Folding trailer - made for highway speed?

[FryDog62]

Anyone aware of a folding trailer that could be used for kayak travel at highway speeds (70 mph)?  I'm only aware of this one, but only rated to 45 mph. Folding it away in my garage when not in use sure would be convenient...

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Tow-Folding-Aluminum-Utility-Trailer/dp/B071XZ2ZCY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=27X400B3K372D&keywords=folding+kayak+trailer&qid=1676032245&sprefix=folding+kayak+trailer%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-2&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.4dd97f68-284f-40f5-a6f1-1e5b3de13370

 

[casts_by_fly]

I dug into this last year when I was considering a trailer for the AP.  The limiting factor for that type of trailer and the harbor freight ones is the axles/bearings/hubs.  They come with small 8" tires and very light axles.  If you do an axle swap to a heavier duty highway rated one and put 10-12" tires on it you'd be okay on the highway.  Last I knew, the axle swap would run about $300 plus a new pair of wheels and tires.  Its 8 bolts to do it, plus the lugnuts.

[FryDog62]

38 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I dug into this last year when I was considering a trailer for the AP.  The limiting factor for that type of trailer and the harbor freight ones is the axles/bearings/hubs.  They come with small 8" tires and very light axles.  If you do an axle swap to a heavier duty highway rated one and put 10-12" tires on it you'd be okay on the highway.  Last I knew, the axle swap would run about $300 plus a new pair of wheels and tires.  Its 8 bolts to do it, plus the lugnuts.

Yes I saw the tire size too - but the specs above say this one already comes with the 12 inch tires. So I was surprised to see the only 45 mph rating. 

[volzfan59]

I had the Harbor Freight steel version folding trailer. I built mine to not fold. Any way, had it for year's and I never upgraded the bearings. Installed "Bearing Buddies" and kept them greased. Every other year I would clean the bearings and repack them. After a few years I did upgrade the tires from 8" to 12". I hauled that thing all over east TN with either my kayak, mine and a buddies kayaks or my old Sun Dolphin American 12 jon boat. Never once gave me a problem. When I moved to Arkansas I pulled it with my boat and kayak on it. Again, no problems. The people that I sold it to have pulled it to Florida and back twice loaded with their kayaks and camping gear. They experienced zero problems too.  Hope that helps.

[DaubsNU1]

If it's rated for 45MPH max, I would recommend following that guideline.

 

If you are above the rated speed, and get in an accident...your insurance will likely not cover damage to your vehicle, or another vehicle. 

 

Find a different trailer.

[flyfisher]

There are a lot of trailers that are foldable for kayak use.  Yakima rack and roll is the first that comes to mind and I am pretty sure Malone makes one as well.  My trailer folds as well but I have never folded it up as it doubles as storage for me.  I am not even sure they do kayak trailers anymore but I love my sportsrig trailer.  

 

I did go back and forth on what trailer to get and ultimately my decision was I would rather have a trailer designed for what I was going to primarily use it for than have to heavily modify another trailer to make it work.  High up front cost but literally no maintenance cost other than after year 6 i did recently rewire the lights.

[WRB]

It’s a tire issue. Change the tires to higher speed rating.

We a 55 mph max towing speed in California.

Leave a little earlier and travel at safer speed.

Your kayak is very light compared to max rated trailer load.

Tom

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

If it's rated for 45MPH max, I would recommend following that guideline.

 

If you are above the rated speed, and get in an accident...your insurance will likely not cover damage to your vehicle, or another vehicle. 

 

Find a different trailer.

I agree, I think what is misleading is the wording regarding trailer speed and tire size. The standard 8 inch wheel is 45 mph, but they state it would be higher with larger wheels.  This advertisement for their trailer is 12 inch wheels but still says the same 45mph rating.  Either way, I'm not set on this trailer, more of an example to find one that both folds and I can take down I-75.  And it may not exist...

[casts_by_fly]

16 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I agree, I think what is misleading is the wording regarding trailer speed and tire size. The standard 8 inch wheel is 45 mph, but they state it would be higher with larger wheels.  This advertisement for their trailer is 12 inch wheels but still says the same 45mph rating.  Either way, I'm not set on this trailer, more of an example to find one that both folds and I can take down I-75.  And it may not exist...

 

If you're handy with modifying, I bet you could make a jet ski trailer do that.  Are you looking to fold it in half like the picture or just shorten the overall length like a trailer tongue folder?  A jet ski trailer with a single bar tongue (not the ones with 2 arms that end at the winch) would fold up nice and compact by adding a fulton coupler hinge.

 

 

 

[airshot]

Do you realize how many people are driving on I -75 at 80 mph on tires that are rated for only 55 mph ??  Most cheaper tires are not sustained speed rated!!  That means they should only be used for very short trips at speeds over 60 mph, some tires even less !  Only good better quality tires are speed rated, meaning you can jump on I-75 and head to Florida.

Over half the cars on the highway are driving at speeds above the tire recomendations.  One reason we see so many blowouts on the highway.  I wouldn't put much faith into there rating, look at the tires themselves to see if speed rated.  It could be the trailer mfgrs lawyer that added the speed recomendations to be politically correct.

[GreenPig]

Keep your bearings lubed. Go to E - Trailer and get you the 4.80 x 12,  M rated tires. They're rated for 81 mph and work great on my boat trailer.