Aluminum Frame Equipment trailer

[Renze]

The same problem we see in Holland with aluminium trailers. We can build trailers with an aluminium self carrying floor (no crossmembers) but for the main ladder frame, steel it is. Aluminium frames are trouble, even more for semitrailers or 3 axle trailers with slew steering, the movement between truck and trailer axles has to flex in the frame, which causes fatigue in aluminium.

 

[UPRAISER]

I want to thank all of you for your posts. What a wealth of information.

The aluminum trailer idea has now been put to rest. I will stick with my steel frame unit.

I did not know of some of the problems with the frame, welding etc.

Upraiser
(Curt)

 

[FritzII]

I have a Triton Aluminum 6 x 8 tilt bed utility trailer. I think I've had for about 12 years or so. I wore out 2 sets of tires and I'm on the 3rd set. It looks pretty much the same as it did when I bought it. It's made with rectangle tube that I think is 3 x 4 inch. I think the whole thing weighs about 300 lbs and has a 3,000 lb axle. The easy lube torflex axle is the greatest thing about it. Being able to grease the inside and outside bearing races at the same time without pulling the hubs is great !!! The axle has brake flanges on it also, in case I decide to add electric brakes. It was about double the price of a steel and wood trailer. 20 years from now when I'm on the 7th set of tires and the trailer looks like it did when I bought it, I'll still be happy with it. If I would buy aluminum wheels for it, the only thing that would need service would be the bearings. Not too bad for 30 to 60 years of service, eh ?

 

[Renze]

Sure, if your trailer sits under a tree most of the year, an aluminium one will last way longer than a steel one. But if you use it good, problems are on the way.
It's just like cars. Japanese stuff is well built, reliable and has perfect fit and finish, but if you pull 2 horse trailers with it and live at a potholed dirt road, it doesnt hold up as well as a volvo or merc.

P.s it's an urban legend that aluminium doesnt corrode. It's just that the corrosion forms a skin that seals the material underneath from the corroding oxygen.

Some farmers parked their antique motorcycle in a pig barn for a year or two, before they found time to restore it. when they found time for the project, the cooling ribs of the aluminium head could be snapped off with little force because the ammonia ate its way through. I have a friend that works on lawn mowers, he saw lawn mowers with aluminium deck that had holes in it because the machine was never cleaned and the rotting grass fluids ate the aluminium.

 

[turbo36]

Sure, if your trailer sits under a tree most of the year, an aluminium one will last way longer than a steel one. But if you use it good, problems are on the way.
It's just like cars. Japanese stuff is well built, reliable and has perfect fit and finish, but if you pull 2 horse trailers with it and live at a potholed dirt road, it doesnt hold up as well as a volvo or merc.

P.s it's an urban legend that aluminium doesnt corrode. It's just that the corrosion forms a skin that seals the material underneath from the corroding oxygen.

Some farmers parked their antique motorcycle in a pig barn for a year or two, before they found time to restore it. when they found time for the project, the cooling ribs of the aluminium head could be snapped off with little force because the ammonia ate its way through. I have a friend that works on lawn mowers, he saw lawn mowers with aluminium deck that had holes in it because the machine was never cleaned and the rotting grass fluids ate the aluminium.

Really? I have a Featherlite car hauler that is 12 years old that I currently use to move equipment and I have loaded it to the max many times without problems. I will take a well designed aluminum trailer over a steel one any day. I am ready to pull the trigger on a new 10,000 LB. GVW (trailer right now because I need a little more capacity for my new tractor and I didn't even consider a steel one.

 

[plowking]

I have a steel PJ 16 foot double axle for my GC2310, my snowmobile trailers are triton and karavan and both are aluminum. Steel snowmobile trailers are rare around here. Triton has a aluminum trailer with same spec. as my PJ trailer and had I known I would have checked them first. Snowmobile trailers and small utility trailers can bend or crack the single square tube that is the tongue, especially on tilt trailers. My triton snowmobile trailer has a double walled tongue to make it stronger. plowking

 

[FritzII]

Plowking & Turbo, I'm glad to see your responses on this. I see more and more aluminum trailers popping up every day. I would buy aluminun first, steel second.

I had a 2 stroke aluminum decked lawnmower that was around 50 years old before it died. The deck was fine.

 

[FritzII]

I stopped in to see a bubby of mine that rents/sells Gehl equipment, but his main business is design and repairing hydraulic equipment. He does everything form a 6 inch long hose to firetrucks and drilling rigs.

I asked him why he didn't get an aluminum trailer instead of the steel trailer he bought. He is very concerned about the total weight of the trailer, equipment and the tow vehicle. His major concern with aluminum was running tracked equipment on it and gouging the trailer with the bucket teeth eventually weakening the trailer. Sounds logical to me. He believes that the steel will hold up a lot better with very hard use. After looking at the equipment he moves around and the buckets with teeth, I would have to agree with that.