Recently I bought a utility trailer to significantly improve my ability to haul bigger, dirtier “stuff” around than what I was willing to put in the back of my Subaru Outback. I wanted a trailer that was fairly low to the ground… lower than the bed of a pickup truck… so it would be easy to load. The target mission was hauling our new dinghy, where getting the bed very close to the water on a boat ramp was important. A “boat trailer,” however, generally wouldn’t be as versatile as a flatbed. Actually, nearly half of my uses for the new trailer in the last year have not been boating related!
We live in a city, where space is at a premium. We have a garage, fortunately with three spaces (so luxurious!), but I didn’t want to waste an entire spot in our garage for something I only planned to use a few times a year. I also wanted to use the trailer for a bunch of different missions, and being able to customize it myself would add to its utility.
After some research I settled on the Haul Master 4×8 Folding Utility Trailer from Harbor Freight. It’s a flatbed trailer kit that requires assembly. I picked it up from the store in two heavy boxes that can fit in most cars. A cool aspect of the kit is how easy it is to customize, with plenty of suggestions online of different improvements. It also folds to take only about 2 feet by 5 feet of floor space in the garage. Since it’s so simple and purchased in kit form, the purchase price is low, too… I paid about $500 for the trailer (it’s more now), and I’ve spent about another $250 on customizations for it.
The empty weight is over 300 pounds, but when unfolded it’s balanced on the wheels enough that I can move it around empty simply by picking up the tongue by hand. That is a super useful feature for me, since our garage is off an alley with little maneuvering room. Even with the 150 pound dinghy loaded on it I can still roll the trailer into the garage by hand after disconnecting from my tow vehicle, even without using the wheel on the tongue jack.
The instructions aren’t great, though I only had to redo one or two minor things when I discovered a mistake. Fortunately there are many helpful YouTube videos and reviews of this trailer.
One particular area I improved upon was the wiring for lights, which seems to be a common complaint with many reviewers. Much of the issues revolve around how the kit uses a chassis ground, where the negative wires for each light merely connect to the frame. Unfortunately, the frame on this trailer consists of many painted metal pieces that are bolted together at many points along the way between the light fixture, through two folding points, then to the plug in front… too many connections for a reliable electrical circuit. Instead I went with an isolated ground, where I simply added another wire (the white, negative wire) from each fixture up to the plug in front. All connections were made with marine grade crimped connections for vibration resistance which were also covered in adhesive lined shrink wrap. Replacing light fixtures will require cutting and crimping again, but I do this so often on the boat it will be an easy task for me.
There’s plenty of online discussion about whether to replace the blue grease in the wheel bearings. My instructions didn’t mention a bearing repack, so I merely added quality grease per the instructions. So far it has been fine in my very light duty use, though I frequently check the bearing temperature with an infrared pyrometer.
To secure the trailer in the unfolded position before getting on the road, several carriage bolts need to be installed. I added a hinge to the forward section of the rear bed to provide plenty of easy access to the bolt area while preserving most of the strength of the bed. The instructions discuss six bolts, but two of those connect the two halves together in a way that appears to be structurally insignificant, so I only fasten four. I have a label in each location… I only expect to use this trailer about 3 times a year, so in a few years I may need help remembering what goes where!
I was a little worried about how easy and safe it would be to fold. The whole trailer weighs over 300 pounds, so some caution needs to be observed during the folding process. I elaborated on an idea from a YouTube video by “Corky Mork” to make folding it easy. The entire fold or unfold process takes at most 10 minutes, including tightening the bolts. I can fold it alone, and I’m not a big guy.
For hauling general cargo, I built cheap fencing similar to the instructions. An important note when following the instructions is that it results in a cargo space that’s slightly smaller than 4 feet by 8 feet. The vertical stakes are just outside the 4×8 perimeter, but installing the horizontal fence beams inside the stakes per the instructions impinge on the 4×8 space. 4×8 sheet goods would not fit nicely when installed this way. This wasn’t a big deal for me, so I built it this way. Building the horizontal beams on the outside of the vertical stakes wouldn’t be difficult, but the lumber is sold in 8 foot lengths so it would add a little to the cost.
All of my fence hardware allows the fencing to be installed quickly and without tools. The corners are held together with stake rack connectors, such as these I bought on Amazon. The vertical stakes are held to the trailer with coupler pins in most spots, such as these from Amazon, and towing clevis pins I bought at a hardware store.
One of the first “real” missions with the new trailer was to haul a dozen cinderblocks and 40 bags of mulch to the Sailing Center. With 1700 pounds of capacity this was still a very easy job for the trailer. I did it in only one trip, with space and weight to spare, and didn’t have to get the inside of my car dirty.
For hauling the dinghy, I built/modified the dinghy’s original shipping cradle. I used lumber and PVC pipes that fit into the fencing attachment points on the trailer. I also attach a wooden “bumper” to the rear end so the metal trailer doesn’t scratch our plastic dinghy. There’s also a roller to make sliding the dinghy over the edge much easier. The cradle assembly is small and light enough to hang from a hook on the garage wall.
Over the first year, my folding trailer has been a valuable tool. It was cheaper than a new, purpose-built boat trailer, and has far more utility, too. The total cost is equivalent to about three years of dinghy storage fees at our marina, at which point I will consider it a net cost savings. This trailer might not be appropriate for a very heavy dinghy or boat, though, since I still need to slide it over the rear end of the trailer. I have also used it for hauling mulch, furniture pieces, and even our Christmas tree!