Use of Harbor Freight Loading Ramp with HF Trailer

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

I had bought a mower beginning of this 2023 summer so I needed ramps to get it into my pickup. So I got 8 foot 2x6's and put those aluminum tips on them. Just finished putting my trailer together and need to do the bed and walls. I like your sides but what I'm going to do is put the 2x6's as the bottom piece of the fence. Just put some pin's with cotter pins like you've done with the stakes. This way if I have the trailer I have the ramps .... and they're out of the way. I like your use of the leveling jacks.

[@PuddingForBrains-qh1hr]

Thank you so much for the video some super good tips, especially on the floor down Jack's for the back of your trailer. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Glad you're finding the videos helpful ... that's why I made/posted them ... I spent a lot of time thinking all this stuff through and picking/sourcing all the hardware, and hoped sharing my ideas/solutions would help others get to a trailer that works for them with far less time/effort.

[@gregweir4072]

Love the video on your HF trailer build. I built one to haul my motorcycle, and purchased the same ramp. However, I added a 1 1/4" x 48" angled aluminum strip on the back edge of the 3/4" plywood deck to keep it from being damaged.

[@markwietstock1537]

That's a good idea ... might even add that to my own. By the time my build was really "done," I was just tired of coming up with solutions/finding hardware for the things I wanted to improve. That was the main reason I did the videos ... to help others see/save time on the adds. Glad you found the videos helpful.

[@MrKmd27]

Wow, beautiful and innovative job with this trailer. Nice work!

[@DolittleMccoy]

I recently purchased one of these trailers from Harbor Freight... I have a small Kubota tractor that I'm wanting to haul on the trailer. It weighs 985lbs. The trailer is rated for 1720lbs... Going by the numbers it should haul the tractor with ease. But I worry about the weight... I haven't hauled the tractor on it yet, but I'm hoping that it hauls it with ease and no problems

[@dmrtechnology6033]

As you've noted, weight of the tractor shouldn't be a problem ... loading/unloading will be. This trailer can be tipped backward to put the rear edge on/near the ground, but then you need to figure out how to get a heavy load going up a pretty steep incline, AND then hold the load/cargo in place while you safely control lowering the front end again. I opted for a folding aluminum ramp that can be either divided into two narrower ramps, or kept as a full-width, single ramp, combined with swing down jacks on the rear corners, so you can block the tires and safely load/unload whether or not the trailer's attached to a vehicle. All in the vids.

[@619DioFan]

Have the same ramp for my HF trailer. loaded a 1,000 pound tool box with out issue. I drilled a hole in the front of each ramp and a matching holes in the deck and use a long cleaves pin to hold them in place , the chains are a pita in my opinion. since I have lots of jack stands I just use those under the back if needed.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Nice ... good solution. That ramp has been a total lifesaver for me. MANY uses, even when you're not using it with the HF trailer.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

This trailer can be tipped backward to allow rear loading that way, but that requires removing the license plate, and figuring out a way to hold up, then safely lower the tongue as the load is being placed on the deck. I wanted a simple and safe way to use a good ramp instead.

[@julesservin3375]

I saw on another video of someone welding a scissor jack to the front of the trailer between the deck and the tongue to lower the rear.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

@@julesservin3375 … a jack in that location is a good solution, but when I was considering solutions, I also noted that the position of the axle (it's behind center) requires a pretty severe "uphill" angle/lift of the tongue end to get the rear end all the way down on the ground … more severe than I wanted to deal with. With the combination of detachable ramp and swing-down jacks on the back end, I can even reduce the ramp ascent angle a bit further by using my add-on tongue jack to raise the front end, e.g., before putting the jacks down. A jack in the location you noted is more like a "dump" feature than a practical loading feature. One of the things I liked best about this trailer was how many different ways it can be customized/adapted to the owner's specific needs/uses, and then folded up and put away in a relatively tiny storage space! There's really nothing else like it out there, particularly at HF's price ...

[@julesservin3375]

I agree, I also like how the trailer can be customized. That's why I'm watching all these videos and going to use some of the different ideas to make my own to suit my needs. Your video was great and also gave me some ideas on how to make it work for me.

[@theoldieswarehousegk1089]

Love your trailer set up !

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks ... glad you're finding the videos helpful.

[@warlock-designs-customizations]

Great video and good ideas. I think I will mount my ramps on the outside of the trailer. I will post some pics when done. The jacks are a great idea. Best, Tony

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks ... I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way to mount/carry this ramp on the underside of the trailer, but just couldn't come up with a design that was both secure and easy to use, without compromising a safe clearance between the top of the axle suspension and bottom of the trailer frame. The rafter hangers hold the ramp VERY securely when bound to the fence wall with bungee cords, but just to make the setup even safer, I added some small pipe saddle brackets to the locations where the hangers cross the top of the fence slat they're hung on, e.g., to further control any bouncing or forward/backward movement that might occur while the trailer's in motion over "iffy" street surfaces.

[@warlock-designs-customizations]

@@dmrtechnology6033 My Dad I were talking about the video today and a question he had was, what do you carry that you need the sides to be at the height they are? He is not very KZbin savvy so I am asking...:)

[@dmrtechnology6033]

@@warlock-designs-customizations ... manual suggests a 2' fence. That was a little too low for me, and 3' was too high, so I split the difference at 2 1/2'. I mainly needed an enclosure height tall enough for hauling green waste to my local dump station; found that 2 1/2' is a good height for that (some pieces of old cardboard can be used to cover the openings between the boards for loose stuff, if needed), and still allows a decent reach over the top of the fence from all sides of the trailer.

[@smithmal01]

Really well done! Thanks for this content. Well shot and explained. Couple of questions for you: 1. What was the reason that you decided to add the cargo bay anchors. What functionality do they add to the bed? 2. Do you use a back fence with your build? You don't mention once but maybe you just detached it to show how the ramps install to the back? 3. Three years later how is it holding up? 4. Is there anything you would change to this design?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks. 1. Same reason they're found in most SUV cargo beds ... just in case I need to move any bulky/awkward/top-heavy cargo like a big appliance, motorcycle, or anything else that needs to be tied down/held in the center of the bed, and can't be properly anchored/secured on the fences. 2. Sure, it's shown in one of the videos ... rear gate just like the front, except secured to the side fence ends with swivel handles. 3. After a whole bunch of early road trips, thousands of miles, both laden and unladen, in rain, dry, heat, cold, it performed/held up great, but has just been folded up in my garage for awhile now. 4. Nothing ... it has all the features I imagined I'd want/need when I first bought the basic trailer from HF, and more. It was all worth it, but by the end I was definitely tired of figuring stuff out, sourcing the right parts, etc. That was one of the reasons I made/posted the videos ... to help other owners of these trailers customize their own without having to go through all I did to finish mine.

[@olheghtt]

6:45. How did you fit the 2x4 in there. Considering the lips on the frame rails, Isn't it too long to be angled in.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

You just make it a tad shorter and angle it into place with a hammer. But, if you plan to use a fence on the rear end of the trailer, see the end of my subsequent video on "storing spare tire" for changes I made to the configuration shown in this video ... I removed the entire center of the 2x4 to make room for my spare tire, strengthen the mounts, and clear the areas where the locking pins go in/out for any rear-end fence posts.

[@saleemirza]

Love the details

[@Channel_unavailable614]

Woow love the tralier you did a great job

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Very kind, thanks. Hope the videos were/are useful for you.

[@mferrarorace]

Very nice trailer build. Good ideas. This is like a pump my trailer video...lol nice going.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Glad you enjoyed/found it helpful.

[@MrGaborseres]

Freaking great idea 👍💪

[@Miftakho]

Where did you purchase those pair of jacks for the back? Thank you!

[@dmrtechnology6033]

They're offered by a number of vendors on E-bay ... here's just one example: www.ebay.com/itm/292512366395?hash=item441b187f3b:g:AzYAAOSwvCBkb2HF&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8KywDMe4QWjLFyDAvVlp6rGUfdEmHQd554FguDVYRG%2BwIg7LqBY0kM6gpDPMvogq3nXakxszfYM4dW4pePjeK1kAQbbOvR%2FfHqMZgVHL6JRs7a9Z%2Bm9zdGInndAgTdNyWgIAFe1%2Fi5pnnU%2Bwr%2BfbK%2BcIhecERzDtsZLg58dhald4amfVTrah9QJqGs8kGF48R2%2FC5dXVlIkbMDV%2BGWrWZ8%2BPGxlvFkZug5MNoTzUfDg5GvdwcjjcmX45FPmOXK8qtX41kDQ1nhj1FKy3TxH3LZznCmcHKXbO23l2Fqh%2Fig%2BcprfHpBpdnHuZ4fieIdMxgg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBM1pmfpKxj

[@321212401]

Great job !!

[@m.v.1230]

Well thought out. Thanks for sharing.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks ... I should do a follow-up video to show how it's held up after 12k+ road miles ...

[@hawkeyestiguy]

Great video! This helped tremendously! My mom & I own our own ice cream shop & are going to pick up a small 4x6 trailer in the near future so we can start catering events. We have some lightweight equipment that will need loaded, so I've been looking into ramp options. Looks like I found a solution!

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Great ... glad you found the videos helpful ... that's why I made/posted them. That HF ramp has been a godsend for me. In addition to use with the trailer as shown in the video, I've used it a LOT for moving appliances, furniture, hand-trucks with boxes up/down two different small doorway stairs leading into separate areas of our new house. When not in use with the trailer, always keep it nearby/handy in the garage.

[@AJ-ds9xq]

Nice setup!

[@thephoneguy8629]

Nice job Man!!! Thought, make some spacers on the foot or the top of your jacks to make up for the inch or so there short.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks. I did put "spacers" on the bases of the jacks (squares cut from 2x4, attached to the flat steel base plates with 4 screws each), then put a layer of non-slip rubber on the bottoms with contact cement. Work great. They're shown in the video ... I refer to them as "blocks" that I added to the jacks (see, @ 5:16).

[@ashagon]

Great video.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks ... glad you found it helpful.

[@cronixhero3661]

Love the idea with the rear jacks. What are they called on ebay?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

They're just called swing down trailer jacks ... lots of different sellers of the same item on Ebay, here's just one: www.ebay.com/itm/275742312327?itmmeta=01HSP654R78E633FRR2HXGFPVA&hash=item403385c787:g:4q4AAOSwpHlkDsiB&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0ApLEQZJ2NS%2FJnoRgddsNdyglaIalOxFkmk7erxQ7xsPumLXojPoRaMHCTNjpC2Ni7k7g90mcLLwLVcH4MjarvelniaQd1Q9%2BWi8eseTRxPdHHL5DcqPQv%2FuJw3CVoFchr6QIjnTvhTGRyATgZX6Et8zJYbngfNXa2bwy4ySsleSDB44LL3mO3NvT8%2BFTEf4GxjvoTB7PhBuJKWWk%2BJ9RxX2udzIyjLCEV3EuuXRgfZslGeRqV4P5%2FkJzexMOAE1zsHu5L8bxsMZnUdPyE1i0M4%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5zMlMbNYw

[@64marine]

A jack on each corner spreads out any load and makes a real stable trailer. Parts list and vids on build of trailer?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

If you "subscribe" you shouldn't have any trouble seeing the entire sequence of videos I posted on the initial build (e.g., 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.). Links to sources of various parts appear in the comments on multiple videos.

[@johnny96888]

how did you secure the vertical 2x4s that go into the slots on the trailer. I have the same trailer that I built high walls. However, the walls wiggle and i put bolts through the bottom.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Do the verticals first, and get them properly fit/squared in the brackets on the trailer frame. Once you've done that, the bottom slat is easy ... it rests on the deck. If you're putting gaps in the slats, you have to work your way up from the bottom, using clamps to position/level the slats and secure them to the 2x4 uprights as you drill the holes for the bolts that will attach them to the uprights. The 8-foot sides will always "wiggle" a little, but the better the fit of your lumber and hardware at the corners, the better this movement is minimized. I used some pre-fab coupler pins to anchor the uprights in the trailer brackets ... see my "2 of 4" video on my construction of the trailer, starting about 3:25 in that video segment.

[@johnny96888]

@@dmrtechnology6033 awesome thank you!

[@benkanobe7500]

Nice Trailer and great engineering. Where did you get the Swing Down Jacks and which model of Jack did you get?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Thanks ... see my reply to same question from Gunnr 1236. Same E-Bay seller still has them, but price has gone up a lot since I got mine. I think these are all made by the same Chinese manufacturer, and looks like there are lower price offers for the same jacks on E-Bay.

[@benkanobe7500]

@@dmrtechnology6033 Thanks!! I get my trailer in about 3 weeks (ordered it). I love your spare drop down. I am going to do that and see if I can hide a lug wrench. Also, I may JBWeld a rare earth magnet to the wood so the lock sticks to it and no need for the wire holder.

[@benkanobe7500]

@@dmrtechnology6033 Thanks!! I get my trailer in about 3 weeks (ordered it). I love your spare drop down. I am going to do that and see if I can hide a lug wrench. Also, I may JBWeld a rare earth magnet to the wood so the lock sticks to it and no need for the wire holder.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

@@benkanobe7500 ... if you do a spare compartment like this, I wouldn't recommend putting anything in it other than the tire. The suspension on this trailer is very squirrelly ... bounces a lot, especially when empty. Any small part/tool that gets loose in a compartment in that area of the trailer is going to rattle/bounce all over the place. I opted for tongue box instead. The one I got fits nice; pretty easy to take off/put on, plenty of room inside for all kinds of stuff like that, e.g., grease gun, small tools, rope/bungee cords, emergency light/flares, gloves, spare hardware parts, wheel chocks, etc.

[@dmrtechnology6033]

See the end of my subsequent video on "storing spare tire" for changes I made to the mounting configuration on the sliding jacks shown in this video ... my revised mounting approach is better/stronger.

[@bukory49]

I like the ramp. Did you get coupons for the ramps. Thanks

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Can't remember, but HF flyers/ads have coupons of one kind or another all the time, and the values tend to be almost the same whether the coupon is for a particular product, or, e.g., "___% off any one item."

[@joed8842]

When trailer is fully loaded washer dryer refrigerator where are you mounting the ramps

[@dmrtechnology6033]

I just turn the hooks around and hang the ramp on the outside of the fence. I added simple pipe wall fasteners to the locations on the fence edges where the top end of the hooks cross over, to keep the hooks from moving up/down/front/back while towing. Also use three well-fitted bungee cords to hold the ramp snug against the side of the fence. Did a 100-mile freeway moving trip that way, with the trailer totally filled with one of my kids' junk. Zero problems. See my A-frame tarp support video to see how/where I put the pipe fasteners.

[@Orvis25]

Bough a set of those flip down loading supports. Great find. I bolted mine directly to the rear steel frame bar, no blocks necessary and i dint mine it being "exposed". Plan on loading my 1000lb ATV on it so i wanted some extra rear loading support because i am skeptical about all that weight RIGHT on the end of this trailer (given that due to its folding component, the frame is not fully supported to the rear)

[@soyomofo3162]

What did you do to the bottom exposed trailer bed wood and 2 x 4 add ons to protect from wood rot when using the trailer in wet conditions?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

I didn't do anything to the underside of the plywood deck at first; just put a few primer coats on the 2x4 add-ons, but I was living in a mild climate area at the time ... now I'm in a place where there's more wet/severe weather, particularly in winter, so, I'll go back; clean up the surfaces (they're all still in good shape), and re-prime all, cover with a good latex deck paint, like what I used on the top/sides of the deck. It's all easy to see/reach when the trailer is folded up.

[@David-ll8bt]

Nice job. I noticed you had a little boo boo there. Did you have any edits when you did that?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Lots of "boos-boos" over the long course of this build and subsequent add-ons ... just patch 'em up and keep on plugging away ...

[@mikefrost4818]

What about the rubber blocks for under the jacks?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

I'm sure such "blocks" are available for sale somewhere, but I made these particular ones myself. The base plates on the jacks I got are the exact width of a standard 2x4, so I just cut two squares off a scrap 2x4 to match the base plates, drilled four holes in the corners of each base plate, attached the blocks to the base plates with screws, then used contact cement to cover the bottoms of the blocks with a diamond-plate pattern rubber traction pad (the kind/size normally put on stairs to make them more slip resistant), also cut to fit the blocks. The blocks look like "rubber" in the video because I painted them with the same paint I used on the deck (dark green). They work great ... as long as you don't forget to retract the jacks before trying to move the trailer ... ask me how I learned that ... lol.

[@AJ-ds9xq]

Where do you park your trailer? Inside or outside? Is it safe to park outside? Is it going to rust if you park outside?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

It's been parked outside with an A-frame supported tarp over it since I built it in Jan. of last year. No rust, but no major rain in my area either (So. Cal.). Frame and suspension parts are mostly covered by deck, but sure ... the metal parts will start to rust if you're storing/using it in a wet environment, or as a boat hauler, etc. It's "safe" to store outside, but if you're in a wet environment and are concerned about rust, fold it up and store it in a garage or other covered location, or at minimum, keep it covered with a tarp when you're storing/not using it.

[@Gunnr1236]

Suggestion: put a coat or two of paint on the bare wood on the underside of your trailer to help lengthen the life of your deck and 2x4 jack mounts. It's exposed to whatever elements you'll be using the trailer in, so why not protect it, too? Question: Do you have a link to those flip down jacks?? Those are awesome add-ons! Do you happen to know their weight capacity? Thanks for the video - obviously a lot of thought went into the improvements for your trailer! 👍🏼

[@dmrtechnology6033]

1. Climate is pretty mild where I live, so haven't done this yet, but I've definitely thought about it. 2. Ebay Item No. 292512366395 ... looks like the seller still has plenty of stock on hand, at the same price I paid. Listing says weight capacity is 1,000 lbs per jack, so, more than enough for any load you'd be putting on this trailer. Another plus on this listing/vendor is he includes a galvanized steel rod for raising/releasing the jack when it's under load. One correction that didn't appear in my video for anyone considering this add-on is, I had to use a boring bit to carve out some of the 2x4 mount, just opposite the back side hole for the rear fence post anchors ... otherwise you can't insert/remove a 3" pin once the 2x4 is in place. 3. Thanks a lot ... yes, a LOT of thought went into all the add-ons (my wife would definitely say FAR too much), and I've done a few more since this video. I know I spent too much time talking in all the vids, but I figured viewers could just fast-forward through any parts they don't find useful/helpful ... that's what I do.

[@JRBORIQUA7]

How much it cost to register this trailer?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Different in every state, but generally not much. About $20 in CA ... check with your local DMV.

[@richardburress2622]

can you attach a link for these jack mounts?

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Ebay Item No. 292512366395: www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pack-Stabilizer-Jack-Swing-Down-W-LIFT-BAR-Leveling-Stab-Jack/292512366395?hash=item441b187f3b:g:BqYAAOSwoX5axl-6 This is just one listing ... there are lots of vendors out there offering the same, "made in China" jacks. I picked this particular vendor for combination of: 1) price; 2) free shipping; 3) includes a steel rod for raising/releasing the jack under load. Other vendors I looked at were charging extra for 2 and 3.

[@ShakespeareCafe]

I understand that ramp is junk from the HF reviews. I bought 2 Werner expandable 6-9' scaffold for $150 each. They do double duty as ramps and scaffolding, which they were built for, plus you can expand them for a less steep grade

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Yah ... and you can also buy a twin-axle utility trailer that'll haul four times the weight (whether you actually need that much capacity or not) ... for four times the money. The point is utility gained for dollars spent, and in that category, IMHO, the HF items featured in these videos have no equal. I "understand" from about 10,000+ laden/unladen highway miles actually driven on this trailer over the past year, and innumerable loads run up and down this ramp with no problems whatsoever (as opposed to zero experience gained from reading reviews), that I've already gotten all the bang for my utility buck I could have ever hoped for out of this stuff, and all the equipment has performed at or beyond expectations, with YEARS of service life remaining.

[@johnnyebrown7028]

Looks like it takes up space

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Well, yah ... doesn't everything? It's a trailer ... one that doesn't cost a fortune, and will haul up to 1,720 lbs. of cargo all over creation and back if you assemble and maintain it right. 4' x 8' deck, plus combined width of wheels/fenders and length of tongue assembly (about 3') when open/unfolded; about 5' tall x 2' deep x 5' wide when folded up, and rolls on casters for easier movement into/out of limited storage spaces ...

[@clairgardner5146]

Those ramps will bounce out of those hooks on the road,

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Sure they will ... IF you don't properly secure the ramp(s) to the fence wall. This video shows me doing that with a single strand of baling wire (only to hold the ramp in place during storage and hand movement of the trailer). For road use I switched that out for three properly sized bungee cords (see my subsequent video on the A-frame cover), wrapped around the ramp in the same manner as the baling wire. I recently drove it a hundred freeway miles, fully loaded, with the ramp hanging on the *outside* of the fence wall, and had no problems at all. To make it even safer, I added some saddle clamps to the spots where the tops of the rafter hangers hang on the supporting fence slat (also shown in the A-frame cover video), so that any forward/backward movement, or up/down bouncing of the hangers themselves is also fully controlled.

[@rk22cc]

man this guy is OCD

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Pretty funny ... that thought crossed my mind a lot while I was doing the build AND videos. But, I figured whoever I was boring could just FF to whatever parts of the build/videos might be useful to them. Once it was "done," so was I ...

[@greentwinturbobeast]

I personally would never load my trailer without it being attached to tow vehicle

[@dmrtechnology6033]

Probably a good "default" approach, but this is all about options, isn't it. For example, I like being able to take my time loading the trailer for long hauls; organizing/stacking the contents; getting everything properly tied down/tarped ... if that takes longer than a few hours, I wanted to be able to use the tow vehicle without having to either disconnect or haul a partially-loaded trailer.

[@DirtbikeDad]

Only if they would stock them !!!!

[@dmrtechnology6033]

I'm in an area where there are 3 different retail locations within 50 miles of each other (So. Cal. ... close to Long Beach, their international freight offload location for the entire southwestern US), and one of "my" stores is a regional distribution hub for others as well. So even if they happen to be out of stock on a particular item, we don't usually have to wait very long before more show up. Unfortunately that isn't the case in some of the company's more remote retail locations ... the wait for re-stock of popular items can be a long one, and whatever stock they get tends to get snapped up pretty quickly once it does get there. All you can do is keep pestering your local guys until some stock shows up, or see, e.g., if you can pre-order so that one gets put aside for you when it finally shows up. Good luck!

[@DirtbikeDad]

@@dmrtechnology6033 been waiting for months

[@dmrtechnology6033]

@@DirtbikeDad ... :-( ... I actually got the last one they had in stock when I got mine last January. One of the two boxes they ship in was a little beat up, but no missing parts. How many stores are within your acceptable driving distance? All I can say is, e.g., keep trying, expand your range if possible, and/or see if a friend/relative outside your range (e.g., one that you see/visit regularly) can get one for you to pick up from them later.

[@paveljivan2120]

Too much talking

[@dmrtechnology6033]

That's what the mute and fast-forward/reverse controls on your computer/phone screen are for ... and why KZbin DIY videos are free ...