Thread: Imported trailers, yay or nay ?

Hi all. I'm looking at buying a cheap trailer as I'm just not able to build one at the moment. I know you get what you pay for but I'm way past doing any heavy jobs with it so budget becomes the main factor. Has anyone got or even used one that was an imported kitset and NZ assembled, any brands to check out/avoid. Like RoadChief etc

I've got 2 Elite trailers for work.
8 x 4 single axle unbraked and 10 x 5 tandem braked.
Both have done a lot of work as builders trailers and for what I paid I can't fault them. Just get the later model ones with the 32mm pipe rope rails. The earlier designs were a bit light and bent if you gave a big ratchet strap death.

Yep get an Elite.

If you get a cheap trailer like I did when was I broke you will regret it.

Oh and make sure you can get 2440x1220 on the bed as a minimum. Don't ask how I know it frustrates the hell out of me that I can't.

Biggest draw back with cheap trailers is a short drawbar.

And just make sure that they have NZ standard wheel bearings and seals so you can replace them quickly at WoF fail time. Otherwise they are a pain in the arse and you end up having to hold a couple of sets on hand as they are an order-in via an engineering supplies outfit...

Have been looking at this myself recently. Kits seem to be the same price, or not much less than a whole import trailer.

Thanks for the opinions so far guys. I'm not worried about fitting full sheets inside nowadays but the longer drawbar would be a great help for me and I never even thought about the bearings. So far most of what I see is imported or made/assembled from imported kitsets/components. The real NZ made ones are out of my budget and are really more than I need. Next week I'll have a look at Elite and a few others in that price range.

Pretty much everything else like lights, wiring connectors, cables, towball couplings etc etc can be replaced but if the wheel bearings and studs aren't what you can get at supercheap, Repco or gasp the local servo that's a pain in the arse...

Recently bought a lucca trailer 7 by 5 caged for my bike .got galv 14" wheels and a cover for extra 30 bucks . Sure not as greatly made as a nz made one. But I didn't buy it to overload etc.jist for bike etc
Seems ok has bz bearings . Shirt draw bar 1350mm long .bit for what I paid 2800 it seems fine. They look similar to the best trailers , elite trailers. All Chinese made and dipped there etc. Has the posts for the bars aswell. The welding is not the prettiest. But I spose it doesn't need to look good to hold together. I've done alot of welding and seen good looking welds fault .

Try get galv wheels thouse white steelies rust out even cheaply galved ones are much better than the white wheels. Just looked at the elite ones look similar to the one I bought .

I'd look for a second hand Reid or pinto

I bought a titan trailer about 4years back and been great
https://www.titantrailers.co.nz/
Got the 5x8 with heavy duty draw bar and cage
Still very happy with it, and overload it way to often ha ha and still tows well.

I've got a titan too. very happy with it.
I keep in a shed I don't think most will last if they're parked up outside all the time.

I used to assemble them as a job.
Usually they're well built, but as with anything in the budget they have their downsides.
Shop around, there are definitely some smaller trailers around with decent drawbar length. At least there were when I was in the game 5 years ago.
The biggest annoyance for me is those damn gate latches. We had better ones designed on ours.
Also "hot dipped galv" doesn't always mean good galvanising on chinesium. If you live by the ocean consider rust...the brakes on braked trailers are usually garbage too. Keep moving parts greased up, and after a few trips from new check all the bolts over. Wheel nuts after first trip.
Keep it maintained and it'll be fine. There was a brickie/stone mason that had a few and gave them a seriously hard time and apart from beefing up the springs has had a great run with them.
A lot of them come from the same factory, I've noticed at least 3 brands that are all the same.

I gave up on my 7x4 Elite trailer and got rid of it. Went through x 3 sets of wheel bearings in 18 mths though the Chch importers initially helped. The hub tolerances were too loose. Used for private use. Ended up paying a bit more for a Briford - never looked back - 7 yrs same wheel bearings.

Between my son and myself, we have three Prescott trailers. My original 7x4 is over 30yrs old and not a thing wrong with it. It's had two wheel bearing sets done and it now sports a resin-impregnated ply deck but it'll see me out. I have a newer ~10x5.5 tilter for the SxS and it's just as well made. My son's one is slightly smaller and I'd guess 15yrs old but still 100%. Well built gear.

Against my advice, a mate bought a Road Chief and regretted it within weeks. Total POS in every regard.