DIY yak trailer- harbor freight???

HI All,

I'd love a yakima rack and roll but they are too damn expensive.

I'm currently looking at the Harbor freight foldable trailer:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1195-lb-capacity-48-inch-x-96-inch-heavy-duty-foldable-utility-trailer-with-12-inch-wheels-90154.html

Does anyone have actual  experience with it? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
 I'm quite cautious of HF's quality especially on a trailer....
Thanks!
Ben

There is a ton of info on these at a forum called teardrops and tiny trailers. Go check them out.

I used the smaller trailer:  https://tinyurl.com/3x7dus3  for a kayak trailer, put an extended piece of square tubing iron on the tongue to allow for the long kayak.  Worked well for two kayaks and a small cargo box for paddles, etc. 

The one you show is much larger and it doesn't fold up like in the picture unless you remove all any wood or attachments.  I had one for a cargo trailer, works OK for that but takes up alot of room in the garage or backyard.

HI All,

I'd love a yakima rack and roll but they are too damn expensive.

I'm currently looking at the Harbor freight foldable trailer:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1195-lb-capacity-48-inch-x-96-inch-heavy-duty-foldable-utility-trailer-with-12-inch-wheels-90154.html

Does anyone have actual  experience with it? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
 I'm quite cautious of HF's quality especially on a trailer....
Thanks!
Ben

.

If I didn't already have a Snow Bear Utility trailer, I would seriously consider one of these. They would be very easy to customize. The one I would never consider is the Rack and Roll (or any kayak specific trailer). It is ridiculously over-priced.

I picked up a HF 4'x8' trailer and assembled it before I picked up my Tandem Island in 2011. I modified it to accommodate and the unique hull and amas. Recently Insayn graciously welded on a 4' tongue extension which greatly improved weight distribution and handling. Happy to share photos and details if you're interested.

What are you planning to haul?

Thanks for the responses!
I'm planning on hauling an addy, and some bikes.
I like the idea of have a trailer that could fold and not take up so much room, but would need to modify to fit the addy...

It seems some like the HF version that does not fold- your experience is appreciated!
Thanks again,
ben

Some great suggestions above.  I have the Harbor Freight HD trailer - set it up for hauling several kayaks and camping gear.  I've been pretty happy with it.  I did customize with a longer tongue, tool box, plywood sides, and I re-painted to avoid the pink color when the red fades.  Also, the bearings should be re-packed with actual axle grease before use. 

In three years, many trips, including Florence, KFalls, Astoria, Sisters, Nehalem, PC, Depoe Bay, PC, Mt Hood, etc.  Has held up quite well, hauling my Oasis and a couple sit inside kayaks.



-Sam

I modified the smallest HF trailer and it is my primary kayak hauler now. There is a lot of valuable info online about mod'ing these trailers - read up! The #1 most important part is that you absolutely must completely strip the bearings of any "grease" from the factory and re-pack with good grease. And as with any trailer, check your bearings and weld points frequently.

Post pictures!

Oh yeah and if I had it to do over again I'd have gone with the kit that has the 10" wheels, instead of the 8" wheels I ended up with. I'm going to replace them eventually. They've worked fine and with good grease I've had no heat problems even at highway speeds for extended periods, BUT I'd just prefer the larger wheels for peace of mind.

Oh yeah and if I had it to do over again I'd have gone with the kit that has the 10" wheels, instead of the 8" wheels I ended up with. I'm going to replace them eventually. They've worked fine and with good grease I've had no heat problems even at highway speeds for extended periods, BUT I'd just prefer the larger wheels for peace of mind.

Thanks, I was going to ask about the small wheels on these trailers at highway speeds.  Even 12" wheels sound small.  And good tip on repacking the bearings with good grease.

Mine has the 12" wheels and I built the "cradle" with 4x4's, plastic lattice and screws as shown. I used a large pool noodle with a rod as a "roller" to support the yak when I load it from the water. I've replaced the lattice twice in 4 years and added a 2x6 center support and it's still working fine.

There are often used boat trailers on Craigslist. Today I saw a couple in the $300 range that looked decent in the pictures. That doesn't give you the rectangular platform to start with, but some may be worth modifying.