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HF Utility Trailer For My "T" GS750TZ

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    HF Utility Trailer For My "T" GS750TZ

    I wanted to share some pics of the Trailer I purchased last year before I went on my road-trip with my current employer. It's already been assembled but you can see I was able to put a 4X8 piece of plywood on it as well as a bike stand/wheel chock. The last accessory purchased were the ramps.

    Thanks to Charles/eil for requesting this information. He's on his way to Harbor Freight to purchase his trailer. I recommend the trailer with the 12" wheels because they can handle more than the 55mph limit as would the 8" wheels. On to the pictures:



















    And Before I added the plywood...here she sits, ready to be utilized:
    GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
    GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
    GSX-R750Y (Sold)

    my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
    Originally posted by GSXR7ED
    Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

    #2
    My New HF Trailer

    And here is my "T" loaded on new trailer:




    Ed
    GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
    GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
    GSX-R750Y (Sold)

    my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
    Originally posted by GSXR7ED
    Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

    Comment


      #3
      Good looking rig and folding as well. Only $299

      Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

      Comment


        #4
        I highly appreciate the info and pics, Ed!

        I was hoping to pick mine up today (have a 25% off coupon good for today only) but neither of the stores nearby had them in stock.
        Charles
        --
        1979 Suzuki GS850G

        Read BassCliff's GSR Greeting and Mega-Welcome!

        Comment


          #5
          Got that 25% off any single item coupon good for today only burning in my inbox as well!

          I want to get the solar panel kit one of these days, but think I'll wait for a summertime deal...
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
          2014 BMW F800GSA | 1981 GS850GX | 1982 GS750T (now the son-in-laws) | 1983 GS750ES | 1983 Honda V45 Magna (needs some love) | 1980 Yamaha GT80 and LB80 "Chappy" | 1973 and 1975 Honda XL250 projects

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by posplayr View Post
            Good looking rig and folding as well. Only $299

            http://www.harborfreight.com/1195-lb...els-90154.html
            Personally, I would avoid a folding trailer. Had one once, it was not a Harbor Freight model, but probably similar.

            It is scary enough to see that the pivot is only anchored by a single bolt on each side, but the rails that support the first few inches of the foldable section are not nearly strong enough to support the weight of a bike's rear tire that is considerably beyond their reach. In my case, I was carrying a bike that was a bit heavier than a 750T (a dressed-out KZ1300), and the rear wheel was all the way at the back of the 4x6 trailer. That put a LOT of stress on the rails that were trying to support the back half. The trailer actually lasted from Los Angeles to mid-Illinois, when we were moving to oHIo. Had to take the bike off the trailer, enlist the services of a third driver that was along with us, and ride the bike the 240 miles from Effingham, Illinois to the 'new' house in oHIo. Ended up welding in some angle iron to support the sides and in the process, turned it into a non-folding trailer.

            .
            sigpic
            mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
            hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
            #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
            #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
            Family Portrait
            Siblings and Spouses
            Mom's first ride
            Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
            (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

            Comment


              #7
              I've hauled my 850GL and 1000G on one of these with no problems I can attribute to the trailer. Maybe a couple thousand miles cumulative total. So long as the load is balanced, it's fine. Late last season I saw a Bandit 1200 and an Aprillia on one of these together, navigating the Chicago area highway system. Personally, I thought it was scary to watch it flex and sway, but it survived. I wouldn't want to hang a lot of weight to the rear of one of these either, but that's just looking at the tool and being careful how it's used.

              Anyhow, that looks like a single sheet of plywood, with e-tracks on top. It's not going to fold very easily. I'm thinking GSXR7ed may was well remove the bars holding the casters.
              Dogma
              --
              O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you! - David

              Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense. - Carl Sagan

              --
              '80 GS850 GLT
              '80 GS1000 GT
              '01 ZRX1200R

              How to get a "What's New" feed without the Vortex, and without permanently quitting the Vortex

              Comment


                #8
                Under-Carriage

                Thanks for your feedback Steve & Dogma. Here's some pics of the area in question (pivot bolt area).









                The capacity on the trailer says 1195. My bike is roughly 500 pounds and I trailed it from Dover, DE to Alamogordo, NM this past year. I even took a short trip to LA from Alamogordo to visit family. When the road trip was complete, I trailed my "T" back to Delaware.

                I bolted the 1-piece 4X8 piece of plywood (3 bolts up front and 2 rear). The heavy piece of plywood really made the whole trailer sturdy in my opinion.

                Dogma, you're right...I need to remove the casters since I have yet to actually stand it up horizontally. I've rested it on its side when I had it in my apartment.




                Ed
                GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
                GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
                GSX-R750Y (Sold)

                my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
                Originally posted by GSXR7ED
                Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks for the pictures.

                  It appears to be a bit better-built than the one that I had. Yours is constructed of C-channel, mine was just cold-rolled angle. There is also a bit more bracing on the rear portion where it lands just over the rear spring hanger. I would still keep a close eye on it, though, as all the weight on the rear is cantilevered out past its support.

                  I like the E-track for anchoring.

                  .
                  sigpic
                  mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                  hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                  #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                  #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                  Family Portrait
                  Siblings and Spouses
                  Mom's first ride
                  Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                  (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Time Tested

                    Hey Steve,

                    I'm carefully reading how you're describing the set up of the pivot area. There is considerable space on the rail that rests on the rear spring hanger. There may be less than a foot of overhang but I will keep an eye on it.

                    About the E-track...I'm gonna have to re-drill/re-position them since the screws are not tightening as they did the first time. That trek to Alamogordo/LA/Dover was at least 4K miles of towing.


                    Ed
                    GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
                    GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
                    GSX-R750Y (Sold)

                    my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
                    Originally posted by GSXR7ED
                    Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by GSXR7ED View Post
                      I'm carefully reading how you're describing the set up of the pivot area. There is considerable space on the rail that rests on the rear spring hanger. There may be less than a foot of overhang but I will keep an eye on it.
                      Look at it this way: let's say that the back half of your bike weighs about 250 pounds and it's 3 feet past the pivot. With one foot of overhang/support, you are putting about 750 pounds of force on the ends of the supports. If you can keep the bike farther forward, the weight will be closer to the support and will apply less torque.


                      Originally posted by GSXR7ED View Post
                      About the E-track...I'm gonna have to re-drill/re-position them since the screws are not tightening as they did the first time. That trek to Alamogordo/LA/Dover was at least 4K miles of towing.
                      I would suggest ditching the screws and going with stainless bolts and self-locking nuts. Use fender washers against the lower side of the decking to prevent the nuts pulling through.

                      .
                      sigpic
                      mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                      hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                      #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                      #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                      Family Portrait
                      Siblings and Spouses
                      Mom's first ride
                      Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                      (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Overhang

                        Steve, take a look at post #2 on this thread. My "T" is as far forward as the bike stop/wheel chock will allow. There is about 1 foot of clearance from the contact patch of the rear tire and the edge of the trailer. I think it's sufficient enough for the short wheel base.

                        I'm gonna have a second look underneath.


                        Ed
                        GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
                        GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
                        GSX-R750Y (Sold)

                        my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
                        Originally posted by GSXR7ED
                        Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Does not look too bad, your rear wheel appears to be about the middle of the panel, or about a foot past the support.

                          The most important thing is to maintain balance. I am sure the trailer weighs at least a couple hundred pounds and the bike weighs about 500, for a total of about 700+ pounds. You need to have about 15% of that, or about 100 pounds, on the ball to maintain stability while towing.

                          If push comes to shove, though, you might have room to move it all another few inches forward, according to this picture:



                          We have one of those chocks, as well as a Condor. Overall, I prefer the Condor, but it does cost about three times as much.
                          The HF chock is now on sale, making the difference even more.

                          .
                          sigpic
                          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                          Family Portrait
                          Siblings and Spouses
                          Mom's first ride
                          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Contact Patch

                            Good interactions here Steve...thanks for taking the time to give your feedback on this. I will be getting the stainless bolts/self-locking nuts/fender washers when I re-fit the E-track.

                            Okay, now to some visual aids...

                            The contact patch is just past the over hang point...which, based on the second pic, is right where the casters base is located.



                            That cross beam is close enough to the caster termination point so it provides support where my contact patch is located.



                            And you are right about moving up the bike stop/wheel chock. There's about 4 inches of forward space available. That would definitely scoot the contact patch closer to the caster termination point. I think it's an acceptable range...plus, I've successfully utilized this trailer in the past year. I can simply make small improvements based on your recommendations.

                            NOTE: And I can also remove the casters like Dogma recommended.

                            EDIT: The trailer weighs about 250 pounds and the weight of the plywood/Wheel Chock adds another 80 lbs or so.




                            Ed
                            Last edited by GSXR7ED; 01-02-2015, 02:51 PM.
                            GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
                            GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
                            GSX-R750Y (Sold)

                            my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
                            Originally posted by GSXR7ED
                            Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Had one that I gave away when I left Michigan in 2011. I welded it flat at the center hinge where the guides met the rest of the frame. Had a ramp to push bike up on it. Hauled lots of stuff with that little guy and it was one helll of a work horse for what it was.

                              Never had use of the tilt bed option and the safety pins actually rusted themselves in the holes. Hauled a bike up every weekend up to my 35 acres so I had a bike when up there. Hauled Rustybroncos Penelope back on the trailer as well.
                              MY BIKES..1977 GS 750 B, 1978 GS 1000 C (X2)
                              1978 GS 1000 E, 1979 GS 1000 S, 1973 Yamaha TX 750, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650B1, 1975 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, 1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk, 1972 Honda CB 350K4, 74 Honda CB550

                              NEVER SNEAK UP ON A SLEEPING DOG..NOT EVEN YOUR OWN.


                              I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

                              Comment

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