Whatcha think about this trailer for a lightweight RTT trailer?

[OcoeeG]

Guy is wanting $350, might be able to get it for $300. Build a box and some racks and I think it could be a pretty cool little trailer.

I already have a lightweight RTT trailer, so this is more of a hypothetical question. I just like looking at trailers and thinking about how I could turn it into a RTT trailer.

 

[OcoeeG]

Also has bigger ones for $450.

 

[Mountaintrails71]

For me. One of the biggest deals on trailers is the axle. You wouldn’t want a trailer with odd sized or undersized axle or bolt pattern. I think it’s important to be able to find parts if you have a break down. This may be a good deal or it may be a complete rebuild of everything. Tires will need replaced. Bearings probably have not been taken care of. Springs might work or may need replaced for lighter or heavier. Etc. I myself would not purchase it.

 

[OcoeeG]

For me. One of the biggest deals on trailers is the axle. You wouldn’t want a trailer with odd sized or undersized axle or bolt pattern. I think it’s important to be able to find parts if you have a break down. This may be a good deal or it may be a complete rebuild of everything. Tires will need replaced. Bearings probably have not been taken care of. Springs might work or may need replaced for lighter or heavier. Etc. I myself would not purchase it.

All very true statements! But all of those things can be checked relatively easy. Bearing replacement is far from a deal breaker. As are tire replacement.

 

[Mountaintrails71]

Are bearing replaceable? Are they a odd size that is very hard to find ? Did they get run so much without maintenance that they ran grooves into the spindles and now the axle needs replaced. I have been around a lot of trailers used in lots of ways. Livestock, agriculture, personal utility, contracting and construction. And in most cases trailers are not given proper maintenance. These things are not easily checked.

 

[KonzaLander]

Ah, good ol State DOT sign/generator/light trailers. The few of these that I have been around seem to be built pretty robust and when fresh from the state, well maintained (at least in Kansas). Both of those trailers have decent sized hubs with 5 lug wheels, so I would expect them to have at least a 3,500lb axle.


As a tent transportation trailer the small one might work, but it is super short and will need some mods just to make it pull nicely. If the larger trailer still has the sign support installed I could see that being utilized as one heck of a solar array. You could probably build it to power a small village, or potentially one EV, or just camp.

By the time you are done with the build of a used trailer, you have cut and modified practically every piece of the trailer. Not to mention the time it takes to clean and prep the old material for those modifications. I know a lot of us take this approach whether it is for a decent base to start from, ease of titling, or fabrication ability. In the end, it probably would have been more cost and time efficient to buy material and start from scratch.

 

[OcoeeG]

Ah, good ol State DOT sign/generator/light trailers. The few of these that I have been around seem to be built pretty robust and when fresh from the state, well maintained (at least in Kansas). Both of those trailers have decent sized hubs with 5 lug wheels, so I would expect them to have at least a 3,500lb axle.

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As a tent transportation trailer the small one might work, but it is super short and will need some mods just to make it pull nicely. If the larger trailer still has the sign support installed I could see that being utilized as one heck of a solar array. You could probably build it to power a small village, or potentially one EV, or just camp.

By the time you are done with the build of a used trailer, you have cut and modified practically every piece of the trailer. Not to mention the time it takes to clean and prep the old material for those modifications. I know a lot of us take this approach whether it is for a decent base to start from, ease of titling, or fabrication ability. In the end, it probably would have been more cost and time efficient to buy material and start from scratch.

Yeah, I learned that lesson with my last trailer. Basically rebuilt the entire thing. But with the price of metal now-a-days it seems sometimes going used, even if it requires rehab, is more economical. And $350 is not a lot for a trailer in this economy.

The short one is pretty short, I agree with you on that.

Anyways, I do not have time for another trailer project this winter. My winter project for this year is rebuilding my 97 Suzuki DR650 that has been sitting for a couple of years.

 

[Billiebob]

They look like old light tower trailers. There are a few build threads out there using them. Mostly they are incredibly cheap to buy yet offer everything, lights, suspension, axle, hitch, even a label for registration. Great starting points. Ussually selling for the cost of the tires. Hard to beat the economics.