I want a single trailer for my quad and was looking at the harbor freight 4X8 trailers. Are these trailers strong enough for a quad that weighs 500-600lbs? I noticed that they do not have any flooring. Does anyone use these or have any experiences with these trailers? If so what kind of flooring do guys like to put on these trailers? Would you need some kind of gate around the trailer? How about the trailers from home depot or lowes? Are these any better, or are the about the same? What would you recommend?

 

Hey,

I have a Harbor Freight trailer. It has certainly been strong enough for my Grizzly - which is at least 650 lbs all gassed up plus bigger/heavier tires. I use 3/4" plywood as the flooring - that is what they suggest and it's been fine. I've only had it since spring and it only has about 2500 miles on it so I can't speak to longevity but so far I've had no problems.

My only complaint is that I didn't get a bigger trailer - my new tires are only 1" wider than stock and the grizzly is all but 4' across - barely fits on the trailer.

I don't have a gate around the trailer but I'm also very **** about strapping it down. In all 4 corners plus the front center and back center I used big eye bolts rather than regular bolts to attach the plywood. I use 5 straps and the winch to hold the quad on the trailer. I know it's overkill but it makes me feel better so it's worth it.

As for Home Depot and Lowe's - around me, they didn't start selling trailers until about 2 weeks after I bought the harbor freight trailer. Had they been available sooner I probably would have gotten one just to avoid having to assemble the harbor freight trailer.

good luck

 

You can search the forums (specifically this area) as they have been talked about before.

One trick I read was to build the deck "upside down" so it can't fold so it's more rigid. Just torque the wheel hubs down to the proper spec. Someone torqued them to about 90lb (lug nuts!) and tore through his tires on the way to the DMV. THey just need to be snug.

Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

As mentioned the HF trailer has been debated a lot of times. There has always been negatives brought up but never from anyone that said they dumped a quad becasue it blew apart on them (Atleast as I have seen). Most of the negatives are observational.. why put a 6K machine on a $200 trailer, "it looks flimsy", etc. I do recall the bearing post, again that issue was discovered as self-caused and sort of discussed as "well guess what I did!!!" When I was researcing them last year I only found good comments from those with them save for 2 things. One was mentioned, the width. Second was a mention in the manual about top speed. Something like 45Mph??? The manual is actually on the HF web site, I looked at it when I read the post. The general opinion was that it was a cover my back side statement from HF in the event of an accident.

A couple suggestions from my research.

If you get the HF model get the 12" tire version. A little less heat in the bearings, more capacity, price not that much more. I want to say the springs are heavier as well???
As mentioned, build it so that it does not fold for more strenght.
Get a spare tire no matter what you buy. As to the HF you can get on right there in the store. Dont forget a tire tool!!

Look at local trailer suppliers or manufactureres for comparable trailers. Around here you can get tilt 5x8's around $430. They are on 15' tires and made of heavier steel. my one complaint looking at the HF is that it "looks" to be made of stamped C channel. I like to tie down tight, may bend the channel. Then again, if you do as mentioned and replace the deck bolts with eye bolts then you don't endup hooking around the side with a strap and sort of levering on lip of the frame.

The lowes and home depot trailers (at least here) were high compared to the local trailer shops.

If you have a Tractor supply check them out. Their prices were much lower for just a nice of a trailer the last time i looked.

 

No matter what brand you buy, make sure you grease the bearings prior to pulling it any great distance. The factory does not do a very good job lubing them. The HF trailer will work just fine. Speaking of larger trailers, you can look at a snowmobile trailer. I have a monster one, all alluminum from Load right. Deck is 10 ft long, by 8.5 wide. It is a moose to tow. My other trailer is an enclosed Pace V-nose that I use in my business. 19 ft long box, 7 ft wide. Much easier to see around, but I can't put two side by side inside. Have to run them nose to tail. I take that if I am going to be out over night.

 

so, for someone with no mechanical ability what-so-ever, how does one go about greasing the bearings?

 

That is a toughie to answer because there are many different designs. You may be blessed with EZ-lube hubs, which have a grease fitting on them, and all you have to do is pop off the outer cover and pump grease into the zerk fitting and wipe off the excess. Do this every few months or so... Being carefull not to blow out the seals by pumping too much grease into them.....

Otherwise, you must pop off the metal cover that is over the hub nut, and cut the cotter key, and remove the large hub nut. Once that is off, just wiggle the hub and the bearing should pop out. At that point, you clean the bearings of all the old grease.. and then it becomes a skill to work grease back into teh bearing races and cover with more grease and re- assemble using a new cotter key after tightening your bearing nut... JUST SNUG. This should be accomplished while you spin the tire and just keep snugging, letting off, snugging let off etc, until you take up the play in the hub. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN, or you will freeze the bearings.

This is something best left to the pro's, and if you are lucky, they will let you watch so you can do it yourself the next time...

 

thanks for the good info and the speedy reply

 

Here is a great write up on how to pack a bearing.

http://www.timken.com/industries/aut...Vol2Issue3.pdf

 

if u have issues simply packing bearings, are you going to be able to build the kit? it doesn't come assembled

on the other hand i have over 6k on mine, packed bearings 3 times, bearings are starting to flake a tad, will replace next cleaning.

i drive 72mph non stop, and have 0 issues

trailer has seen 80 85, and 100mph(don't even ask)

the paint on mine is shot, it needs to be painted, other then that it has done quite well


loaded around 800-1000 pounds every single time