Build your own trailers

[Bday]

Had a question about the car trailer plans you can buy from ebay for $16-$17. Claims you can build a trailer for $600 or a little more. Anyone use these plans to build with and what did it cost you? Trying to figure out whether to build or just as cost effective to buy. I'd like to make my own for bragging rights, but time constraints might not be worth the effort!
Thanks, Brett

 

[aczlan]

From what I have read, its not usually worth it. By the time you buy steel, axles, lights, tires/rims, wood for a deck and a coupler you are within a few hundred of buying a new one.

Aaron Z

 

[20 20]

600.00 won't even buy a decent set of axles(with brakes) let alone quilty metal. Then there is the wiring, tires, registration hassle. With that written, a trailer could be built for under 600 IF(big IF) someone had access to decent used stuff/junk yard old hidden secrets etc...

 

[Diamondpilot]

Had a question about the car trailer plans you can buy from ebay for $16-$17. Claims you can build a trailer for $600 or a little more. Anyone use these plans to build with and what did it cost you? Trying to figure out whether to build or just as cost effective to buy. I'd like to make my own for bragging rights, but time constraints might not be worth the effort!
Thanks, Brett

It can not be done. I priced it out in 2003 and just the steel and axles cost what a trailer did. I still needed wood, paint, lights, coupler, jack, ect.

I don't see how they do it so cheap.

Chris

 

[Bday]

I love to weld, but can't justify paying the same amount as just buying one. Steel prices are just crazy! I wonder how the clowns in government can claim there is little to no inflation on the products we buy, and keep a straight face! Thanks guys! Brett

 

[Newblue]

I built an 8'x10' single axle trailer for hauling quads and I have $800 in parts/steel/welding consumables. That is with me getting the steel/aluminum for half price and already having the axle and wheels. I don't see how trailer places sell them for so cheap either.

 

[Bday]

Nice trailer! How about getting some of that half priced steel for a forum member?:thumbsup:
Brett

 

[Newblue]

Nice trailer! How about getting some of that half priced steel for a forum member?:thumbsup:
Brett

LOL! My father worked for a steel company and could get stuff half price. He works elsewhere now so I can't get the half price steel now

 

[meburdick]

The advantage to building your own trailer is that you can have EXACTLY what you want and need. The disadvantages are that you have a lot of work to do and it will end up costing you WAY more than you think.

The 2k rated torsion axle for my snowmobile trailer was over $400. How is it that someone thinks you could build an entire trailer for $600? If you like to wrench, and need only a 4x8 trailer, go buy the folding trailer kit from Harbor Freight and put your own deck on it. That should be under $600, but it isn't going to haul a lot of weight.

 

[Markcuda]

I don't see how trailer places sell them for so cheap either.

I would be interested to see what a welder for them makes a hour.

 

[meburdick]

Mass-produced trailers are welded by machine.

People that do MIG welding sort of "top out" at about $30/hour for straight welding.

 

[kenmac]

600.00 won't even buy a decent set of axles(with brakes) let alone quilty metal. Then there is the wiring, tires, registration hassle. With that written, a trailer could be built for under 600 IF(big IF) someone had access to decent used stuff/junk yard old hidden secrets etc...

I just replaced 2 axles on my trailer 2- 5800# 8 lug Dexter axles with brakes for around $750.00. wheels $48.00 EA. very good used 235x85x16 tires for $50.00 ea...Depending on type trailer. You can build for less than buying new at 3 -4K

 

[Markcuda]

Mass-produced trailers are welded by machine.

Wow, you must never have looked at the welds on a single or a duel axle utility
car hauler trailer then.

People that do MIG welding sort of "top out" at about $30/hour for straight welding.

This statement is another laugher, go to Sikston Missouri (sp)(trailer making capital of the USA) and see how many welders are at 30 bucks a hour.
Wow, just wow.

 

[kenmac]

Wow, you must never have looked at the welds on a single or a duel axle utility
car hauler trailer then.

This statement is another laugher, go to Sikston Missouri (sp)(trailer making capital of the USA) and see how many welders are at 30 bucks a hour.
Wow, just wow.

Most welders that I know (non certified) make anywhere from $12.00-$15.00 per hr

 

[meburdick]

Wow, you must never have looked at the welds on a single or a duel axle utility
car hauler trailer then.

This statement is another laugher, go to Sikston Missouri (sp)(trailer making capital of the USA) and see how many welders are at 30 bucks a hour.
Wow, just wow.

Well, with facts like those, who could argue?

Straight-up MIG welding typically doesn't get a person about roughly $30/hour. Period. If you're making more, you're doing something more than just straight-line MIG welding.

"Trailer making capitol of the USA"? Really? Is that why major equipment trailers are in GA (including Carry-On, Anderson), TX, LA, PA (CAM Superline) and all sorts of other states?

Carry-on, CarryAll, and other similar makers of trailers that are sold through ALL SORTS of stores (including big box stores) are not welded by hand. Large equipment trailers that MUST pass inspection to carry very large weights are not welded by hand.

If you have a problem with what I've brought to the table based on my own experiences, put up some proof that I'm wrong. And make sure you stay within the confines of the statements I made.

 

[Markcuda]

Oh, so now you are bringing in the big box stores like Lowe's and Menard's and Home depot.
Who in their right mind would buy one of them trailers any way?
Ain't no one making 30 bucks a hour welding trailers together.Period LOLOLOL

 

[meburdick]

Most welders that I know (non certified) make anywhere from $12.00-$15.00 per hr

Welding, generally, is not "certified" unless it's for very specific applications. Anything that is done inverted, high tensile strength, or done for pressurized systems (think steam boilers) requires that the welder be certified. At that point, the wage they deserve / earn goes up. "Anyone" can MIG weld and put pieces of metal together for things like manufacturing trailers. Quite a bit of manual MIG Welding is done in things like auto repair and small manufacturing, and those scenarios don't command high wages for just the welding part of it. In fact, mechanics that charge $90/hour to work on your car would sub out any welding work (frame repair, etc.) because they can pay someone else to do it and still make money on it.

 

[meburdick]

Oh, so now you are bringing in the big box stores like Lowe's and Menard's and Home depot.
Who in their right mind would buy one of them trailers any way?
Ain't no one making 30 bucks a hour welding trailers together.Period LOLOLOL

So, let's see... I thought we were talking about trailer manufacturers, but you don't want to include any of the ones that are so common? There are a LOT of people that buy those trailers because they're cost-effective for what they do.

With regard to wage - are you trying to say that people are making MORE or LESS than $30/hour to weld? It's COMPLETELY unclear from your posts... You STILL haven't brought any proof whatsoever to back up your arguments, so, until you do, I can only presume that you do not have any.

 

[Markcuda]

People that do MIG welding sort of "top out" at about $30/hour for straight welding.

I'm still waiting on you to prove this statement.

 

[300UGUY]

Most welders that I know (non certified) make anywhere from $12.00-$15.00 per hr

That's about what welding pays around here. Neighbor's son works at a place welding SS containment vessels. $15 per hour. He works a 2nd job 50 miles away to support his family. And I'm pretty sure he is certified.