(1) 2015 Model 7712: Its a 12ft utility that gets used a lot hauling household items, scrap, parts and anything else. It has been loaded to full capacity many times.The spring loaded gate is good. It locks upright into the side rails. This load on the side-rails loosens up the securing bolts at the end of the siderails. With repeated tightening these bolts eventually broke on each side. The broken bolts are welded in place in the bottom of the stake pockets making them a real pain to change. The only other shortcoming of this particular trailer is the cheap tires and bearings. The bearings had to be adjusted after loosening up considerably and the trailer shook like a leaf until the tires were balanced. Basically the trailer has been a good tool and well used. The basic structure is sound and all the welds are good. The “powder coating” starts flaking and rusting fairly soon but I have found that “powder coating” is always a cheap substitute for good alkyd primer and topcoat. All in all I would buy another trailer just like it. If they adjusted the manufacturing processes to fix these minor flaws, the trailers would be hard to beat.
(2) 2018 Model TF 20ft full hydraulic tilt. This trailer gets used a lot for moving unregistered vehicles around. If I had smartened up at a younger age I would have saved a lot on fines and court fees. I chose the low deck model instead of the deck-over. The deck is not as wide as advertised because the tilting part is several inches narrower than the surface formed when the deck lowers into the frame rails. A standard pickup needs to be loaded very carefully because the tires are partially off each side of the tilted platform. The tires are not fully supported until the deck is lowered back down into the frame rails. The frame rails then fully support the outer edges of the truck tires. This means that the truck must be winched up the tilted deck exactly straight and exactly in the middle. This is always tricky and even more-so if the truck has to be loaded backwards. One false move and a tire can run off the deck ruining your job…at least. The deck-over version of this trailer is much preferred in this area but it weighs half a ton more and costs a bunch more money all with a greater loading angle. Choose carefully.
One major flaw in this trailer is the factory winch plate. It is a good sturdy piece of steel properly welded and plenty strong. Most all winches have a 4.5in X 10in bolt pattern. So does the PJ winch plate. The problem is the holes are way too big to properly locate ANY winch. The bolt holes are huge flame cut aberrations leaving no good way to properly secure your shiny new winch. I would MUCH rather have four 1/4in pilot holes drilled at the proper locations. Any moderately equipped owner can enlarge the holes to the proper size but there is NO GOOD WAY to make them smaller.
A winch needs big battery cables to supply big amps.The trailer is equipped with cable guides all the way from the battery box, down the frame to the deck pivot, and all the way up the deck to the winch(30ft+). This is a good idea. The application was poorly executed. The guides are made from short pieces of steel tube welded to the frame at reasonable intervals. The tooling used to cut the tubes left a big sharp-edge burr that would have cut right into any cable jacket routed through the guides. Instant high-amperage short circuit. Wiring the winch was made very difficult because each and every cable guide tube needed to be chamfered inside on both ends to eliminate the sharp edge so the cables would not get cut. These chamfered edges then needed to be painted to retard corrosion. This whole aggravating process was completely unnecessary if PJTrailer had just had the tubes de-burred when they were cut. Simple and easy. It was a difficult task with the tubes welded into position underneath the trailer. The entire process of installing and wiring the winch has NEVER actually been done by PJTrailer staff or they would have known better. It was a severe aggravation that will not pass any new trailer inspection I will ever make. I will check first before I pay.
The other minor problems with this trailer are the same as my 7712 model. The finish is cheap and flakes quickly. The tires are cheap unbalanced shakers. The right rear brake had a faulty connection. I found it didn’t work when I was having the tires balanced. I redid the connection and it works fine.
The main good feature of this trailer is the robust steel construction. Again the welds are nice and the steel quantity and placement is sound, sturdy, and impressive without being wasteful. The deck hinge is far superior to the other trailers I looked at. The hinges are large and grease-able with lots of surface area; good and strong. Again I would probably buy the same trailer again, but, I would insist on some finish details before accepting delivery.
My final thought is that I would gladly pay a little more for a trailer with all the details sorted out. I would gladly pay the going price for premium tires and bearings. Junk tires and bearings are not going to last anyway; sooner or later I will buy the good stuff anyway. Timkens and Goodyears.
I cannot comment on service supplied by the selling dealer. I service my own equipment. The transaction itself was painless and the seller was forthcoming and helpful. He allowed a fair cash discount and at-cost accessories at time of purchase.
+ PROS: Structure and design.
Welding and fabrication.
- CONS:Cheap components and cost cutting.
Attention to detail.
good for the money. overall happy with Pjs.
I own two PJ trailers:
(1) 2015 Model 7712: Its a 12ft utility that gets used a lot hauling household items, scrap, parts and anything else. It has been loaded to full capacity many times.The spring loaded gate is good. It locks upright into the side rails. This load on the side-rails loosens up the securing bolts at the end of the siderails. With repeated tightening these bolts eventually broke on each side. The broken bolts are welded in place in the bottom of the stake pockets making them a real pain to change. The only other shortcoming of this particular trailer is the cheap tires and bearings. The bearings had to be adjusted after loosening up considerably and the trailer shook like a leaf until the tires were balanced. Basically the trailer has been a good tool and well used. The basic structure is sound and all the welds are good. The “powder coating” starts flaking and rusting fairly soon but I have found that “powder coating” is always a cheap substitute for good alkyd primer and topcoat. All in all I would buy another trailer just like it. If they adjusted the manufacturing processes to fix these minor flaws, the trailers would be hard to beat.
(2) 2018 Model TF 20ft full hydraulic tilt. This trailer gets used a lot for moving unregistered vehicles around. If I had smartened up at a younger age I would have saved a lot on fines and court fees. I chose the low deck model instead of the deck-over. The deck is not as wide as advertised because the tilting part is several inches narrower than the surface formed when the deck lowers into the frame rails. A standard pickup needs to be loaded very carefully because the tires are partially off each side of the tilted platform. The tires are not fully supported until the deck is lowered back down into the frame rails. The frame rails then fully support the outer edges of the truck tires. This means that the truck must be winched up the tilted deck exactly straight and exactly in the middle. This is always tricky and even more-so if the truck has to be loaded backwards. One false move and a tire can run off the deck ruining your job…at least. The deck-over version of this trailer is much preferred in this area but it weighs half a ton more and costs a bunch more money all with a greater loading angle. Choose carefully.
One major flaw in this trailer is the factory winch plate. It is a good sturdy piece of steel properly welded and plenty strong. Most all winches have a 4.5in X 10in bolt pattern. So does the PJ winch plate. The problem is the holes are way too big to properly locate ANY winch. The bolt holes are huge flame cut aberrations leaving no good way to properly secure your shiny new winch. I would MUCH rather have four 1/4in pilot holes drilled at the proper locations. Any moderately equipped owner can enlarge the holes to the proper size but there is NO GOOD WAY to make them smaller.
A winch needs big battery cables to supply big amps.The trailer is equipped with cable guides all the way from the battery box, down the frame to the deck pivot, and all the way up the deck to the winch(30ft+). This is a good idea. The application was poorly executed. The guides are made from short pieces of steel tube welded to the frame at reasonable intervals. The tooling used to cut the tubes left a big sharp-edge burr that would have cut right into any cable jacket routed through the guides. Instant high-amperage short circuit. Wiring the winch was made very difficult because each and every cable guide tube needed to be chamfered inside on both ends to eliminate the sharp edge so the cables would not get cut. These chamfered edges then needed to be painted to retard corrosion. This whole aggravating process was completely unnecessary if PJTrailer had just had the tubes de-burred when they were cut. Simple and easy. It was a difficult task with the tubes welded into position underneath the trailer. The entire process of installing and wiring the winch has NEVER actually been done by PJTrailer staff or they would have known better. It was a severe aggravation that will not pass any new trailer inspection I will ever make. I will check first before I pay.
The other minor problems with this trailer are the same as my 7712 model. The finish is cheap and flakes quickly. The tires are cheap unbalanced shakers. The right rear brake had a faulty connection. I found it didn’t work when I was having the tires balanced. I redid the connection and it works fine.
The main good feature of this trailer is the robust steel construction. Again the welds are nice and the steel quantity and placement is sound, sturdy, and impressive without being wasteful. The deck hinge is far superior to the other trailers I looked at. The hinges are large and grease-able with lots of surface area; good and strong. Again I would probably buy the same trailer again, but, I would insist on some finish details before accepting delivery.
My final thought is that I would gladly pay a little more for a trailer with all the details sorted out. I would gladly pay the going price for premium tires and bearings. Junk tires and bearings are not going to last anyway; sooner or later I will buy the good stuff anyway. Timkens and Goodyears.
I cannot comment on service supplied by the selling dealer. I service my own equipment. The transaction itself was painless and the seller was forthcoming and helpful. He allowed a fair cash discount and at-cost accessories at time of purchase.