Harbor Freight Trailer any good?

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JIMMYTHEFISH

Active member
Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Location
Winchester CA
Has anybody used this small trailer available at Harbor Freight? I have a 14 foor Tracker Topper. I cant see spending more money on a trailer than the actual boat. I do hit the San Diego Bay from time to time so it will see saltwater. I see it comes with 8 inch tires, can those even hit 55 MPH on the freeway safely? Looks pretty tempting at $399.
 

Attachments

  • 12541_lg.jpg
    12541_lg.jpg
    8.9 KB
You will find several threads on the forum discussing these trailers and people's opinions. It sounds like the will do the job but are not ideal.

In my part of the country, fall is a good time to pickup a used trailer. Check Craigslist. I would probably get a welded used one, even if it needed some minor work on it. I managed to get a galvanized used trailer for $250 and I put $100 into it to fix it up. I had to watch Craigslist for several months to find it.

I didn't think I was ever going to find what I wanted but one day there it was. I must have call the phone number every 10 minutes until I got an answer.
 
I purchased mine last year and have no complaints. The bunk boards could be longer, which I plan on fixing soon, before spring. I did have a hard time getting it registered here in Indiana, though. I contacted Harbor Freight twice asking for a title and a document proving purchase since Indiana wouldn't accept the receipt printed at home after ondering online. Luckily there is a Harbor Freight store nearby. I talked to the manager, told him my problem, and he hooked me up with some paperwork! With that being said, it is a decent little trailer for the price and pulls my 12' Alumacraft around without a problem! Good luck!
 
Just keep an eye out on Craigslist and put a wanted add up as well found my load rite gal trailer on cl for a 125 bucks. And need no work I just replace the wheel bearing.
 
i have one that came with my boat it pulls good but i dont like the way it loads an unlaods in the water. i have to pull the rear of my truck in the water to get the boat to float up off the bunks. i would go with craigslist and find a better trailer good luck
 
nlester said:
Most 8" tires are rated for 45 mph.
I regularly go 65 mph with mine and it seems ok. Most trailer manufacturers recommend lower speeds to cover their butts. It all comes down to the driver. If it seems unsafe, it probably is.
 
DyerBassman said:
nlester said:
Most 8" tires are rated for 45 mph.
I regularly go 65 mph with mine and it seems ok. Most trailer manufacturers recommend lower speeds to cover their butts. It all comes down to the driver. If it seems unsafe, it probably is.
I agree that most things that have limits/tolerance levels have a bit of a safety margin added in but I doubt that they allowed for a 45% margin of error. I put some brand new S rated tires to the test on my camaro once and one came unwound like a cheap retread. And I only exceeded the rating by about 25%. Lucky for me, I had already started slowing down when the tire let go. :shock:
 

Latest posts

Top