Yakima Rack and Roll - again.

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
I have an opportunity to pick up one of these trailers for significantly less than the $2000 retail price of a new unit. I think it will work great for what I need but am still hesitant to pull the trigger as I I think I'm seeing this through rose colored glasses. Sure would appreciate some insight into what might not work with this trailer. I've looked at other cargo trailers, and actually had one myself sometime ago and they just didn't work well for me due to too much bouncing around. I don't see the need for me to carry anything heavier than 200 - 250lbs.

Here is what I need:

1. Lightweight trailer to put my Hoefgen 15' duckboat onto. I can get it on top of the Jeep but to be honest, anytime I have to put something on top of the Jeep it is not an easy thing to do. I find myself considering if the effort/hassle needed to put the boat on top of the Jeep is worth gtoing out hunting. This is not a good thing.
2. Foldable. I don't have the option of storing any trailer any other place than in my garage. Already have the garage filled with cars and I really don't want to be paying for a storage facility. If I buy a trailer, it needs to sit upright against one of the walls of the garage and there isn't much room between the walls and the cars.
3. Able to carry other items such as my flip over ice shack. This too will fit into the cargo area of the Jeep but barely so. I'd like to get a bigger flip over but it won't fit in the back.
4. Able to carry other stuff should the family go on long road trips. I think this would work great with a cargo carrier or something else that can strap onto this trailer.

Downsides:

1. It is aluminum. I'm thinking aluminum and salted roads don't work well together.
2. It will be towed across frozen lakes and dirt roads. I don't see ever going fast over rough terrain but I am wondering if the trailer will work through snow on frozen lakes.
3. Security. If I go and eat (or have a drink) somewhere after fishing or hunting, how secure is anything I put on this trailer? How do I secure the ice shack from being "borrowed" by someone else.

My question is what am I overlooking on the negative side of things? Why would it be a mistake to purchase this trailer?

Thanks for the insight.

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Mark W
 
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Mark,

As designed the trailer is simply a frame for the rack rails and accessories. Security would be the same as if the racks were mounted to the roof of your vehical.

I think the biggest down side is your need to go off road. I don't see this trailer being built to with stand the forces from uneven terrain, even at slow speeds. I could be way off base as I have not seen one in person. From the pictures it looks like it would do well for "on road use" but when you start shifting the whole thing up on one wheel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, will it hold up or collapse? When you get one of those narrow tires locked into a rut, will the axle or wheel twist off, before climbing out of the rut? These would be the things which would concern me.
 
I am also interested in something like that for my Kara - do the specs say how much weight can the trailer take?

AA-
 
Yakima stuff is generally excellent quality, but I'd be concerned with the off road part - rattling and odd stresses. I wouldn't be surprised if all the joints were well constructed, given how they seem to build stuff.

I've only seen a couple of these around on the road and they are a lot smaller than the general impression the pictures give.
 
I am also interested in something like that for my Kara - do the specs say how much weight can the trailer take?

AA-
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Depends which shocks you get to go with it. It can either hold 250lbs or 300 lbs shock dependent.

I do have the off road concern. There are videos on the web where this trailer has been put to the test. Also reviewers have had these things and put on thousands of miles with many off road - they have had no issues. Even with this info on the web - I do have a concern on the off roadability as well.

Mark W
 
Mark,

As designed the trailer is simply a frame for the rack rails and accessories. Security would be the same as if the racks were mounted to the roof of your vehical.

I think the biggest down side is your need to go off road. I don't see this trailer being built to with stand the forces from uneven terrain, even at slow speeds. I could be way off base as I have not seen one in person. From the pictures it looks like it would do well for "on road use" but when you start shifting the whole thing up on one wheel,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, will it hold up or collapse? When you get one of those narrow tires locked into a rut, will the axle or wheel twist off, before climbing out of the rut? These would be the things which would concern me.
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With the exception that they could steal a very expensive trailer if they had desire. I realize this is no different than the ability to steal my bigger boat traielr as well. Lock it to the hitch and hope that is good enough. I guess I could use a long steel cable lock and lock the trailer and stuff on it to the vehicle somehow.

Mark W
 
I have an opportunity to pick up one of these trailers for significantly less than the $2000 retail price of a new unit.
Mark W
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Define significanly less? Buy it, try it, and if it doesn't work, sell it for the same price and you got a season of use out of it.

Chuck
 
I have hauled 10 Mountain bikes on the wide model, I had to crank the pre-load all the way up on the shocks but it travels great, the best part about this trailer is you can easily unhitch it and run the trailer with the boat into the water, and you can pull your boat up into the rafters in the garage and fold the trailer up against the wall!
 
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