Harbor Freight Utility Trailer 1 Year UPDATE

Join Steph as she revisits the harbor freight trailer she assembled 1 year ago (and stored outside)!

Products (affiliate links):

0:00 - Intro
0:22 - Where we store the folding trailer
1:27 - Testing wiring after a year
4:08 - Trailer uses
5:00 - Future for trailer

This video is professionally closed captioned.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

[Chairman]

Hi Steph. Those blue connectors for the side lights are terrible. Once being out in the weather, corrosion starts. The best way to fix that is by soldering the wires together and using heat shrink tube for protection. It's never failed me yet.

[bobbieqube]

I have sold out flea markets for most of my life, and when we tarp up our tables, we would always put some thing like a milk crate on top of the tables before we tarp them this way when it rains the water will run downhill I would recommend you do the same thing with your trailer just put a peak on your tarp so when it rains the water runs downhill and doesn’t lay flat on top of your tarps, loved your video found it by accident

[sp]

Trailer wiring ground connections are almost always an issue. I don’t use those cheap blue connectors, except as a temporary fix/repair. I attached separate grounding connections using a self tapping screw through a ring terminal to a pre-drilled hole in each of the frame members near where a light is mounted, including the front ball receiver piece. This also help avoid voltage differences between the vehicle and the trailer. Obviously, the ground wires are connected directly to the ground wiring inside that black split wire loom tubing (and yes, I had to look up the name of that black tubing, lol)

[johnpagejr.]

Thanks for sharing the update. I have had my trailer for about 6 or 7 years and it has taken a beating. I came to the same conclusion as you all that folding the trailer is way to much of a hassle. I am going to take mine back apart and replace some parts that got bent when I loaned it out and sand and paint some of the rusty spots and just freshen it up. As for wiring connections check out Pose Lock connectors. You can buy them on line. That is where I found them and could not find any one locally that had them. Also hook up a ground wire to each individual light and you will have far better luck with the lights working. Oh and mine has been out side the entire time I have owned it and it is still a solid trailer even with the little bit of surface rust here and there.

[vickycorey]

It's held up really well considering the hot and humid weather. Thanks for the update. I really like the way you and your mom give us updates. ❤️

[VesselofMercy]

They make butt splice connectors that have heat activated adhesive all in one.
You just clamp the wires together inside and use a lighter to heat shrink/glue the wires together.
I use them for all mechanical non high volt repairs. All marine, trailer, and car applications.
Amazon sells a 599 pack for super cheap.

[petesalvatore]

I just put the 1720lb version of this trailer together. I didn't bother using those blue splice connectors, instead I used butt splices and crimped all of the connections. I also covered the whole harness in split loom and wrapped it in cloth automotive electrical tape to keep it holding up. I also ran a dedicated ground wire from the vehicle connector all the way down both sides of the harness, so every light has a ground coming from the tow vehicle.

Storing it outside, especially with an exposed harness, means rats might chew it (or that ground points may corrode to the point they are not functionally grounding the desired light anymore. Also, steel covers for the tail lights really help prevent them from breaking if the back of the deck hits the ground or pavement for some reason

[Crozbyguy-rgiu]

Florida is crazy for corrosion, many of my tools have a light coat of cheap candle wax coated on them, some nuts and bolts too. If I don't paint them, so when it comes to electrical I either solder them onto a connector, or together, and either heat shrink the connection, or often coat them with shoe goo. Occasionally I'll use a hot glue and a butane lighter, much faster. But here, you have to take all these extra step for extra peace of mind. Things need to last. You & Mom are just great.

[mtnman]

Hello. Just wanted to complement you on your build and your review. It was clear and concise. It helped me to decide about getting one. I would like to suggest though, that you look at all your assembly bolts. I noticed that some of the split lock washers weren’t flattened completely. If the split ring is not flattened the nut could vibrate off over time. Please save yourself some grief and check and re-tighten all your nits and bolts. (Friendly advice from an old rancher 🤗).

[TommySena]

Use a testing light on connectors to test connectivity.

[GahBoe]

Those side lights only come on when your headlights are actually turned on. Sometimes you leave your headlights settings on automatic, and they aren’t on during the daytime. Try flicking your vehicle lights manually on, and I bet those trailer lights will turn right on.

[FuzzballToday]

Looking forward to your wheel bearing repacking video! . I tried to put bearing buddys on my hubs and the wouldn't fit. So I ended up just keeping the stock ones back on. Hugs and thank you you really helped me to be able to complete my trailer when I thought I was going to give up.👏👏👏💕

[jamesgibbons]

Solder the wires and use heat shrink for covering soldered area

[josearevalo]

Hello. Thanks for your videos. Is very interesting... you know how fast can drive with this trailer?

[robertblalock]

Nice set up BUT the thru wires on the metal frame might profit wear by some sort of rubber wrao on the wires for vibration. Might be hard to find a "rub hole" in the insulation wiring. Nice set up and thanks for sharing.

[andrewabramson]

Great job with all of the trailer build videos. Really appreciate the time and detail you and your mother spent to make the series. For the 1 Year Update video you identified a problem with the side lights. Have you figured out what caused the problem, and how did you correct it. Thanks!

[incubus]

Not bad. Just make sure you open the latch for the ball anytime you put it on there. Last thing you want is to hit a bump and the ball pop out. The tires harbor freight sells are junk. You can buy highway rated tires I have those for my trailer (Leonard trailer) that let you go 65 mph. Also I’d just rewire the whole thing and use heat shrink tubes for the connections

[andrewlippincott]

The Best connector that you can use is a Bosch type connector

[rs]

Would it be better if you store the trailer in the garage?

[JeanOi]

The best alternative to the blue splice connectors is probably to expose your main wire and solder the extra wire directly to it. and then apply some liquid tape on it.
You can also find 3 ways butt connectors, but I'm not sure it's any better than a regular splice connector.

I dont think there is any way to avoid going under the trailer to remove the 6 bolts needed to secure the front and the back. I'm thinking about welding nuts and add butterfly tip to the carriage bolts to at least be able to do it without any tool.

You can "easily" fold and unfold solo by using the back-half of the trailer as counterweight: