Where to find a cheap utility trailer?

Roughly $235 is the on sale (in 4 weeks argh!) hft 4x8 folding trailer price I am trying to beat. If anyone want to skip the story below.

I am looking for a way to keep going forward with the redline ion as a family car. The cars biggest downfall is that it's not a wagon. It has a decent trunk and I can pull the front passenger seat and fold down the rear seats and how bla bla to get more space. Don't want to buy or maintain a truck (or try to fit it in the garage). I am constantly scrounging the city for cheap and free stuff like pallets, large acetylene cylinders and early 1900s factory machines, free riding mowers... Its all stuff that doesn't want to readily into the four door coupe. So I have come to terms with the fact I need a small trailer.

Craigslist in my area is currently tapped out, no pop up campers no free boats with trailers, and the really cheap ones are spoken for in minutes. (I guess tax return season has started.)

Where otherwise is a good place to get a cheap utility trailer, Class 1 that is rated over 1000 lbs? Could one beat the cost of new materials and tires vs the hft rolling frame and home build a trailer?

You need at least $400 around here it seems, although that's asking price and could go down. One example...
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/grd/5459151485.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/snw/5442592489.html

Search on jetski or pwc trailer. that's what I built my micro-camper on.

I don't know what you mean by a "Class 1" trailer, but some jetskis weigh 800 lb.

EvanR wrote: Search on jetski or pwc trailer. that's what I built my micro-camper on. I don't know what you mean by a "Class 1" trailer, but some jetskis weigh 800 lb.

I am just learning about this trailer stuff so I keep hearing "class 1". I guess it's just the limit for the hitch on the car, 2000lbs or less and less that 200 lbs weight on the ball hitch.

Thanks for the tip on the website search, they look like a promising avenue.

In reply to DeadSkunk:

Thanks for the comparison pricing, maybe I just need to hunt outside of my area or up my price range.

What's wrong with this fixer-upper for $150?

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/5423814831.html

or this?

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/for/5409978007.html

or this?

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/5413303553.html

You may want to include snowmobile trailers in your search.

You would need to add sides, but would be starting with a large flat deck.

A two place trailer will typically have a gvwr of 1200-1500lbs, deck dimensions are 8x8 or 8x10, deck tilts for loading, and have leaf spring or torsion suspension.

Look like you would need to expand your search, but north of you there are options to pick from.

In reply to jere:

Not to derail the help, but where are you seeing that the Harbor Freight trailer will be on sale in four weeks?

IMO the HF trailers are way OVER rated. 500lbs sure, 1k, i wouldn't feel comfortable. I have owned a couple. Make sure it has the 12" wheels also. The 8" one eat bearings at highway speeds....

java230 wrote: IMO the HF trailers are way OVER rated. 500lbs sure, 1k, i wouldn't feel comfortable. I have owned a couple. Make sure it has the 12" wheels also. The 8" one eat bearings at highway speeds....

Thanks they do look pretty cheap even just from the photos. I have square steel stock to beef them up if needed. But I figured maybe the tires would be up to the weight at least. I will make sure to get larger wheels that's a great tip.

Dbussey1 wrote: In reply to jere: Not to derail the help, but where are you seeing that the Harbor Freight trailer will be on sale in four weeks?

I got a flier coupon book in the mail for their next sale, then factored in tax.

EvanR wrote: What's wrong with this fixer-upper for $150? http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/5423814831.html or this? http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/for/5409978007.html or this? http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/5413303553.html

I am waiting on replies from a few that came up but it's been more than a week.

There are few trailers that need new tires that put them into the hft price range. But now with confirmation the hft trailers are over rated I might have to do some more investigation.

I really liked the chopped up pop up but I can t weld the steel stock I have to the aluminum

jstand wrote: You may want to include snowmobile trailers in your search. You would need to add sides, but would be starting with a large flat deck. A two place trailer will typically have a gvwr of 1200-1500lbs, deck dimensions are 8x8 or 8x10, deck tilts for loading, and have leaf spring or torsion suspension. Look like you would need to expand your search, but north of you there are options to pick from.

That might be the ticket, a tilting trailer would come in handy too

the frame of the popup is steel, you can take off the rest of the aluminum skin and scrap that and drop some treated boards down for a floor and be good to go for years. i built one like that then my dad built another after he saw mine.

You got some mad CL skills DeadSkunk!

DeadSkunk wrote: http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/snw/5442592489.html

$275

$250

$150

$100

All on the Pittsburgh Craigslist. Buy one and I'll bring it to Ohio and meet you somewhere.

https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/5426303675.html

How much into the realm of ridiculousness would a 8x16ft double axle trailer be behind a saturn ion? (If it's not a scam) it has its own electric brakes for $300...

Could it carry one of these $400 Bridgeports that keep popping up?

In reply to pinchvalve:

Awesome offer thank you! I will really have to consider it if these other leads don't work out.

That black trailer with the spare wheel looks like a steal

patgizz wrote: the frame of the popup is steel, you can take off the rest of the aluminum skin and scrap that and drop some treated boards down for a floor and be good to go for years. i built one like that then my dad built another after he saw mine.

Pretty cool I will have to try and see it in person after all. Any idea what kind of weight those camper trailers can take BTW? I have heard a few accounts of 1000-1600lbs but I would rather heard from someone that has one.

In reply to patgizz:

I did just that with a popup that was given to me when I inquired about it? Torsion bar suspension, worst part was dealing with insects and vermin making it a home for 15+ years.

In reply to jere:

As I recall a Bridgeport is 2000-2500lbs. I'd definitely put some long 4x4s down between it and the deck of an old camper to spread the load. Any double axle with brakes should otherwise handle it ok though.

the campers we turned into utility trailers have leaf springs. i don't know how much weight we've put on them but i had around 1000# of carpet pad on one.

where are the $400 bridgeports? i'll buy one.

150 http://battlecreek.craigslist.org/rvs/5450903419.html

patgizz wrote: where are the $400 bridgeports? i'll buy one.

I wondered the same thing!