Quote:
Originally Posted by mechman600
I am going to buy one of these next week:
Utility Trailer 4'x8' - Heavy Duty Folding Utility Trailer
$290, so how can I go wrong? It even folds up and stores upright on caster wheels.
The reviews say to expect Chinese in a bad way but with some tinkering it is alright. I plan to pull the motorcycle up to the cabin all summer with the Matrix. |
I've been using one of these for 8 years. I have folded it up ONCE. The plastic casters need a very smooth surface to roll on.
The best mod I ever did was from the start - I used diamond-plate aluminum for the floor rather than plywood. It is WELL worth the cost. The other 35x55" HF trailer I bought came with plywood that I painted on all sides, it is 3-4 years newer, and has rotted a huge hole in it. I plan on getting diamond-plate for it as soon as I can scrounge the money for it. You might want to consider bolting down a 4x8 diamond-plate and not cutting it where it folds, to strengthen it. You can always cut it later with a cutoff wheel if you decide you're really going to fold it. If you have access to a welder, I would recommend welding every joint you can. I didn't, and I'm going to have to level it on blocks and possibly tweak it with heavy weights to get it flat again, then weld up everything outside of the fold joint.
I haul either of these with my Prius, have piled in just over a ton into the 4x8 foldable once. Wasn't fun getting it home, but it did just fine. 1000lb loads are routine.
Oh, and watch for the "20% off one item" coupons for HF. I used one when I bought my trailer and saved enough to buy a spare tire and several other accessories.
One good thing about the HF trailer - the replacement parts are DIRT CHEAP. I called in to get some bearings (they are a custom size I couldn't find anywhere) and a new hub, and the prices surprised me. Enough that I ordered extra parts while I was at it just to have them on hand.