Smart Car of America Forum banner

trailer to haul smart car

2822 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  strelnik
High guys, looking for a small trailer to haul my 453 smart car, any ideas??
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
If you would do a search above you would find what you are looking for. I found this in the search function. This should haul the Smart Car as stated in their site. Utility Trailer - UTV / ATV Trailers - Kendon Premium Folding Utility – Kendon Industries, LLC (kendonusa.com)
If you would do a search above you would find what you are looking for. I found this in the search function. This should haul the Smart Car as stated in their site. Utility Trailer - UTV / ATV Trailers - Kendon Premium Folding Utility – Kendon Industries, LLC (kendonusa.com)
Great idea but it seems a little steep for what you get. With some assistance I am sure I could build one for less.
If you want a cheap trailer, check out your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. A smart will fit on practically any flatbed trailer.
If you want a cheap trailer, check out your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. A smart will fit on practically any flatbed trailer.
True!
At the same time, I have seen people selling " inexpensive" "no longer needed" smaller trailers that were made by bolting/welding solid axles onto angle iron, then putting plywood and a hitch on this kind of monstrosity. It is not illegal, because lightweight trailer requirements are not managed nationally by DOT. HOWEVER, this type of trailer will literally shake itself apart while driving on normal roads. The result? the trailer can disintegrate in traffic and literally fall apart at certain joints.
This is why trailers should be required to have springs and sway bars if the user plans to haul loads over 1000 lbs.

Imagine a trailer with a smart fortwo falling apart at 70 mph on an interstate with other cars around.

Recipe for disaster!

Suggestion: be sure that the trailer has leaf springs and tires that are 14" or greater. Also be sure that people are not using old-style rims, which were actually made mobile home trailers, and are no longer available. Check also that the tire treads on the two/four trailer wheels are of the same pattern.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 2
True!
At the same time, I have seen people selling " inexpensive" "no longer needed" smaller trailers that were made by bolting/welding solid axles onto angle iron, then putting plywood and a hitch on this kind of monstrosity. It is not illegal, because lightweight trailer requirements are not managed nationally by DOT. HOWEVER, this type of trailer will literally shake itself apart while driving on normal roads. The result? the trailer can disintegrate in traffic and literally fall apart at certain joints.
This is why trailers should be required to have springs and sway bars if the user plans to haul loads over 1000 lbs.

Imagine a trailer with a smart fortwo falling apart at 70 mph on an interstate with other cars around.

Recipe for disaster!

Suggestion: be sure that the trailer has leaf springs and tires that are 14" or greater. Also be sure that people are not using old-style rims, which were actually made mobile home trailers, and are no longer available. Check also that the tire treads on the two/four trailer wheels are of the same pattern.
Thanks for your reply. I decided that I wanted to trail my 453 and decided to build it myself to what I wanted. I made the trailer 82" wide by 10' long. Gives a bit more room than needed on the trailer. Trailer floor sits about 17" above the road and I made the ramps, 60" long and all seems to work fine. I probably could have bought one cheaper but this is the exactly what I wanted.
marcel 2016 smart car 453
  • Like
Reactions: 1
True!
At the same time, I have seen people selling " inexpensive" "no longer needed" smaller trailers that were made by bolting/welding solid axles onto angle iron, then putting plywood and a hitch on this kind of monstrosity. It is not illegal, because lightweight trailer requirements are not managed nationally by DOT. HOWEVER, this type of trailer will literally shake itself apart while driving on normal roads. The result? the trailer can disintegrate in traffic and literally fall apart at certain joints.
This is why trailers should be required to have springs and sway bars if the user plans to haul loads over 1000 lbs.

Imagine a trailer with a smart fortwo falling apart at 70 mph on an interstate with other cars around.

Recipe for disaster!

Suggestion: be sure that the trailer has leaf springs and tires that are 14" or greater. Also be sure that people are not using old-style rims, which were actually made mobile home trailers, and are no longer available. Check also that the tire treads on the two/four trailer wheels are of the same pattern.
Oh that brings back memories! A trailer I owned in 2019 was clearly a Harbor Freight trailer that someone modified to have a nice chunky axle. It was a definite improvement on the original design but it was sort of goofy that such a small trailer had such a nice axle.

But between that trailer were far more scary getups. One looked more or less like a garden trailer that someone put DOT tires on. Nope nope nope!
Thanks guys for you ideas on trailers. I bought a set of plans from amazon to build a 6 10 x 12 trailer. I modified it to be 10' long. A bit bigger than I needed for my 453 but just seemed to make sense if I needed it for other things. I probably could have bought a trailer cheaper but it is just what I needed.
Marcel Bourgon, 2016 453 smart car
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Thanks guys for you ideas on trailers. I bought a set of plans from amazon to build a 6 10 x 12 trailer. I modified it to be 10' long. A bit bigger than I needed for my 453 but just seemed to make sense if I needed it for other things. I probably could have bought a trailer cheaper but it is just what I needed.
Marcel Bourgon, 2016 453 smart car
Glad to help!
If you are making the trailer, include a metal box in which you can put checks, a chain+ come-along and a bottle jack. Plus, look at aluminum ramps available through harbor freight which will support your 453 as it climbs onto the trailer.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top