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Old 05-20-2013, 01:52 AM   #131 (permalink)
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Ha! You got me to read a whole page before I figured out it was 2010.

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Now to ensconce it with a coroplast aeroshell....
Well?

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Old 05-20-2013, 01:58 AM   #132 (permalink)
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Old 05-21-2013, 02:42 PM   #133 (permalink)
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Old 05-29-2013, 04:28 PM   #134 (permalink)
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I decided to pull the trigger and buy the Harbor Freight 4X8 trailer. $294.

The first thing you have to know is that it is not the same as putting an Ikea shelf together.

Having a mechanical understanding is mandatory. For example, if you wire the ground wire to the trailer frame as directed, obviously no lights will work, as everything is painted and there are two hinge points that will not conduct very well. So I basically re-engineered the wiring, using dedicated ground wires for everything and loom for protection:

I also properly packed the wheels bearings with fresh grease as there was only a minimal amount in the bearings.

Overall, I found the quality to be much much higher than I expected. All I need is a sheet of treated plywood and I will be set!
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Old 05-29-2013, 04:33 PM   #135 (permalink)
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I'm not so good with electricals.
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Old 05-29-2013, 10:02 PM   #136 (permalink)
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Yes that is the same trailer I have, but I tore mine totally apart this summer, welded everything together (it don't fold up any more). That was all after I put on an 1800lb axle, 1000lb each springs and 12'' 990lb each load range C tires back in 2009.

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Originally Posted by mechman600 View Post
I also properly packed the wheels bearings with fresh grease as there was only a minimal amount in the bearings.
It appears that one of the hubs had locked up or burned up before I bought the trailer, that was part of the reason for replacing the axle since the spindles are welded to it.
My guess is the guy I bought it from ran the bearings with that "minimal amount" of factory grease and smoked one of the bearings.
I use lots of valvoline synthetic blend grease to pack the bearings.
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Old 05-30-2013, 02:00 AM   #137 (permalink)
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Overall, I found the quality to be much much higher than I expected. All I need is a sheet of treated plywood and I will be set!
You might want to consider the expense of a sheet of diamond plate aluminum. I used it on mine 8 years ago, and it has held up better than the rest of the trailer. Meanwhile, the plywood on the 4 year old trailer has rotted through, even though it was painted on all sides. And it will stiffen the trailer a lot if you decide not to fold it (the small casters are largely useless on anything but very smooth concrete).

Oh, and tighten the CRAP out of those frame bolts - mine is permanently tweaked, I'm going to have to use a come-along or something to flatten it to weld all the non-foldable joints sometime soon.
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:48 AM   #138 (permalink)
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Compromise on PlyMetal
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Old 05-30-2013, 01:42 PM   #139 (permalink)
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Aluminum Dimond plate is expensive.
My trailer has 5/16'' aluminum dimond plate and the guy i bought it from claimed he paid over $500 for two 4'x4' sheets in 2005 when he bought the trailer and put it together.
Heck right now at lowes a >1/8'' thick sheet of 2'x3' foot aluminum is $100.
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Old 05-30-2013, 03:53 PM   #140 (permalink)
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PlyMetal comes in 1/2-3/4-1-1 1/4" thickness with a baked enamel finish (8 colors) on one aluminum skin (top) and a mill finish on the other (bottom). I don't have a source or pricing, but based on the price of Polymetal, I'd hope for $200 for a 4x8 sheet.

VIP Swing Door -- white vinyl on the top, grey HDPE on the bottom

OSB Metal Plus -- Enameled aluminum/HDPE on Oriented Strand Board

Soak the cut edges in epoxy/polyurethane/beeswax.

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