Brand new trailer!

[grinanride]

Hello -

ALL prepainted aluminum used as trailer side wall sheets on the market today have baked on paint with a thin poly coating acting as a clear coat and UV protectant - treat this lightly -
NO high pressure wash, NO harsh chemicals, NO black streak remover
a coated of high quality car wax at least yearly - wash with car wash concentrate and a soft brush, rinse very well…
when you see black streaks wipe them off with a soft towel, if left sitting they will stain your trailer
If the poly / shine coat is damaged it is all over and will not return
Congrats on your new rig
Risa
HappyTrailsTrailers.com
BalancedRideTrailers.com

[Laurierace]

Thank you for the tips!

[TheJenners]

Yeeeepppp… I see a trailer purchase in my not-too-distant future. I want this trailer too! Of course that means a new truck too - not that mine can’t pull it but oy on fuel economy. I have broken my rule about not having enough trailer for all equines in cases of emergency (evil burrito and pal can easily get tossed in the dressing room) but I now have FOUR horses on the place and just a 2h trailer. @Laurierace it looks lovely, your daughter better be smiling like that in ALL the pictures she sends you!

[sheltona01]

Any words of wisdom for cargo trailers and keeping them looking good?

[IPEsq]

I have this trailer but without some of your inside upgrades, and yes it will get black streaks. My trailer maintenance guy suggests acid wash, but I have been told it’s bad for all the plastic/rubber parts, of which there are a lot. I’ve done ok with car wash stuff, but I don’t get it washed as often as I’d like. And latest excuse is that I had to get the roof re-caulked first because I had a major leak develop where it looks like there never was any caulk and some of the tape that holds the many layers of roof together had started separating. It honestly doesn’t bother me that much compared to all the bugs currently on the nose I need to get to from a cross country drive.

If you have one that pees in the trailer like I do, you’ll love the WERM.

[DiamondJubilee]

Congrats!! How exciting and your trailer is beautiful!!

We have a large aluminum trailer and it gets cut and waxed every year. Its washed on the inside and outside all the time with a pressure washer (not high PSI), but the buffer wheel comes out each summer and gets cut/waxed. It removes all the oxidation and looks brand new (and feels super smooth as well!). The dust just blows off lol!

Luckily my husband loves detailing and buffed all the outer unpainted aluminum as well so you can see your face in it. I’m not going to tell you how many hours and how black he was each time he did this though…but I would estimate hundreds of hours.

[Laurierace]

Brought her home and gave her a bath today. Wanted to practice a bit before taking my yearling to the show tomorrow. Do I need to unhitch to take the pressure off my truck or does 24 hours not matter? I did unhitch it but then wondered if that was overkill.

[cutter99]

I used to leave mine hooked up for unlimited periods of time if I was hauling daily or every couple of days, and never had any issues. I always pull the electrical connection if my rig is sitting for more than a couple hours.

[DiamondJubilee]

If we stop for the night, we will put the jack stands down so the pressure is just off the ball/bed of the truck but don’t unhook.

[Laurierace]

First road trip is in the books and my new rig performed like a dream! It was a 4 plus hour trip one way to Virginia complete with rolling hills so I got to really get a feel for how it handles. The only thing I didn’t like is there are no lights on the fenders which made it sort of hard to tell how much room I had on each side in the dark. I have had lights on the trailer fenders for 20 years so am just used to seeing them there. I am going to see if that is a big ticket to add on now. I am sure I would be ok without it but they are nice.

We have nicknamed the trailer “the chariot” because it is befitting my queens, one of whom was named Sallie B Wheeler National Champion Yearling Filly today!

[cutter99]

@Laurierace

First road trip is in the books and my new rig performed like a dream! It was a 4 plus hour trip one way to Virginia complete with rolling hills so I got to really get a feel for how it handles. The only thing I didn’t like is there are no lights on the fenders which made it sort of hard to tell how much room I had on each side in the dark. I have had lights on the trailer fenders for 20 years so am just used to seeing them there. I am going to see if that is a big ticket to add on now. I am sure I would be ok without it but they are nice.

We have nicknamed the trailer “the chariot” because it is befitting my queens, one of whom was named Sallie B Wheeler National Champion Yearling Filly today!

Your local dealer or service shop can add lights to the fenders for you. I have done it to the last 2 trailers I bought. Not horribly expensive, and worth every penny in my book!

Congratulations on a safe inaugural haul! May you have many, many more!

[tobruk]

Congrats on your filly. The little bullet lights are super easy to install since you already have power to the fender and they are really bright. The lights are around 7ea and probably an hour to install.

[LCDR]

I had this discussion about leaving a truck loaded with my farrier recently, We both have Chevys - mines a 2500 and his is a 5500. He started his career with a 3500 and had problems with the suspension. GM told him that the trucks 3500 and below were not engineered to withstand constant suspension loading. The bigger trucks like the 4500 and 5500 are a different story, evidently. Of course, the farrier’s load of shoes, anvil, tools etc. are never removed. With your truck leaving the trailer hooked up for days should be fine.

[IPEsq]

My 2+1 Runabout came with fender lights. That seems strange it’s not standard. Should be easy enough to add, though.

[Laurierace]

There are tiny clear ones on the very middle of the fender on the outside but I can’t really see them when I am hauling. I am used to the yellow ones on the front of the fender. That is just something that has been in my view when hauling for so long that my eye is searching for it I think. I am sure I would get used to it but if it is easy I think I will add them.

[IPEsq]

Mine has yellow on the right side and red on the left side. I can see them clearly in my mirrors. I think the placement of them may be the same. Perhaps you can just get the covers swapped out so they aren’t clear?

[Laurierace]

The light is so tiny it would be useless in any color. I am having the lights added soon. It was pleasantly affordable so a no brained to me.

[cutter99]

@Laurierace

The light is so tiny it would be useless in any color. I am having the lights added soon. It was pleasantly affordable so a no brained to me.

I think they are almost impossible to see when they are on the side of the fender like that. I like having them on the front of the fender where they are highly visible!

[IPEsq]

I saw a trailer in person today with these lights (a Runabout bumper pull). Yeah, totally useless. Definitely not the style that came on my trailer.

[PamnReba]

I think those types of lights are for other drivers, not the hauler. I know that when I’m passing a freeway on-ramp, and another vehicle is entering the freeway, I want them to know I absolutely have something behind me and the side lights help make it more visible.

Congrats on the win, Laurierace!