel bar bolted to the outside of the fender along the lower corners, to help prevent distortion caused by the ammo cans.
I also need to add some kind of bracket to stabilize the bar that the spare tire is mounted to. Right now, it's just a 1/2" square bar held against the back of the front wall by the two hooks through lug holes on the wheel.
Also made a dashboard mat to mount my GPS instead of using the damned suction cup on the windshield.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
I had the same trailer and the fenders cracked along the mounting holes without even any extra force on them, so check them often.
98roamer
Explorer
I had the 4x6 tilt bed version and also lost a fender while traveling. But it was tweeked when someone tried to sit on it and I bent it back into postion. It did crack right above the bolts.
The tongue bar was bent by the PO when he ran his riding mower up the tilted bed and let it slam down on the tongue. I replaced it with a longer piece of fully boxed 2x4 channel. Never had an issue after, plus it made backing up it a lot easier with the added tongue length.
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charlesshoults
New member
Reinforcing
Hearing stories about people losing fenders while driving down the road makes me not very confident about Chinese manufacturing.
Since the ammo cans are attached to the fenders with a spacer between them, I might pick up some steel angle brackets to transfer some of the weight to the wooden walls. The other option is to drill more holes in the sides of the ammo cans and bolt them directly to the wooden walls. Neither of which is a very big deal, but if I were to lose a fender, I wouldn't want to lose an ammo can and contents along with it.
Hearing stories about people losing fenders while driving down the road makes me not very confident about Chinese manufacturing.
Since the ammo cans are attached to the fenders with a spacer between them, I might pick up some steel angle brackets to transfer some of the weight to the wooden walls. The other option is to drill more holes in the sides of the ammo cans and bolt them directly to the wooden walls. Neither of which is a very big deal, but if I were to lose a fender, I wouldn't want to lose an ammo can and contents along with it.AeroNautiCal
Explorer
Hearing stories about people losing fenders while driving down the road makes me not very confident about Chinese manufacturing.
I think it's more a case of the trailer builder (irrespective of country of origin) manufacturing the trailer to the specifications laid down by the customer, Harbor Freight.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
I had mine for years and never lost a bolt, part, or light. No cracks, nothing bent, or any problems what so ever.
I haven't looked at one of those trailers up close but you might be able to extend the tongue a bit, that would help a lot with backing.
I've often wondered if you could get one of those trailers and get a set of 5 lug hubs from Agri Supply or somewhere and convert it over to a standard trailer lug pattern which matches a lot of jeeps, rangers, explorers etc.
I've often wondered if you could get one of those trailers and get a set of 5 lug hubs from Agri Supply or somewhere and convert it over to a standard trailer lug pattern which matches a lot of jeeps, rangers, explorers etc.
charlesshoults
New member
Backing
I've actually not had to back the thing up yet, and I'm not looking forward to it. I thought about replacing the tongue with a 2" square tube and getting a little more length out of it, and thought about buying a new axle and 5x4.5" hubs to match my Jeep, but I think I'll leave the axle as is and use the trailer with my Suzuki Carry when I get it. I still might lengthen the tongue. The trailer itself is just so much smaller than the Jeep that it looks kind of odd. I'll probably build another later with a track width the same as my Jeep, and with a length of 6-7 feet.
I've actually not had to back the thing up yet, and I'm not looking forward to it. I thought about replacing the tongue with a 2" square tube and getting a little more length out of it, and thought about buying a new axle and 5x4.5" hubs to match my Jeep, but I think I'll leave the axle as is and use the trailer with my Suzuki Carry when I get it. I still might lengthen the tongue. The trailer itself is just so much smaller than the Jeep that it looks kind of odd. I'll probably build another later with a track width the same as my Jeep, and with a length of 6-7 feet.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
You can find hubs for around $35 each online that match the 5x4.5 Jeep/Ford lug pattern.
98roamer
Explorer
I rebuilt some many things on the last trailer that my wife asked me why didn't I just build one. So I started looking at kits like this:
http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-2258-3500-lb-trailer-kit-15-wheels.aspx
If I only knew how much time I put into it, it would have been better to build the right one from the beginning. But it was a learning process.