Craftsman Fold-Up Utility Trailer
By Kevin Pace
A couple days ago Benjamen previewed the upcoming Tow-N-Stow trailer. However, the $2,500 price tag and the odd choice of pairing it with a stationary storage unit got some lukewarm responses from Toolmongers. In light of that, I’d like to see what y’all think of this new fold-up utility trailer from Craftsman.
Built on a fly-wing drive screw, the 6′ by 7′ trailer shrinks down to a 2-1/2′ by 7′ trailer in a matter of seconds, making it easy to store back along a fence or at the side of a garage. Built-in drainage prevents water from pooling if you do decide to leave it outside, and because the bed’s made of galvanized steel plating, it won’t rust in the elements.
Craftsman further sets their folding utility trailer apart from any other on the market by including a solid bed and front, back, and side gate houses; most other folding trailers have a skeleton frame design which allows for the folding mechanism but doesn’t do much to enclose the items in the trailer.
Craftsman manufactures this trailer from heavy-duty galvanized steel and gives it a weather and scratch-resistant coating. You can remove the front and back gate houses and drop ‘em into the lip of the trailer to function as ramps, so you’re never caught without ‘em. The trailer connects to vehicles via a standard 2″ ball hitch, and the fully enclosed light kit hooks up to most trucks, jeeps, and SUVs.
The trailer runs $1,600 retail, and currently it’s on sale for $1,300. So, at half the price of the Tow-N-Stow, is this a little more palatable as a weekend hauling solution?
Craftsman Fold-Up Utility Trailer [Sears]
June 8th, 2009 at 11:26 am
This isn’t new in the slightest, Craftsman has sold a folding trailer like this for years. Perhaps if they spent more time acutlay developing new products, and less time making irritating ads then they wouldn’t be doing so horribly these days.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
tha’s kinda cool. But it doesn’t take up any less room than the traditional prop it up on it’s side/end storage method, does it?
June 8th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I believe that Costco carries the same trailer for a similar price.
I’ve been thinking about the 5×8 version to tow behind the Jeep, would be just about perfect in my mind.
I need to see the axle though.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
The main advantage I see is you can wheel it down a narrow side yard in developments where there is no alley.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
For Canadians you can get almost the same trailer (a 4′x6′ version anyway) from Canadian Tire for ~$1000CDN.
June 8th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
IF space is an issue, why not get a cheaper trailer, and do what this guy did:
http://panofish.net/2007-06-03_Trailer_Lift/index.html
June 8th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Or this one from Norther Tool for $325.
http://www2.northerntool.com/trailers-trailer-parts/trailers/item-12571.htm
June 8th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Or you could just hire a trailer from U-Haul for $25 a day and not worry about storing it at all. You get a lot of rental for $1600 (or CAD 1000, or even $325)
June 8th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
If space is the issue, you can just buy a normal trailer and install one of these:
http://www.popgive.com/2009/03/futuristic-pop-up-garage.html
June 8th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
The real manufacturer is Lifetime, and they make the fold up trailer in three sizes:
http://www.lifetime.com/trailers/default.aspx
If you use a trailer with any frequency, running down to U-Haul before starting your job is a considerable hassle if they’re not located next door.
June 8th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
6′x7′ won’t do whole sheet of plywood or drywall. I have a 4′x8′ trailer that I bought from Harbor Freight tools a few years ago that has been awesome. It folds to 5′x2′. It was made in china and some assembly required. I think it cost $300 including 2 sheets of 3/4″ pressure treated plywood (for the deck and sides) and registration. It doesn’t look pretty and is starting to rust but at that price…
June 8th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Kyle, that trailer lift deserves a Toolmonger post all on it’s own. Brilliant!
June 9th, 2009 at 12:33 am
The worst part of renting a trailer is the rental sets the schedule. So when I, for example, want to pick up that hot tub being given away on FreeCycle I’d have to hassle with whether the U-Haul is open. Or if I want to prune my fruit trees in the spring over several days I don’t have to handle the branches twice instead I can just load them into my trailer. When I get those two yards of compost from the city I can unload it at my pace.
Plus I don’t know what it’s like around you but the rental trailers around here tend to be in pretty bad shape, you never can tell when some 20 year old tire is going to blow and then the rental company wants you to pay for it. And any resultant damage to the trailer to boot.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I bought an 89 Ext Cab Ranger for $900. To me it’s a much better bargin than a fold up trailer and has more uses. Plus if I go to sell it I can get my money back out of it. While these are a lot nicer looking than the Harbor Freight or Northern fold up trailers that are 4 times the price. And renting is ok it you plan on using 1 time at a certain time/date. Just like the Home Depot/Lowes rent by the hour trucks. I have used them in the past before I bought my full size truck.
For the price and only 1000lb limit not worth it when there are so many other solutions out there and you can get a lot more trailer for the money.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:51 am
MeasureOnceCutTwice that pop up garage made my day! My biggest problem with fold up … anything is that I never get to completely empty them. So in reality I would end up spending 1600 on the trailer and 15000 on a garage to store everything leftover in the tailer.