Which trailer would you save?

"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
07/05/2017 at 17:00 • Filed to: trailer, project, wrenching

Here we have two light-duty trailers, neither of them road-worthy. They need roughly the same amount of work (a lot). Which would you go with?

Both are in pretty bad shape, with little to offer except having solid frames. Both need tires , lights , tongue jacks , and I wouldn’t be surprised if the wheel bearings could use re-packing/replacement. Both are single-axle, no brakes of course.

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First, we have this early ’70s Apache pop-up trailer. It was gutted due to rodent/bee infestations after years of disuse, with the intention of converting into an open flat cargo trailer. Because of the aluminum walls, the only access is from over the top, or the side where the little half-door was ripped off during the gutting process (the door’s still around, and could probably be reattached with little trouble). The (intact) aluminum cap is still around too, although I’m not sure whether there’s much point in using it in the trailer’s new context.

The floor is about 6' (over the wheels) x 12' long, surrounded by the pop-up’s tub-like walls. The wheels are itty-bitty 10"ers (20x8.00-10), and there’s a little plaque that claims a load capacity of 1500 lbs. The trailer has been pre-wired to accept new lights.

Oh, and speaking of those tires, that tire size looks to be one heck of an oddball. A quick Google search suggests that it’s only used for things like lawn tractors anymore. What are the chances of finding something suitable for highway speed?

20x8.00-10, 4-lug

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Then there’s this little cargo trailer. No brand, no labels, no stated weight rating. It has a serviceable steel-framed box that could maybe use some new paneling (box is just shy of 5' tall). The removable steel-framed rear door (not pictured) doubles as a fold-down ramp.

The floor measures 4' (between the wheels) x 8' long. Tires are 195/75-14". Wiring for the lights is completely shot, and will have to be re-done. The tongue jack you see here still needs replacement, as it is totally seized up. (Despite an overnight soak in penetrating oil, some back-and-forth hammering resulted in the top of the shaft just twisting right off.)

Oddly, instead of having center dust caps to access the bearings, the axle looks like it might have sealed hub/bearing assemblies, like the spindle-less ones you would find on the rear of a FWD car. Re-packing bearings is usually simple and cheap maintenance, but this... this is a weird thing to see on a trailer.

Free scrap!

195/75-14, 5-lug

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After typing this all out, I find myself leaning towards the little one, mostly because of the easy-to-find tire size. But the Apache has more than double the floor area! Decisions, decisions...

DISCUSSION (17)

benjrblant > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:05

Doesn’t the Apache trailer have almost no frame? just some stamped or folded sheet metal? Most of the Apache trailer builds I’ve seen consist of keeping the body and little else. Good for camping, not so great for carrying any weight.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:07

Wheel swap the Apache.

www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200330197_200330197

As a side note, my dad actually has one of them salted away in need of a redo.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:12

I’d go with the smaller one due to the more robust construction and more common wheel size, plus the fact that it should handle a lot more weight.

Chariotoflove > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:16

Kinda depends on what you want to haul with it. I’d lean toward the Apache because it seems the more versatile of the two space wise. But I’m not really feeling either of them. Seems it would be easier and maybe cheaper to get one that works on Craigslist (though I have no data whatsoever to back up that assertion).

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:23

The Apache probably began life more road worthy than the other one did.

The little one is large enough , IMHO, since it could accommodate 4x8 plywood. It might be interesting to see how many two-by-fours it would take to add up to 1500 pounds.

Another consideration: what will be the tow vehicle? The little four-by-eight might be more appropriate. An axle ought to be readily available and even Zoidberg’s dog could probably do the wiring...

Parking does not appear to be an issue...

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:25

Apache, Jump On It!

Urambo Tauro > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
07/05/2017 at 17:36

That... that might work. Sure, they’re a different size, but at least they’d still fit in the wheel wells.

Urambo Tauro > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/05/2017 at 17:38

Tow vehicle could be anything between my perfectly-capable C2500, or possibly my sister’s V6 Explorer. (Of course, selling is always an option, too.)

Urambo Tauro > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
07/05/2017 at 17:38

Yeah, that’s my first instinct here, too.

Urambo Tauro > Chariotoflove
07/05/2017 at 17:38

No goals as of yet, just trying to see which would be a better value between the amount of work/money invested, and the trailer’s usefulness afterward. I’m not even in need of a trailer, but these are wasting away, and I’d like to save at least one of them from going to the scrapyard.

facw > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 17:52

Second one seems like it would be more useful if restored. The first is always going to suffer from being designed for something entirely else.

Chariotoflove > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 19:21

Agreed. The moment you don’t have one is when you’ll need one.

Wacko > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 20:59

Cargo all the way, when you are not using it you can store things in it.

I have a 6x10 cargo with a rear ramp door.. In the winter I store my patio set, my riding lawn mower and the kids bikes.

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > Urambo Tauro
07/05/2017 at 21:27

Probably better to go find a decent driving U-body GM or Caravan for less than what it will take to make either of those usable at any sustained road speed. Old minivans are practically the free TV of the automotive world, and have lots of room for activities.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro
07/06/2017 at 09:34

I’d go with the 4x8 cargo trailer. It’ll be much more useful when done. You can get a complete lighting kit from Harbor Frieght for $16 if you have one of their coupons (I just google “Harbor Frieght coupon” on my phone when I’m in line).

I think my buddy and I are going to sell that Apache we bought earlier this year. We keep finding more stuff wrong from the PO’s “restoration” and don’t really want to throw anymore good money after bad.

Also, I’d post the Apache for parts on the Apache forums. Someone could probably use them.

Urambo Tauro > shop-teacher
07/06/2017 at 10:49

Yeah, I’m thinking ~$20 for lights, maybe another $30 for the jack. Tires would be the most expensive thing, but all together I’m pretty sure I can keep it under $200. I’ll check my recent HF flyer.

Is there really a market for the large body panels? I’m afraid there’s not much left parts-wise on the Apache. I’ll have to take a closer look to see if anything got dented during the not-so-gentle gutting process.

shop-teacher > Urambo Tauro
07/06/2017 at 12:22

It’s not a big market, no. But it’d be a shame to see them get scrapped. There are a bunch of people who are way into Apaches. Iwould personally offer them for free, just so they went to a good home.

If you still have a title for the Apache, you could probably sell that frame and title for a C-note, and make fixing the other one up nearly free.