I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

I have a trailer which is 6X8 works just fine for hauling what I need for my
house. BUT, there is an alternative for you without going to the expense of
purchasing a truck or trailer. My trailer costs almost 700.00. The Big Box
stores offer a rental vehicle @ around 20.00 for 45 min. I believe they also
offer delivery.

Searcher

On Apr 19, 5:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van.

Around here (Phoenix AZ area) I see a lot of trailers made out of 1/2
of a beater truck. They cut the frame at the front of the pickup bed
and weld on a tongue, using the existing rear wheels of the truck.

Not sure where you would find one of these homebrew trailers, or how
much they cost. My only thought was that it would be the size of a
full-size pickup bed if that's what you started with.

Just a suggestion, sorry I couldn't be more help.

Jerry

On Apr 19, 7:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
snip

get a ford F150. darn near indestructible, and usualy are already ugly
when bought used.

(proud owner of one. either 200 or 300k miles and still going strong.
still ugly though)

I would STRONGLY suggest that you "contract out" the delivery.

BIG BOX stores (Lowe's, HD) will charge a fixed fee (around here it's $70)
and for that they will bring your entire order. Moreover they will place
it where you want/need it. If they drop it, they make it good.

When hauling away old junk, a power saw will reduce to manageable size most
things and you can just haul them a little at a time to the local landfill.

"Dan" wrote in message
. ..
I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various
tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe
5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we
don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting
a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range
(less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY
;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have
all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow,
so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate
to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

John Gilmer wrote:
I would STRONGLY suggest that you "contract out" the delivery.

BIG BOX stores (Lowe's, HD) will charge a fixed fee (around here it's $70)
and for that they will bring your entire order. Moreover they will place
it where you want/need it. If they drop it, they make it good.

When hauling away old junk, a power saw will reduce to manageable size most
things and you can just haul them a little at a time to the local landfill.


Or hire a local landscaper/yard guy to do that for you. I can get
construction trash (in small qty) hauled by the guy who does my yard for
$10.... He already goes to the landfill daily, so it's just free money
to him...

"Shopdog" wrote in message
news:ZNTVh.764$ji.98@trndny09...
I have a trailer which is 6X8 works just fine for hauling what I need for
my house. BUT, there is an alternative for you without going to the expense
of purchasing a truck or trailer. My trailer costs almost 700.00. The Big
Box stores offer a rental vehicle @ around 20.00 for 45 min. I believe they
also offer delivery.

Searcher



Thanks for the reply. $700 for a decent trailer seems pretty decent. What
make/model is it? I've seen those renta trucks outside HD etc. Not a bad
alternative, cheaper than delivery & no waiting around.

Dan

On Apr 19, 7:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
I recently bought a house ...[and]...
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood
... & we don't own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer ... or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. ...

The cost analysis is a no-brainer -- it's virtually certain you'll
come out far ahead simply having stuff delivered for the kind of
quantities you're discussing -- and while it may seem fairly
significant, unless you're only talking about the first weekend's
work, this sounds like pretty small project(s). My practical
recommendation would be mirroring others with a small addendum. Plan
the materials for a sizable project well before starting, order them
all at once from a _good_ supplier (the local BORG probably isn't
that) and have it delivered and store it in the garage. Many full-
service lumberyards will deliver at no additional charge and for the
difference in service and quality any perceived savings in cost will
quickly be overshadowed.

OTOH, there's the convenience factor, certainly. There it depends
totally on what that's worth to you, but it can probably never be
justified on a purely economic basis. Again, as you already know, the
pickup will be had and shoulders more expensive than the trailer
alternative, but there may be more overall utility in the truck if you
could use a second vehicle anyway, and sometimes storage of the
trailer is as much or more of a pita than the other vehicle. Driving
w/ a small trailer is basically nothing other than paying some
attention and learning a little about backing it when necessary, but
no real problem. Small car can't handle a lot of weight, obviously,
but you're, again, talking pretty minimal quantities here.

But, you're definition of "beater" and mine are quite a bit
apart... I'd call the $2-3k truck a "work" truck--a beater would be
$1k or (probably) less. Any thing that runs will handle what you're
after. It doesn't even need to be long or wide bed -- to lay
sheetrock flat, simply build a small platform to fit between the wheel
wells and use an old sheet of 3/4 or 1" subflooring as a support
platform. 2x and all that sort of stuff can slide in under between.
But, once you have the truck, license and insurance, etc., are
unending. OTOH, if it's a real beater, you can probably keep it for a
couple years or so and get as much or more as you gave as they're to
the point depreciation has essentially ended...

HTH with some viewpoints...

Dan wrote:

I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...


If you don't already own a truck, then a trailer will be the most
useful. You can buy a used 16' trailer for less than 1K and you won't
ever have to worry about not having enough space to haul stuff again.
A trailer will burden the transmission on a vehicle that is not meant
to haul one though.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Around here (Phoenix AZ area) I see a lot of trailers made out of 1/2
of a beater truck. They cut the frame at the front of the pickup bed
and weld on a tongue, using the existing rear wheels of the truck.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I've seen those too. Probably a good option if
you already have a truck with a shot driveline, & the required welding
skills, both of which I unfortunately am a bit short on ;-)

On Apr 19, 8:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

Dan,
If I interpret your question correctly you are torn between taking a
one time hit ie the purchase of a trailer vs the incremental costs of
multiple deliveries. Its comes down to "own the tool vs, rent the
tool." My solution has usually been to buy it and not have to worry
every time. You'll probably find uses for the trailer you haven't yet
anticipated.
Joe G

Factor in depreciation, insurance, taxes, maintenence, fuel, etc, and
a trailer is the clear winner.

I just sold the last pickup truck I'll ever own.


-rev



On Apr 19, 8:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

"Tater" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 19, 7:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
snip

get a ford F150. darn near indestructible, and usualy are already ugly
when bought used.

(proud owner of one. either 200 or 300k miles and still going strong.
still ugly though)


Thanks for the tip. There's a bunch of these on the local Craig's list.
Seems like a pretty good supply in the $2K range. Is there a preferred
motor/trans? I see 300 CID six's and 351 V8's, also 4X4's. Probably
wouldn't need the 4 wheel drive, one more thing to break. Anything in
particular to look out for on them (problem areas) in the 1985 to 1995 age
range? Judging by the pics, some are even not tooooooo ugly!!!

On Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:12:02 -0700, "Dan" wrote:

I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

If you decide to go with the pickup, you don't need a bed
big enough to lay sheetgoods flat, you just need a chunk
of 3/4" plywood to put under everything else.

Note that The towing capacity of an Impreza is only
1000#, unless the trailer has it's own brakes.
and the trailer itself is likely to be about 1/3rd
of that.

When comparing the relative costs of a special-purpose
pickup or van, (I'd go with a cargo van, myself),
remember that the van gives you an extra vehical,
more capacity, and doesn't add wear or threaten the
health of the other vehical compared to a trailer,
but that you don't have to pay insurance or much in the
way of taxes on a trailer.

"John Gilmer" wrote in message
...
I would STRONGLY suggest that you "contract out" the delivery.

BIG BOX stores (Lowe's, HD) will charge a fixed fee (around here it's $70)
and for that they will bring your entire order. Moreover they will place
it where you want/need it. If they drop it, they make it good.

When hauling away old junk, a power saw will reduce to manageable size
most
things and you can just haul them a little at a time to the local
landfill.


Thanks for the reply. I didn't know it was that much, I was thinking about
$50. I see your point, but there's also the convenience of just being able
to run over & get stuff. I wonder also, when your getting a delivery, do
you pick out all the items personally or do you just give them a list?
Wouldn't matter with something boxed like a water heater ( I need TWO) but
like with lumber, I'd want to select it myself, not just tell them "15
2x4's", or pre-hung doors, several of which I saw yesterday at HD were
pretty dinged up.

"CptDondo" wrote in message
...
Or hire a local landscaper/yard guy to do that for you. I can get
construction trash (in small qty) hauled by the guy who does my yard for
$10.... He already goes to the landfill daily, so it's just free money to
him...

I've seen people do that, unfortunately I'm the only gardener I can
afford!!! ;-)

"dpb" wrote in message
oups.com...

The cost analysis is a no-brainer --

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I agree about the cost vs convenience
factor. Also I'm surprised at the nice trucks I'm seeing on Craig's list
(as a start) in the 2-3 k range. I really didn't know what was available.
I could probably do with less! The trailer is probably the most attractive
alternative, just not sure where I'd put the damned thing. A licensed
vehicle you can park on the street etc. without anyone bitching, an empty
trailer sitting idle for weeks at a time might be another matter.

"The Reverend Natural Light" wrote in message
oups.com...

Factor in depreciation, insurance, taxes, maintenence, fuel, etc, and
a trailer is the clear winner.

I just sold the last pickup truck I'll ever own.



I think you're right. I'm seeing stuff like this:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/314931351.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/for/315133364.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/for/314199620.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/car/314535016.html

According to Dan :

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I've seen those too. Probably a good option if
you already have a truck with a shot driveline, & the required welding
skills, both of which I unfortunately am a bit short on ;-)

They're often too short for 4x8 sheets too.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

"Goedjn" wrote in message
...

If you decide to go with the pickup, you don't need a bed
big enough to lay sheetgoods flat, you just need a chunk
of 3/4" plywood to put under everything else.

Note that The towing capacity of an Impreza is only
1000#, unless the trailer has it's own brakes.
and the trailer itself is likely to be about 1/3rd
of that.

When comparing the relative costs of a special-purpose
pickup or van, (I'd go with a cargo van, myself),
remember that the van gives you an extra vehical,
more capacity, and doesn't add wear or threaten the
health of the other vehical compared to a trailer,
but that you don't have to pay insurance or much in the
way of taxes on a trailer.

Thanks for the reply. Just saw this interesting new trailer, folds up, only
$450 (minus shipping, may be available locally)
http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/LongChih/749TC.htm . You know your
stuff, shipping weight is 280#'s! Thanks for the towing figure on the
Subaru, sounds about right. I see a lot of Imprezas around here w/hitches,
of course I have no idea what they're hauling, given the area (Seattle)
probably small boats mostly. I think ~500#'s/trip would be sufficient for
me.

On Apr 20, 1:50 pm, "Dan" wrote:
....
... I see your point, but there's also the convenience of just being able
to run over & get stuff. I wonder also, when your getting a delivery, do
you pick out all the items personally or do you just give them a list?
Wouldn't matter with something boxed like a water heater ( I need TWO) but
like with lumber, I'd want to select it myself, not just tell them "15
2x4's", or pre-hung doors, several of which I saw yesterday at HD were
pretty dinged up.

I'll reiterate my suggestion -- forget the box stores for anything
except the plainest of plain run-of-the-mill stuff that's on the
shelves. Lumber, moulding, doors/windows, etc., etc., etc., should
(imo) be bought from a "real" supplier. W/ a good supplier you _can_
tell them you need this and be assured it will show up and be what you
need (and in the rare case it's not, tell them to take it back).
Obviously you have to pre-select window/door styles, etc., but you
won't get picked over stuff nor.

Again, you have to decide what the personal convenience factor is
worth to you.

IMO, YMMV, $0.02, etc., etc., ...

According to Dan :
I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van.

If you have a vehicle that's suitable for towing, you simply
can't beat a trailer for economy and convenience. Renting or
delivery is always a possibility, but, having your own trailer
means that you'll use it a lot more than you thought you would.

The Impreza might be a bit undersized for this task, so,
it's worth checking. If you're going to be limited to
city/suburban driving, it should be fine. We originally
towed our trailer (that's 500lb empty) with a Nissan Multi which
has a 500lb tow limit. With loads of 2000lb once or
twice. Very gently...

For general haulage, a 4x8 trailer like the one pictured here is
about the very best choice:

http://www.jdjtrailers.com/industria...ulers-ICH.html

Our JDJ trailer looks just like the ICH4X8, so I assume the specs
are the same.

The bed is actually 50"x98", so, getting 4x8 sheets in and out is easy.

Back when we bought ours (over 10 years now I think), a new one
with a 2000lb rating was $800, and the 3500lb was $1200 new.
Canadian dollars - at the time that was around 550US and 900US..
I haggled the 3500lb one down to $1000CDN.

Note the steel sides and railings. It also has steel rope loops
for tiedowns, and the tail lights are just about indestructable
(being mounted inside 4" angle iron).

JDJ looks like they've dropped the 2000lb version, and who knows
what they charge now. JDJ is Canadian. They have US distributors.
The design is pretty simple, so I'm sure that there are US makers
of trailers very similar to that.

We have often taken ours on trips of several hundred miles at
a go. Handles very well. Mind you, now that's been with a
SUV with a 5500lb capacity.

We probably have had this trailer loaded to its limit.

The only mods we've made were to sling a piece of 3/4"
sheathing in to protect the floor, and stick a jackstand
with wheel to make it easier to move by hand.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

According to Dan :

Thanks for the reply. Just saw this interesting new trailer, folds up, only
$450 (minus shipping, may be available locally)
http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/LongChih/749TC.htm . You know your
stuff, shipping weight is 280#'s! Thanks for the towing figure on the
Subaru, sounds about right. I see a lot of Imprezas around here w/hitches,
of course I have no idea what they're hauling, given the area (Seattle)
probably small boats mostly. I think ~500#'s/trip would be sufficient for
me.

Look around, you should be able to find them locally.

Our Canadian Tire store chain has carried these things for at
least 5 years now. Lists for about $450CDN ($400US), often
lower in sales.

I'd suggest this "package":

http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/...9TC-TS48BX.htm

It's a lot flimsier than our JDJ (non-folding), and probably
not much cheaper.

If you're going as cheap as possible and aren't going to
have a better towing vehicle than the Impreza, this is the same
cargo size, max GVW 1000lb:

http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/LongChih/850TA.htm
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

harbor freight sells nice trailers cheap.

the convenience of tools like this far outweighs the cosat of a
trailer, unless all your friends start asking for use of you.

truck insurance, repairs etc, a loser.

although i have a mini van for much hauling

wrote in message
oups.com...
harbor freight sells nice trailers cheap.

the convenience of tools like this far outweighs the cosat of a
trailer, unless all your friends start asking for use of you.

truck insurance, repairs etc, a loser.

although i have a mini van for much hauling


Thanks for the reply. Forgot about them, this looks like a possibility:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90154

Dan wrote:
"dpb" wrote in message
oups.com...
The cost analysis is a no-brainer --

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I agree about the cost vs convenience
factor. Also I'm surprised at the nice trucks I'm seeing on Craig's list
(as a start) in the 2-3 k range. I really didn't know what was available.
I could probably do with less! The trailer is probably the most attractive
alternative, just not sure where I'd put the damned thing. A licensed
vehicle you can park on the street etc. without anyone bitching, an empty
trailer sitting idle for weeks at a time might be another matter.



Some trailers can be folded and carted around. They're usually small
capacity type - 200-300# load range - but the convenience can't be beat.

You fold one half over the other, stand it up, and roll it off on little
castors.

On Apr 20, 7:33�pm, "Dan" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

harbor freight sells nice trailers cheap.

the convenience of tools like this far outweighs the cosat of a
trailer, unless all your friends start asking for use of you.

truck insurance, repairs etc, a loser.

although i have a mini van for much hauling

Thanks for the reply. *Forgot about them, this looks like a possibility:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90154

note in pennsylvania getting a title and plate take some time, so
purchase in advance and check on local regulations.

the nice thing about trailers, they require no additional insurance,
you vehicle insurance automatically covers the towed trailer.

wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 20, 7:33?pm, "Dan" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

harbor freight sells nice trailers cheap.

the convenience of tools like this far outweighs the cosat of a
trailer, unless all your friends start asking for use of you.

truck insurance, repairs etc, a loser.

although i have a mini van for much hauling

Thanks for the reply. Forgot about them, this looks like a possibility:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90154

note in pennsylvania getting a title and plate take some time, so
purchase in advance and check on local regulations.

the nice thing about trailers, they require no additional insurance,
you vehicle insurance automatically covers the towed trailer.

?????
Not around here- In MI, one of the questions when adding a car to policy, or
starting new policy, is if it has a trailer hitch.

aem sends....

On Apr 19, 7:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
I recently bought a house that's going to need some fairly major updating,
remodeling, etc. I'm not concerned about being able to do the various tasks
involved, most of which I have done before, but this will be the 1st time
I'll need to transport fairly large quantities of materials (like maybe 5-6
interior doors at once, 8+ sheets of drywall, 4x8 sheets of plywood, maybe
some French doors to replace the sliders I want to remove, etc.) & we don't
own a truck. I'm trying to decide between a trailer (to be pulled by my
wife's auto trannied Subaru Impreza) or a beater pickup/van. Up sides of
the trailer would probably be cost & insurance. Downside is I've never
pulled one & would need to learn that. I don't know much about selecting a
truck. Obviously to lay 4x8 sheets flat (not that that's essential, I
guess) , you need 4' between the wheel wells, so we're talking a bigger
model. For a truck I'd be looking at something in the 2-3 grand range (less
for a trailer, I hope), if that's doable. I't doesn't have to be PRETTY ;-)
If anyone has any helpful suggestions about this, especially specific
trailer/truck model suggestions, please share them. I know I could have all
the stuff delivered, but I plan to do this over time as time & $$$ allow, so
I'd prefer to just have the ability to go get what I want w/out having to
deal with repeated deliveries, charges, etc. Also we're new here, so I
don't really have anyone whose truck I could borrow, plus I'd kinda hate to
bug somebody repeatedly even if I did...

Thanks

Dan

Before you go out and buy a trailer, rent one some weekend and take
off for some remote spot in the country where you can fool around with
it, practicing, in particular, how to back up in a straight line, then
turn a corner (backwards) and put it PRECISELY between two marks. If
you can do this with finesse after a couple of hours, then get a
trailer. If you constantly muff the handling, get a truck. The thing
that city boys don't know and farm boys have in their genes, is that
trailers are not always driven forward and the most important part of
the journey is getting the load to the site and that involves backing
up. For you macho types who think you can do it like ranch hands, just
try making it with a 4 wheel trailer going up a slope backwards...but
that's another story. HTH

Joe

On Apr 20, 1:43 pm, "Dan" wrote:
"Tater" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Apr 19, 7:12 pm, "Dan" wrote:
snip

get a ford F150. darn near indestructible, and usualy are already ugly
when bought used.

(proud owner of one. either 200 or 300k miles and still going strong.
still ugly though)

Thanks for the tip. There's a bunch of these on the local Craig's list.
Seems like a pretty good supply in the $2K range. Is there a preferred
motor/trans? I see 300 CID six's and 351 V8's, also 4X4's. Probably
wouldn't need the 4 wheel drive, one more thing to break. Anything in
particular to look out for on them (problem areas) in the 1985 to 1995 age
range? Judging by the pics, some are even not tooooooo ugly!!!

mine is a '86 with 300 inline six, rear wheel drive. so rusted out
that it actually has decent gas mileage when not hauling (nearly
30mpg!)

dont expect any money back(i.e. depreciation) and if you record is
good insurace wont jump that much(mine dropped when i combined it with
the house insurance). rev has some points, but my position is a bit
different.

also, I got mine for $400, limped it over to the auto garage and said
"fix it"
$800 later i said "fix it some more"
then they ran out of stuff to fix, aside from replacing all the body
panels with rust free parts. total cost into it as less than 3k, and i
probably can sell it for $1500 no prob, but i aint. when enough body
panels rust away enough, it'll become a bush truck that i'll use to
pull stumps, tear down old barn foundations, erect a 40x80 workshop,
and other such things you dont want to do with a "good" truck. then if
the motor still runs, I have plans for an experimental airplane that
it might fit into(hey, i can dream!)

oh, when my ford focus finaly gets paid off(in a few months) i'll got
get me a NICE truck. maybe a F150 with an FM radio that works!

In article ,
Dan wrote:


Thanks for the reply. Just saw this interesting new trailer, folds up, only
$450 (minus shipping, may be available locally)
http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/LongChih/749TC.htm . You know your
stuff, shipping weight is 280#'s! Thanks for the towing figure on the
Subaru, sounds about right. I see a lot of Imprezas around here w/hitches,
of course I have no idea what they're hauling, given the area (Seattle)
probably small boats mostly. I think ~500#'s/trip would be sufficient for
me.




Just FYI you can find a similar trailer at Harbor Freight for a little
over $200. After buying mine about 2 years ago, I am so please with
it I'd keep it even if I did someday buy another pickup truck.

www.harborfreight.com, then search for trailers. They have retail stores
in many areas also.


--
When the game is over, the pawn and the king are returned to the same box.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar.org

Dan wrote:


Thanks for the reply. I didn't know it was that much, I was thinking about
$50. I see your point, but there's also the convenience of just being able
to run over & get stuff. I wonder also, when your getting a delivery, do
you pick out all the items personally or do you just give them a list?
Wouldn't matter with something boxed like a water heater ( I need TWO) but
like with lumber, I'd want to select it myself, not just tell them "15
2x4's", or pre-hung doors, several of which I saw yesterday at HD were
pretty dinged up.



Thats why you might want to deal with a real store. The local family
lumber yard stocks quality wood so you don't have to sort through a pile
of crap if you should decide to go there. They also deliver and I just
give them a list of what I want and they will even drop it if no one is
around so no hanging around.

"Larry W" wrote in message
...
Just FYI you can find a similar trailer at Harbor Freight for a little
over $200. After buying mine about 2 years ago, I am so please with
it I'd keep it even if I did someday buy another pickup truck.

www.harborfreight.com, then search for trailers. They have retail stores
in many areas also.


--
When the game is over, the pawn and the king are returned to the same box.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar.org

Thanks Larry. Yeah I saw this one
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90154 I
think it's just what I need.

On Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:22:02 -0700, "Dan" wrote:

-snip-
Thanks Larry. Yeah I saw this one
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90154 I
think it's just what I need.

When I gave up on my Taurus wagon beater last year I got one of those.
I was pleasantly surprised at how sturdy the thing was. Spent 2
days assembling- and didn't have too many bolts left over-- but did
have a few.

Allow for ?$100? for deck, stakes & lots of tie-down hardware.
[I ended up using 2 links of chain with a 1/2" hole for most of my tie
downs.]

Pluses;
The price is right for a sturdy 4x8 trailer.
Can slide a full 4x8 sheet of sheetrock or plywood on the deck.
[Remember to allow for this when you build racks- I used 2x4s for the
rails- and lined the inside with a 'floating' 1x8 with brackets to
knock it apart quickly. When tied down, it is the 1/2 ton mark for
sand/gravel/etc. When tied up I can slide 3-4inches of 4x8 sheetgoods
under it. The brackets I used on the rack and the boards are
expensive, but handy as heck- http://www.mcmaster.com/ has them - I
used 4 (18445A51) and 4 (18445A52) ]

Minus-
Not really a minus, but now that it's together with a PT deck and
rails, I don't see myself folding it up. It sits outside ready to go.

The license holder seems to be awfully low- I manage to bend mine
frequently when backing up into snowbanks or moving the trailer by
hand. Will be making some sort of flexible holder before I break it
off.

Jim