folding utility trailer

[Tvov]

This is a little different.

Folding utility trailer - but it folds up over its' own hitch. Says it is only 380lbs empty... seems light considering that supposedly is including the wheels and tires?

And that SUV they use in the video has to have air shocks or something, it barely moves when they lift the trailer.

Interesting idea, not sure how useful. Seems like the light weight folding trailers from Home Depot and others might be more convenient?

https://www.madmaxindustries.com/


If someone could post a picture or the video in the link that would be great.

[Grit_dog]

Lol, who cares….
Just use the thing in WA. You can’t get pulled over for obstructed license plate…or expired license plate, or wrong license plate. Or no license plate at all! Hahaha

[Bobbo]

Tvov wrote:
About blocking the license plate of the tow vehicle... doesn't hooking up and towing a travel trailer "block" the license plate of the tow vehicle? You can't read the vehicles license plate, really, unless it is stopped and you walk between the tow vehicle and trailer.

I feel a little bad that the makers of the folding trailer can't post... I understand the reasons why, but a bit of a bummer.

Yes, but the TT has its own plate. A better comparison would be towing any utility trailer that doesn't have a plate. (Tennessee doesn't license utility trailers.) The utility trailer blocks the view of the tow vehicle's rear plate. However, a trailer is an age old thing that LEO's are used to. Having something ATTACHED to the rear of the vehicle blocking the plate is not a thing they are accustomed to.

[Tvov]

About blocking the license plate of the tow vehicle... doesn't hooking up and towing a travel trailer "block" the license plate of the tow vehicle? You can't read the vehicles license plate, really, unless it is stopped and you walk between the tow vehicle and trailer.

I feel a little bad that the makers of the folding trailer can't post... I understand the reasons why, but a bit of a bummer.

[Rick_Jay]

I can commend the designers for their ingenuity. It is neat. However, I don't think they consulted the intended market for folks that actually need and use a trailer. I don't always think the "If you build it they will come." adage is always correct.

I agree that at a show you might be able to snag a newbie into seeing how cute this is. And possibly get them to buy it. (I'm sorry I missed this unit at the Springfield Show. I was there, but have no interest in trailers, so even if I did see it, I'd just walk by. Oh well.)

In reality, not being able to open the tail gate on an SUV or minivan is a HUGE issue. Before we got our motorhome, I purchased a trailer-hitch mounted trunk for our minivan for our longer trips. I had to pay a fair amount extra for the type that pivoted away when mounted so you could access the tailgate and what was stored there. Without that access, we couldn't use that space. That would negate the purpose of using the hitch mounted trunk. If you can't access the stuff in the back of your vehicle because the trailer is folded up, then where would you put it? Oh yeah, in the trailer, so you don't need it to fold. But...now you can access the tailgate. So....just leave the trailer down.

The only time I could possibly see this as being helpful that hasn't been mentioned is in toll road calculations. You'd save an axle in toll costs. I doubt those savings would ever come near to the cost of this unit.

Blocking the vehicle's rear license plate is DEFINITELY a no-no. Our hitch mounted trunk has a lighted license plate frame and brake & turn signal lights as well.

Again, this is an interesting idea, but I think it's a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist for most, and when it IS a solution, it raises new problems if you try to use it.

As a business, I hope they do well. But if I were them, I've be working on the design of Version 2.0. 🙂

~Rick

[valhalla360]

Danger Don wrote:

Buford T Justice might not care too much about tags hidden by a trailer or anything else in the Post Covid driving world when you take into account the average speed is 90 mph and at least 2 cars blow through every red signal in the US when it turns LOL.

Basically don't want to give Buford an excuse to pull you over. Blend in with the herd so to speak.

[Danger_Don]

valhalla360 wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
You say the license plate swivels down so it is visible when retracted. My state does not license utility trailers, so the trailer would have no license. The license plate that is blocked is the tow vehicle's plate.

For states that do require a trailer license plate...kind of a gray area.

If no part of the contraption is touching the ground, is it legally still a trailer? If not, is it legitimate to show a trailer license plate?

I don't know the answer but seems like an opportunity for a speed trap cop to tack on an extra ticket and let you fight it in court.

Buford T Justice might not care too much about tags hidden by a trailer or anything else in the Post Covid driving world when you take into account the average speed is 90 mph and at least 2 cars blow through every red signal in the US when it turns LOL.

[Grit_dog]

The fact that this discussion made 3 pages is amazing….or evidence of cabin fever…

[valhalla360]

Bobbo wrote:
You say the license plate swivels down so it is visible when retracted. My state does not license utility trailers, so the trailer would have no license. The license plate that is blocked is the tow vehicle's plate.

For states that do require a trailer license plate...kind of a gray area.

If no part of the contraption is touching the ground, is it legally still a trailer? If not, is it legitimate to show a trailer license plate?

I don't know the answer but seems like an opportunity for a speed trap cop to tack on an extra ticket and let you fight it in court.

[valhalla360]

Not seeing any advantage over a small utility trailer.
- If you are driving around, just tow it.
- If it's at home, we had a pulley set up in the garage to lift the tongue so it sat upright against the wall.
- It's not particularly hard to back up a trailer or if you unload it a small utility trailer can be pushed around by hand (Get a wheel type tongue jack if you need to do this a lot).

If you are really that challenged backing a trailer, consider one of the swivel wheel trailers.

[Bobbo]

deltabravo wrote:
I'd use it at home for yard cleanup. I'd tow it behind my Polaris Ranger, but there's far cheaper and lighter trailers for that duty.

I have a small utility/dump type trailer that I hook behind my riding mower for that. It's made for riding mowers. The rails come off. The front, back, and sides also come off if you need a flatbed trailer. It also tips up to make a dump trailer.

[dedmiston]

Danger Don wrote:
No discounted pricing on a Madmax folding trailer for you LOL.

Yep. It's no fun to use the Dad Voice, but somebody has to do it.

No folding trailer for me though.

[Danger_Don]

dedmiston wrote:

opnspaces wrote:
To dedmiston, I'm curious, is the poster banned from posting on the forum or just prohibited from posting about the folding trailer?

He’s gone. Banned.

No discounted pricing on a Madmax folding trailer for you LOL.

[dedmiston]

opnspaces wrote:
To dedmiston, I'm curious, is the poster banned from posting on the forum or just prohibited from posting about the folding trailer?

He’s gone. Banned.

[opnspaces]

It's an interesting idea. I mean come on I've never even dreamt of a folding trailer and here somebody has actually designed and built one.

To the developer even though they cannot post here. Is it possible to put some swiveling wheels on the front so it can be rolled around in the garage to store it against the wall?

And if you do create a new video I would find a way to shorten the overall length. You could definitely speed up the majority of removing all the panels in the video. Maybe show unlatching and removing of one panel and then a 3 second still shot of the trailer with two panels removed then a shot with three panels removed and on and on. Same with the folding. Show hooking up the strap and the trailer starting to fold. Then as soon as the fenders clear the pavement without dragging on the ground speed up the video to double or triple speed for the rest of the folding.

To dedmiston, I'm curious, is the poster banned from posting on the forum or just prohibited from posting about the folding trailer?

[deltabravo]

I'd use it at home for yard cleanup. I'd tow it behind my Polaris Ranger, but there's far cheaper and lighter trailers for that duty.