Another trailer thread, Open trailers

I already tried searching and almost everything on here is regarding enclosed trailers. My bro in law and i are on the market for an open trailer, we dont have the cash or space to get an enclosed trailer right now. We'll be hauling two bikes, just want to know what are some key things to look for when buying an open trailer, and what will i need (axles, suspension, tire size, trailer size) for what i plan to haul. Any help would be appreciated, and if i missed a thread with the answers, just post the link and close down this thread. thanks.

 

Buy a used Kendon. It will last forever. You can load the bikes up yourself. Short Wheelbase, independent suspension and large wheels= Does not feel like you are towing. Folds in half and Flips up onto casters. Easy storage in the garage. Takes up as much space as a motorcycle. Only weighs 350 lbs. Available in single, double or triple. I paid $750 for this one. Found it in the recycler.

 

i looked around, those seem to be a little out of our price range right now. Those do look pretty bad ass tho.

 

local lowe's and home depot have open trailers in several sizes, not sure on their price though

 

Go to Harbor Freight and look at their trailers. Good price and on top of that, you can clip out a 20% off coupon and use that to knock the price down some more. Only issue is finding a HF store that carries the trailer in stock otherwise you're going to pay about $100 for shipping.

Here is some other info: http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=208583&highlight=harbor+freight

 

Just know that you have to out those harbor freight trailers together yourself. I can't tell you how many guys came in expecting to just drive off with the new trailer ready to go...

 

If you're going to get a little cheap trailer make sure you get the 12" wheels.

 

Kendon, awesome trailer and money well spent. I have the dual trailer. Fits in the garage up against the wall. Weighs about 400# unloaded.

 

+1 to the 4x8 HF folding trailer. You have to buy the trailer and then the decking (2 3/4" 4x4 pressure treated sheets = $30) then the eye bolts/d-rings. etc. so if you get the trailer for $250-ish expect to spend $300 total.

 

Who liked diamondtread ...

 

I used to have a single rail bike trailer, not a kendon, but
similar in size. The
mainissue I had was that the bike was very exposed to the elements, road salt, dirt, stones, etc. Plus, I couldn't put anything else on the trailer,

I ended up getting a 5x8aluminum trailer with a deck and a 1 foot high rail. WAY more versitle than my old trailer. Fits
two bikes plus the ez up and toolbox. Overall the trailer weighs under 400 lbs. Very easy to tow and move arround the garage. Plus, it helps with household things like bringing home large items.

It think I paid about $1300 for it. Steel version is about half the price.

 

I built one out of a jet ski trailer. Relocated the axle and welded up a 40"x8' deck for it. Ended up with about $350 in it, and it's light enough I can pick up the back of it with one hand.

 

I have gotten by with cheap 3 rail trailers. I can fit one bike in the middle, or two bikes on the sides. I suppose I could fit 3 dirt bikes if I wanted to. I paid $250 for my first one, and $350 for my second (current) one. I can fit a gas can and an ez-up on it, if I tie the stuff down well. The rest of the junk goes in the car - in this case a minivan. Look in the classifieds, they are out there. I would love to have a nice enclosed trailer, but that's not in the budget right now. This works for the 3-5 trackdays I do every year. It is easy to store - I can push it around by hand and put it wherever I want in the front yard, side yard, garage, etc.

 

+1 on the harbor freight trailer. You get what you pay for, but it works for me. The one I have folds up and stands up so it takes up almost no space in my small garage.

 

Still very happy with my Harbor Freight trailer. Working on 5 years of hauling bikes to the track and back and still performing well. I built a 6' wide "Head" on mine to effectively make the trailer able to handle two side-by-side (tm Greg White) bikes with plenty of room to spare.

Here's a good look at the head I put on my trailer. Pay no mind to the fat guys.

 

I used to like diamondplate until i had a ramp for my trailer plated in that stuff. you about go blind on sunny days.

 

how wide of a trailer do you guys think i would need to safely haul two track bikes?

 

In this post is a picture of two bikes loaded on a 4'x8' trailer. As you can see it can be done but it's pretty tight.

On the other hand if you put a 6' wide head on it like I did in my post above you can load two bikes more comfortably.

 

I got a 5' x 8' tilt trailer off of Craigslist for $200 about 3 months ago. Any 5 x 8 trailer for under $300 on craigslist is gone in minutes, so I hopped on that thing. The thing was solid except for the shitty floor and the looks, so I picked up some pressure treated 2" x 10"s, a can of rustoleum, and a brush, for under $300 I got a brand new looking solid trailer.

5 x 8 is perfect for hauling 2 bikes, 2 sets of stands, gas cans, etc. A tilt trailer makes things easier to get one bike on, but the second is a little tougher.

Mine looks like Kesler's, but twice as wide.

 

An STS or preferably a PitBull system would make a 2 across 4x8 a lot easier, but then there goes the budget.