Friend had a good deal

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Got a call from a friend today. He had bought a harbor freight 40' x 48" utility trailer. He bought it awhile ago, I think the presidents day sale.

Anyway, his birthday was yesterday and his wife gave him the trailer of his dreams, yep, an alumina.

So, he is not sure he can return it because he doesn't have the box. Apparently, the box it shipped from china in didn't fair well and he put it in three smaller boxes. Bottom line, he offered it to me for $125, he paid $250 on sale. It comes complete with the title paperwork, all I have to do is put it together.

Here's a pic from their web site:



The good news, I already have a car top carrier to mount on it, assuming it hasn't dry rotted ... LOL. It's in the rafters of the garage. I used it once to move from Kenosha, Wisconsin to here. I put it on top of my trucks camper shell. Quite the sight going down the road ... LOL. Even if it falls apart when I take it down, I can get a nice one for $160. All in I'd only be $285 for a new trailer for the long trips.

I still have a tent and sleeping bag, but, I suspect I'm way past that stage .

[ol' school]

Sounds like a plan Alan!!!

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Sounds like a plan Alan!!!

I'm thinking a big loop in September ... Grand Junction Colorado to Kentucky to see the Ark and Maybe lunch with Consitter ... south to see Kevin and Mary ... and his shop ... then South West to Kerrville ... and back to Grand Junction ... all looks good on paper ... LOL.

Might have to figure out how to declare Harley a "Service Dog" ... Not sure the Ark will look kindly on him ...

[paws]

Remind the Ark people of the name when dog is spelled backwards.

[paws]

About the trailer.... I thought you were going to tow FBG behind your truck for the highway miles then you and Harley would do the day trips on FBG.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Remind the Ark people of the name when dog is spelled backwards.

Good point ... ... I heard a blurb that it was damaged by flooding ... not sure if that's tru ... but if it is ... It's pretty ironic.

[ultrafxr]

Good point ... ... I heard a blurb that it was damaged by flooding ... not sure if that's tru ... but if it is ... It's pretty ironic.

What I read was that the road to the Ark was damaged by flooding and the owners of the Ark were in a wrangle with their insurance company about it. The Ark itself was not damaged and it is open. Friends of ours were up there just last week.

[jjvw]

I'm thinking a big loop in September ... Grand Junction Colorado to Kentucky to see the Ark and Maybe lunch with Consitter ... south to see Kevin and Mary ... and his shop ... then South West to Kerrville ... and back to Grand Junction ... all looks good on paper ... LOL.

Seeing you're so close, don't the forget Maggie Valley event in Sept.

[ol' school]

Seeing you're so close, don't the forget Maggie Valley event in Sept.

I agree Fuzzy, you need to put the Maggie Valley Rally in that loop!

[trikermutha]

MAke sure you check the wheel hub bearings . What grade Hardware came with the trailer?? Just Wondering

[FuzzyWuzHe]

About the trailer.... I thought you were going to tow FBG behind your truck for the highway miles then you and Harley would do the day trips on FBG.

Still might be the plan ... the Trailer was just too good a deal to pass up.

What I read was that the road to the Ark was damaged by flooding and the owners of the Ark were in a wrangle with their insurance company about it. The Ark itself was not damaged and it is open. Friends of ours were up there just last week.

Could be ... my understanding was here say.

Seeing you're so close, don't the forget Maggie Valley event in Sept.

I agree Fuzzy, you need to put the Maggie Valley Rally in that loop!

Just where is Maggie alley? I suppose it could be possible ...

MAke sure you check the wheel hub bearings . What grade Hardware came with the trailer?? Just Wondering

Haven't opened the boxes yet ... so don't know about the hardware. Yep, bearings are pretty important, so they will get checked and greased during the build.

Another thing, how are people mounting the car top carrier? Bolts through the base to the trailer? Have to be careful to seal them well.

[trikermutha]

Are you going to put a some sort of sub base down before installing the carrier? Bolt carrier to the trailer frame . Stainless Hardware and large washers or plates on the inside of the carrier to help secure it to the trailer.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Are you going to put a some sort of sub base down before installing the carrier? Bolt carrier to the trailer frame . Stainless Hardware and large washers or plates on the inside of the carrier to help secure it to the trailer.

Thinking an aluminum base, mainly to keep rocks from poking into the car carrier ... might make it a little rock guard up front too. Probably won't make any decisions until I get the trailer put together and get the car carrier down from the rafters. Ideally, I'd like to make an aluminum box and have my buddy do the welding. But, I'll be fine with the car carrier if it doesn't fall apart when I take it down.

[MDO]

If that's the HF one we had, it folds up. We used it for a couple years & sold it for what we payed.

I used 1/2" treated plywood for a floor & it worked well.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

If that's the HF one we had, it folds up. We used it for a couple years & sold it for what we payed.

I used 1/2" treated plywood for a floor & it worked well.

I was thinking 1/8" aluminum .... I can get it fairly cheap (free, my friend Don scored a pile of 48" x 48" sheets) he'll give me one or maybe sell one ... LOL. He's also very adept at bending the aluminum (sans brake), not sure how he does it. If he could take a sheet and make a stone guard ... that would work well.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

So today was a decent day ... cloudy, but, just fluffy clouds.

Decided to build it before I lost parts.

Step One, put the frame together and check for square, I did this by tightening the bolts to just snug and measuring from one corner to the other on both sides, adjust and recheck. When it was square, tighten everything down and verify square. It's within a 32nd of an inch:



Next was to mount the tongue and spring brackets:



Mount the springs:



Mount the axle and fenders:



The hubs where already on the wheels and greased, so they got mounted:

Attachment 72249



Put on the dust caps I had removed to install them. The are held on like any car axle ... washer, castle nut and cotter pin.

The hard part was getting it off the two tables I built it on (getting too old to be on the ground). It's not real heavy (guessing 100-150#), but, it is awkward. Basically I slid the back end down, stood the tongue upright, then flipped it onto the wheels.

Here it is ... hooked to the FBG:





Okay ... so first issue I found ... no front foot ... not a biggie. Took it for a ride around the neighborhood (yep, lights not hooked up, no plates, but, I just went around the block).

Another issue was this trailer is rated at 1090# ... way overkill for what I will put on it. The springs are 3 leaf and rated at 545# each. I had a thought that I could remove the smallest leaf and get a little more suspension play. With nothing on the frame, it bounced all over the place ... every bump I could hear it bouncing, Never felt it on the trike ... but I knew it was bouncing. A pot hole at 70 mph could get exciting .. LOL.

I wasn't positive my idea about removing the leaf was safe, so, I went to a local business (Spring Works), I've been a customer there for years. Campers, trailers, all go to them every two years for a checkup. They re grease, fix any electrical issues and generally check it out. I showed them the pictures and they agreed that removing the little leaf would make the springs rated to about 300# or 600# total rating. So that is the plan. Not sure when I'll get to that. Then I asked them about a foot ... they had a used one that will work just fine.



If you look close, you can see it was originally listed for $30.95 and now cost $15.00 .. no brainer, now I need to attach it, might end up welding it on since the bottom of the tongue is open. Be an easy mount.

Tomorrow Don is gonna help me with another project and he said he'd help with the springs and the wiring .. not rocket science, but, I absolutely hate electrical.

Since he retired, he's been really helpful. He won't ask to be paid. but, I won't let him help unless he accepts what I pay him. We have an understanding.

[Jack Klarich]

Alan, take the bearing dust caps off again. Find a rubber binder or large O ring that fits snug on the inside radius and put them back on

This will help to seal water and moisture out of the hubs and bearings

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Okay, obviously I haven't have a trip with it yet, but, some thoughts.

1) The hardware is all pretty substantial. Every nut, except for the actual light mounts is a Nylock (has nylon rings that keep it from vibrating loose). All of it appears to be zinc plated and is 3/8" or 1/2" od.. Pretty heavy duty for a little tiny trailer.

2) The hubs are drilled with a zirc fitting between the bearings, no need for bearing buddies.

3) The tail lights and clearance markers are LED's, this really surprised me. I was expecting filament bulbs, that's a plus.

4) For a stamped, then pressed frame, the bolt holes lined up very well. When putting the frame together, there are two bolts on each end of each cross member. they mount on different planes which really helps with the rigidity of the frame.

5) I plan to heat up and remove the huge warning stickers about standing or sitting on the trailer fenders ... talk about ugly.

6) I was really pleased that it has 12" 4 lug wheels, not the 8" ones that cause bearings to spin so fast they heat up.

7) The safety chains they give you are huge. I plan on getting a smaller chain and smaller hooks. These will not fit on the trikes hitch ... LOL. Might just get some eyes to hang the chains on.



8) I will probably paint it gloss black before I put the car top carrier on. Maybe not .. LOL.

Summary ... except for the springs being overkill, I believe it is a nice little trailer. On my around the block ride, I couldn't tell it was back there. I could see the fenders in the mirrors, and that's a good thing.

Update:

As for my car top carrier, 20 years in the garage rafters has caused it to warm up and cool ... the boards that held it in the rafters allowed it to "droop" and the poly has cracked. But fear not, I also have two Rubbermaid action trakers that I put on top of my Time out trailer to hold camping gear (I had no storage in my time out since I changed out the air mattress for a Futon). I'm thinking mounting them would be a very nice option. Like I've said, this thing ain't about pretty, it's about function

I forgot, I have 4 action packers ...

[trikermutha]

Hey - Who makes that foot or how can I get one???

[ol' school]

Just where is Maggie alley? I suppose it could be possible ...

Rt.19 in North Carolina...

Check out Google Map link below...

Maggie Valley

Ivy Hill, NC

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AkCj1hULbTz97e1s8