Harbor Freight Trailers

[Kokanee Man]

Hi All,

Where I live there are virtually no jon trailers on the market. People buy and sell junk for prices you wouldn't believe.

Wondering if anyone has tried this Harbor Freight trailer? I've watched the videos on youtube and it seems good enough for the ten miles I have to get to the river.

https://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-capacity-boat-trailer-with-8-inch-wheels-and-tires-5002.html

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Keith

 

[bobberboy]

I bought one for a 1236 and it was fine. Not so sure it's long enough for a 14 footer. I plan to get another soon and make it into a two kayak hauler. Yes, it should be fine to haul a boat 10 miles.

 

[DaleH]

On the videos I watched 2 things were apparent - assemble slow & carefully do that everything fits square and to re-pack the bearings. I'm deciding whether to spring for one to hold a 12' skiff, 2X trips per year - in & out, but 40-miles each way.

 

[richg99]

They get pretty good reviews around TX. Many have been converted to hold kayaks and other small boats.

Since you are nowhere near salt water, I don't think you will be sorry.

You can look at Northern Tool, too, for comparison purposes.

richg99

 

[-CN-]

I have experience now with 3 different Harbor Freight trailers. I use these as small and lightweight options for hauling motorcycles with my mid-size car.
For the price, these really can't be beat. You have to know the weak points of them beforehand though, otherwise they won't last or you will be wanting to rebuild it in a few years. Here's what I've learned about them now after two different sized motorcycle trailer builds, and now the boat trailer:

-First thing would be to buy a bagful of 3/8 stainless steel washers. The hardware packs in the Harbor Freight kits do not come with washers - the instructions want you to use just the nuts and the bolts.
-For me, personally, I took an inventory of all of the hardware that comes with the kit, and went and got stainless steel nuts and bolts. The zinc ones that came with my first motorcycle trailer rusted after 2 years, and the rust spread onto the framing rails.
-With that said, I'm not a fan of the paint. First off, the red is just not a good color for anything I'm going to be towing around, especially a brown or green natural colored boat. Also, the stock paint fades quickly to pink, and rust penetrates it easily as well. Get a rust-inhibiting primer and a spray paint of your choice and paint all of the pieces before you put it together. Save a half a can for touch-up because you'll likely scratch it during assembly. I like the "hammered" Rustoleum paints for the finish I'm going for.
-Optional: pull the 8 inch wheels out of the kit and take them to a Harbor Freight store with your invoice, and get a store credit for them (they stock the wheels in the stores). Then buy the 12 inch wheels with the 4-bolt pattern. They will mount right up. DISCLAIMER: My nearest Harbor Freight store allowed me to do the wheel exchange. I called ahead and asked. Yours may not.
-Repack the bearings before use. Chinese manufacturers kind of skimp on grease.
-Optional: don't bother with the stock light kit. Get an LED kit - NOT from Harbor Freight, though, as their LED kits are not submersible.

I just finished mine for my 1442 jon boat. The HF trailer is on the short side for a 14 ft boat, but I moved the front post forward to within 24 inches of the car, and it looks no more undersized than quite a few others I've seen. I just extended the bunks off the back (used 2x4 by 8 ft. composite lumber for the bunks rather than the 3 ft supplied pieces). The bunks hang over the back 36 inches cause I like the bunks to go all the way to the back of the boat. I added a winch, but am still messing with getting it mounted in the right spot so the handle doesn't hit the boat as the boat approaches to within a few inches of the bumper. If it was a v-nose it would be a much easier task. It was a fun project building the Harbor Freight trailer. I knew anything I got I would have to/want to modify to fit my boat anyway. So I just built it to suit from the start.

I will start a build thread for my trailer in the next few days.

Cliff notes:
Assure you are using stainless steel hardware, and supply your own washers.
Prime and paint before assembly.
Swap out 8 inch wheels for 12 inch wheels if you're so inclined.
Repack wheel bearings before use.
Improvise everything along the way.
Enjoy an inexpensive trailer that you've built yourself!

 

[richg99]

Very well done. Great post with lots of good info. I especially like re-painting everything before assembly. Isn't it amazing how many items out of China are sent to be assembled .....and no one ever heard of lock washers???????

My only comment concerns your use of composite lumber for extending the bunks. I know that lots of things have happened in the manufacture of composite lumber in the last few years. For a while, I believe that it was the TREX brand that was under fire for issues. Some of those issues had to do with having to add additional support for each run, as composite lumber never had the same rigidity as real lumber.

So, even though we all know that a tinny boat doesn't have a lot of weight, when it is hung out on the longer bunks...are the bunks as strong as needed?

You know your boat better than anyone, and everything you detailed above sounds very professional. Just wanted to bring this one up and see what you think.

regards, and welcome aboard. richg99

 

[-CN-]

My only comment concerns your use of composite lumber for extending the bunks. I know that lots of things have happened in the manufacture of composite lumber in the last few years. For a while, I believe that it was the TREX brand that was under fire for issues. Some of those issues had to do with having to add additional support for each run, as composite lumber never had the same rigidity as real lumber.

So, even though we all know that a tinny boat doesn't have a lot of weight, when it is hung out on the longer bunks...are the bunks as strong as needed?

Thanks for the excellent point, Rich. With all the reading I was doing on here about what to put on your bunks, ranging from PVC, to composite covers, to carpet, I came across the composite 2x4s for a steal and thought they would be slick and hold up forever. I see your concern after taking a second look. They are quite flexible and I think they just might get flexed into a position that permanently distorts them and then I'll be out of square.

I'm picking up two regular 2x4s today for the bunks and I am going to re-purpose the composite board for the framing under my boat decks.

 

[Kokanee Man]

Awesome posts everyone thanks. Having now bought and assembled the trailer, I would say that all posts are right on the mark. My .02 is to prepare yourself to take some time. I personally found the instructions more difficult than most--the mechanical drawings are so small it was difficult to read even with bi-focals.

Definitely run electrical wire before assembly. An old ethernet chord made an excellent "snake" to get the wire from point to point. If you don't own a good ratchet set, this project alone makes buying one worth it.

Lastly, and my dumbest mistake. Don't [-X expect the running lights on the trailer to work unless you shift your truck into drive. hahah That caused an hour of troubleshooting everything from the wiring to the bulb to the splice connector.

 

[richg99]

"unless you shift your truck into drive." Hmmmm never heard of that, and I've had a lot of trailers. I always see my trailer lights showing on, in my rear-view mirror, before I pull out of the driveway. What kind of truck do you have?

richg99

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

If the lights are on on the tow vehicle the lights should be on on the trailer. Something is not right

 

[richg99]

Perhaps one of these would help???

I have read that, sometimes, imported trailers come with "non-normal" wiring setups.

richg99

https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Light-Inline-Circuit-Tester/dp/B003EEV4HW/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439480516&sr=8-4&keywords=trailer+light+connector+tester

 

[nguye569]

Perhaps one of these would help???

I have read that, sometimes, imported trailers come with "non-normal" wiring setups.

richg99

https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Light-Inline-Circuit-Tester/dp/B003EEV4HW/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439480516&sr=8-4&keywords=trailer+light+connector+tester

You can pick up one of those light testers at Menards for about 6 bucks. worth every penny, especially if you have older cars and want to make sure electrical harnesses work properly before spending hours ripping apart trailer lighting that works fine.

 

[-CN-]

That's a truck wiring issue it sounds like. If your truck tail lights don't come on unless you're in gear then it makes sense that trailer lighting would do the same.

 

[richg99]

Last answer may be the best answer. I never owned a truck. Lots of surburbans and vans...but no trucks.

richg99

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Hitch the trailer to a different tow vehicle and hitch a different trailer to your tow vehicle.

 

[Kokanee Man]

Have a Nissan Frontier with a round seven prong. Maybe it's the adapter which I had left over from a trailer I rented at U-haul.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Maybe but it's hard to think of a circuit that would turn on when you put the truck in gear.