Northern Tool Ultra Tow Aluminum Trailer Wrap Up Thoughts

[@ultramaximusreviews]

Glad I watched this - I was thinking of getting this and building a small tear drop camper on it. Thanks for the warning!

[@bugdewde]

I'm about 80 miles north of the Chattanooga. I just bought one of these last night from a guy that already assembled it. Drove home 200 miles without any issue behind my old Miata. The lightweight of this trailer was hardly noticeable behind the Miata. Actually, loved it. Thanks for your review. I will definitely be checking bolts and applying loc-tite to them. I suspected the flimsy aluminum fenders and tail light cages wouldn't last long, but that was ok with me. Sorry it didn't work out for you. Hopefully, with some loc-tite and not doing 6k miles at once, mine will perform better. Again, thanks for your honest review.

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment. I hope the trailer works out great for and that you got a good deal on it.

[@astromann7449]

Lock - tite the bolts. Need to assemble these with a big square.

[@mzantow2000]

Certainly isn't the trailer's fault that you don't know how to put four aluminum channels into a square

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Just a note on the Squareness of the trailer i am a retired Professional Woodworker and very often Sheets of Plywood are not Square from the factory so i wouldn’t put a lot of Faith on that being how you are determining the Trailer being Square or not although i agree with you on the fenders being pretty Crappy overall for the money. IMO the trailer doesn’t seam that terrible most of everything that is produced inChina and needs to be Assembled is going to be a Pain in the backside my Cousin put a Harbor Freight trailer together and he told me not one set of factory holes aligned up and he had to enlarge everyone with a Die Grinder to get it built he is happy with the final product assembled

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

I guess we get what we pay for.

[@mzantow2000]

If you're not getting square 4 by 8 sheets of plywood you need to go shopping elsewhere

[@darrenbaker738]

Thanks for the review. I have the 5'x8' non-folding version of this I modified with an 8' x 2"x 3" galvanized tongue to give a 2' extended compound tongue which extends back through the second crossmember of the bed. The aluminum trim is cheap and cheerful and I anticipate having to replace/reinforce the fenders and eliminating the light surrounds. Cost was $850 but got a $200 gift card I used to buy accessories (cranked front wheel, coupler locks, etc.). I soldered the electrical connections because I hate splice connectors. Used 3M rubber auto undercoating to separate aluminum from galvanized when appropriate. Used a torque wrench. Using a framing square (2' x 1') it appeared the 5x8 assembled bed sucked in about an eigth inch on each side at the center, I tried to make it square - determined tolerance was ok and slop was due to hole diameters and fitting at the braced corners. Diagonal measurements of bed differed by less than an eighth inch. I am happy with the trailer.

[@darrenbaker738]

Application is dual use. Storage, transportation, and boat ramp deployment of a 14' by 80" wide inflatable boat (SIB) while being able to pick up 8' x 4' sheets and lumber. Trailer has been modified for the boat with 2 of 2" X 6" X 8' bunks which sit above fenders, a keel support a bow stop, and two transom support bunks (transom bunks need to be lowered to haul sheets, or lift sheets over them). Boat hardware is galvanized and was obtained online from Sturdy Built Trailer Parts in FL (highly recommended).

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

Man, that's a lot of work! lol

[@craigmonteforte1478]

FYI all those light trailers Vibrate like Crazy some Loctite on the hardware will help that out i also dought you could order the parts to build a trailer that size for anything much less money for then you have the hassel in many States of getting a Homemade Trailer Registration to get the Tags and make it Legal in some States you also need to pay for a Inspection and those Kits come with the Certificate Of Origin that makes it was way easier to do i had to replace a Axle on a JetSki trailer a few years ago and just the Axle was nearly $200.00 shipped the kits are all pre approved D.O.T. Compliant and come with the tires ,Rims Coupler , and everything else you need except for Accessories of course to wind up with a Trailer you can easily sell for the price of the Kit

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

I agree, it's not a bad deal, especially on sale. It seems trailer prices have also gone up (like everything else) recently.

[@thezfunk]

@@appalachiandualsport4322 Yeah, Northern Tool just raised the price of this to $900. I found a guy in northern IL who gets them surplus/returns and builds them and sells them for $600.

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

@@thezfunk wow, $900? That's pretty crazy. If you can buy it assembled for $600, that's a great deal.

[@thezfunk]

@@appalachiandualsport4322 I called a metals place for a 4x8 sheet of diamond plate aluminum for a floor and they want $400.

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

@@thezfunk I was just at my local Northern Tool in the Chattanooga area and the trailer is pretty much still the original price here. So, your local area must have no inventory on that trailer or something. But also, wow, on the $400 sheet of diamond plate. I guess inflation is hitting every aspect of supply.

[@doughodson5939]

The manual says it is rated for 45mph. Did you do anything different to go faster?

[@msands7713]

Was going to use it for a moped, drag slicks and a cooler, to be pulled to the track, behind my mustang. Plus, it somewhat folds for garage storage, but I've read folding it sucks... Not so sold now...

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

Don't get me wrong, it has some positive points, like the light weight. If you can deal with the issues, then maybe it will work for you. I wouldn't buy another one for myself, but it does have a 4+ star rating online....so, there are people who love it.

[@billypirtle1443]

Reason why the tire is doing what it's doing your trailer you did not square it up before tightening up your bolts you have to square it up before you tightening up the bolts.

[@robertoler3795]

thanks for the review. I've had a little better results. mine has done about 12000 miles (a few trips round trip Houston Seattle ...moving stuff up to Seattle where I am a test pilot) you have to secure it a little better. Lock tite the screws (or safety wire them like in an airplane, that is what I did. Make sure the frame is square either reinforce it with some 45 degree angles or some X bracing, then put the top on it secured to every piece of the frame. Then you have to make sure the frame is square. I didnt use plywood but 2X6X8 foot treated. thats heavy but properly painted it has lasted through seattle weather. I had the steel lversion of it that lives on the farm in Texas...but the price was right with this one. I dont two more than 65 or 70 however and I do check it at the start middle and end (and every gas stop) sorry it did not work out for you. I've had good luck with it RGO

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

Wow sounds like you really went to town putting it together. I don't have that kind of patience or attention to detail. There should be a better way to make sure it's square straight from the kit without all the trouble. Ultimately mine towed well enough but I would never get another one. Thanks for the comment!

[@robertoler3795]

@@appalachiandualsport4322 and thanks for the review and your comments. the weakness in the "getting it straight" part is the folding part of it. my "guess" is that maintaining alignment with the folding thing "in play" is going to be very hard. its weak there and there is a lot of torsion on that part of it...and you know Al bends I was going to use the steel version of that size trailer but we use it on the farm a lot...and this version came along nearly free in a garage sale, unassembled. plus I knew it was going to have to take at least two (but its done three) round trips to seattle and back. you have a great channel. fly safe :)

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

@@robertoler3795 thanks for the comments and taking the time to watch my channel.

[@robertoler3795]

@@appalachiandualsport4322 you have a nice setup :) be safe

[@americanrambler4972]

How would you rank this trailer against the steel red Harbor Freight trailer? Same, worse or better?

[@ZhihaoYu]

Aluminum: Lighter weight, no rust concern; but less rigid

[@darthmatt4120]

Did the actual frame crack anywhere? I don't mind all of the small stuff, how was the frame? thanks

[@appalachiandualsport4322]

No the frame never cracked. It seems that it is sturdy enough. It was just all the think aluminum or steel that cracked.

[@msands7713]

Wow. How disappointing! Guy local here, has on for sale. He used it for a kayak. After seeing this, now I may not go look.

[@johnbrzezinski1446]

After about 5 min. the camera shake made me too dizzy to watch. :(

[@Blawa-ti4xp]

Your trailer isnt square

[@AbeGotBored]

Bahahaha. Sorry dude, but you expected anything from Harbor Fraid to be anything more than single use or worthy of betting your life on?!?! Thanks for the follow up and details on your thoughts!

[@ThatJerkFromCali]

Not from Harbor freight dude.

[@AbeGotBored]

@@ThatJerkFromCali it’s the same trailer.

[@ThatJerkFromCali]

@@AbeGotBored Look for yourself Harbor freight doesn't sell an aluminum trailer. Not the same

[@AbeGotBored]

@@ThatJerkFromCali good talk.

[@jescasi722]

rookies problems