Using the flat bar to assist in folding is a great tip. I don't have welding equipment so I just bought a 3/16" x 1" x 4' piece of flat bar, drilled two 3/8" holes 43" apart and bolted two 2" full thread hex bolts on the bar. To keep it from popping out I bought a pack of 8 round magnets and epoxied pairs of them on each side of the bolt. (Doubled them up to just about match thickness of the bolt).
I'd like to thank you for that great tip folding up the trailer!!! Sure made it easier!!! I kind of cheated though, in that I used old piece of ski rope, but your method will be much better. This will be my next little project, my back thanks you as well ... ;-)
Just bought one of these. Primarily will use for a smaller grass tractor and also have tight storage space. I like your idea on the counter balance deal. I'm usually a one man band with little or no help available too. 👍
How can you secure the folding part to keep it down? I want to haul a tall object and tie it down to all 4 corners. How would the trailer not just fold itself up when tightening down the straps?
There is a bolt hole between the fixed part and the folding part near the wheels on both sides that allows fixing the rear in the down position. I usually put a clevis pin in there to keep it locked which makes disassembly easy and fast.
@@MichaelSvenson Thanks for watching. BTW, the heavier version of the trailer from Harbor Freight is a pretty sturdy trailer. Much better than the lighter one.
Does the trailer still have the original casters? I have the lighter folding trailer and its unsafe to roll due to the casters. Some installed 3 inch casters but that changes the folding characteristics due to the "leg" that touches the ground for a pivot point just before the casters touch the ground. With taller casters, the casters touch before the leg.
Yes, the trailer does have the original casters. However I had the same problem with my old trailer and replaced the original casters with the same size. The only difference was that I had to drill 4 holes for each to mount. They are out there in that size. Thanks for watching!
Hello, I really believe that the bar you made makes it much easier to fold and unfold the trailer. Do you mind telling us how you made it? For example, what material you used and how long is the bar? Thank you!
Hi, Thanks for the question and for watching my video. I made it out of a piece of steel 1/2" flat bar, you can get at Home Deopot or Lowes or your local hardware store. I welded two pieces of 1/4" round stock at a slight angle at the ends so they would hook on and stay. If you don't have access to a welder, you could easily get a bolt and nuts and make something similar. Drill your holes 43" apart, they can be drilled straight if you are using nuts and bolts as the head of the bolt will hook onto the holes. Put the first nut on the bolt about half way up on a 1" bolt or so that there is a 1/8 to 3/16" gap between the bolt head and the nut. Then put the bolt through the flat bar and tighten it down with a second nut on the end of the bolt. So you are tightening the two nuts together. You can use washers in there if you like. The head of the bolt should be small enough to fit through the holes for the pin holes on the stake body. The other end goes through the hole where you would bolt or pin the back half of the trailer in place. Hope this helps! Good luck!
@@strayhound61 Thank you for your timely reply. I just checked Lowes, where has Hillman 1-1/4-in x 4-ft Plain Hot Rolled Steel bar with 1/8 inch thickness. Is it the right product to make a bar like yours? By the way, I have a small welder at hand. I think I can drill holes on the bar and weld two 1/4 bolts on the bar. Thank you!
You know what they say about Necessity. I had the lighter version of this and bought my son the heavier. When he decided to move and couldn't keep his trailer (that I bought him for a house warming gift) I decided to re-assume ownership...then I tried to stand it up and knocked myself in the head with the tongue. It's much heavier than my old one! That's when I decided I had to find a better way. After thinking about it all night and coming up with the solution, I searched it out on-line only to find someone else beat me to the idea. All that to say, I wish I could say I was the first, but not so even though my two devices are different (and far more creative in my humble opinion). Thanks for the vote of confidence anyway Gary.
@@babeadams9351 Thanks for the question and for watching. My hooks are 42 ¾" apart. They are angled slightly to help hook them on. The rod does have to be held in place until there is some tension on it from lifting. One end goes in the hole in the front side rail mounting bracket, the other in the hole in the frame ahead of the rear half side rail bracket. Hope it works for you!
@strayhound61 thank you so much for the explanation, I missed the detail about the placement of ends, i love the simplicity, i was trying to reinvent the hammer
Using the flat bar to assist in folding is a great tip. I don't have welding equipment so I just bought a 3/16" x 1" x 4' piece of flat bar, drilled two 3/8" holes 43" apart and bolted two 2" full thread hex bolts on the bar. To keep it from popping out I bought a pack of 8 round magnets and epoxied pairs of them on each side of the bolt. (Doubled them up to just about match thickness of the bolt).
Great idea, especially the folding bracket. Working smarter, not harder use physics and counterbalance to your advantage.
Excellent. I've been thinking about getting one of those trailers. Seeing it "in action" helps. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching. Glad it was helpful!
I stuggle with the same thing. Too weak 💪 to lift and lower safety. This is ingenious. I like the license plate idea also.
I'd like to thank you for that great tip folding up the trailer!!! Sure made it easier!!! I kind of cheated though, in that I used old piece of ski rope, but your method will be much better. This will be my next little project, my back thanks you as well ... ;-)
Just bought one of these. Primarily will use for a smaller grass tractor and also have tight storage space. I like your idea on the counter balance deal. I'm usually a one man band with little or no help available too. 👍
Yep, learning how to do all kinds of things alone these days. Good Luck!
Genius! Great job. 👍
do you need to register with DMV for the trailer?
Yes, all trailers must have an appropriate registration, state inspection, and display a license plate.
How can you secure the folding part to keep it down? I want to haul a tall object and tie it down to all 4 corners. How would the trailer not just fold itself up when tightening down the straps?
There is a bolt hole between the fixed part and the folding part near the wheels on both sides that allows fixing the rear in the down position. I usually put a clevis pin in there to keep it locked which makes disassembly easy and fast.
@@strayhound61 nice, thanks for the reply and for the tip!
@@MichaelSvenson Thanks for watching. BTW, the heavier version of the trailer from Harbor Freight is a pretty sturdy trailer. Much better than the lighter one.
Does the trailer still have the original casters? I have the lighter folding trailer and its unsafe to roll due to the casters. Some installed 3 inch casters but that changes the folding characteristics due to the "leg" that touches the ground for a pivot point just before the casters touch the ground. With taller casters, the casters touch before the leg.
Yes, the trailer does have the original casters. However I had the same problem with my old trailer and replaced the original casters with the same size. The only difference was that I had to drill 4 holes for each to mount. They are out there in that size. Thanks for watching!
Hello, I really believe that the bar you made makes it much easier to fold and unfold the trailer. Do you mind telling us how you made it? For example, what material you used and how long is the bar?
Thank you!
Hi,
Thanks for the question and for watching my video. I made it out of a piece of steel 1/2" flat bar, you can get at Home Deopot or Lowes or your local hardware store. I welded two pieces of 1/4" round stock at a slight angle at the ends so they would hook on and stay. If you don't have access to a welder, you could easily get a bolt and nuts and make something similar. Drill your holes 43" apart, they can be drilled straight if you are using nuts and bolts as the head of the bolt will hook onto the holes. Put the first nut on the bolt about half way up on a 1" bolt or so that there is a 1/8 to 3/16" gap between the bolt head and the nut. Then put the bolt through the flat bar and tighten it down with a second nut on the end of the bolt. So you are tightening the two nuts together. You can use washers in there if you like. The head of the bolt should be small enough to fit through the holes for the pin holes on the stake body. The other end goes through the hole where you would bolt or pin the back half of the trailer in place.
Hope this helps!
Good luck!
@@strayhound61 Thank you for your timely reply. I just checked Lowes, where has Hillman 1-1/4-in x 4-ft Plain Hot Rolled Steel bar with 1/8 inch thickness. Is it the right product to make a bar like yours? By the way, I have a small welder at hand. I think I can drill holes on the bar and weld two 1/4 bolts on the bar. Thank you!
@@passion830217 I believe mine is 1/2"x1/8" an inch and a half will work but no need for it to be so wide.
Your such a clever dude!
You know what they say about Necessity. I had the lighter version of this and bought my son the heavier. When he decided to move and couldn't keep his trailer (that I bought him for a house warming gift) I decided to re-assume ownership...then I tried to stand it up and knocked myself in the head with the tongue. It's much heavier than my old one! That's when I decided I had to find a better way. After thinking about it all night and coming up with the solution, I searched it out on-line only to find someone else beat me to the idea. All that to say, I wish I could say I was the first, but not so even though my two devices are different (and far more creative in my humble opinion). Thanks for the vote of confidence anyway Gary.
@@strayhound61 Well glad to see it knocked some sense in to you!😆
@@GaryBoyd02 I wouldn't go quite that far if I were you.
How long a rod would you suggest
@@babeadams9351
Thanks for the question and for watching.
My hooks are 42 ¾" apart. They are angled slightly to help hook them on. The rod does have to be held in place until there is some tension on it from lifting. One end goes in the hole in the front side rail mounting bracket, the other in the hole in the frame ahead of the rear half side rail bracket.
Hope it works for you!
@strayhound61 thank you so much for the explanation, I missed the detail about the placement of ends, i love the simplicity, i was trying to reinvent the hammer
@babeadams9351 happy to help. Let me know what you think after you try it.
I can’t find any in NC