Trailer choice: steel or aluminum

[jayhaitch]

I'm still looking for a utility trailer/tractor hauler combination for my personal use. I'll be infrequently hauling a MF GC2310, and more frequently doing usual small acreage homeowner type duties. The GC2310 weighs 2600 lbs, so I'll be buying a tandem axle utility trailer. I want solid sides for loose material/utility use, not a flatbed/car carrier style. So......

I've narrowed it down to an H&H steel sided/steel framed tandem axle utility trailer, or to an identical 7000lb GVWR tandem axle trailer that is all aluminum. I've finally found some better prices here, though it still seems far more than your US prices. They're at 2 different dealers in different towns. So....

I like the H&H trailer. It will do all I ask. But it will be stored outside, and I hate rust.

Dealer 2 has a US built all aluminum trailer, I can't remember the brand name. It has diamond plate sides, pressure treated wooden 2x flooring, and everything is aluminum except the tandem wheel bogies/axles. Even the mesh gate is aluminum. Love the no rust idea. It's is Can$700 more though.

1. How long does it take for a steel trailer to start to rust if not beat upon?
2. Is an all aluminum trailer functionally (real world) as strong as a steel trailer if both are rated at 7000 lb GVWR?
3. Is a $700 upcharge reasonable? It seem surprisingly little AFAIK. Dealer 2 said steel prices over doubled over the last 3 years, but aluminum prices have only crept up a few percentage points a year, so his price for steel trailers has gone up a lot, whereas aluminum trailers haven't increased much. Is this true?

I'm leaning towards the aluminum trailer. Your thoughts?

 

[hudr]

I haven't had any experience w/ "small" aluminum trailers. But I do know that while Dad was still heavy in trucking, he kept upgrading trailers (48' flat bed, spread axle) until he got one w/ an aluminum/wood deck and steel frame. The next upgrade was going to be to an all aluminum trailer (with wood strips on the deck). In OTR trucking, especially flat bedding, it is usually all about how much net weight you can scale. The lighter the truck/trailer the more $$$ you can make. That would lead me to believe the aluminum trailer would be the proper choice.
As to your actual questions:
1) Start to rust? or rust enough to affect integrity?
2) I would think anything that could be engineered to take the abuse dealt out in the trucking industry would work in the real world.
3) that does seem pretty cheap. I guess I could believe the steel vs. aluminum inflation...but alumimun is pretty high at the salvage yard right now.
My vote is for the aluminum trailer.

 

[MrJimi]

And my vote, I would have to go with the steel trailer and shelter and a good Rust preventive paint and some time to apply it properly
Jim

 

[dholly]

Don't know how much your talking cost wise, but I bot a new 7000# steel car hauler for US$1950 last year and would have IMMEDIATELY paid an additional $700 for a like-rated aluminum trailer. At the time, it was almost double the cost of a steel trailer. But then, I live in the rust belt land of salted roads.

[edit] Don't know as if I've ever seen one that big, but do you have a galvanized trailer option? I bot a small galvanized utility trailer that has held up almost as well as my old aluminum snowmobile trailer did.

 

[George2615]

I live in the snow belt of central NY. I have two trailers, an H&H 20' tiltbed and a 24" Appalachian gooseneck, both are steel. They also sit outside since I don't have a pole barn to put them in. I don't have sides on them but could make them if needed. The H&H came with undercoating on the frame from the factory. I undercoated the gooseneck trailer to assist in repelling road salt damage. Each summer I inspect underneath and touch up with spray can undercoat as needed. As for your choice, aluminum won't rust but it will corrode. A 7K trailer is capable of hauling the same maximum combined weight. The aluminum trailer will probably weigh less so that means you can haul more weight on it than a steel one. Say a 7k steel trailer weighs 2000#, you could load up to 5K on the trailer. An aluminum 7K may weigh 1500 so you could haul up to 5500 on it. The choice is yours. I personally don't think it will make a difference which you choose.

 

[Bill_C]

There is (to me) one advantage of a steel trailer: I can easily weld brackets and whatnot to it to meet any future needs. In the ten or fifteen years I've had my flatbed trailer, I've welded on a fancy winch bracket, reinforced the ramp supports, etc. Of course, I'm not set up to weld aluminum, if you are then this is a non-issue.

 

[cp1969]

How long does it take for a steel trailer to start rusting? Not long. I bought an H&H trailer in '01, it is stored outside, and it looks terrible now.

I'd go with the aluminum if it has the weight capacity you need.

 

[jayhaitch]

Thanks everyone. I've been surprised at the amount of rust I've seen on some rather new steel trailers that are stored outside. I'd rather pay a bit more upfront and save on maintenance hassles, all things being equal. But every man has his price

Galvanized sounds great, but I too have only seen small single axle trailers made this way.

I understand the GVWR/trailer weight issue, but I'm just over the single axle limit so a 7000 lb trailer far exceeds anything I'm planning for right now, so not a big issue either way. I appreciate having a big buffer though, as so many of you have said needs tend to increase rather than decrease with time.

The local H&H dealer is having an anniversary celebration (a combined rural Ford and trailer dealer, 25 years of Ford, 4 of H&H) tomorrow, so I think I'll go and see if can squeeze a bit better deal for the H&H. If not, I think an all aluminum trailer is in my future.

Thanks everyone for all your info and advice.

 

[jim_wilson]

My father built himself a 5x8 utility trailer that was all aluminum - except for replaceable plywood sides, and the steel axle - back in 1973. That trailer is still going strong. The plywood has been replaced a couple of times , and I pulled out and sandblasted and painted the axle with a good industrial epoxy about 10 years ago - but it is pretty much good as new.

I have an order in for a Worthington utility trailer - and I got the all aluminum one. The extra $700 you are talking about will be more than worth the money over time in the expense you will save from repainting - plus aluminum trailers tend to hold their value much better than the steel trailers over time. If you keep it long enough the steel trailer will probably be worth next to nothing. The aluminum trailer may actually hold it's original purchase value over time (if you consider inflation).

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Jay, a few things,

For $700 I would lean towards aluminum, since you hate rust.

Another option for the steel trailer would be powder coat the frame, but my guess is that that would bring the price up to the price of aluminum or even more.

On a personal not do you know any of the Martineau's or LeTexier's around the Winkler area?

steve