Lifetime trailer @ costco

[Katy Lin]

I just spent hours this weekend researching alternative choices for my camping dilemma, and finally found something within my means and purpose... And wouldn't you know the d;:m thing is discontinued!

I may not understand every modification that some y'all did but do see the benefit of the LT with the platform (model 65043) versus the LT Sahara (model 65047) without it.

Double D.it to H hockey sticks... Dont want to be too verbally abusive.. Lol

Well, I am glad I finally read to the very last posting on this thread because I almost bought the wrong model. The current one for sale at Costco is the Sahara. I was wondering why there was mention of a cheaper one.

Is there anyway to find if anyone still have any in stock? Sigh... I guess I'll try the Lifetime company and Costco to see if there are any left, and hopefully it still at a reasonable price.

I've read so many comments regarding the cost of this item... But one thing I noticed no one ever takes into
account is that buying is my only option. Not many of us are DIYers. I did find a multiuse utility trailer by
Northstar. That is the other option to go is to buy a plain utility trailer, but it just didn't have the side height that
I'm looking for. I want to be able to fix it so that I can take our two bikes along and "tied" it to the high side wall
of the LT.

Other sites complained about the foolishness of spending so much, but it's not like I can go out and buy another vehicle just to haul a popup camper. Others that are similar to the LT were even more expensive. Like the GO is so darn good looking but whew $8k is just a bit much.

Ok.. Enough of the lamenting... :-( If anyone can give me any other ideas or suggestions, please feel free to do so.

I dont have any toys to haul except maybe 2bikes. My beloved Honda CRV was getting so crammed with our camping gear, and the time, sweat, and work to load, unload, load, and unload is definitely a pain in the Butt!

Wouldn't it be nice to have the option of getting the new tent (it does look better less space taken up in the trailer) but still get the old trailer style with the platform?

Waaaaa...

[zonzin]

Well I have 2 camping trips under the belt with the LT Trailer and I have to say I am very impressed. It is perfect for wheelin after a couple of mods and it is very comfortable on extended stays. The build quality is awesome and it was fairly easy to assemble with a little help from a couple of friends and a 6 pack or two.

Really looking forward to more camping this summer and hunting in Colorado this fall.

Mods I made to make it a little more way-offroad worthy.

15x7 rims + 285x75x15 tires + 1/2 in spacers
32 x 9 fenders
Fold Away hitch
360 degree rotating pintel hitch, tough job fabbing this up.
Backup lights
Toyota compatible wiring plug
Bike carriers














.

[JAvendan]

man, i was about to order one of these from costco.

i like the design of the previous model and like the price of the current model

i would rather have the sides have the ability to fold down into the bed section for hauling/storing additional equipment.

booooooooooooooo....

joel

[GDSQDCR]

I just booing one of the new models from Costco. It was the floor model so I got it for $1400. Happy so far ...

I found this site while researching the LTT/JJ trailers and even with the new model reviews, the price seemed okay.

I do not like the tiny 12 inch rims. I see that you can put a 15 x 7 inch rim on it. However I found a deal for 15x8's, will those fit?

Thanks!
Anthony

[Bill Beers]

...
Mods I made to make it a little more way-offroad worthy.

15x7 rims + 285x75x15 tires + 1/2 in spacers
32 x 9 fenders
Fold Away hitch
360 degree rotating pintel hitch, tough job fabbing this up.
...



.

Did you do anything to beef up the tube when adding the fold away hitch? I ask because I recently broke mine right at the front of the trailer box.

Thanks!

[JAvendan]

R

I just booing one of the new models from Costco. It was the floor model so I got it for $1400.
Anthony

nice they had a floor model for you to see!

joel

[RubiconGeoff]

Did you do anything to beef up the tube when adding the fold away hitch? I ask because I recently broke mine right at the front of the trailer box.

Wow, you did?!?! What happened? What were the circumstances? Had the tongue been damaged there at some point before? Did it bottom-out on a rock or something to cause it to break?

[Bill Beers]

Wow, you did?!?! What happened? What were the circumstances? Had the tongue been damaged there at some point before? Did it bottom-out on a rock or something to cause it to break?

Hey Geoff, I was on a long-weekend camping trip through the Ochoco National Forest the June, (still need to do a write up on it!)

Almost all of our time in the Ochoco was off-pavement, including some pretty rough roads, but our speeds were pretty low, and the trailer wasn't, (at least I think,) overloaded.

Here is the gps track of Saturday, 6/17: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...0.04208,0.1054

We were trying to make it up to Spanish Peak, but hit snow before we could get to the top:

603016_4232721739486_960893751_n.jpg

We stopped for lunch, then headed back down. About half-way down, we suddenly heard a scraping noise behind us, like we were dragging something through the gravel. As it turns out, we were:

Well theres your problem_01.JPG

Well theres your problem_02.JPG

Luckily, one of the guys on the trip had a small floor jack, so we were able to jack the tube back into position, well, almost anyway.

550594_4232721979492_340338134_n.jpg

We used the trailer's wing support braces to make a splint for the break:

Well theres your problem_03.JPG

The following day, we headed home, roughly 40-ish miles of gravel, and about 200 or so back to PDX, (with a side trip to the Painted Hills!)

I finally got around to repairing it last week, (since we have another trip slated for next week.)

Old tube and new tube, pre-paint:

trailer_01.jpg

trailer_02.jpg

trailer_03.jpg

Original wall thickness was .095". New tube is .188":

trailer_04.jpg

And all painted up:

trailer_05.jpg

It's all back together now. I had the tent out of it this weekend and used the trailer to haul a dining room set to my Mom's house! I probably could have patched the original tube, or added some kind of plate to the top to spread the load out a pit. GVW on that trailer is 2K. I estimate I was at about 1300-1400, (800 for the trailer, ~320 for fuel/water, 50 lbs of firewood, 50 lb cooler, propane tank, etc.) And that was when we left Thursday night. I'm glad I didn't have a heavy quad on it or something!

I think the failure mode was ultimately due to fatigue. After a hundred or so miles of rough roads w/a loaded trailer, the material simply couldn't handle it. I think if I stuck to the pavement, it wouldn't have been a problem, since both the frequency and the amplitude of road loads would be much, much lower. The 3/16" wall tube should eliminate that problem. I hope it doesn't chase it somewhere else!

[RubiconGeoff]

Wow, I'm really surprised to see that. I know it's thin-wall tube, but it's large in size. I guess for those of us who are a little rougher on our trailers than Average Joe, it's advised to replace or gusset the tongue to prevent this from happening.

[Taco Gunner]

I emailed the company about ANY future plans to reintroduce the original Lifetime Trailer; there is none.