New hf trailer

[adventurer 08]

I just bought a HF tag a long trailer and would like to know what

things I should do to it to make it better befor I assemble it. I know alot of people use them so what should I do. I was told there at HF that they are not going to carry them any more.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Are you going to pull it with your bike?

 

 

Assuming it will be for the bike to pull, then lengthen the drawbar, and service the bearings properly.

 

Some owners narrow the width, and flip the axle so its above the springs, and/or remove a leaf or 2.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mel]

Proper packing of wheel bearings = necessary

 

Lengthen tongue = unecessary, mine pulls just fine with the tongue the way it came out of the box. May be optional if you want to load up a cooler on the tongue.

 

Flipping and narrowing the axle = optional, I found no need for either. Also found no need for messing with the spring leafs. Below in blue I posted in June 2010.

 

Got my Harbor Freight Tag-Along trailer today at their store on E. 86th St. in Indy. Reg. price $399.99, on sale $329.99, 20% off coupon = $263.99 + $18.48 sales tax, total out-the-door $282.47. Had a busy schedule today, so have only done a partial assembly. Looks like some of the comments about cheap latches, etc. are pretty accurate, but I think it will probably work O.K. for me. I'll post again later after it's all together and I get a chance to use it.

 

I proceeded to repack the wheel bearings, changed the lock for one of better quality, improved the latches. Also carpeted the interior, added reflectors, changed the lighting to LED. It has worked flawlessly for me. I know it's not Bushtec or some other high end add-on, but it certainly fit into my budget a lot better. I guess I should say that it fit into my budget, those others would not fit. Plus, the black looks pretty good with my '07 metallic black GL1800. Just my .

 

Good luck with it, I've read some reports about the wheels not tracking straight, excessive tire wear, etc. I have had no problems like that.

[XV1100SE]

When I bought mine I followed the customer comments and did the following :

- repack bearings

- rubber tubing (actually a piece of garden hose) on the shackle bolt (rear capture bolt)

- replaced lights with LED's

- put rubber (another piece of black garden hose) thru the holes where the wiring went thru the frame

- replaced the zerk fittings - one was broken out of the box

- replaced bolts holding the "car carrier" box to the frame with eye bolts. Will replace these with ones I saw at a trailer store that fold flat. This way I can use helmet nets to secure any load down while trailering

- shimmed coupler bolts with a couple washers - DON'T over tighten or it squezes the coupler in and the ball release won't work properly

 

I didn't see how to remove the overload spring so I left it in. Didn't flip the axle either. For the money... (I had a 20% off coupon) it is easily worth the price.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hey my mistake, I thought he bought the little flatbed HF thing. So my comments were directed more toward that model.

 

Carry on.

 

 

 

 

[dray]

put a bit of silicone on the plastic caps that plug the tube ends; keeps them from falling out!

[wes0778]

I didn't even consider installing the incandescent lights that came with mine. Bought the 30 something dollar LED light kit from H/F. They look identical to the ones that come with the trailer.

 

+1 on shimming the bolts that attach the hitch to the tongue.

 

Absolutely repack the wheel bearings and set the preload where the wheel spins freely.

From the factory mine were one notch too tight. Hubs were too hot to touch after only 5 miles on the maiden test run. Also replaced the factory grease zerks. one came apart the 1st time I put a grease gun on it.

 

I also put two 1/2" X 6" bolts vertically through the tongue and mounted a spare tire.

 

Run 25-30psi in the tires.

[jemorrisonjr]

When I bought my trailer my dear wife got pissed and said "what the heck do we need that" Boy did that change when we took a trip and he could take all the crap she needed..

 

Now its "I'm glad you got it"....lol

 

My bearings were almost dry, and I put a carpet in it... about all I did to it but may upgrade the lock....

 

Pulled straight, and bearly felt it there

[csogbk]

I have the last Tag a Long to be had in my area on old at my local HF. They told me it would be at least 2 weeks until the title comes in. I'm surprised because I figured a bill of sale would be what I needed to register it as a "home built" trailer. I also ordered a set of the LED light upgrade. Now for a hitch and wiring and I'll be in good to go! These have apparently been discontinued.

[wes0778]

I have the last Tag a Long to be had in my area on old at my local HF. They told me it would be at least 2 weeks until the title comes in. I'm surprised because I figured a bill of sale would be what I needed to register it as a "home built" trailer. I also ordered a set of the LED light upgrade. Now for a hitch and wiring and I'll be in good to go! These have apparently been discontinued.

 

There should have been a "Certificate of Origin" in the trailer's packaging. That way you register it as a new factory built trailer, not "home built". If someone else comes up with that "Certificate" they could claim ownership of your trailer.

[XV1100SE]

I have the last Tag a Long to be had in my area ...... These have apparently been discontinued.

 

No longer listed on the Harbor Frieght site.

[Trader]

Isn't it one of these?

 

 

Bottom Left?

 

From the HF site.

[XV1100SE]

Isn't it one of these?

 

 

Bottom Left?

 

From the HF site.

 

nope

[Trader]

shows what I know....I figured it was just the 40" x 49" with a piece of plywood and a car topper on it.

[from my seat]

I got my Tag a long recently and plan on pulling with my 89 VR. Mine was missing parts but customer service has taken care of that, shipping and all free. Can someone advise me as to were I can tap into the bikes wiring for the plug that stays with the bike. Pictures would be nice.

[wes0778]

I got my Tag a long recently and plan on pulling with my 89 VR. Mine was missing parts but customer service has taken care of that, shipping and all free. Can someone advise me as to were I can tap into the bikes wiring for the plug that stays with the bike. Pictures would be nice.

 

I cannot help you on your 1st gen, other than to say you will need a 5 wire into 4 wire adapter, available at most parts stores. I got mine at O'Reilly's.

 

I bet it won't be long before some of the Maytag repairmen will chime in!!!

[from my seat]

Glad I took advice from here on the trailer. Bearings way to tight, almost no grease , Both greasae zerks ready to fall out. Still waiting on missing parts and I still want to silicone in the plastic caps. Gonna be nice little trailer.

[a1bummer]

I got one of the 870lb./40"x49" trailers a couple years ago. I put Their LED trailer light kits on it and they work great. But I have a problem with the grease zerks falling out. Tried to replace them with some better quality ones but found I have to drill and tap for the new ones to fit. I'm finding that anything I buy from HF that I have to do any sort of maintenance on is built out of odd-ball sized nuts and bolts, etc.. I find that sometimes neither my metric or SAE wrenches fit properly. The grease seals also pop right out when I pump the grease in. I also installed the axle over the leaf so it sits lower to help reduce wind resistance and took out the extra leaf spring to reduce weight. I'm not going to be hauling 870lbs. with it and the second leaf is just extra weight. I know its not much, but every little bit helps.

 

Bill

Edited November 7, 2011 by a1bummer

[ronjolly]

Got an HF Flat Trailor 48x42 put a Sears CarTop on it, Spots SV 20. Fits the frame great Pulls good till about 57-60 mph. (empty) and starts to sway side to side.do you think it wood pull better it it had weight on it..re-packed the bearings an put LED lights..will send pic soon as I figure out how to load them?????

[Carbon_One]

Should pull straight whether empty or loaded. As the other posts suggest check wheel bearings and wheel alignment.

Larry

[Flyinfool]

I have the same HF trailer and a car topper on it.

That was about the same speed mine started to sway regardless of tongue weight or load weight.

I added on a swivel coupler that adds 7 inches to the tongue and it still swayed, but not as bad.

So I stretched the tongue 18 inches and now all is good.

 

I did remove the extra spring leaf.

 

I tried to flip the axle but it made the tire to close to the fender. The tire will hit the fender when loaded going over bumps. I would need to make some brackets to raise the fenders and then I can flip the axle.

 

I have found that mine sits dead level when loaded with the axle in the stock location. If I were to flip the axle the trailer would sit tail low. Even though it would be lower it would still be more air resistance because it is not straight into the wind like it is when level.

 

So if I do flip the axle to lower the trailer I also will need to lower the ball on the bike the same 3 inches. This is sounding to much like work. Maybe some day when I have nothing else to do.

[dacheedah]

side to side at speed = tail heavy. Put some weight at the front and it should fix that

[Flyinfool]

side to side at speed = tail heavy. Put some weight at the front and it should fix that

 

Or a too short tongue, adding tongue weight is a lot easier than stretching the tongue. So try adding tongue weight first.

That is why you see so many trailers with the cooler on the tongue. Makes it easy to add weight. More food and drink.

[djh3]

Or the spare mounted under the tougne. I had a home built little triler years ago, it had like 4 leafs on it, looked like might have been for a boat trailer or something. WE took 1 set out and then later a second. My attempt was to get the trailer to "settle" down when under way. When you were at highway speeds if there were bumps in the road the thing would sometimes look like it was going to bounce its way to next destination. So my thought was it was sprung to heavy. Sound right to you all?

 

Dont know if I want to mess with a trailer again. REally dont have room to store one. What is now the frugal guys choice of trailer/car topper being as it sounds as though the model discussed here is discontinued?

[adventurer 08]

Recently I got a flyer from HF and the Tag A Long Trailer is back on sale.