Have you had experience? What are your thoughts? Thanks.
I have a Charter SE 2+1 but I’m not entirely sure what your question is. Happy to help if I can 
I researched older models and came across a lot of comments about the finish on certain years. Was wondering what experience folks had had with the exterior finish if trailer is kept outside.
Mine is a 2012 and have had no issues with the finish on the trailer.
My trailer is sitting in my driveway currently, is a sundowner gooseneck ‘97, and if you’d like to see the peeling of ‘paint’ going on I can send pictures. Let me know.
Sorry to hear that, that’s what I have heard. Surely in the more recent models the exterior finish has been improved. I have a '99 bumper pull, and have had no issues, but it stays inside. Was afraid to buy a new one without checking in with folks.
Are you wondering about the frame powder coating issues? Yes, there were years, between 1997 and 2004 or so where their frame powder coating process was so bad that it allowed water to penetrate and rust the frame out. I had a 1999 that literally turned into a piece of crap due to the powder coat. The axle mount welds corroded to the point of flexing off the frame. Sundowner refused to take responsibility.
Their quality control and treatment of customers was so bad I dumped that trailer as fast as I could and bought a 4-Star. I refuse to ever consider a Sundowner again.
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I suggest anyone considering buying an aluminum over steel frame trailer to reconsider. Apparently, there is a chemical type reaction between the two materials that causes the steel to rust prematurely. Not good.
Better to go all steel or all aluminum.
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Some older Sundowner trailers have been improved /remediated by the owners. I have a 2002 2 H GN Valuelite that had the floor replaced with treated pine. Just have the individual trailer thoroughly checked over.
Yes. The main problem being structural weakness due to corrosion problems caused by rust of the trailer frame under the floors. This occurs where ever the steel is in any contact with aluminum.
Also the electric brake control plug failed. Very scary situation. The 3/4 ton vehicle barely stopped the trailer/horse. Trailer was bought new and was about four years old.
I sold mine and bought an all aluminum.
There are plenty of aluminum over steel trailers with good reputations, Trail Et (no longer made) and Hawk are two examples. When I sold my trail et at 20 years old it was still in excellent condition.
But I guess if I was going for the hybrid with a steel frame, I’d look for a wood floor since that solves the problem in the most important area where it is the hardest to see damage!
@Moneypitt dissimilar metal reactions have been a known thing for… well… a long time.
That happens with lots of things (piping for example).
People building aluminum skin steel framed trailers know all about this. This (people not knowing about dissimilar metal reactions) is not the reason for the issues.
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I didn’t know about the horse trailer steel/aluminum reaction corrosion problems when I spent thousands of dollars on that brand new Sundowner trailer. I should have researched more than I did.
Posting here to hopefully alert someone else. Research the trailer company and materials throughly before you buy.
The point I was trying to make is that a dissimilar metal reaction is not a trailer thing. It is a metal thing. People have made many trailers with a steel frame and aluminum skin that have not had a problem. Just like lots of vehicles have dissimilar metals too. I understand the problem with Sundowner trailers was more an issue with something else.
I do think it is good that people research what they are going to buy.
Yes, most al/steel trailers had wood floors over steel cross beams (just like all steel trailers, then aluminum skin over the steel frame with a protective layer (paint, powder coating, etc.). Sundowner introduced an aluminum floor over steel cross beams. The aluminum had a powder coat (called suncoat IIRC) that was supposed to prevent the aluminum from touching steel and setting off the corrosion process. The problem was that the coating was just not terribly durable or long lasting for a good chunk of years (see Reed’s post above). The worse problem was that corrosion was happening out of sight/out of mind for a lot of people. Reed’s kind of geeky about metallurgy (understatement) so he was probably on top of it earlier than most. Others found out about it after the problem effectively rendered the trailer useless without huge sums of $$$ to replace (seriously, can you imagine a floor failing on your trailer?)
I’ve had both types of Al/steel trailers. First, a trail et where the floor was wood, and after 20 years of semi annual checks, the floor was pristine and the steel/wood contact points were pristine as well. I routinely cleaned up spots along the frame/walls where a bit of rust was starting, but again, that was easy to see/fix. The second trailer was a sundowner. It was a good price and I had the undercoat checked thoroughly before buying (it was from the very end of the problem years). It was fine for the next 5-6 years I owned it, but I checked (and had it checked) religiously. Then I went to a custom all aluminum trailer that was a high end brand like 4 star.
A bit of a hijack–can anyone with a Sundowner ramp load comment on the single bar/latch system? How does that work for you? Wondering if it feels scary to have to stand directly behind the ramp to latch it shut vs. a two-latch system where you can stand off to the side? Just curious.
That never bothered me, there’s still a butt bar, and mine are pretty well trained when it comes to unloading… What DID bother me about that latch design, aka THE WORLD’S STUPIDEST DESIGN EVER was God forbid I forgot to fully re latch it before unloading a horse, or some well meaning helper forgot to relatch it, a horse stepping on the ramp is guaranteed to break it. Because everyone dreams of being at a show, trail head, or away from home with a broken ramp latch. (I have always said sundowner wasn’t designed by horse owners and that design is proof)
