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Lifespan of aluminum trailers? Looking at new steel or used aluminum

Around The Farm
#1

I’m trying to decide between 2 trailers.

​​​​​​The Shadow trailer is a 2007, stock combo. It is 2100 lbs and I believe is 6’4" wide, slant load. $6500
pros: lightweight and roomy, good resale value
cons: it is aluminum so isn’t as safe in a wreck. It is older and may need new tires.

Or i could buy a brand new Bee trailer for $6000. This trailer weighs 2500lbs.
Pros: a new steel trailer should last at least 20 years

Cons: only 7ft tall and 6ft wide, will rust in Florida.
Steel needs repainting repeatedly. I think my last trailer was repainted every 5 years.

My trailer will be out in the rain, and this is Florida so it rains every day during the summer. My current CM trailer is 20 years old and just starting to rust out. Well, the frame is good but the back doors are rusted out and so is the tack room.

Since the aluminum is already 11 yrs old, will it last another 20 years? What is the lifespan of aluminum trailers? Or will i need to retire/resell it in 10 years?

My current trailer has kick boards on the sides, can you add plywood kickboards to an aluminum trailer? My current trailer has no dents whereas my friends steel trailer is full of dents - she has wall mats, not kick boards. I’m thinking plywood is better than wall mats for preventing dents?

Insurance - do you have trailer coverage? My last trailer i bought for $2500, like 18 years ago. I was shocked to see how much more expensive trailers are now!

#2

I have a '97 4-star and it is still in awesome condition. I bought it 6 years ago and it had been well cared for then. I did replace tires because I didn’t know how new they were or how it had been kept. Granted, I am in Illinois, so we don’t get the same climate that your trailer will have. My trailer is stored outside in the winter. I do not have rust and it does not need repainting ever. Now, I could acid wash it however I have read that repeatedly acid washing them can very gradually weaken them. The acid washing would just be cosmetic - to bring back the shine. Frankly, I think the muted aluminum is really a nice look. I sometimes have an urge to scrape off the peeling stickers/decals but haven’t actually tried it.

I do not know about putting up kickboards. My trailer has stall mat material up the interior side on the butt side - it is a slant.

My trailer is a 2 horse slant with dressing room and weighs 5005 lbs unloaded. I bought it for a steal at $5900. I think I could sell it today for the same amount since it is a quality brand and I have taken great care of it with regular maintenance. I do have insurance on it. State Farm tells me that it is insured for accidents through my truck coverage. My trailer insurance is just $54 every 6 months.

Have fun trailer shopping - both of your choices sound good.

#3

Is the Bee a slant load? I know they make both slant and straight loads in those dimensions at that price range.

I ask because I have a 7’ tall x 6’ wide steel stock combo with slant divider. I would not purchase the 6’ width in a slant trailer again. Unless you will only be trailering ponies, it’s just too limiting. It’s fine if you use it as an open box, which is what I do, but it sure would be nice to be able to put 2 horses in there with the divider from time to time.

On the flip side, aluminum walls without mats or boards make very nervous, mainly because I have a wicked kicker in the trailer. Steel is less of an issue from that standpoint-- a horse isn’t going to kick through steel unless its integrity is compromised from rust or poor construction.

I have my trailer insured under our Geico plan that includes the cars. I can’t recall the specifics at the moment, I’m pretty sure includes collision and theft. I do remember we put an extra $$$ on the policy for theft of equipment, which was very affordable to add. The coverage is not expensive at all… maybe around $100 per year?

#4

I have a 1989 featherlite stock trailer. Walls are lined with stall mats and the trailer is completely solid. This is WNY and I rarely haul in the winter, but the trailer is stored outside.

#5

Why wouldn’t aluminum be safe in a crash? The frame is steel and honestly I think that it isn’t going to make a difference in a major wreck.

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#6

I have a 2007 Featherlite all aluminum that I had in the deep South for many years, it’s perfectly fine, my steel trailer I had prior did rust a lot and I kept it covered etc.

I wouldn’t be as concerned about aluminum v/s steel in a crash, both will have damage just depends on many factors.

Look at how the trailers are built, how good the welds are, flooring, wiring, how sturdy the trailer is; buy the better built trailer.

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#7

I’ve got a 2002 Featherlite that has mostly been stored inside. It’s aluminum. I have no qualms about it’s structural strength. It’ doesn’t look new, but doesn’t look like it’s 16 years old, either.

Get any trailer under cover and you will cut your maintenance bills. Moisture is really insidious and it gets not just to places where it can corrode but also to places where it will cause shorts in your electrical system. Cover the tires under your shelter and they will last longer, too.

Here is a big list of possible shelters. https://www.homedepot.com/b/Storage-Organization-Sheds-Garages-Outdoor-Storage-Carports-Garages/N-5yc1vZcc5i I don’t own any Home Depot stock, just that it’s a national company that has a reputation for standing by its products. Find something in your budget that will take the gaff of FL weather and put it on your homeowners insurance because FL structures life “life on the wild side” when it comes to weather! :wink:

G.

#8

My 1999 aluminum Cotner is still going strong, no issues beyond normal wear and tear. It’s been stored outside for all these years.

#9

My aluminum featherlite trailer is mid 80’s vintage. I bought it 10 years ago. It does the job just fine. With older aluminum trailers, look for cracks in the aluminum at the pressure areas. Mine does have a few hairline cracks, which have got no worse with my use of the trailer. My trailer has been EVERYWHERE, it was on the rodeo circuit in Arizona for the first part of it’s life. Then used by a commercial shipper in Washington state. Then to me. If you buy the used trailer, have the undercarriage inspected by a trailer expert, axles, brakes, electrical system etc. Mine needed new axles, which was no problem. Tires are always going to need to be replaced regularly.

#10

it is aluminum so isn’t as safe in a wreck

actually few, if any, horses trailers are safe in a wreak but being aluminum depends greatly on the grade of aluminum used as many grades are just as strong or stronger then comparably used steel …as well as lighter

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#11

I’m definitely passing on the Bee trailer. I think it will be too narrow.

The Shadow trailer is only 4" wider than the Bee trailer. I’m wondering if that is going to be too small of a slant as well?

#12

The problem I have with an aluminum frame is that while aluminum does not “rust” per se it does oxidize and the oxidation is not something obvious to the untrained eye. I would not advise under any circumstances purchase an aluminum framed trailer without a technician going over it. I personally think the best of both worlds is a steel frame with an aluminum skin. And for several reasons I wouldn’t personally own an aluminum framed two horse trailer. 1) steel is easy and cheaper to work on 2) aluminum is brittle and I have seen trailers totaled by the most minor of fender benders 3)considering how often I’m alone in the middle of nowhere with my trailer loaded up I am much more comfortable with something any old guy who knows his way around a blow torch can work on. Finding a tech to help with aluminum can be a problem. 4) on a two horse the weight savings tends not to be very significant. 5) the structural integrity of different types of aluminum is much broader than steel and I’m not such a trusting person. I should add that I haven’t been in the market for several years so there may be some innovations I’m unfamiliar with.

#13

Aluminum is not all that brittle, heck they build AIRPLANES out of it. Airplanes are in service for many, many years. If you are seeing trailers totaled from fender benders, then they were probably not well built to begin with.

I have a '99 Featherlite stock trailer that has the same amount of structural integrity that it had new. I know this as a family member is a welding and metal technology engineer. It looks just as good as it did new. Aluminum requires maintenance just the same as steel does. I would sooner buy a well made older aluminum trailer that was 20 years old than I would a not as well made new steel trailer. I have seen new steel trailers sitting on dealer’s lots brand new, already starting to rust. We also have an Elite LQ trailer that is a 2006, and I wish trailers were still built as well as this one was. Again, no issues with the quality of the aluminum or structural integrity.

I’m not sure I would look at either a Bee or a Shadow. There are many more much better built trailers out there.

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#14

AL does oxidize but when it does it only goes a few atoms deep. It’s not like iron oxide, which will over time totally consume the material. That does not mean you don’t inspect properly to ensure you don’t have problems but significant oxidation is not one of them!

Steel is generally easier and cheaper to work on. It does, however, also require higher levels of preventative maintenance.

AL is a more brittle material but aircraft, ships, and lots of other platforms are made of it. As long as the engineering is correct it will perform adequately for many tasks including horse trailers.

Your last three points have some validity, but all materials have their own issues. Some places will always provide better services than others.

As I noted earlier, I’ve at 2002 Featherlite and it’s shown it can take a likkin’ (on some really rough roads) and keeps on tikkin’! I’ve had to have some welding repairs but our local shop does a good job.

At the end of the day this is another one of those “Coke vs. Pepsi” questions. I picked AL as I’m comfortable with it’s performance. As with all things, YMMV.

G.

#15

I have a 1997 Sooner 2 horse that is all aluminum. People are literally shocked when I tell them the age of my trailer and I’ve had multiple people tell me when I want to get rid of it, please let them know.

I do store mine inside over winter mostly because I live in Canada and if I need to use my trailer in an emergency, I don’t want to be digging it out of snow bank. I’m the second owner and I’m pretty sure it was outside all winter for the first 19 years of its life. I’ve never acid washed mine and probably won’t. Mine does have an aluminum floor which does require more diligent mat removal and cleaning to ensure the aluminum does not corrode. My gelding loves nothing more than peeing in the trailer for some reason.

#16

Bee and Shadow are made in this area so are available and affordable. I would love a Cotner if I could find one, but I haven’t seen any. I looked at CM trailers and while they are well built, the tack room is huge and the slants barely fit my mare. I would rather have my mare comfortable than have a huge tack room.

I considered a Trails West but I believe it would be extremely close to the weight limit of my truck, if not over.

#17

Something I learned after buying my trailer locally is that many dealers offer free/very cheap delivery within a large radius of their location (like 500 miles).

So if there is a brand you really fall in love with and can’t purchase nearby, it may be worth trolling some of the dealers’ websites or making some phone calls.

The downside is you can’t put hands on the trailer first, but if you have had the option to see the trailer elsewhere, that’s not an issue.

#18

Width is not an indicator of the size of the stall in a slant as a manufacturer can change the angle of the slant. You should be able to get a measurement of the stalls to see if they will fit. Are you located near any major trade shows so that you can see the trailer in person and measure the stalls and look at the welds? Comparing trailers side by side can be very eye opening

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#19

FYI, so far as I know, all aluminum trailers are built on steel frames. And, yes, those metals don’t play well together (they cause oxidation) so, short of the Sundowner problem and litigation about inadequate seals between those metals back in the 1990s or early 2000s, I think this problem has been solved.

My C&C is 19 years old and solid. It does have a steel frame with a tar-like glue separating the steel frame and cross members from the aluminum floor. It has lived outside its whole life in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

I’m a fan of aluminum for its longevity and low maintenance. I think these trailers can be reasonably heavy if they are built well. And I’d buy the higher quality trailer of either metal. You can see the difference in workmanship and design, even if you don’t think you are a connoisseur of metal.

#20

Having some personal experience with aircraft you do realize if I tied a horse to one it would be totaled in less than a hour or so, right? (Or at the very least threaten with divorce.) As long as you are bouncing down the road (or runway) I’m sure you are fine. It’s when grandma accidentally backs into the bumper that there is a big difference in how the two materials hold up. It might also make a difference to know I’m self-insured…

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