Build your own trailers

[Bday]

Had a question about the car trailer plans you can buy from ebay for $16-$17. Claims you can build a trailer for $600 or a little more. Anyone use these plans to build with and what did it cost you? Trying to figure out whether to build or just as cost effective to buy. I'd like to make my own for bragging rights, but time constraints might not be worth the effort!
Thanks, Brett

 

[aczlan]

From what I have read, its not usually worth it. By the time you buy steel, axles, lights, tires/rims, wood for a deck and a coupler you are within a few hundred of buying a new one.

Aaron Z

 

[20 20]

600.00 won't even buy a decent set of axles(with brakes) let alone quilty metal. Then there is the wiring, tires, registration hassle. With that written, a trailer could be built for under 600 IF(big IF) someone had access to decent used stuff/junk yard old hidden secrets etc...

 

[Diamondpilot]

Had a question about the car trailer plans you can buy from ebay for $16-$17. Claims you can build a trailer for $600 or a little more. Anyone use these plans to build with and what did it cost you? Trying to figure out whether to build or just as cost effective to buy. I'd like to make my own for bragging rights, but time constraints might not be worth the effort!
Thanks, Brett

It can not be done. I priced it out in 2003 and just the steel and axles cost what a trailer did. I still needed wood, paint, lights, coupler, jack, ect.

I don't see how they do it so cheap.

Chris

 

[Bday]

I love to weld, but can't justify paying the same amount as just buying one. Steel prices are just crazy! I wonder how the clowns in government can claim there is little to no inflation on the products we buy, and keep a straight face! Thanks guys! Brett

 

[Newblue]

I built an 8'x10' single axle trailer for hauling quads and I have $800 in parts/steel/welding consumables. That is with me getting the steel/aluminum for half price and already having the axle and wheels. I don't see how trailer places sell them for so cheap either.

 

[Bday]

Nice trailer! How about getting some of that half priced steel for a forum member?:thumbsup:
Brett

 

[Newblue]

Nice trailer! How about getting some of that half priced steel for a forum member?:thumbsup:
Brett

LOL! My father worked for a steel company and could get stuff half price. He works elsewhere now so I can't get the half price steel now

 

[meburdick]

The advantage to building your own trailer is that you can have EXACTLY what you want and need. The disadvantages are that you have a lot of work to do and it will end up costing you WAY more than you think.

The 2k rated torsion axle for my snowmobile trailer was over $400. How is it that someone thinks you could build an entire trailer for $600? If you like to wrench, and need only a 4x8 trailer, go buy the folding trailer kit from Harbor Freight and put your own deck on it. That should be under $600, but it isn't going to haul a lot of weight.

 

[Markcuda]

I don't see how trailer places sell them for so cheap either.

I would be interested to see what a welder for them makes a hour.