How to Assemble Harbor Freight 4x8 ft FOLDING Trailer
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- Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
- Join Steph as she tries to assemble a harbor freight utility trailer to haul lumber from the hardware store!
Full material list and tools needed here: bit.ly/4x8trailer
All trailer videos playlist: • Playlist
Steph's podcast: dospod.us/apple
Click the time below to jump to that section of video
0:00 - Intro
1:10 - Buy trailer
1:56 - Front bed rail assembly
3:04 - Tongue assembly
3:53 - Rear bed rail assembly
4:20 - Assembling front and rear beds
5:07 - Spring hanger/caster assembly
6:19 - Fender assembly
7:00 - Hub/wheel assembly
7:23 - Bearing grease
10:10 - What We Learned
This video is professionally closed captioned.
Products we use the most (affiliate links): www.amazon.com/shop/motherdau...
Production gear we use (affiliate links): kit.co/mdprojects
Subscribe on UA-cam: bit.ly/mdpsub
Steph wrote her memoir. Buy "Discovering My Scars" here: dospod.us/buybook
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FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first! - Навчання та стиль
What would you haul with a trailer?
Hi Steph. Great job on the video...Awesome!!! I will be using this trailer to tow a couple of kayaks. Would it be possible to ask if you could give the measurement from the ground up to the bottom of the tongue where the ball fits into, on level ground. I saw a video that explains that the trailer has to be level to get the correct size drop measurement. I will be buying the B&W hitch. They come in different size drop / rise. Hope I explained that correctly.
Thanks! 15 3/4” from ground to bottom of the hitch coupler. -Steph
@@MotherDaughterProjectsDIYPerfect. Thank you for getting back to us Steph. We will be purchasing the 1720lb HF trailer. I am sure the measurement is the same having the same 12" tire size. We will be installing a B&W 5 inch drop hitch. That might be a little overkill for this light trailer, however its because we plan to get and tow a boat in the future. My girlfriend and I love your channel. Keep up the great work!
You're welcome! Sounds like a great plan- let us know how it goes!
I perform at Renaissance Festivals. I have a LOT of props/costumes/pavilions. Plus, I wanted a small stage to perform on, and to be able to convert it at night to a little home to sleep in. Thank you so much for the excellent guide 🏅🏅🏅 HarborFreight should sponsor you 🤗🤗🤗
That same trailer is now $520. That is a 48.5% increase from the $350 in this video. So much for 7% transitory inflation....lmfao
Just bought it $550
I just bought it for 389
@@dannyflott4191nice
Best assembly video for this trailer that I've seen so far.
The comment you made that one should place the fender bracket into the holes that are on the closer side/edge of the fender alone were worth viewing this video. Thank you for taking the time to make it!😊
Now you need a home equity loan to buy lumber, an armored car and a squad of Marines to protect a few sheets of plywood and some 2x4's.
ha!
Great video!!
I would always suggest getting the biggest trailer you can. Having that extra load capacity is great.
I know when I added sides onto my trailer it went from 1,100 lbs capacity to 600 because the trailer weighed in at 500 lbs. when I upgraded I got one that was rated for 3,200 lbs. so it can haul 2,500 lbs because the trailer weighs 700 lbs.
Also when you bolt on that coupler. You don’t want to use bolts that run across to both sides. You want separate bolts for each side so that if a bolt breaks you lose 1 bolt of 5 and not 1/3 of your connections.
Personal observations from building 2 of these: 1) When assembling I would recommend steel spacers between the frame and hinges so the heads of the pivot bolts stay outside the 4x8 bed otherwise the bottom sheet(s) of your payload will get chewed up. 2) If you want to attach plywood to the inside of the 2x4 posts on the sides you may also want to put spacers between the frame and post holders where the spacers are thicker than the plywood you plan to use to keep the 4x8 payload capacity. 3) Some “4x8” materials, like melamine sheets are oversized and will not fit (just be aware before purchasing a bunch and thinking it’ll fit in the trailer)
I watched portions of two other videos regarding assembly of these Harbor Freight trailers and yours is by far the best. I look forward to watching other videos you mentioned in this video. Thank you for producing such a great video!
I wouldn’t have done this without you or your video. Thank you. Wish harbor freight had videos
This is one of the best video's I've watched on how to build the HF trailers. I hope YT recommends this to others, too. The video quality and voice-over is fantastic. I just purchased the 1720 model but reviewing my installation book compared to the steps you did and they seem very similar. The post-it notes is a good tip. Looking forward tow watching your other videos before I tackle the next item.
Thank you so much Daryl!
Great video. Couple friendly suggestions: Lubricate any bolts that will be removed regularly except the wheel hub bolts. Antisieze would be my top. I'd also recommend using blue loctite on the nuts and bolts that won't be removed. Your future self will thank you.
Another suggestion: the most accurate way to square up a rectangle is to measure the diagonals and make sure that they're equal. First, tighten up the nuts to a smidgen past hand tight, then measure the diagonals. This way, the bolts will be loose enough so you can nudge a corner to make corrections, but tight enough so that the frame won't dance around when you nudge it.
-- With something like a folding trailer, you want it to be dead-on square, because if it's off, folding and unfolding it will likely involve more friction or catching on other parts.
I'm in the middle of Assembling mine right now but I realized a couple inside crossmembers are upside down so I'm gonna flip them and get this thing going! I think I will probably end up watching this video twenty more times
Finally, a video that shows the part I was having problems with. Thank you so much!!!
Just built one - your video series saved me!! Thank you very very much
I just started my assembly of this trailer and find your videos very helpful. I will be adding racks for kayaks and maybe won’t install the plywood base. If anyone has an opinion, I would like to hear it. Keep up the good work!
I'm currently in the build process on this gem, now $519.00 by the way (thanks inflation/supply chain), and this has been a great overall guide. Most of the build is pretty straight forward if you have done any DIY around the house but this video has really been a great guide to accompany the less than impressive factory manual. Thanks for all the hard work it took to put this video tutorial together!
Thank you for the great perspective view of the hinges as I see exactly how they go. Several YT folks have said it wasn't clear which set went where. I can see clearly from your video. Very nicely done camera work and narration.
Thank you!
Hello,
I just bought a hf trailer recently and I just wanted you to know that I found your series of videos to be very helpful. Thank you for sharing your experience. Watching your videos a couple of times prior to assembling the trailer made it really simple and enjoyable. Thanks again.
Rich L.
You're welcome! So glad it was helpful!
Hi Steph, Great video on trailer assembling. Your video is unlike many others which does not have a complete and clear view of the each step of the assembly. I like the fact that you put sticker on each of the frames for easy identification. Good job. After watching your video, I was pumped up to jump right into my 4/8 ft trailer assembly
So glad it was helpful! Good luck with the assembly!
Thank you so much. I didn’t know how to secure the safety chain to the trailer. I must have missed that step in the cruddy directions that came with the kit. I used this trailer as a base for a teardrop style camper I built over the last year. You wiring video was great too.
Absolutely perfect. Thanks for taking the time to make life easier for those of us who buy this trailer. In the 2015 manual for my brand new 2022 trailer, it has this "warning" about the bearings. "WARNING - whenever a hub is disassembled (if a hub on a new unit requires assembly or a hub is disassembled for maintenance), the following procedure MUST be obeyed. Failure to read and obey all of the following instructions completely will void the warranty and can result in damage to the trailer, property damage, or serious injury. A) Blah, blah, blah... The parts must be cleaned even if they are new or appear clean." I'm thinking that that is protect them from liability if the original grease was contaminated at the factory. Just a bit of hard grit could destroy the bearings and who knows how clean a Chinese factory is as they rush these kits out the door.
Far better video than the one that Harbor Freight chose to put on their website. About to go get one and will be the third I have helped put together. I will be doing tons of mods and never fold it. Good vid keep up the solid work.
Great video. I will be getting one and welding all the main connections together for added strength
Soooooooooooo helpful. So very, very helpful.
Love that trailer like Steph was excited that it folds, I sure could use one of those for a lot of things. Thank you.
Yes, the fold is so cool!
You have the best trailer videos out there!!! Thanks so much! 😎👍
Really appreciate your video, step by step process on everything, helped me out a lot - Thank you!
Awesome video. You're gonna save me a lot of time.
That's awesome! Great job Steph! I used to have this same trailer a few years ago. It's such a great trailer for the money.
Thanks Alma! We are so excited to have it!
This is awesome and both of you did a great job! I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your tutorials on this.
Thanks Vicky! This was a great learning experience!
Just purchased one. Much clearer than the instructions. A vey good tutorial. 🇦🇺👍🍺
This is so great! I actually also put a hitch on my car for the same reason but the cost and storage put me off the idea. I can't wait to haul 8 x 4s and lumber now. Thx for the excellent instructions too.
Bu kadar güzel video için size teşekkür ederim. Özellikle 7-8 dakika arası en çok merak ettiğim nokta idi.
Good video. It was explanatory and concise. Thank you
Awsome, off to check out part 2, Many Thanks
Great video! very detailed and appreciated!
Great video! Very nice and easy to follow build guide.
One little note, or maybe just my opinion. Replace all of the wheel bearings and all of that grease. Unless you just barely use it and arent going down the highway, then should be ok to keep it as it is.
It is pretty simple to replace with higher quality bearings (can be found on Amazon for about $35) and high temp bearing grease, and for peace of mind, worth it IMO.
Why replace the bearings for the highway? I've heard you can't find those bearings due to the odd size.
Muy bueno e informativo. Una nueva experiencia. Gracias
Solid video - thanks for uploading!
Awesome video! Very straightforward and easy to understand. Just subscribed, thank you!
Great Video, I like the way you talk about the things you learned at the end of the videos!
Thanks!
OUTSTANDING !!!!!
You did a great job on the video! You spoke clearly and everything was in good view. Looking forward to the next videos on the trailer. Really well done. Thank you! Subbed!
Thank you!!
20 volt Dewalt impact makes fast work of tightening up all the bolts
Great job. Well done.
Great job y’all
You guys are amazing, I love you!
Thank you!!
Not that my opinion is worth much, but you not only did a great job building that trailer up, but an amazing job showing the process in a clear fashion. Wish I'd had this as a reference when I built my frame years ago (but, uh, somehow I've yet to add decking...)
Thank you Evan!
@@MotherDaughterProjectsDIY Thank you for posting such a helpful,organized system to make the trailer kit assembly much easier .Especially the heads up on those parts of the assembly that require closer attention to detail.I look forward to watching your other posts.Thank you again so much Mother and Daughter!!
You're welcome! So glad it was helpful!
Great Video!
great video big help thank you
I got one of these 20 years ago. Here are my suggestions (which of course may be out of date):
- do something to prevent the nuts from just vibrating loose at the pivot points. Buy Nylock nuts, use thread locker, weld them, or whatever (it looks like maybe HF has done this for at least some of the nuts?)
- the lights use the frame as a ground connection. This is sketchy at best, and hopeless at the hinges. Either run a separate ground wire to each light from the plug, or at least a jumper wire from the front to back half to bypass the hinges.
- replace the flimsy office chair casters with sturdy casters -- although maybe HF has already made this design change?
- get a couple of those reflectors on 4' plastic stalks that people put next to their driveways, mount them in short pieces of 2x4 and stick them in the brackets at the back of the trailer. This makes your trailer much more visible in traffic and easier to back up, as well as providing comic relief to other drivers as they flap back and forth in the wind.
great job assembling this. I have been using your video as a guide to assemble mine. Unfortuantly mine didn't come with cotter pin, so need to go buy one.. Also in case someone didn't tell you, its "foot pounds" not "feet pounds". I know it sounds weird, but thats just what everyone says. its because its actually the quantity of lbs of "force" (although weight isn't technically a force) required to lift 1 pound a foot (12 inches) up from the earth (away from gravity vector).
Also i think i have the EXACT same torque wrench you were using, and let me tell you the click is BARLEY noticeable. It wasn't always like that.. it used to be WAY WAY more obvious. Unforatunly i think mine (and that one) has worn out (even though i left it sitting onthe lowest setting). I actually bend the frame a bit trying to torque the spring hanger down to 15 ft-lbs.
Your tutorial is very helpful, Steph. Thank you. You make it look so easy. I need something like this but to haul compost and dirt from a distributor to my garden. Do you think you could build side walks for this? Also, love, love your boots!
So glad it was helpful! Yes, you could make sides for sure. I am going to make removable sides at some point, just deciding on a design that would work best for our uses. Thanks! Those are my CAT steel toe boots. I wanted to protect my feet in case I dropped a steel rail. Never did! :) amzn.to/2RKyXNE
Just subscribed to your channel!! Content and quality are excellent!! Keep up the great work!! Cheers!!
Thanks so much!
Gracias excelente video
Steph, you did an excellent job! It was very thorough and will definitely help me with my project of making a kayak trailer. My plan is to extend the tongue and hitch to make it longer. Just as a side note when talking about ft. lbs. You should say "foot-pounds" not "feet-pounds." I have been an aircraft mechanic for years and if the torque wrench would not click it probably was no good. It may have been dropped at one point which would render it useless. Again, thank you for your great videos on this trailer project!
Thanks Michael! Great info.
Just got an Icon torque wrench, similar to the one in the video. It doesn’t “snap” or click like my dad’s old Craftsman torque wrench… it sorta wilts into a slight bend at the desired torque. Or perhaps these are just examples of defective tools?
thank you
great video, I bought the very same trailer and your way to put ir together gave me a lot of ideas. thanks a lot.
Hey! Just FYI, the bolts on the tongue assembly are no longer 18mm, they're 3/4". :) Thanks so much for all you do!! I've referred to this video 6 or 7 times now. :)
This was the most professional and at the same time, personable, assembly video I have watched. Everything was covered thoroughly, even the picture of a cotter pin, for those who may not be familiar with one; but the material was presented in a way that inspires confidence for someone needing a little guidance and reassurance.
Thanks so much!
You should get a digital torque wrench that snaps on a wrench. Makes life easier... but it's a lug nut just make it tight and you will be fine lol...
Well done vids, thanks! Would u recommend this as a base for a produce stand/trailer? I'm looking to customize. Thx.
Great video. Do you know the length and width of trailer when it's folded up? Trying see if I even have space in my garage
You should take the bearings out and re grease them, the bearing behind the seal on mine was not even greased!
Great video!
I did check and it was greased, but I will re grease them probably in a year.
Thanks for the very instructional video. Was curious if you can swap out the small 12 inch tires for the bigger 14/15 inch tires.
You can go up to 13 inch wheels I believe.
Ok, here goes…L-O-V-E the smart videos, I call them gap fillers what the Harbor Freight directions don’t cover. Note - you need to go to their website, do a review and add your UA-cam links to help folks. My question is we bought the Harbor Freight 1090 Lb. Capacity 40-1/2 In X 48 In Utility Trailer, smaller and NOT folding. I just had surgery on a broken L ankle and to see me and the wife working on this together (in our living room, I know…I know) was certainly a true test of our LOVING RELATIONSHIP laced with love!!! Now we’ve decided we need stand the trailer upright in the garage BUT…it’s not recommended because the tail lights protrude and will crack and damage. There is some room at the tail end of the trailer between the lights with room for a rubber-like bumper? But I would need something 3-6” or maybe fabricate a garage stand for this type of trailer? You folks seem really sensible and I hope you don’t mind me bouncing these thoughts of ya!
Great info, thanks. I guess it's not really folding if you have to take out a bunch of bolts to fold it. I want this trailer but it's not only out of stock, it's much more expensive now :(
It is capable of folding, but the bolts are necessary to make sure the trailer is strong while in use. Folding the trailer is more for storing over winter etc.
Great job on the video! I noticed you had the boxes in the back of your vehicle. Can you tell me approximately how long the long carton is that holds the frame parts? I have about 5 feet in the back of my Jeep. I'm wondering if it will fit.
I never measured the box when it was all together so I can't say for sure. I think it would fit, but to be safe you could ask them to measure it at harbor freight before you buy it.
Those tiny wheels are a lot better than they used to be. It used to be those soft plastic ones that normally go under light furniture. Yikes! These look better, but I'd still like some with more heft.
The price for that trailer on HF's website, as of today - My 10, 2024, is $519.99! It has gone up more than 48% in 3 years since you bought it.
Excellent video. Do you happen to know how tall the trailer is when folded? Trying to figure out if it will fit where I'm considering storing it. Thanks.
Yes, we just folded it today. It's 77" tall.
Hi, is it necessary to remove the hub off the wheel during assembly? Your video is the best assembly tutorial out of all the youtube videos I’ve watched. It helped me a lot. But I have to ask, can’t the hub remain on the wheel during assembly? Why did you decide to remove the hub?
I did this because that's what it says to do in the manual. I'm not sure if you could do it without taking the wheel off, as I did not try that.
Great Video! I look forward to the rest of the series. did you know that Northern Tool makes an aluminum version? did you consider that before buying the one from harbor freight?
I knew, but went with the Harbor Freight because a friend of ours recommended it. -Steph
Great video. Why did you take the tire off the hub assembly? It looks like it was ready to be slid on the spindle as is. That's my guess anyway since the lug nuts were torqued down.
I can't remember, but it was in the instructions to take it off and I think there was a part that wouldn't fit without that step. -Steph
Great job plan in building one soon . Was the original grease for the hubs and bearings good ?
It seemed to be. I used it for a year then repacked the bearings.
Is it required to bolt the two halves together when unfolded? I don't think I've seen anyone else do that
So the hub assembly is supppsed to push all the way up against that black little square thing on the axel? For some reason mine won’t go over that metal lip on the spindle
That one is already 499 inflation 😂😂 but I love the review
can I replace the coupler for a 2" inch coupler???
Great video 👍🏼 how is the trailer holding up ?
Good! Here is a one year later video: ua-cam.com/video/iziCfvpJT3A/v-deo.html
I recommend using “driver side or passenger side” instead of right or left.
Great video! I’m considering buying one but I have one question I can’t seem to find an answer for. Can you trailer down the road with the trailer completely folded? I have a special need that requires it to be that much shorter. I know this is two years after you made the video, but could you please answer, that would be great!
No. It must be flat to tow.
it cost 150$ in exactly one year from this video. no wonder why i haven't been back to HF. I brought this when over 13 years ago for around 200$ and threw it in the curb because user error because i didn't put grease in the wheels then i destroyed it. i was going to get one again to mess around but not for 500$ for a flimsy trailer. i'd secure it to the wall if i storage upright like that the whole trailer depending on 4 tiny caster wheels thats smaller than the wheel on any office chair. image some toddler playing around with it and 400lbs fall down
Great job, Steph and mom. I am curious, you mention the two bolts in the middle joining the front and back sections needs to be removed for folding the trailer (refer to the video at 4:30 time), it doesn't seem to be a way to easily access those bolts, how do you do it?
We are going to share that in an upcoming video. But we bought a 40" creeper from Harbor Freight that makes it really easy to get under the trailer and add or remove the bolts.
Could a hinged access panel be added to the decking to allow them to be more easily removed from top side instead of creeping on from the bottom?
I just left those out. There are 2 other bolts on the side rail that seem to hold fine. They are much more accessible, but unless I have a really heavy load, I usually just leave those off too. Most of the weight is on that side rail and the hinges, so the bolts between the segments and rail just make it more sturdy; not structural.
I didn’t catch the part about which screws needed to be taken out to fold it. We were looking to find something we could unfold quickly and throw our kayaks on.
We show the bolts to remove more in this video: ua-cam.com/video/8qWZtW2vrBs/v-deo.htmlsi=LfUK5XQI57xkkKQd
Hi Steph, Great video. Just one unrelated question: Where did that groovy floor come from and where I could I get one like it? Is it a rubber mat?
We share about it here: ua-cam.com/video/uUEkLituYPA/v-deo.html
@@MotherDaughterProjectsDIY Awesome. Thank you!
I have gathered in some of these Harbor Freight UA-cam videos if you use too thick a plywood deck, it will not fold. My understanding is that full 3/4" is too thick and gets in the way of folding, is that correct? What thickness did you use, and did it fold easily? I heard 5/8" recommended, but my local Home Depot does not cary 5/8".
This is what I used: 23/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. CCX Ground Contact Southern Yellow Pine Pressure-Treated Plywood. It folds flat. I installed it in this video: ua-cam.com/video/Mm469EcR1P0/v-deo.html
Do you think the one that is rated 1720 lbs is about the same way to build?
The manual with it recommends not going over 45mph. Have you been doing that??? I noticed in another build video that the person said they were driving it at 65 but they'd repacked the bearings. I'm not a car person either and don't really want to do the repack. 🤦♂️Just wondering how stringent this "45 mph" recommendation is. That seems pretty challenging if you need to get on the highway! Great job on the trailer video by the way.
We have not gone over that. I know you can get better tires for it that will allow for high speeds. If we were to take it on the interstate we would do that.
Nice video! I'm retired, have little hobby shop. I need to pickup a 1200 lb. Metal lathe that's about 1300 miles away. The wife and I have a 2021 honda passport, a bit bigger than your crv. With the wheels removed and back seats down, do you think it's possible to put this in the passport? I hate to travel with this empty bouncing around, one way will probably be bad enough. Thx
Fantastic channel. I ordered the Super Duty trailer this week and am looking forward to it arriving. One issue I've seen online is that the hinges don't allow enough clearance for 3/4" plywood. Well, at least in earlier videos. Maybe the hinges are taller now. Did you get a chance to fold it up yet? And if so, how did it look? (assuming you used 3/4" plywood)
Also, I'm thinking the two bolts connecting the front to the rear frame aren't necessary? Besides, it would make it VERY inconvenient to have to remove them to be able to fold the trailer. And...I just bought their Titanium 125 welder. This should make it a bit sturdier and not be susceptible to loosened bolts/nuts.
Another common issue is...the wiring. It's a cheap set included but would likely need to have grounding cables run too since it's bolted together not welded. And...a good wire loom is a must. Just about every Harbor Freight video show wires dangling, ready to get caught on something...
And then, the fenders have been known to wobble a lot at highway speed. Still, looking forward to getting it. Thank you for posting your video. You have a great family :)
Yes, that is an issue. We used 3/4" plywood and just had to cut a small notch on each side of the hinge. Not a huge deal. We will be sharing about that in a few weeks in a video. -Steph
It's a bit annoying, but we bought a low-profile creeper and cordless ratchet so it makes easy work of reconnected all the bolts. -Steph
Show.....fron brazil
Hey , would you please share the link to buy one trailer like that one ?
www.harborfreight.com/1195-lb-capacity-48-in-x-96-in-heavy-duty-folding-trailer-62648.html
When you get a chance spin the wheel if you see is slowing down Check the bearings
Do you have a video of how it folds?
ua-cam.com/video/8qWZtW2vrBs/v-deo.html
She finally got a trailer for hauling plywood, but can't afford to buy the plywood any more. :(
😂
WOW! Excellent video on the wheels... the manual is useless (truly terrible)... thank you!!
What are the dimensions of this trailer when it is folded up?
Good Job Steph!!!!
Thanks Anthony! What do you think? Would you assembly one?
I was wondering what the inspection and registration process is on these trailers. What's the ongoing costs for doing this? Do they need it from year to year?
In FL, you just have to renew the registration each year. I think it's about $50.
For anyone considering buying a trailer. I just went through a nightmare and not sure it's finished. It took a total of 3 stores. I went online to look for the closet store that had heavier duty one in stock. The store closet to me had none, so I went to the second closet. They told me they do not have any. They had one sitting up front on display. It turns out the one on display they are counting as inventory. I told them I'd take it and they told me no. They know these trailers are often hard to find so they trick people into coming into that store location for the trailer, only to be told they actually do not have any, even though it's sitting right in front of everyone as a display. Very crooked or at least dishonest. Anyhow, they at least call another store but it's pretty far. They confirmed they had the trailer I wanted in stock. What was interesting is the guy was clear to me that they had both matching boxes. At the time this seemed odd to say but I didn't pay much attention to it. I get to the store and pick up a couple of items and tell them I'm there to pick up the trailer. They bring it out in two boxes. The guy gets nervous because he has to fill out the title stuff. Had a 'how to' binder, I assume the store created so the paperwork gets completed correctly. It was a disaster. He was coming things out and stamping in the wrong place. I was like hey man are you sure you know what you are doing. He asked a couple of people for help. They assured me all is good with the paperwork. I ended up going to the store next to me to have a manager review because it looked off to me still. She made a correction but no stamp in front of the title. I went to get the title and registration a few days later. They basically laughed at me. Told me to get an affidavit and correct the stamp location. I went to the store closest to me again for this. She was very helpful but had to call the store manager in the place I bought it from originally. I went back to get it registered and after a lot of people reviewed the paperwork they decided to do it but advised it could come back later as not valid. So it was a nightmare going through all this. Lots of my time wasted. I hadn't even put it together yet. Now get this. I open the large box with all the parts because I wanted to paint it with a paint that would not fade like the factory paint does. What's odd is i unpack a front cross member. In my head I'm like oh wow, I thought this only came with the light weight version of the trailer. I'm like sweet, they upgraded. I take all the red parts out and paint them. Looks great. Lots of time spent on it. I planned on putting it together this weekend. Even though I've watched at least ten videos on how to put it together I decided to read the manual. I almost crapped myself. The manual is for the smaller trailer!!!! They gave me the wrong trailer!!!!! I paid for the heavy duty version and they gave me the lighter version. Wth!!! It turns out this goes back to the comment about two matching boxes. They gave me the small box of the heavy trailer which has the wheels and springs. The large box is all the framing and axle of the lighter trailer. What a joke!
I've put so much time ahead work into this already without even assembling it, even have a wood deck purchased and cut. I can't return it at this point with all the registration fees paid, the frame painted and the store being an hour away. I will put it together and see how it turns out. Not happy about it at all. This also means the next person will get mixed boxes, or maybe it happened before me and I got the mixed boxes. This is just a warning for anyone thinking of getting a trailer.
First, call the store to see if they are trying to be crooked by showing a display as available inventory online. Two, when they bring out two boxes make sure they match! If you make it to three, demand a manager completes the paperwork and that the manager goes slow. Any corrections or scribbles will require you to go back and get an affidavit later.
If someone from Harbor Freight contacts me and makes this right I will let everyone know. I will be sharing this in many places to get the word out.