Posted: 4/23/2013 8:20:24 PM EDT
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I am shopping for a small utility trailer to tow behind my 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab. I came accross this Trailer at Lowes and it seems to fill the need. My only question is the tire size. Im a little concerned about the 12" tires at highway speeds. Im wondering If I cut the fenders off if I could fit 15" tires on it. Let me know your thoughts.
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Take a look at the frame.
A lot of the trailers sold by non specialized retail outlets are crap of lower quality compared to what you will see at SOME trailer sales yards. Look carefully before you spend hard earned money. Trailers worth buying have sturdy heavier gage and larger dimension steel tongues for example. Saw some in a retailer Sunday and was surprised how flimsy the tongue area of the frames are. Also, change the bearings to SKF or Timken or other non-Chinese bearing. Chinese bearings will get the job done -and do, but you will travel with more confidence with quality bearings. Another thing to do is invest in at least one spare hub ready to install on the road. Feel your hubs and if there is a significant temperature difference between the others, swap it out. Be sure to monitor endplay of your bearings on a trip by detecting maladjustment by pushing with your foot against the tire. If loose, it only takes a moment to jack up and readjust. Tools you'll need are a jack, I carry a 5 ton hydraulic, but a medium mechanical or hydraulic scissors jack will do, base plate to set the jack on, Mobil 1 grease to repack bearings, seal puller, socket for the axle nut if it's recessed, cotter pins or nut lock plates depending on the axle rating, hand cleaner spray degreaser, vice grips, hammer, channel locks, spare bearings and seals. To remove outer races you will need some punches, a seal driver to replace seals, a race driver to reinstall outer races, a file, a diamond stone for smoothing areas that get roughed up and some other stuff. All can be purchased on ebay for good $$$. Above all, don't let lazyness, carelessness, or gethomeitess, cause you to neglect a failing bearing that may seize up and ruin your axle, rendering your trailer unusable in the short term. If you buy a trailer for weekend work, most any will do and knowledge required isn't any more necessary than the average Joe in your neighborhood. For BO, it's a little different. Add to that knowing what you're doing instead of being a trailer puller who likes to tow at high speed, swerving around traffic like a retard, having no understanding what the wheels are spinning around, is helpful. |
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As far as tires, most trailers come w/ Carlisle or some Chinese no-name brands.
I get better results with Goodyear Marathons from China and sold at WalMart all over the country at great prices. I've had harrowing events and the Marathons saved us from a likely rollover. [Pls search for the thread abt losing an axle] I like 15 inch tires but on the little trailer posted in the OP, IMO there's not much reason to change them that I can see except for the bling factor, since they are way overkill for the capability of the trailer. |
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I've pondered the same idea, but rejected the open trailer as impossible to secure and too conspicuous. My thoughts: Small enclosed trailer with some suspension upgrades for mild off road use. Best bought used and rough looking, and preferably with some logo on it like "Chico's Pool Service" or similar "nothing inside worth stealing" kinds of markings. Load with bugout goodies and store the loaded trailer in a storage unit that does not have a fenced perimeter. Bug out day comes, roll in, hitch up, and hit the road. Just my .02  |
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I've pondered the same idea, but rejected the open trailer as impossible to secure and too conspicuous. My thoughts: Small enclosed trailer with some suspension upgrades for mild off road use. Best bought used and rough looking, and preferably with some logo on it like "Chico's Pool Service" or similar "nothing inside worth stealing" kinds of markings. Load with bugout goodies and store the loaded trailer in a storage unit that does not have a fenced perimeter. Bug out day comes, roll in, hitch up, and hit the road. Just my .02
Not a bad idea! |
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My Dad built a few small trailers, he always complained about getting the axles squared up right, maybe there's a trick to it you can share with us.
The other issue would be the quality of the welding. Are you good enough to stake hauling around 1500lbs of cargo at 70 mph on a hitch that you welded. Some folks can, some folks can't. And if I was going to build one, I'd make it just long enough that I could crawl in the back and sleep in there if I had too, nevermind you built it to haul gas, water, food, guns, etc. If the chips are down, a dry box and a sleeping bag would be handy. Even if you went with an open bed, being able to set a small tent or something on top to get you off the ground and sheltered might save your ass in a pinch. |
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Ditto on the non-Chinese bearings. Years ago, I bought a water pump with chinese bearings, and they lasted 6,000 miles.
. . Also, change the bearings to SKF or Timken or other non-Chinese bearing. Chinese bearings will get the job done -and do, but you will travel with more confidence with quality bearings. . . |
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Quoted:
My Dad built a few small trailers, he always complained about getting the axles squared up right, maybe there's a trick to it you can share with us. The other issue would be the quality of the welding. Are you good enough to stake hauling around 1500lbs of cargo at 70 mph on a hitch that you welded. Some folks can, some folks can't. And if I was going to build one, I'd make it just long enough that I could crawl in the back and sleep in there if I had too, nevermind you built it to haul gas, water, food, guns, etc. If the chips are down, a dry box and a sleeping bag would be handy. Even if you went with an open bed, being able to set a small tent or something on top to get you off the ground and sheltered might save your ass in a pinch. Mine wasn't too hard to build. Just taking your time on the bottom part of the frame and making sure it is square is key. That way you have a good reference for dimensioning the rest. It's way easier to tack, measure and adjust if needed instead of laying a huge bead, cutting, grinding and starting over. I plan on modifying it a little bit this summer with some Jerry Can mounts on the tongue and my HiLift on the side. I probably should have made it a bit bigger but the 5' x 3" is fairly big. It has hauled my camping stuff across country numerous times and pulls straight down the interstate at 80+ mph without issue. I can always sleep in the Jeep as I've done before. Looking into getting a 4-door jeep nowadays too... The nice part is that it uses the same sized tires as my Jeep so I always have a spare. If I get a flat just swap it out. If I get a second flat I can pillage and ditch the trailer and have a full running jeep with new spare on the back. When I get a fourth flat is when I start running into problems. |
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My Dad built a few small trailers, he always complained about getting the axles squared up right, maybe there's a trick to it you can share with us. The other issue would be the quality of the welding. Are you good enough to stake hauling around 1500lbs of cargo at 70 mph on a hitch that you welded. Some folks can, some folks can't. And if I was going to build one, I'd make it just long enough that I could crawl in the back and sleep in there if I had too, nevermind you built it to haul gas, water, food, guns, etc. If the chips are down, a dry box and a sleeping bag would be handy. Even if you went with an open bed, being able to set a small tent or something on top to get you off the ground and sheltered might save your ass in a pinch. When I replaced the axles on the tandem cargo that one of the axles broke loose, I used some Harbor Freight lasers on stands on each side. Squared the beams up and they made a good reference to align to. |
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M101A3 http://armytrucksinc.com/wp-content/gallery/inventory/7.%20MILITARY%20TRACTOR%20TRAILERS/111_2.jpg http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/images/productimages/med/IMG_1818.JPG Might be a bit bigger than you want, but it's the shit and you won't break it. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE MINE!!!! Got it from an awesome guy, too! |
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Quoted:
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My Dad built a few small trailers, he always complained about getting the axles squared up right, maybe there's a trick to it you can share with us. The other issue would be the quality of the welding. Are you good enough to stake hauling around 1500lbs of cargo at 70 mph on a hitch that you welded. Some folks can, some folks can't. And if I was going to build one, I'd make it just long enough that I could crawl in the back and sleep in there if I had too, nevermind you built it to haul gas, water, food, guns, etc. If the chips are down, a dry box and a sleeping bag would be handy. Even if you went with an open bed, being able to set a small tent or something on top to get you off the ground and sheltered might save your ass in a pinch. Mine wasn't too hard to build. Just taking your time on the bottom part of the frame and making sure it is square is key. That way you have a good reference for dimensioning the rest. It's way easier to tack, measure and adjust if needed instead of laying a huge bead, cutting, grinding and starting over. I plan on modifying it a little bit this summer with some Jerry Can mounts on the tongue and my HiLift on the side. I probably should have made it a bit bigger but the 5' x 3" is fairly big. It has hauled my camping stuff across country numerous times and pulls straight down the interstate at 80+ mph without issue. I can always sleep in the Jeep as I've done before. Looking into getting a 4-door jeep nowadays too... The nice part is that it uses the same sized tires as my Jeep so I always have a spare. If I get a flat just swap it out. If I get a second flat I can pillage and ditch the trailer and have a full running jeep with new spare on the back. When I get a fourth flat is when I start running into problems. Going to hijack the thread for a minute. lips3341 what did you use for the axle on the trailer. I am gathering material for one just like yours. I have several home and farm stores near me. Both have well stocked isles with trailer build parts and axles for building your own utility. What size axle did you use for yours and did you just center it under the trailer cargo area. |
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M101A3 http://armytrucksinc.com/wp-content/gallery/inventory/7.%20MILITARY%20TRACTOR%20TRAILERS/111_2.jpg http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/images/productimages/med/IMG_1818.JPG Might be a bit bigger than you want, but it's the shit and you won't break it. The A2 is cheaper, sits lower and will fit behind a pickup a little better. I bought one for $600 bucks and the thing is an animal. I've had over 2000 lbs in without any issues. |
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If the trailer comes with 12" wheels the hubs likely aren't built to handle the weight of 15" wheels. Right, and for this very reason and to protect folks from their own potential liability, the smaller axle stubs won't accept the standard bearings for hubs used with higher rated wheels and tires. There's a reason for all this.... |
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As far as finding good axle assemblies, I'd suggest looking for Quality Trailer and Dexter brands.
One of the brands has been acquired and renamed. There's a good outfit west of Kansas City that sells trailer parts. As far as H-F, Northern Tool... [gag, I installed 3 of their hubs [incl brakes on 2] last year and ALL the bearings failed on a LONG trip, -fortunately I carry all the tools and pay attention and changed each one along the road. And, to make matters worse, 2 tires [they were old to be fair] failed as well. Being prepared this didn't slow me down much] ...and T-S, and the retail outlets, they are selling the minimum stuff that is legal to sell. I wouldn't go there to build something I wanted to depend on unless my objectives were not high. Another thing regarding towing speeds, a lot of folks like to think they are a TRAILER TOWING RAMBO and get off at towing at top+ plus highway speeds. Risk management and all that. Rotsa Ruck to them and their stupidity. 
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Quoted: Well, my A3 was only $380, completely rebuilt with brand new tires, rails and a cover. mwahahaha!Quoted: M101A3 http://armytrucksinc.com/wp-content/gallery/inventory/7.%20MILITARY%20TRACTOR%20TRAILERS/111_2.jpg http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/images/productimages/med/IMG_1818.JPG Might be a bit bigger than you want, but it's the shit and you won't break it. The A2 is cheaper, sits lower and will fit behind a pickup a little better. I bought one for $600 bucks and the thing is an animal. I've had over 2000 lbs in without any issues. Plus it has better ground clearance and run flat tires. Larger frame rails and payload. |
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Quoted: How is that trailer doing?Quoted: M101A3 http://armytrucksinc.com/wp-content/gallery/inventory/7.%20MILITARY%20TRACTOR%20TRAILERS/111_2.jpg http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/images/productimages/med/IMG_1818.JPG Might be a bit bigger than you want, but it's the shit and you won't break it. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE MINE!!!! Got it from an awesome guy, too! |
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How is that trailer doing?
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M101A3 http://armytrucksinc.com/wp-content/gallery/inventory/7.%20MILITARY%20TRACTOR%20TRAILERS/111_2.jpg http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/images/productimages/med/IMG_1818.JPG Might be a bit bigger than you want, but it's the shit and you won't break it. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE MINE!!!! Got it from an awesome guy, too! Outstanding. Currently sitting in the driveway with half a load of mulch. I converted it to dump, put variable led hummer lights on it and wired in a 7 pin Rv plug. |
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http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/Trailer04.png http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/Trailer08.png I feel like with the pivot point that high on the pintle that if you hit something head on the whole trailer is just going to a front flip right on to your roof. |
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My Dad built a few small trailers, he always complained about getting the axles squared up right, maybe there's a trick to it you can share with us. The other issue would be the quality of the welding. Are you good enough to stake hauling around 1500lbs of cargo at 70 mph on a hitch that you welded. Some folks can, some folks can't. And if I was going to build one, I'd make it just long enough that I could crawl in the back and sleep in there if I had too, nevermind you built it to haul gas, water, food, guns, etc. If the chips are down, a dry box and a sleeping bag would be handy. Even if you went with an open bed, being able to set a small tent or something on top to get you off the ground and sheltered might save your ass in a pinch. Mine wasn't too hard to build. Just taking your time on the bottom part of the frame and making sure it is square is key. That way you have a good reference for dimensioning the rest. It's way easier to tack, measure and adjust if needed instead of laying a huge bead, cutting, grinding and starting over. I plan on modifying it a little bit this summer with some Jerry Can mounts on the tongue and my HiLift on the side. I probably should have made it a bit bigger but the 5' x 3" is fairly big. It has hauled my camping stuff across country numerous times and pulls straight down the interstate at 80+ mph without issue. I can always sleep in the Jeep as I've done before. Looking into getting a 4-door jeep nowadays too... The nice part is that it uses the same sized tires as my Jeep so I always have a spare. If I get a flat just swap it out. If I get a second flat I can pillage and ditch the trailer and have a full running jeep with new spare on the back. When I get a fourth flat is when I start running into problems. Going to hijack the thread for a minute. lips3341 what did you use for the axle on the trailer. I am gathering material for one just like yours. I have several home and farm stores near me. Both have well stocked isles with trailer build parts and axles for building your own utility. What size axle did you use for yours and did you just center it under the trailer cargo area. I custom ordered mine from some guy in the south - a place called ABC Trailer Parts (http://abctrailerparts.com/) and they were awesome. The whole kits comes with everything you need including shackle mounts, springs, etc... Basically weld on the mounts and bolt everything together. Throw on some wheels and she will roll. The whole kit shipped to my door was somewhere around $200 with a 2 week lead time. That is for a custom hub face width and custom spring mount width. Mounting everything and having my trailer roll around probably took an hour at the most. I put it about 3" back from center if I remember correctly. I know there is some weight up front from the tongue but I wanted to make sure that if i threw some stuff in the rear it wouldn't be rear heavy. The whole trailer probably weights less than 250lbs. I can swing the tongue towards the ground and manuever the rear over a sawhorse. I can then lift wiith the tongue and slide another horse under the front and have the trailer completely off the ground by myself. |
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To me, the most critical issue with bugging out is having a place to bug out to. Most of us just don't have that.
I am not sure that trying to carry everything along with you in a BO is a good choice. If everyone else is trying to BO at the same time, you may well get stuck in traffic like everyone else. A trailer hanging off the back of your vehicle is going to make that worse because it limits your options. If you have someplace to BO to, maybe your gear should already be there. The wife and I have two SUVs with roof racks, and it is just the two of us. Whatever we can't put in two SUVs and on the roof racks I am pretty much convinced we just don't need. OTOH, even a smallish cargo trailer can haul an amazing amount of stuff. |
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I am shopping for a small utility trailer to tow behind my 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab. I came accross this Trailer at Lowes and it seems to fill the need. My only question is the tire size. Im a little concerned about the 12" tires at highway speeds. Im wondering If I cut the fenders off if I could fit 15" tires on it. Let me know your thoughts.
I looked at Lowes and HD...then went to tractor supply and got theirs..heavier and bigger tires...you want real tires if you will tow fast or long, smaller ones have higher rpms to do the same distance. Faster = more heat |
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Last year we took a several month road trip from Texas to Massachusetts. We like to camp, but with a new baby I had a lot of changes to make in the load out.
First thing we did was get a high MPG vehicle: Jetta TDI (I could write for ever on how great a car this is...). Second I decided to get a trailer for all the gear, since we planned to camp most of the way up and back. I ended up getting a Harbor freight fold up 4x8 trailer, then cutting the back 18" off, adding a plywood deck, then mounting 2 contractor job boxes (metal and lockable) to the top. I left space between them for the doors to swing open and for a standard mil fuel or water carrier to fit between them. Lastly, I made a rail on the front to keep a standard Academy medium size cooler outside the boxes. There's also room up front for misc stuff like wet tents, spare tire, firewood, easy access stuff for fast camp setup, and the most important thing: dirty diaper pail (which should never, ever, EVER be kept in the trunk!). We traveled about 5,000 miles with this rig. It had a lot of great design features, and I have pages of notes for the next generation of bug out trailer. 
A few notes: - Don't trust cheap tires. I got lucky and the China ones that came with the trailer did fine, even exceeding the speed rating often. I had a spare and had plotted out replacements along the way (Tractor Supply, etc.) - Take multiple spares on replacement parts. I took extra bearings, grease, and tools to do a full hub rebuild. After accidentally puncturing a bearing seal, a nice guy at Purvis Bearing in TN went out of his way to help me out with a replacement. - If possible, get common hubs. The China brand hubs on the HF trailer are a strange metric size. Get US sizes and you can buy a complete hub at Academy or many common stores all over the nation. - Test out the load out many times before a long trip. We organized things often the first couple of days on the road, and wasted a LOT of time. Basics on the build: I bought the trailer, which is a bolt-together kit. I cut off the back 18" to make it a little shorter, then welded the critical areas in addition to putting Loctite on all the bolts. I took spare bolts. I painted the decking with good weather resistant paint. Next I bought 2 contractor job boxes, then cut the feet off of them, and cut 4" off the bottom of the box... then re-welded the bottom back on (the box was now 4" shorter). I put some metal reinforcements and bolted them to the trailer deck. I made a "fence" for the front of the deck and bolted it on as well. The trailer was meant to be folded up for storage, so I made the boxes and front fence removable in case I needed to store it in a tight space. I mounted d-rings on the outside of the boxes so that we could strap things on top of the boxes. I also had a rooftop cargo carrier that could be filled with bedding and tent stuff in a pinch. The downside of this is you have to remove it before opening the boxes... Tire size is definitely an issue. For the first few hundred miles, I was stopping and checking the hubs for over heating. If not properly grease packed, they will overheat fast when going over rated speed (and if it's hot outside, or you have a heavy loadout). |
