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Harbor Freight mini trailer kit

4K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  bukwas 
#1 ·
I have picked up my new trailer kit and have several observations.


I asked the manager of the store if the kits with the 8" wheels were just out of stock or backordered. He told me Harbor Freight has discontinued the sale of the 8" wheeled and tired kits and they would no longer be available. So I now have the kit that has the 4.80x12 wheels and tires.


I noticed the new kits are now 40.5" x 48"....the previous kits were 40" x 48". Good deal , all the better to fit on my new 40" diamond plate cargo box when it comes in.


Now about the tires with the kit. The kit comes with 4.80x12 tires...load range B which is 780 LBS. weight. The kit weighs about 151 LBS for a total of 931 LBS. They advertise the trailer at a gross vehicle weight of 1190LBS. The way I see it is they are advertising the trailer to have a much higher capacity than the tires they supply with it are capable of handling. 259 LBS. greater to be exact. Might be some liability there should a tire blow and create an accident?


The leaf springs are now 3 leaf springs and not the 2 leaf springs formerly used. Should I remove the 2 smaller helper springs? There is no way to know the spring ratings.


While bringing up Harbor Freight on my search bar I see that Harbor Freight has settled the lawsuit that UNCLEJOHN previously posted about in another thread. They will be giving refunds of 30% back to customers who purchased items there. I didn't read it, so I assume all the standard receipts must have been kept for proofs.


Allen
 
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#2 ·
Allen,
Looking forward to see your finished (complete assembled) trailer ....

I too just finished reading Uncle John"s post about Harbor Freight money back .. wish I keep all my receits from all the stuff I have purchased from H/F ... I love that store, I feel like a kid in the candy shop while there...

It was good seeing you and meeting your daughter the other day, got to get together more often once this weather breaks and it warms u a bit...

Ronnie
 
#3 ·
Following your post with interest. I am looking for a trailer to carry my kayak around in which could also pull double duty. I have narrowed it down to either HF or a rally wagon and add a swivel hitch. I am leaning towards the rally wagon due to longer tongue length.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I do think there will have to be a longer tongue installed on the trailer, but won't know the length until it is assembled and sort of "dry docked" behind the bike for measuring. That shouldn't be a really high extra cost and I have two friends who are welders, so I have a source to get the steel tongue tube.


Allen
 
#5 ·
I have picked up my new trailer kit and have several observations.

Now about the tires with the kit. The kit comes with 4.80x12 tires...load range B which is 780 LBS. weight. The kit weighs about 151 LBS for a total of 931 LBS. They advertise the trailer at a gross vehicle weight of 1190LBS. The way I see it is they are advertising the trailer to have a much higher capacity than the tires they supply with it are capable of handling. 259 LBS. greater to be exact. Might be some liability there should a tire blow and create an accident?
780 lbs per tire, 2 tires = 1560 lbs.
 
#6 · (Edited)
DID YA EVER READ WEIGHT RATING ON YOUR WING N TIRES - THEN YA THROW ONE OF US ON IT :eek:4::22yikes: IF YA LOAD TRAILER RITE DONT THINK YOU HAVE TO DO ANYTHING WITH TONGUE. GET A HOLD OF CAPT. BOB HE DRAGS ONE AROUND :wink2:READ WHERE TO MAKE SURE YOU RE-GREASE WHEEL BEARINGS WITH GOOD GREASE.WHAT PRICE WERE YOU ABLE TO GET. JUST CURIOUS ON TIRE SIZE IF IT RAISES TRAILER UP MUCH ?? ON SPRINGS THOUGHT SOMEONE TOOK A LEAF OUT BECAUSE THEY WERENT GONNA HAUL MAXIMUM AND STOPS IT FROM BOUNCING AROUND SO MUCH WITHOUT WEIGHT. TOOK MY CAMPER OUT ON PARTS RUN YESTERDAY AND UNLOADED EVERYTHING IN IT. HAS TORSION SUSPENSION AND EMPTY COULD HERE IT BOUNCING AROUND ONCE IN AWHILE . (THINK ONCE YA HIT 80 AIR GETS UNDER IT ALSO ! :grin2:
 
#8 ·
I have picked up my new trailer kit and have several observations...

Now about the tires with the kit. The kit comes with 4.80x12 tires...load range B which is 780 LBS. weight. The kit weighs about 151 LBS for a total of 931 LBS. They advertise the trailer at a gross vehicle weight of 1190LBS. The way I see it is they are advertising the trailer to have a much higher capacity than the tires they supply with it are capable of handling. 259 LBS. greater to be exact. Might be some liability there should a tire blow and create an accident?


Already answered previously. Unless you plan on using the trailer as a unicycle on one wheel, the tires have more than sufficient load capacity - not an issue.

The leaf springs are now 3 leaf springs and not the 2 leaf springs formerly used. Should I remove the 2 smaller helper springs? There is no way to know the spring ratings.


If you aren't going to use the trailer anywhere near it's max rating, then removal of the "extra" springs will allow the suspension to respond to road irregularities without being too stiff and bouncing all over, and will also lower it slightly.

While bringing up Harbor Freight on my search bar I see that Harbor Freight has settled the lawsuit that UNCLEJOHN previously posted about in another thread. They will be giving refunds of 30% back to customers who purchased items there. I didn't read it, so I assume all the standard receipts must have been kept for proofs.


The 30% value is for the "amount saved" from the "sale" price vs. the "comparable value" price. If you don't have a receipt, just a credit card statement, then you can still get 10% - which for me is worth digging through old credit card statements.

Allen
The 12 inch tires are better for several reasons - easier to find replacements, lower rotational speed for longer life of both the tires and the bearings, absorbs road impacts better. Bad part is it raises the trailer more. The newer HF trailers have better grease in the wheel bearings, not as much of an issue as in the past. Still not a bad idea to flush it out and replace with quality grease if you are going to use it for any heavy hauling.
.
 
#9 ·
My Kompact Kamp has the 8" wheels and tires and I've never had any problem with them. That said, the Kompact Kamp trailer was always level when hooked to the ball. Because the new Harbor Freight has 12" wheels and tires maybe that will not be the case.


Should I go ahead and put the axle over the springs to lower it some. I can visualize the axle under the springs would push up on the springs when hitting bumps. Will those spring clamps sufficiently hold the axle and push it up also. Probably overthinking it here, but those clamps would be the weak link wouldn't they?


ssncob "If you aren't going to use the trailer anywhere near it's max rating, then removal of the "extra" springs will allow the suspension to respond to road irregularities without being too stiff and bouncing all over, and will also lower it slightly."


The trailer weighs 151 lbs. and the box according to K&W Custom Boxes will weigh 70 lbs. I haven't weighed all my gear going into the box, but it shouldn't be only about 100 lbs...maybe 125lbs.for about 320 lbs. -340 lbs. total weight. When the axle is mounted like that what holds the springs and axle centered to each other.


Allen
 
#11 ·
Still might look at putting good wheel bearings in there, even if the they actually come with grease now days. Looking at the HF adds, they were still listing 55mph max speed limit. Internet engineers always blamed this on the crappy wheel bearings. They are not that much. Do new while the races are not scarred. Maybe you can put in the new bearing and not have to pound out the races as they are not used, or scarred yet. Let them break in with the good parts. == Agree 12" tires are better.
 
#13 ·
I have owned 4 HF trailers since 1999 so far. One of them had 12" wheels and the other 3 had 8" wheels. I can't tell the difference when towing them. The 12" tires do last a little bit longer but the tire cost a little more so it might be a wash. I like the fact that the trailer sits a little lower with the 8" wheels. Of the 4 trailers I have owned 3 of them were made by a different manufacturer according to the plate on the tongue. I did replace the grease in one of them because of what I read online but the other three including the one I am pulling now I did not. I did however check the seal surface on the spindles on the one I have now. I had to dress the surface with a file and emery cloth because of welding slag stuck to the surface that would have torn up the seal. I like the trailer I have now the best because it has a welded frame instead of the bolt together type of my past ones. I also don't pay much heed to that 55mph speed limit. I have pulled this trailer over 10k miles so far and on one trip with UncleJohn we were doing 75 to 80 just about the whole way to Texas and back. I do keep a close check on the wheel temps every time I stop for gas. BTW one ounce of Dnya beads seam to help the tires last longer.
 
#14 ·
Allen,
While towing the trailer, I would stop, every once in a while, and feel around the hubs, for extra heat.. If it doesn't get hot, your ok BUT if you feel too much heat then I would replace what others above has mentioned your wheel barrings...
Keep me posted, as I love to see your finished product (I only saw the boxes in the back of your pick-em-up truck..
If yea need help putting it together, give me a call ok??? It will be hard to find time to help you out since I retired, BUT I'm sure if I tried hard enough, I could find time somewhere in my very busy schedule to help you...

Ronnie
 
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