by "shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
Published 06/27/2017 at 19:49
by "shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
Published 06/27/2017 at 19:49
Tags: Dead trailer rolling
STARS: 5
I bought this Harbor Frieght 4x8 folding trailer seven years ago for something like $209. We used it to move across town, when we moved from our last rental house into our newly purchased home. It is, for like of a better term, a janky piece of crap, but it did the job.
Every year when its license plate comes up for renewal, I debate whether or not it’s worth it to keep the trailer. But at only $18, that’s cheaper than renting a trailer even once, so I always end up doing it. Truth be told, over the years I have moved a TON of shit with this trailer.
It’s gotten progressively jankier over the years. I threw a new $16 light kit on it last year after a year where the lights didn’t work.
Well, today I found its limits. I filled it with soil and weeds (I haaaaate landscaping, but none of the landscapers I tried to hire would call me back). I knew the old tires weren’t happy about that, and since my air compressor is down I decided to head to the gas station to air them up before heading to the landscape waste dump. I cut the corner too sharp and the right side tire blew out against the broken curb.
I decided to limp back home, take off the wheel, and see if the local trailer shop had a wheel and tire that would fit. I unhitched the trailer, put the tongue on its jack, and started jacking up the side of the trailer. That’s when this happened.
The tongue beam the jack was bolted to yielded and dropped it to the ground. The trailer was officially dead.
So, I got to spend the rest of the afternoon shoveling all this.
Into the back of my truck
Here’s the aftermath.
Tomorrow I have to get the dirt to the dump, then haul the trailer to the scrap yard.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
06/27/2017 at 19:55, STARS: 0
I swear when I saw those wheels my first thought was “fuck yes! Jag post!”
"Slant6" (slant-6)
06/27/2017 at 20:00, STARS: 0
Don’t know if your state has multi year trailer plates, but in NC instead of getting an annual one for $19 a year you can pay $75 for one that lasts until the trailer changes owners.
Do you think you’ll buy another one?
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
06/27/2017 at 20:09, STARS: 0
Whoa!
I am totally out of my reckoning when it comes to this kind of cargo. How much weight do you suppose that is?
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 20:11, STARS: 0
That’d be a good deal, but we only have annual plates in IL.
I’ll get a trailer eventually if I need one regularly enough, but for now I can get by borrowing one occasionally. My buddy has a 4x8 and my dad has a 5x10. If I do get one, it won’t be another Harbor Frieght trailer.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 0
I’m not sure, but it’s a lot. The ass end of my truck is definitely squatednow. I knew I was pushing the limits of my trailer. I probably would’ve gotten away with it if the tires weren’t seven years old.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 0
Really? I’m not seeing it.
"Slant6" (slant-6)
06/27/2017 at 20:19, STARS: 0
I’m toying around with getting a small one like the harbor freight one and mounting it to the top of my truck when I’m not using it. I can’t park at school with a trailer and I have no where else to store one, yet I frequently find my self needing more cargo space and I’m not about to sell the Ranger.
Can’t imagine it being much worse than this:
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 20:24, STARS: 0
I don’t know man, they’re pretty freaking heavy. That seems like a really bad idea, if I’m honest.
"Slant6" (slant-6)
06/27/2017 at 20:26, STARS: 1
Maybe I can just put wheels and a hitch on the canoe.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 20:26, STARS: 0
There you go!
"Slant6" (slant-6)
06/27/2017 at 20:30, STARS: 0
Might just be time for a bigger truck. Sucks because the Ranger is perfect 70% of the time. I could be overusing my small truck or under using a larger truck.
"littleBenny" (zsssssssssssa)
06/27/2017 at 20:39, STARS: 3
Dude, mulch is like 1000lbs/cubic yard, and dirt is around 2000 lbs. Youve got to have around 2 yards there!
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/27/2017 at 20:40, STARS: 0
I see a perfectly good shop/garage in that picture. Why replace when you could just unbolt that janky half-assed C “channel” stuff and replace it with some proper rectangular tubing. You could also upgrade the platform. The construction is so simple that you could easily pimp that thing out and make it last forever.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
06/27/2017 at 20:46, STARS: 0
I was looking at these trailers. I’ve read that with a little bit of reinforcing they can be stout as well as cheap.
"BigBlock440" (440-4bbl)
06/27/2017 at 20:48, STARS: 1
That’s got to be way over the 1k lb weight limit, holy crap. Better than my adventures with a harbor freight trailer two weeks ago, the whole adventure ended with a 1,000 lb lawnmower in my trunk. Oh well, better to find out your idea is dumb in the comfort of your own driveway.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 21:57, STARS: 0
Oh wow. I guess I should’ve looked that up.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/27/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 0
That sucks- you worked your ass off today.
RIP Harbor Freight Trailer
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 22:40, STARS: 0
That’s a tough call. How difficult is parking where you are?
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 0
Yep. I done killed it. I didn’t realize dirt was that heavy. Oh well, I got my money’s worth.
You’re right, it was way easier being my own driveway.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 22:45, STARS: 0
The rest of the frame is twisted. I took the VIN plate off this one, so I may well make a homemade trailer and just stick this VIN plate on it and use the same license plate.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 22:50, STARS: 2
I would strongly recommend getting the non-folding version if you do. It was ... floppy ... for lack of a better term. Anyways, there’s no denying the fact that I overloaded this trailer and that’s how it died. It was janky, but I hauled a Ron of stuff with it over the years.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 22:51, STARS: 1
Yeah, it was a shitty day. At least the temperature wasn’t too hot.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/27/2017 at 23:00, STARS: 0
Very true. Hope your back is feeling good after that!
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 1
My back is fine. My shoulders aren’t feeling so hot, but I’ve got ibuprofen to help.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
06/27/2017 at 23:04, STARS: 1
That works. My back is bothering me, so that’s what came to mind.
Sounds like you got it done at least-
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/27/2017 at 23:06, STARS: 1
I did. Soooo much shoveling!
"XJDano" (xjdano)
06/27/2017 at 23:17, STARS: 0
Craigslust that and someone will come get it.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/28/2017 at 07:20, STARS: 0
I actually did that last night before I came to bed. I put it at the curb.
I have a title for it, but I drilled the vin plate off and kept it. I’m thinking of making a homebuilt trailer, sticking that ID plate on it and using the license plate I already have.
"XJDano" (xjdano)
06/28/2017 at 07:50, STARS: 0
Did you remove the jack? If it works might as well keep it.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/28/2017 at 08:19, STARS: 0
I did keep the jack. I was tempted to keep the lights that I put in last year, but was too lazy to do it. The trailer is already gone.
"XJDano" (xjdano)
06/28/2017 at 08:52, STARS: 0
Craigslist vultures.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/28/2017 at 12:49, STARS: 0
Possibly, but it was also garbage night last night, so it could’ve been one of the local scrapers who was trolling the neighborhood.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
07/06/2017 at 15:32, STARS: 0
NOOOOOOOOO! I was going to ask to borrow it too. *cries*
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
07/06/2017 at 16:04, STARS: 1
I may be picking up another one tonight for $20. It has no title, but I kept the vin plate from the old one, sooooooo .....
I’ll let you know if I do.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
07/06/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 1
VIN washing cheap Harbor Freight trailers, I LOVE IT!
Thanks (if you do get it)! :)
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
07/06/2017 at 16:16, STARS: 1
The $20 one is a home built job. It’s a little smaller than the old HF one, but close enough!
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
07/06/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 0
Even better! Blah I wish I would have taken you up on your offer sooner!
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
07/06/2017 at 16:22, STARS: 0
Yeah, talk about lousy timing. I helped a friend move with it about a month ago, and between then and now I killed it dead.