Why there's so many homebuilt trailers

[newbury]

I was wondering why I saw so many "homebuilt" trailers on CL.

Could it be because a lot of people decide to use the axles off their home once they set it on blocks?

 

[George2615]

Mobile home axles are really designed for one time or limited use. MH Tires are not legal in NY as a trailer tire. I didn't know that when I built a trailer years ago with 6000lb. MH axles and tires. When I took it to get inspected at DMV they wouldn't approve the trailer until I replaced the tires.

I built 3 trailers over the years. All classified as Homemade. I built them because it was cheaper than buying a trailer since I had most of the materials.

Another reason for homemade may be trailers bought at auctions or private sales with no paperwork. I own one of them too. It is a 24' enclosed trailer made by a company. I bought at auction and had to register as homemade.

 

[oosik]

After a couple years of checking on CL for a appropriate trailer, I built my own. Nice things about doing it yourself - its not so very difficult and you get exactly what you want.View attachment 399861

 

[Wolfy]

Factory built trailers are expensive and many people can not justify the cost, yet still need a trailer.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Factory built trailers are expensive and many people can not justify the cost, yet still need a trailer.

But, unless you have the parts lying around, you can't really build a comparable trailer for what they sell new ones for.

 

[bcp]

People have been building trailers from old car parts since cars began, and they never go away.

Several times a year I see one with wire-spoke wheels, and this year saw one with wood-spoke wheels.

What mystifies me is why there are so many built from old bed frames and water pipe or other random scrap, and so few built from the rear half of a pickup. Probably a 5 to 1 ratio around here.

Bruce

 

[Diamondpilot]

I towed a trailer once built from a pickup half. Towed awful. CG was too high, suspension too soft, and hitch geometry off.

No thanks.

Chris

 

[Tomtint]

I think there are a fair number of trailers that were never properly registered, thus no title was ever issued and trailer plates likely got swapped to trailers as needed. After a number of years the penalty for not registering, titling and paying sales tax on a trailer, makes it not worth while to do so. Thus they get registered as homemade.

 

[Wolfy]

I agree, unless you have the steel, homemade becomes expensive quickly. And I would not have the time if I did have the steel. Last year I bought a 3,000 GVW trailer that I use to tow garden tractors. The seller did not have a title. But anything here 3,000 or under can be registered as homemade, even though you look at it and can tell it is a factory built trailer.

 

[oosik]

Hmm - - I never thought about registering or titling my homemade trailer (post #3). Its rated at 20,000 lbs and is only used on my property.

 

[motownbrowne]

Hmm - - I never thought about registering or titling my homemade trailer (post #3). Its rated at 20,000 lbs and is only used on my property.

Around here those are called "wagons". I think what's being discussed here are trailers you pull down the highway behind a truck. Or in the case of some of these slapped together homemade jobs, behind something like a Ford Tempo.

 

[MitchellB]

I once started to build myself a trailer and began a list of new parts & prices that I needed. I found that they sell new trailers as cheap as I could build one from scratch, but that is buying every nut/bolt, tires, axles and piece of steel new as I did not have any old stuff laying around to make it from. Had I a set of axles or frame available (cheap or free) or a source for wholesale trailer parts, I might still try it one day.

 

[sandman2234]

Over the years I built several trailers, mostly for people who needed something built with certain custom features. All were registered as homemade trailers, since I don't have a business license for building them. One of my first was a 33' car hauler, last time I saw it... it had worn out two diesel pickups, wrecked a couple of times, and looked like heck, but the driver said it had been a good trailer. (I saw it out on the road, just asked about it, didn't tell him that I built it)
David from jax

 

[2458n]

I have built several trailers using old gas station car lifts. The long metal lifts are perfect for holding a cab and a half pickup truck. Nice and low when finished. I have one set remaining for some future project. The problem now is gas stations sell gas;and that was the end of my supply of trailer parts.

 

[Looking4new]

I had a homebuilt made out of a Ford Econoline van with the cab part cut off but the frame rails got bent inwards and made up the hitch. That thing pulled like a dream. In order to 'feel' it behind you, you had to look in the mirror.

 

[handirifle]

I built mine from a trailer my neighbor gave me. It was originally a grape hauler. They load a pair of 2000lb grape bins on it and pull with a tractor. The trailer is only a 4x8 bed, but the frame is made from 2x4" box tubing that is 1/4" thick. The frame would haul my diesel truck, but the tires wouldn't. Its single axle, and he originally had a MH axle on it. I bought a 3500lb axle, with backing plate for brakes, but haven't put brakes on it yet. I added sides and steel loops for tie downs to haul my Massey Furguson 1010.

I also added a tailgate and built ramps to get wheeled vehicles in. I have about $1000 in it and you cannot touch a trailer that capable for $1000 from ANY maker around here. They have 4x8 trailers for about $1500 but they won't take have the loads I have put on this thing. It's hauled two full pallets of used bricks, without a whimper. The only issue when I haul that kind of weight is getting it far enough forward for control. The sides make it hard to push the pallets all the way to the front. Once I had to unload the top three rows from the rear pallet and stack them around the front. That did the trick.

I will build another, a goose neck some day, if the right materials happen my way.

 

[handirifle]

I built mine from a trailer my neighbor gave me. It was originally a grape hauler. They load a pair of 2000lb grape bins on it and pull with a tractor. The trailer is only a 4x8 bed, but the frame is made from 2x4" box tubing that is 1/4" thick. The frame would haul my diesel truck, but the tires wouldn't. Its single axle, and he originally had a MH axle on it. I bought a 3500lb axle, with backing plate for brakes, but haven't put brakes on it yet. I added sides and steel loops for tie downs to haul my Massey Furguson 1010.

I also added a tailgate and built ramps to get wheeled vehicles in. I have about $1000 in it and you cannot touch a trailer that capable for $1000 from ANY maker around here. They have 4x8 trailers for about $1500 but they won't take have the loads I have put on this thing. It's hauled two full pallets of used bricks, without a whimper. The only issue when I haul that kind of weight is getting it far enough forward for control. The sides make it hard to push the pallets all the way to the front. Once I had to unload the top three rows from the rear pallet and stack them around the front. That did the trick.

I will build another, a goose neck some day, if the right materials happen my way.

 

[Jay4200]

Hmm - - I never thought about registering or titling my homemade trailer (post #3). Its rated at 20,000 lbs and is only used on my property.

20,000 pounds? Good luck towing that with your ATV...

 

[Capricious]

Thee are a lot more trailers titled as homemade, than there are homemade trailers...