Aluminum or Iron.

[Thomas]

I've notice more and more people rather use aluminum trailers than iron trailers.
A iron trailer for me much easier for repairs and adding on.

There are some real nice aluminum double axle trailers on the market.....oh but the cost....yikes./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif



Thomas..NH

 

[PBMAX]

Thomas,I haven't paid that much attention but I agree that standaerd metal trailer would be less difficult to repair for the average fella...Can they realy be that much lighter than the steel ones to make it worth the extra $$$...?

Lil' Paul

Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Bird]

Of course, I just have steel trailers, but the aluminum is not only lighter, but doesn't rust out like steel can. Unfortunately, the two trailers are the only equipment I have to leave sitting out in the weather and last year I had to replace the flooring on the little 10' trailer and had to sandblast the frame and repaint it while I had it apart (not one of my favorite jobs)./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Bird

 

[TomG]

Around here, the equipment dealers stopped carrying utility trailers. Seems like there are too many local welding shops that started making trailers for there to be much money made by keeping an inventory of name brand trailers.

The nearest dealer around here that carries trailers is about 200 miles away. The name of the nearest trailer manufacturer is 'Steel Solutions.' Guess that sort of defines what kind of trailer I've got.

Since this is a 'Just for Fun' post, I'll add about a month ago, a tanker trailer burnt up a couple hundred yards down the highway. The trailer brakes locked, and the tires flamed up real good. Of course, the guy was seen running with three flats a few miles before the brakes locked. But for the good work of a couple of township guys and a dump truck driver, the bush would have flamed up too. The load was caustic soda. Good thing the trailer didn't break. Some fun.

There are now donut marks on the highway. The tires burned, and the aluminum wheels melted. So, does this mean that if I insist on backing into the drive and have a cheap brake controller that an aluminum trailer melts onto the drive?

 

[W5FL]

Naah,

Aluminum trailers are wonderful and you can weld aluminum IF you have the right equipment. You just have to shield the melted aluminum from the atomosphere gases while welding.

Aluminum is 33% of the weight of steel. See where this is going. Trailers that are on the highway continually or have max GVW can make a lot of money with aluminum trailers.

My trailer weighs about 2000# and that is a good chunk of a 12,000# GVW trailer reducing the payload to 10,000#. Unfortunately, the aluminum trailers cost too much for most utility trailers, but I see horse trailers made of aluminum and they would hold up better to the weather than steel trailers. Guess some people can afford better trailers than the rest of us.