Aluminum Trailers

[yooperdave]

I am looking at a 10,000# 18' tandum axle aluminum trailer. I think it weighs less than 2,000# It is a car hauler style.

Does the aluminum fatigue over time?

Does aluminum hold up as well as steel?

Any insights or reasons why this is not the way to go?

TIA

Yooper Dave

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I am looking at a 10,000# 18' tandum axle aluminum trailer. I think it weighs less than 2,000# It is a car hauler style.

Does the aluminum fatigue over time?

Does aluminum hold up as well as steel?

Any insights or reasons why this is not the way to go?

TIA

Yooper Dave

Check this place, (TRAILER SUPERSTORE)

I have a friend that bought one, and they ain't cheap.

He bought a 8.5 wide- 18FT. I think on his the GVWR is 7500lb.

And i think he paid over $6000 for it.

 

[Skyco]

I have an all aluminum Featherlite enclosed trailer, no problems yet. I like the fact there is NO rust or paint to deal with. In fact the floor is even aluminum so no wood rot either..

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am looking at a 10,000# 18' tandum axle aluminum trailer. I think it weighs less than 2,000# It is a car hauler style.

Does the aluminum fatigue over time?

Does aluminum hold up as well as steel?

Any insights or reasons why this is not the way to go?

TIA

Yooper Dave

Yes, aluminum fatigues over time. Cost more to fix, steel can be fixed by anyone with a welder.

Yes, aluminum can hold up just as well. No maintenance to the trailer. But for the cost difference you could get a steel trailer sandblasted and repainted 3 times over a 25 year period and be money ahead. Or for the cost difference you can get a lot more trailer or even get 2 trailers like a dump and a car hauler.

Chris

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Yes, aluminum fatigues over time. Cost more to fix, steel can be fixed by anyone with a welder.

Yes, aluminum can hold up just as well. No maintenance to the trailer. But for the cost difference you could get a steel trailer sandblasted and repainted 3 times over a 25 year period and be money ahead. Or for the cost difference you can get a lot more trailer or even get 2 trailers like a dump and a car hauler.

Chris

When i used to drive a tractor trailer for TMC they had aluminum trailers, when i went to a place to get unloaded i would watch the forklift operator real close, if he hit the trailer with the F~L it would leave a dent in the aluminum, because aluminum is much softer than steel.

Most of the time when aluminum gets hit, it will leave a bur and is very sharp, there is a place close where i live called Benson, and they weld on coal truck trailers and all aluminum trailers, aluminum will crack much easier than steel, the friend i have that has a aluminum car hauler keeps it in a garage, because he is afraid it will get stolen and he don't like to leave it out in the weather, he will spend two days at a time buffing it to get the shine back in, waste of time.

But i would rather have all steel trailer than aluminum, and like Diamondpilot said, with steel anyone with a welder can fix it.

 

[wkpoor]

I came close to having an aluminum trailer built before I bought steel. I really liked the thought of a 14K trailer that weighed close to that of a 7K with a much larger deck. However after much deliberation I just couldn't suffer the almost double cost and ,just maybe, even though it won't rust, it still might corrode if salt got all over it. The same trailer I have would have cost close 12K for a 24' deckover. That was with the fancy wood deck though.

 

[radman1]

I bought an aluminum, 7K, 16' trailer 2 years ago at an auction for $2800. Bought it from a guy who hauled his corvette on it behind his motor home. Company called Alumina. I don't use the darn thing much. The floor just seems to nice for me to abuse. I haul attachments frequently and didn't want to dent or beat it up. The trailer is a little bouncy when empty even though it has torsion axles. Floor can be slick. I would make a great car trailer, hauling atvs etc. Biggest advantage is no rust. Mine is 12 years old, sits outside and looks great. Trailer definitely has more flex than a steel trailer. If you plan to use the trailer for rougher use, I would stick with steel.