Thanks for watching. I haven't done research on all the available options in the US market so can't comment at this time. However, I may incorporate that into a future video that I'm planning for this aluminum trailer. That said, if one looks at Northern Tool, Harbor Freight and Amazon, I'd guess one is looking at the vast majority of the total market for these things.
@@UrbanMonkTV yikes what a project --UGH !!! My spouse and I are pretty capable - do lots of projects but this is frustrating and as mentioned by others the directions are like a mystery novel - but worse is the sellers of these and the manufactures know this and they make no effort to rewrite them -- a few basic explanations and better graphics would solve 90 percent of peoples questions and frustrations -- I could write volumes here plus you need a magnifying glass to read them. and you can double or triple the 3 hours they say it takes -- the best suggestion -- do the entire project on a table somehow or saw horses - or plan to ruin your back --- however, the suggestions from Urban Monk were certainly helpful -- as a matter of fact i am re-watching the video before i finish to be sure all is ok
@@williamrsteinhaus9666 Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, those instructions leave a lot to be desired. This was actually one of the most difficult videos I've ever had to edit because the poor instructions led me into so many situations that I had to backtrack from that making sense of it all in the editing stage was a mess. Ultimately I'm happy with the result, but it was a journey.
I bought this trailer and am assembling it....at about 10:12 you are installing the spring supports. Dumb question but how does the trailer fold after installing these? It seems that these lock the front and rear halves together.
Thanks for watching. I've been meaning to do a follow up video on this trailer for a while now that I've been living with it a while and using it. I still like it and it benefits me greatly, especially in these high gas price times. (Don't need to own a pickup and can still haul 1/2 ton loads.) Short answer is no, you don't need to remove bolts to fold if you've assembled it in a certain way, leaving two bolts out on the rear section. I'll make that part of my follow up. May take a couple weeks before I get around to it.
I’d appreciate if you can make a video showing how to fold it. Thanks for the video, I just assembled mine following the directions from your video 👍 I just can’t figure out how to fold it
@@MichaelBurko there are many harbor freight folding trailer videos that shows many ways to fold theirs..although they are not aluminium they are made and fold similarly..
Thanks for watching! I'm not sure if they every use different wheel sizes (the small casters) but mine measures 119 inches bottom of wheels (casters) to tip of tongue (hitch). Hope that helps!
I almost bought a maverick hybrid but I don't really need a truck. Mayne only once or twice a year to go to home depot and do diy home projects. Should I buy a foldable utility trailer instead and add a hitch to my Nissan leaf so I can haul stuff whenever I need it?? How heavy is it and is it easy to fold and unfold? Can i store it outside in yard if i dont have space in garage?
I was once like so many people - thinking I needed a pickup truck in my life. I've come to realize I don't. As in frequently as I haul bulky things, this lightweight trailer behind my electric Volt is perfect. If I ever needed to haul something over 1/2 ton, I could just rent a truck. That occasion hasn't happened in 7 years. How much $ would I have tied up in a truck (cost of purchase, ownership, gas and insurance) had I owned a truck that 7 yrs? Folding is easy enough but the wiring needs to be positioned just right to accommodate the bend in the middle. I have the space so I find myself leaving it flat, but it will fold without too much trouble. I'll never own a truck again.
@UrbanMonkTV can it be store outside? And can I add tires to move it lateral? I may just buy a shed to store it on side of house or build one. However the gate on the side of house it's only 3-4 ft wide I believe
Thanks for watching! In hindsight I regret not capturing the "flip." As I mention in the video, the instructions are very cryptic regarding the initial orientation of parts. I was simply too far into assembly and too short on time that day to disassemble and start over. As to your question, I did exactly that, just simply flipped the frame and re-attached the tongue pieces.
Where did you buy that trailer? And I must say you created a great video and I would say that you must be a teacher. You did a great job like a teacher. 👍👍👏👏👏👏
I purchased it here ( amzn.to/3E5PYVP) and still have it. Great piece of equipment. Serves me well. Thanks for watching. I'm not a teacher professionally but like the idea of being one.
Personally I wouldn't travel at speeds over 65 mph for any extended period of time with a wheel size 12" or less. Not any sort of official recommendation, just my opinion. California speed limit for vehicles pulling trailers is 55 so it'll fit my needs. Also, Bearing Buddies might not be a bad idea for trailers that will run at higher speeds. Keep those bearings greasy. Thanks for watching.
Had the exact problem with the castors from the harbor freight folding trailer super duty i bought..I called the customer service they told me i had to find a thinset 🔧 wrench set ..I found a set($20) from amazon..what a bother! You are right..they should of included a stamped thin 🔧 wrench with the kit..I am starting to wire and some videos show putting a a wire from the where the tongue and the box frame to keep continuity to the ground cause it loses ground at that point...have you had any ground issues since you had it?
Thanks for watching! No, no ground issues. Lights still work perfectly every time I plug them in, even after trailer-side plug has spent a year in the elements. Ground seems good. Caveat...it doesn't rain much here. Mostly brutal sun and some salt in the air.
0 seconds ago Was hoping you might confirm the folded outside fender to fender measurements of the trailer. It is the small storage area required by these trailers that make them an attractive purchase. My condo storage unit is exactly 63 inches wide. If the assembled trailer varies even by half an inch it will not be satisfactory for my requirements. Can you advise of the width of the Northern Tool Ultra Light 4x8 Folding Trailer when folded for storage???
I should point out that I do not work for Northern Tool and thus cannot speak for them officially. I'm just a guy who bought one of these trailers. With that said, mine (folded) measures 62.75"x29". If you decide to purchase one, please consider using the link I provided in the video description. It helps support my channel a tiny bit.
Need your help! Please tell me how to connect the tail light wires. On left side, there are 3 wires: yellow, brown and white. On right side, green, brown and white. I don’t know how to make the connection.
The brown is "hot" for tail (running) lights, the white is common ground for all, and the yellow and green are left turn/brake and right turn/brake respectively. Thanks for watching!
@Urban Monk TV thank you so so much!!! , I ended with the 4x8 folding and did few upgrades and love the little trailer and even with a golf cart on it is perfect!
Yes, I mentioned how the instructions are unclear on this later in the video. Unfortunately I didn't have video captured of the "fix", but I did speak to it. Thanks for watching.
@@pascalabessolo5350 My tiny electric has no problems pulling this aluminum one. I'm happy with it. Don't need a pickup anymore and drive on power from my solar panels. Gave up nothing in usability and gained a big inflation hedge as my energy costs are way down.
The black brackets that support the wheel and axle don’t allow the trailer to fold because the screws are attached to both halves of the trailer. Can’t figure this one out? Any suggestions??
Just pull the back bolts out. Note, if you hit a bump at speed with no load, the rear deck will potentially bounce and slap. Alternatively one could put a pin and cotter pin in these holes for quick removal to fold. Thanks for watching!
I've done a smaller version of this trailer. The cone surfaces of the axle are often contaminated with welding swarf (?) That must be cleaned off. Also the grease already in the hubs is notoriously bad so I cleaned that out and put top quality grease in. These little trailers need all the help they can get. Run ground wires - don't depend on chassis ground. Solder all connections.
Nice vid. Was close to buying a harbor freight but I need lightweight. Couple questions; does anyone know if you need nylon washers in between disparate metals and did they provide them. Also, for spare tire- harbor freight ok or buy from trailer shop?
Thanks for watching! I can say there are not nylon washers provided to go between aluminum and steel parts. Hardware is all zinc plated. Steel parts are painted. That's it. There's plenty to be improved upon with this kit, but I'm still happy with it.
Thank you Urban Monk. I can assemble mine with more confidence now. Question - at 8:44 the unit is upside down but the stake sockets are mounted with the 'stop-tab' down. Did you flip those stake sockets around off-camera, or am i mistaken? I was just a bit confused. Thank you so much!
Also, at 16:33 it looks like the tow bar and tow bar plates are on the top of the unit. Am i missing something? Sorry, i just want to get this right and i'm not super-mechanically inclined. Thanks so much!
@@stevetrifelos5861 Yes, in both cases the poor instructions led me to assemble it upside down. The way the recording progressed made it difficult to go back and reshoot because so much would have needed to be taken apart again. Sorry about that. Bottom line, the instructions are not immediately clear about which way is up initially. Just take great care in those first steps and all will be well in the end. I did flip the towbar around once I realized the error. Been a great little trailer for me since though. My little electric car appreciates the light weight.
Great question. I haven't so will refrain from commenting. I'm sure they are standard size. I will say I lost a lug nut since making this video so double check the torque on those once in a while.
Good video ,Overall IMO for the money this Trailer seems like the better of the deals on the small Utility Trailers available as a kit to Be Assembled a Cousin of mine who is a Engineer bought a Harbor Freight one he assembled in his garage in the evenings and he told me that not one set of predrilled holes aligned on the entire thing it was a Steel Trailer that he reemed out every hole with a Die Grinder he is happy with the built product but i personally think the all Aluminum NorthernTool one is a better deal and Engineered nicer thanks for your tips
Thanks for watching! Now that I've survived the terrible instructions and it is all together, I'm very happy with the trailer. Wiring needs improvement but functions.
Thanks for watching! Red threadlocker will certainly ensure they do not come loose, though I haven't had any issues with the lock nuts coming loose yet. I did however lose one lug nut and I had torqued them with my torque wrench.
None. Just two pins with cotter pins holding them in. However, as I mentioned in the video, there's nothing in the kit to hold the back half up in the folded position. I use a bungee cord to wrap the two deck halves together in the folded position. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV Thanks. I guess you refer to the tow bar which is held by 2 pins. I just built mine and I have 2 screws on each side that connect the rear piece with the spring hanger. Without them I can fold up the hanger but then the rear piece is only held in place by the hinge. That can't be right or safe. At min 13:08 you can see one of the screws in your video. The one to the right in the spring hanger. The one that connect the spring hanger and the frame. How can you fold it with this screw in?
@@christophrhein8075 Yes, I believe I know which bolt you're referring to. Building one of these is a journey. I may have put it them in the spring hangers at one point and removed them later when I realized it wouldn't fold without them. I have mounted a large rack to my decking that prohibits folding at this point.
@@UrbanMonkTV Thanks a lot. That gives me piece of mind. I thought I built it wrong. I will use another pair of lock pins to secure the back portion to the spring hanger.
@@christophrhein8075 Does the rear half of the trailer feel wobbly or "floaty" without those bolts connecting the rear half and the spring hanger? Like you, I want the trailer to be able to fold easily for storage, but it also needs to be safe and durable. If you have done this modification successfully what lock pins did you use?
I haven't yet had an opportunity. Truth be told, I prefer riding my bikes over trailering them so I probably won't do that until I either buy a non-runner or take Mr. Kortan to a show and want to keep him clean. Thanks for watching!
Absolutely right. In fact that is what I have done since making the video. I wanted to show it folded to make sure viewers understand it can be folded, but I do have the space. With the bolts in (non-foldable) it doesn't bang around when pulling it empty. Thanks for watching and for throwing in this good insight for the benefit of others!
I chose sanded plywood but one could use OSB too. I also considered using a corrugated plastic sheet topped with aluminum sheet. My situation is unique though in that I have access to materials like that at wholesale. That would have been lighter, but I went the easier route for now. I simply painted with cheap enamel paint.
Several errors I've seen myself. The leaf springer "Hanger" states to Bolt (2) Bolts to the "Front Trailer 1/2" ( including using a bolt from the top assembly of the frame itself.) Would have been nice to omit this bolt in step 1 instead of taking it out... just to replace it ...after installing the hanger??? And it also States to install (2) More bolts into the Rear 1/2 Of the trailer frame. Now in thinking about this....I thought...if it's bolted into the front 1/2 of a " Folding deck". Plus,,, the same piece of "Solid Steel" is also bolted in to the Rear 1/2 of the " Folding Deck" how is the deck going to fold?. This step would only be use if one is NOT PLANNING ON FOLDING THIS? Again resulting in removal of work done.. Thanks for doing this, the directions in the instructions were not good. Your vid helps tons.
Thanks for adding your observations. Yes, the instructions leave a lot to be desired. As one can clearly see in my video, I got "off in the weeds" more than once because of the poor instructions. That said, I love the trailer now. Hopefully others will read your comments before they begin also. Thanks for watching!
No. There's no pallet involved with delivery (from Northern Tool anyway). I don't recall the weight, but the driver and I got it off the truck no problem without ever using the liftgate. I'll guess if I were general counsel for a trucking company I'd say the opposite. Thanks for watching!
check out 13.05 to 13.15 that's one of the most important parts to understand in ENTIRE video and as you do your assembly - you do a great job showing a close up but a graphic or verbal comment would have been helpful , I had to watch 3 times before i noticed the change you made -- when the hinge plates are installed the instructions say nothing about how to install the bolts - fact is, the one bolt will NOT go in with the head as inserted everywhere else on trailer and as Urban Monk initially shows here because that one bolt hits a nut on the back inside of the corner beams - in fact the video shows moments later that bolt reversed by Urban Monk and put in from the rear inside corner but to do so the obstructing not and bolt on the inside rear corner has to first be removed -- its subtle - but other wise the hinge plates cannot be attached
this is also one of these classic projects ( just like anything mechanical , plumbing , carpentry etc) that once you are done you realize the next time if you were to ever do one would take one third the time once you know how to do it
Thanks. Yes, the instructions are super vague and I did need to do some backtracking. Made for a nightmare editing and impossible to capture it all and keep in order and below 25 minutes (target max length I aim for, but don't always achieve.) For me, this was really two complex projects simultaneously - the trailer and the video.
That's great it's not going to rust it's the exact same trailer from harbor freight just in aluminum and I love the color much better than the red from harbor freight that eventually turns pink in the Sun
Yes and, for my lightweight electric car, this thing is a breeze to pull. I don't notice it's there at all other than the sound of my receiver hitch rattling (which is expected).
Questions: Since you had calipers, what were the three dimensions of the structural aluminum? And to confirm, it appears to be Aluminum Association (AA, uniform thickness of flange) rather than American Standard (AS, flange thinner toward edge)? You also neglected to mention that the more rounded side of the washer goes on the fastener side, and the washer goes on the side of the fastener which is rotated when tightening. Also when the fastener is much harder than the structure material, both ends of the fastener should have washers for greater distribution of compressive force. (Decking is not a washer, and all fasteners connecting structual aluminum must be metal-to-metal. Counterbore spacer holes with a spur, spade, or auger drill bit.)
@@UrbanMonkTV Yes! Thank you, I bolted them all, but I should not have, or it will not fold, in fact, there are 4 bolts, 2 on side and to bottom that it will keep it from folding
I've been trying to find an easy answer to your question without going out and pulling the bearing caps off, but haven't found it yet. I believe they are 32mm, but not entirely sure of that.
One last question... what did you torque your lug nuts to? I know the book says 85 to 90 I believe, but that seems a little excessive. It also seemed like the nut was having a hard time tightening up. Like the cone was burying itself into the wheel and not cinching up to that spec on my torque wrench. Just curious
@@msands7713 I never use a torque spec on tapered bearings...I just tighten until the nut is tight and then back it off a tiny amount to take the pressure off the bearings. It's a feel thing. 80-90 lb-ft sounds like it is intended for the wheel lug nuts. Axle nut shouldn't be that tight.
Hi all, I just finished the base trailer on this build (no deck or sides yet.) I wanted to do a quick debrief while things are still fresh in my mind. First off, you are starting your build with the trailer upside down. Consequently when you put on the arms with the serial number and VIN on them, make sure you put them on so they are upside down and you can’t read them. When you are laying out your frame rails, at least on mine, there are only two holes in the rails that have mount holes drilled for the running lights by them. Locate these two rails and make sure they are on opposite sides with the running light holes toward the front of the trailer. In my case I discovered this after I had the frame assembled and just went ahead and drilled the holes for the one I missed rather than disassemble. When mounting the hinge, the two bolts closest to the hinge bolt itself interfere with the frame bolts. After loosening the frame bolts for access, I inserted the inner hinge bolts so that the bolt head is inside the frame and the shank protrudes outwards and no longer interferes. I also put the actual hinge point bolt in the same orientation with the thinking I that it’s bolt head was less likely to interfere with a load than the bolt shank would. Regarding the wiring, the first thing I did was to determine the quality of the trailer frame as a ground path. I took my ohmmeter and measured 0.1 ohms from the front of the trailer to the rear. Consequently I put ring terminals and heat shrink on all of the white ground wires and used self-drilling sheet metal screws to mount all of the white ground wires up to the frame rails. I used just a plain old 9v battery (like us oldsters used for transistor radios) and a couple short pieces of electrical wire to test the lights paying close attention to polarity. The plain post is positive and would go to your brown, green, and yellow pins in the connector and the springy slotted connector on the 9v battery would go to the white ground wire. I tested the lights while the back was folded forward so I could see the lights from the front. Thanks to everyone else who posted tips! It was all very helpful. Good luck to everyone on their assemblies! Oh yeah, one thing I did was to clamp a framing square to the inside of the frame as I snugged up the frame bolts so I could make sure it was as close to square as possible as I assembled. I ignored their advice to leave the bolts loose. I did have to remove or loosen a few back up along the way, but I found it helpful to have it square and snug early on.
Regarding the castor with narrow wrench space...any old school motorcycle guy has old tool kits with skinny wrenches! If not? C'mon grind one narrow from a garage sale!
Those are bolts in the center of the spring they're called tie bolts. a rivet. Tie rivet. I haven't seen. i'm sure, If they are they're using them to try to Make more profit.
The Northern Tool assembly manual is horrible and they have no support for this trailer. I was stuck for a while trying to figure things out and they couldn't answer my questions and didn't call me back. If one of their staff would actually assemble this trailer using their instructions they would see the shortcomings and fix the manual. I was also missing one M10 bolt and a few other things and had to run out to a hardware store, The folding of the trailer got me too but they told me to follow the manual, then didn't answer me when I told them the manual has NO instructions for folding the trailer. It would have been easier if they had some type of quick release instead of having to take out bolts. Also my manual is apparently not as detailed as yours and doesn't show an actual inventory of all the hardware. The instructions reference "bolt bag #2" for instance but the bags are not marked. It's pretty outrageous. I am not happy that it took me three days to get this thing put together and much of that time was spent sitting around scratching my head trying to figure out how to assemble certain parts. In some cases the instructions are just plain wrong and had me assemble parts in the "wrong" order forcing me to disassemble what I had already assembled and re-do it. Your video helped me tremendously. While you missed one or two things I needed to see, you solved my main issues by at least letting me see what certain assemblies looked like when together. The hinges gave me fits but after your video I was good to go. You provide a lot of valuable information and finding your video saved me on this project, especially since Northern Tool is useless. Thank you!
Thanks for watching. I'm glad you got it sorted out. Yeah, it is very much a DIY project with those instructions. Mine continues to serve me well though.
Looks like you're right, currently unavailable. I even checked with Northern Tool and they don't offer this one currently also. Perhaps it will come back into stock soon. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for watching. Had the instructions been printed in a legible manner and I ignored camera angle, script, lighting, and audio, plus my kids needing rides to and from school during filming I may not have made the errors I did. Ultimately I got it together and it has been serving me well for two years now.
just put now put one together. Lots of work arounds and redos beacuse directions are lacking big time. Do not buy this model if you really done need a folding trailer. Their are many better options for non folders.
Thanks for watching! Agree with you that the instructions are awful. That said, now that mine is together it serves me well. The lightweight is a big win for me given I pull it with an electric car.
I want to know the names of the smallest and lightest weight trailers and where can I get them from ? I want a 3.5 open trailer ?
Thanks for watching. I haven't done research on all the available options in the US market so can't comment at this time. However, I may incorporate that into a future video that I'm planning for this aluminum trailer. That said, if one looks at Northern Tool, Harbor Freight and Amazon, I'd guess one is looking at the vast majority of the total market for these things.
assembling mine tomorrow - thanks for the tips -- I took notes as you went through steps -
If you're going to do top decking (as I would guess most people will), you can leave the top bolts out until you install that.
@@UrbanMonkTV yikes what a project --UGH !!! My spouse and I are pretty capable - do lots of projects but this is frustrating and as mentioned by others the directions are like a mystery novel - but worse is the sellers of these and the manufactures know this and they make no effort to rewrite them -- a few basic explanations and better graphics would solve 90 percent of peoples questions and frustrations -- I could write volumes here plus you need a magnifying glass to read them. and you can double or triple the 3 hours they say it takes -- the best suggestion -- do the entire project on a table somehow or saw horses - or plan to ruin your back --- however, the suggestions from Urban Monk were certainly helpful -- as a matter of fact i am re-watching the video before i finish to be sure all is ok
@@williamrsteinhaus9666 Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, those instructions leave a lot to be desired. This was actually one of the most difficult videos I've ever had to edit because the poor instructions led me into so many situations that I had to backtrack from that making sense of it all in the editing stage was a mess. Ultimately I'm happy with the result, but it was a journey.
I bought this trailer and am assembling it....at about 10:12 you are installing the spring supports. Dumb question but how does the trailer fold after installing these? It seems that these lock the front and rear halves together.
A little more detail...to fold, it seems you need to remove a total of 4 bolts - 2 each side.
@@tehammel Correct. I learned that after filming that section. Assembling these things is a journey for sure. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video. Can you make a video showing how you fold it up? Do you need to remove bolts to make it happen?
Thanks for watching. I've been meaning to do a follow up video on this trailer for a while now that I've been living with it a while and using it. I still like it and it benefits me greatly, especially in these high gas price times. (Don't need to own a pickup and can still haul 1/2 ton loads.) Short answer is no, you don't need to remove bolts to fold if you've assembled it in a certain way, leaving two bolts out on the rear section. I'll make that part of my follow up. May take a couple weeks before I get around to it.
I’d appreciate if you can make a video showing how to fold it.
Thanks for the video, I just assembled mine following the directions from your video 👍
I just can’t figure out how to fold it
@@MichaelBurko I intend to do a video of that after I finish a couple other videos I currently have in the pipeline. Thank you for watching!
@@MichaelBurko there are many harbor freight folding trailer videos that shows many ways to fold theirs..although they are not aluminium they are made and fold similarly..
@@FuzzballToday thanks! I didn’t know they fold the same way
Thank you so much!! I can't wait to assemble and put a trailer on mine!!
Thanks for watching!
Manual says only 45mph. Did you do anything different to go faster? I would like to tow at 55mph.
I live in an area where I'd be in real trouble for going 45. I've done 65 for 35 miles without issue.
Great video! Question. When in folded position how tall is the trailer top to bottom? Thanks again!!!
Thanks for watching! I'm not sure if they every use different wheel sizes (the small casters) but mine measures 119 inches bottom of wheels (casters) to tip of tongue (hitch). Hope that helps!
I almost bought a maverick hybrid but I don't really need a truck. Mayne only once or twice a year to go to home depot and do diy home projects. Should I buy a foldable utility trailer instead and add a hitch to my Nissan leaf so I can haul stuff whenever I need it?? How heavy is it and is it easy to fold and unfold? Can i store it outside in yard if i dont have space in garage?
I was once like so many people - thinking I needed a pickup truck in my life. I've come to realize I don't. As in frequently as I haul bulky things, this lightweight trailer behind my electric Volt is perfect. If I ever needed to haul something over 1/2 ton, I could just rent a truck. That occasion hasn't happened in 7 years. How much $ would I have tied up in a truck (cost of purchase, ownership, gas and insurance) had I owned a truck that 7 yrs? Folding is easy enough but the wiring needs to be positioned just right to accommodate the bend in the middle. I have the space so I find myself leaving it flat, but it will fold without too much trouble. I'll never own a truck again.
@UrbanMonkTV can it be store outside? And can I add tires to move it lateral? I may just buy a shed to store it on side of house or build one. However the gate on the side of house it's only 3-4 ft wide I believe
How did you flip the trailer over after the upside-down assembly????
Thanks for watching! In hindsight I regret not capturing the "flip." As I mention in the video, the instructions are very cryptic regarding the initial orientation of parts. I was simply too far into assembly and too short on time that day to disassemble and start over. As to your question, I did exactly that, just simply flipped the frame and re-attached the tongue pieces.
Where did you buy that trailer? And I must say you created a great video and I would say that you must be a teacher. You did a great job like a teacher. 👍👍👏👏👏👏
I purchased it here ( amzn.to/3E5PYVP) and still have it. Great piece of equipment. Serves me well. Thanks for watching. I'm not a teacher professionally but like the idea of being one.
Are you comfortable on the freeway? Perhaps traveling with this? Relatively light load. Is the speed rating of tires and axel an issue?
Personally I wouldn't travel at speeds over 65 mph for any extended period of time with a wheel size 12" or less. Not any sort of official recommendation, just my opinion. California speed limit for vehicles pulling trailers is 55 so it'll fit my needs. Also, Bearing Buddies might not be a bad idea for trailers that will run at higher speeds. Keep those bearings greasy. Thanks for watching.
Had the exact problem with the castors from the harbor freight folding trailer super duty i bought..I called the customer service they told me i had to find a thinset 🔧 wrench set
..I found a set($20) from amazon..what a bother! You are right..they should of included a stamped thin 🔧 wrench with the kit..I am starting to wire and some videos show putting a a wire from the where the tongue and the box frame to keep continuity to the ground cause it loses ground at that point...have you had any ground issues since you had it?
Thanks for watching! No, no ground issues. Lights still work perfectly every time I plug them in, even after trailer-side plug has spent a year in the elements. Ground seems good. Caveat...it doesn't rain much here. Mostly brutal sun and some salt in the air.
0 seconds ago
Was hoping you might confirm the folded outside fender to fender measurements of the trailer. It is the small storage area required by these trailers that make them an attractive purchase. My condo storage unit is exactly 63 inches wide. If the assembled trailer varies even by half an inch it will not be satisfactory for my requirements. Can you advise of the
width of the Northern Tool Ultra Light 4x8 Folding Trailer when folded for storage???
I should point out that I do not work for Northern Tool and thus cannot speak for them officially. I'm just a guy who bought one of these trailers. With that said, mine (folded) measures 62.75"x29". If you decide to purchase one, please consider using the link I provided in the video description. It helps support my channel a tiny bit.
Did you say you used 3/16” plywood?
I used 1/2" plywood and sealed with spray enamel. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV Thanks UrbanMonk! I started the build on one of these. The instructions need a lot of editing.
@@tomcoryell They sure do. I almost wonder if I wouldn't have been better off without them entirely. Perhaps at times.
Do you have a link to purchase the trailer?
m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660343_200660343
Need your help! Please tell me how to connect the tail light wires. On left side, there are 3 wires: yellow, brown and white. On right side, green, brown and white. I don’t know how to make the connection.
The brown is "hot" for tail (running) lights, the white is common ground for all, and the yellow and green are left turn/brake and right turn/brake respectively. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV thank you!
Do you must disassemble the deck wood to fold the trailer with the 3/8 ??
Thanks!
No, I just didn't have the deck wood purchased at the time I shot the video. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for taking the time, how's been your trailer? I'm about to get the 5x8 for towing with a prius when needed.
Mine is doing well. Perfect trailer for electric and/or hybrids (not advice - DYOR).
@Urban Monk TV thank you so so much!!! , I ended with the 4x8 folding and did few upgrades and love the little trailer and even with a golf cart on it is perfect!
10:30.. Is that me or you mounted the tongue side up and after 16:59, you fixed it.. ;-)
Yes, I mentioned how the instructions are unclear on this later in the video. Unfortunately I didn't have video captured of the "fix", but I did speak to it. Thanks for watching.
@@UrbanMonkTV No worries... It happens to the best of us... I am myself looking to buy a foldable trailer to be towed by my low sedan car.
@@pascalabessolo5350 My tiny electric has no problems pulling this aluminum one. I'm happy with it. Don't need a pickup anymore and drive on power from my solar panels. Gave up nothing in usability and gained a big inflation hedge as my energy costs are way down.
The black brackets that support the wheel and axle don’t allow the trailer to fold because the screws are attached to both halves of the trailer. Can’t figure this one out? Any suggestions??
Just pull the back bolts out. Note, if you hit a bump at speed with no load, the rear deck will potentially bounce and slap. Alternatively one could put a pin and cotter pin in these holes for quick removal to fold. Thanks for watching!
Urban Monk TV Thanks for your reply and for the video!
I've done a smaller version of this trailer. The cone surfaces of the axle are often contaminated with welding swarf (?) That must be cleaned off. Also the grease already in the hubs is notoriously bad so I cleaned that out and put top quality grease in. These little trailers need all the help they can get.
Run ground wires - don't depend on chassis ground. Solder all connections.
Good insights for the community here. Thanks for watching!
Nice vid. Was close to buying a harbor freight but I need lightweight. Couple questions; does anyone know if you need nylon washers in between disparate metals and did they provide them. Also, for spare tire- harbor freight ok or buy from trailer shop?
Thanks for watching! I can say there are not nylon washers provided to go between aluminum and steel parts. Hardware is all zinc plated. Steel parts are painted. That's it. There's plenty to be improved upon with this kit, but I'm still happy with it.
Thank you Urban Monk. I can assemble mine with more confidence now. Question - at 8:44 the unit is upside down but the stake sockets are mounted with the 'stop-tab' down. Did you flip those stake sockets around off-camera, or am i mistaken? I was just a bit confused. Thank you so much!
Also, at 16:33 it looks like the tow bar and tow bar plates are on the top of the unit. Am i missing something? Sorry, i just want to get this right and i'm not super-mechanically inclined. Thanks so much!
@@stevetrifelos5861 Yes, in both cases the poor instructions led me to assemble it upside down. The way the recording progressed made it difficult to go back and reshoot because so much would have needed to be taken apart again. Sorry about that. Bottom line, the instructions are not immediately clear about which way is up initially. Just take great care in those first steps and all will be well in the end. I did flip the towbar around once I realized the error. Been a great little trailer for me since though. My little electric car appreciates the light weight.
@@UrbanMonkTV Thank you so much for taking the time to record!! I would have made a 100 mistakes i'm sure. Good lessons for me!!
And yes, i've read the instructions several times and there are more than several vague sentences/sections. they are a mess really.
@@UrbanMonkTV I was wondering when you would flip the towbar... looks good What did you use for a deck?
Has anyone put Bearing Buddies on this trailer if so what size?
Great question. I haven't so will refrain from commenting. I'm sure they are standard size. I will say I lost a lug nut since making this video so double check the torque on those once in a while.
Good video ,Overall IMO for the money this Trailer seems like the better of the deals on the small Utility Trailers available as a kit to Be Assembled a Cousin of mine who is a Engineer bought a Harbor Freight one he assembled in his garage in the evenings and he told me that not one set of predrilled holes aligned on the entire thing it was a Steel Trailer that he reemed out every hole with a Die Grinder he is happy with the built product but i personally think the all Aluminum NorthernTool one is a better deal and Engineered nicer thanks for your tips
Thanks for watching! Now that I've survived the terrible instructions and it is all together, I'm very happy with the trailer. Wiring needs improvement but functions.
I hear them lock nuts breaking loose at certain points, which I'll add an additional with red thread locker or something.
Thanks for watching! Red threadlocker will certainly ensure they do not come loose, though I haven't had any issues with the lock nuts coming loose yet. I did however lose one lug nut and I had torqued them with my torque wrench.
At what point did you figure out you had the trailer tongue on wrong. 16:36-1700 shows it on top. Then after that it shows it on the bottom.
Somewhere in between there. Thanks for watching!
How many screws do you need to unscrew to fold it?
None. Just two pins with cotter pins holding them in. However, as I mentioned in the video, there's nothing in the kit to hold the back half up in the folded position. I use a bungee cord to wrap the two deck halves together in the folded position. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV Thanks. I guess you refer to the tow bar which is held by 2 pins. I just built mine and I have 2 screws on each side that connect the rear piece with the spring hanger. Without them I can fold up the hanger but then the rear piece is only held in place by the hinge. That can't be right or safe. At min 13:08 you can see one of the screws in your video. The one to the right in the spring hanger. The one that connect the spring hanger and the frame. How can you fold it with this screw in?
@@christophrhein8075 Yes, I believe I know which bolt you're referring to. Building one of these is a journey. I may have put it them in the spring hangers at one point and removed them later when I realized it wouldn't fold without them. I have mounted a large rack to my decking that prohibits folding at this point.
@@UrbanMonkTV Thanks a lot. That gives me piece of mind. I thought I built it wrong. I will use another pair of lock pins to secure the back portion to the spring hanger.
@@christophrhein8075 Does the rear half of the trailer feel wobbly or "floaty" without those bolts connecting the rear half and the spring hanger? Like you, I want the trailer to be able to fold easily for storage, but it also needs to be safe and durable. If you have done this modification successfully what lock pins did you use?
Hey great video! Is the hardware stainless steel? Thanks
did you use it with your motorcycle and how did you like it
I haven't yet had an opportunity. Truth be told, I prefer riding my bikes over trailering them so I probably won't do that until I either buy a non-runner or take Mr. Kortan to a show and want to keep him clean. Thanks for watching!
If you don’t need to fold it, put bolts through the frame to stiffen it up.
Absolutely right. In fact that is what I have done since making the video. I wanted to show it folded to make sure viewers understand it can be folded, but I do have the space. With the bolts in (non-foldable) it doesn't bang around when pulling it empty. Thanks for watching and for throwing in this good insight for the benefit of others!
What material is the deck?
I chose sanded plywood but one could use OSB too. I also considered using a corrugated plastic sheet topped with aluminum sheet. My situation is unique though in that I have access to materials like that at wholesale. That would have been lighter, but I went the easier route for now. I simply painted with cheap enamel paint.
@@UrbanMonkTV Awesome thank you for your time 👍🏻
@@nikobuendia7655 Thanks for watching!
Several errors I've seen myself.
The leaf springer "Hanger" states to Bolt (2) Bolts to the "Front Trailer 1/2" ( including using a bolt from the top assembly of the frame itself.)
Would have been nice to omit this bolt in step 1 instead of taking it out... just to replace it ...after installing the hanger???
And it also States to install (2) More bolts into the Rear 1/2 Of the trailer frame.
Now in thinking about this....I thought...if it's bolted into the front 1/2 of a " Folding deck".
Plus,,, the same piece of "Solid Steel" is also bolted in to the Rear 1/2 of the " Folding Deck" how is the deck going to fold?.
This step would only be use if one is NOT PLANNING ON FOLDING THIS? Again resulting in removal of work done..
Thanks for doing this, the directions in the instructions were not good. Your vid helps tons.
Thanks for adding your observations. Yes, the instructions leave a lot to be desired. As one can clearly see in my video, I got "off in the weeds" more than once because of the poor instructions. That said, I love the trailer now. Hopefully others will read your comments before they begin also. Thanks for watching!
Good presentation. I understand this trailer comes in 3 boxes, how heavy are these boxes? Is $85 liftgate service really necessary?
No. There's no pallet involved with delivery (from Northern Tool anyway). I don't recall the weight, but the driver and I got it off the truck no problem without ever using the liftgate. I'll guess if I were general counsel for a trucking company I'd say the opposite. Thanks for watching!
@@UrbanMonkTV thanks
check out 13.05 to 13.15 that's one of the most important parts to understand in ENTIRE video and as you do your assembly - you do a great job showing a close up but a graphic or verbal comment would have been helpful , I had to watch 3 times before i noticed the change you made -- when the hinge plates are installed the instructions say nothing about how to install the bolts - fact is, the one bolt will NOT go in with the head as inserted everywhere else on trailer and as Urban Monk initially shows here because that one bolt hits a nut on the back inside of the corner beams - in fact the video shows moments later that bolt reversed by Urban Monk and put in from the rear inside corner but to do so the obstructing not and bolt on the inside rear corner has to first be removed -- its subtle - but other wise the hinge plates cannot be attached
this is also one of these classic projects ( just like anything mechanical , plumbing , carpentry etc) that once you are done you realize the next time if you were to ever do one would take one third the time once you know how to do it
Thanks. Yes, the instructions are super vague and I did need to do some backtracking. Made for a nightmare editing and impossible to capture it all and keep in order and below 25 minutes (target max length I aim for, but don't always achieve.) For me, this was really two complex projects simultaneously - the trailer and the video.
That's great it's not going to rust it's the exact same trailer from harbor freight just in aluminum and I love the color much better than the red from harbor freight that eventually turns pink in the Sun
Yes and, for my lightweight electric car, this thing is a breeze to pull. I don't notice it's there at all other than the sound of my receiver hitch rattling (which is expected).
Questions:
Since you had calipers, what were the three dimensions of the structural aluminum? And to confirm, it appears to be Aluminum Association (AA, uniform thickness of flange) rather than American Standard (AS, flange thinner toward edge)?
You also neglected to mention that the more rounded side of the washer goes on the fastener side, and the washer goes on the side of the fastener which is rotated when tightening. Also when the fastener is much harder than the structure material, both ends of the fastener should have washers for greater distribution of compressive force. (Decking is not a washer, and all fasteners connecting structual aluminum must be metal-to-metal. Counterbore spacer holes with a spur, spade, or auger drill bit.)
Thanks for watching.
My trailer will not fold... I’m not sure what part I did wrong... sucks... though I followed you pretty close... any tips? What shall I do??
Guessing...Check the bolts in the back half deck in the spring holders (black painted parts that also hold the mude guards).
@@UrbanMonkTV
Yes! Thank you, I bolted them all, but I should not have, or it will not fold, in fact, there are 4 bolts, 2 on side and to bottom that it will keep it from folding
What size nut is the axle nut?
I've been trying to find an easy answer to your question without going out and pulling the bearing caps off, but haven't found it yet. I believe they are 32mm, but not entirely sure of that.
Sorry, just saw this, but thanks for the reply. My $4 6 point 1 1/4" harbor freight socket worked perfect as well for that nut.
One last question... what did you torque your lug nuts to? I know the book says 85 to 90 I believe, but that seems a little excessive. It also seemed like the nut was having a hard time tightening up. Like the cone was burying itself into the wheel and not cinching up to that spec on my torque wrench. Just curious
@@msands7713 I never use a torque spec on tapered bearings...I just tighten until the nut is tight and then back it off a tiny amount to take the pressure off the bearings. It's a feel thing. 80-90 lb-ft sounds like it is intended for the wheel lug nuts. Axle nut shouldn't be that tight.
Hi all, I just finished the base trailer on this build (no deck or sides yet.) I wanted to do a quick debrief while things are still fresh in my mind. First off, you are starting your build with the trailer upside down. Consequently when you put on the arms with the serial number and VIN on them, make sure you put them on so they are upside down and you can’t read them. When you are laying out your frame rails, at least on mine, there are only two holes in the rails that have mount holes drilled for the running lights by them. Locate these two rails and make sure they are on opposite sides with the running light holes toward the front of the trailer. In my case I discovered this after I had the frame assembled and just went ahead and drilled the holes for the one I missed rather than disassemble. When mounting the hinge, the two bolts closest to the hinge bolt itself interfere with the frame bolts. After loosening the frame bolts for access, I inserted the inner hinge bolts so that the bolt head is inside the frame and the shank protrudes outwards and no longer interferes. I also put the actual hinge point bolt in the same orientation with the thinking I that it’s bolt head was less likely to interfere with a load than the bolt shank would. Regarding the wiring, the first thing I did was to determine the quality of the trailer frame as a ground path. I took my ohmmeter and measured 0.1 ohms from the front of the trailer to the rear. Consequently I put ring terminals and heat shrink on all of the white ground wires and used self-drilling sheet metal screws to mount all of the white ground wires up to the frame rails. I used just a plain old 9v battery (like us oldsters used for transistor radios) and a couple short pieces of electrical wire to test the lights paying close attention to polarity. The plain post is positive and would go to your brown, green, and yellow pins in the connector and the springy slotted connector on the 9v battery would go to the white ground wire. I tested the lights while the back was folded forward so I could see the lights from the front. Thanks to everyone else who posted tips! It was all very helpful. Good luck to everyone on their assemblies! Oh yeah, one thing I did was to clamp a framing square to the inside of the frame as I snugged up the frame bolts so I could make sure it was as close to square as possible as I assembled. I ignored their advice to leave the bolts loose. I did have to remove or loosen a few back up along the way, but I found it helpful to have it square and snug early on.
Thanks for sharing for the benefit of others.
Regarding the castor with narrow wrench space...any old school motorcycle guy has old tool kits with skinny wrenches! If not? C'mon grind one narrow from a garage sale!
Thanks for watching. Thought about grinding one down but went the route I went instead.
I suggest you lubricate the folding hinges.
Not a bad idea. Especially in a more humid climate than mine. Thanks for watching.
Those are bolts in the center of the spring they're called tie bolts. a rivet. Tie rivet. I haven't seen. i'm sure, If they are they're using them to try to Make more profit.
Thanks for watching!
The Northern Tool assembly manual is horrible and they have no support for this trailer. I was stuck for a while trying to figure things out and they couldn't answer my questions and didn't call me back. If one of their staff would actually assemble this trailer using their instructions they would see the shortcomings and fix the manual. I was also missing one M10 bolt and a few other things and had to run out to a hardware store, The folding of the trailer got me too but they told me to follow the manual, then didn't answer me when I told them the manual has NO instructions for folding the trailer. It would have been easier if they had some type of quick release instead of having to take out bolts. Also my manual is apparently not as detailed as yours and doesn't show an actual inventory of all the hardware. The instructions reference "bolt bag #2" for instance but the bags are not marked. It's pretty outrageous. I am not happy that it took me three days to get this thing put together and much of that time was spent sitting around scratching my head trying to figure out how to assemble certain parts. In some cases the instructions are just plain wrong and had me assemble parts in the "wrong" order forcing me to disassemble what I had already assembled and re-do it.
Your video helped me tremendously. While you missed one or two things I needed to see, you solved my main issues by at least letting me see what certain assemblies looked like when together. The hinges gave me fits but after your video I was good to go. You provide a lot of valuable information and finding your video saved me on this project, especially since Northern Tool is useless.
Thank you!
Thanks for watching. I'm glad you got it sorted out. Yeah, it is very much a DIY project with those instructions. Mine continues to serve me well though.
At what point did you realize you had put the "tongue assembly" on the wrong way?
Right around the point where it appears corrected in the video. Instructions leave much to be desired, but I got it sorted.. Thanks for watching.
Looks like it's not available anymore.
Looks like you're right, currently unavailable. I even checked with Northern Tool and they don't offer this one currently also. Perhaps it will come back into stock soon. Thanks for watching.
Ignore the brake light, turn signal, marker lights instructions LOL
Thanks for watching. Had the instructions been printed in a legible manner and I ignored camera angle, script, lighting, and audio, plus my kids needing rides to and from school during filming I may not have made the errors I did. Ultimately I got it together and it has been serving me well for two years now.
You no You had the Drawbar upside down.
Yes, temporarily. You can see I corrected at one point. Thanks for watching!
just put now put one together. Lots of work arounds and redos beacuse directions are lacking big time. Do not buy this model if you really done need a folding trailer. Their are many better options for non folders.
Thanks for watching! Agree with you that the instructions are awful. That said, now that mine is together it serves me well. The lightweight is a big win for me given I pull it with an electric car.