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I have a harborfrieght one and it works great, as long as you follow the directions and install the 3/4" plywood that is not supplied with the trailer. If you don't that is when people have problems with them.
I'm going on year four with my HF trailer. All I've done is made sure that the wheel bearings are re-packed each year with synth lube.
Of course, I made sure that the frame bolts are all tightened. If you're really concerned about them loosening up over time, star washers will alleviate most of that concern.
Of course, I made sure that the frame bolts are all tightened. If you're really concerned about them loosening up over time, star washers will alleviate most of that concern.
Or a few beads applied by your local handy, dandy welder.
You all have had better luck than I did - my tongue bolts sheered straight out of the frame and nearly caused a huge accident on my 3rd use. I should have taken it back when I was first assembling it though as there were certain parts that really didn't sit flush with each other, but somehow those didn't fail.
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Track car: 2005 "Elixige" - S/C, Ohlins, 255Cup wheels, other stuff
Other vehicles: 2006 Titan SE 4x4, 2007 Mazda 3S, 1999 YZF600R, 2003 350Z Trackcar - RIP Buttonwillow 4/7/07
I bought one from Lowe's and couldn't be happier. I attached a security box for a truck bed to the front of it and welded up a tire carrier that puts the weight of the tires over the axle. Put my jack in a rubbermaid container behind the tires and its perfect 60/40. It's about $200 more than a HF trailer but with that comes less hassle. The only real thing I had a problem with was the ramp in the back of it being to high. I took a plazma cutter to it and welded on another piece of L stock and its fine. Good build quality also. Comes enamel coated and pre wired.
It rained and melted... A Civic was left in it's place...
I'd like to buy a house sometime before retirement, so I got rid of the big truck I seldom used as a truck. Plus, the monthly fuel bill of the Titan was about the paiment for the Civic...
I swung by Lowes before my car club meeting and looked it over. Nice but it looks like it weighs way more than my HF POS. 4x6 is pretty big. How far have you towed it with your Z? Which hitch are you using?
I use the hitch that one of the guys on here sold. Roark I think or something like that. I've trailered it 400 miles on the Highway at 80 with no problems. It was much better on gas after I trimmed the gate off. I check my hitch regularly and have no cracks or problems even after being rear ended with the hitch ball connected. The trailer is pretty big but it is very smooth on the highway and the leaf springs do help a bit. It's not the biggest trailer I've seen being pulled by a Z.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy Wonka
We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams.
Yeah, Jim's (roark) hitch was well-designed. We actually just uninstalled mine several weeks ago and found some serious cracks on my bumper supports, so if you have a 2003, be sure you get the bumper mount joints reinforced with an extra weld as Jim recommends...
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Track car: 2005 "Elixige" - S/C, Ohlins, 255Cup wheels, other stuff
Other vehicles: 2006 Titan SE 4x4, 2007 Mazda 3S, 1999 YZF600R, 2003 350Z Trackcar - RIP Buttonwillow 4/7/07
Yeah I have an 05 and my supports are a bit beefier than the ones you guys have. Even that being the case I had all the seems welded in addition to the factory welds.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy Wonka
We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams.
I have a unit patterned on Roark's design. I had my 03 supports welded last years ago to stiffen them. We had a guy in Atlanta rear end us and the hitch sheared off not harming the bumper steel or frame but the bumper cover and a quater panel took a hit when the trailer was pushed into the car.
The hitch was moved to my 2007 a couple of weeks ago and we still stiffened the supports to be safe. I've towed from N. Al to Ft. Myers, Norfolk, Peru and Topeka besides the local events within 200 miles. Gas milage goes down a couple mpg towing.
I purchased a 4x6 from Home Depot and then had my shop remove the steel bed, install aluminum diamond plate in its place. Then they fab'd up a tire carrier then mounted a box from Lowes to hold tools, parts and other things. I wanted 6 feet length so that my ez-up tent and nitrogen bottle fit with ease. With 75 pound tongue weight it works like a champ.
I haven't reached the limits of my 250 in 3 years. I can guarantee you won't either. Just man up and say you are afraid of looking like a monkey humping a football.
I built this from Northern Tool High speed trailer. The Aluminum box also from Northern and the wheel cariaer is my design and made locally. Total cost 700.
I pulled my 8" wheel HF trailer to Topeka and back (4000 miles) at 65+ MPH. I just made sure that the wheel bearings were freshly packed with hi-temp synthetic bearing grease before the trip.
BA_Cutler was late for an event a few seasons back and he was blasting down the Highway w/ his HF trailer in tow in excess of 90 MPH. Not recommended, but that little 55 mph speed limit sticker on the wheel seems to be very conservative. I've had mine up to 75 mph for brief periods.
Another to look at is the Northern Tool One. It's about the same as the HF one, BUT...
The Frame has an additional cross brace, it comes WITH a title, it rated for Highway speeds. it comes with 8,10,12, and 14 tires if you want. They also sell a bunch of accessories at the store.
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Marty Howard
Former President - Triangle Z club
Track Events Stewart and Logistics Coordinator TZC/THSCC track program
Who makes small track/tire trailers?
