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Used Trailer Nightmare

Around The Farm
#1

Looking for ideas, support, advice, anything really.

I purchased an older trailer in 2017 (I would later find out it was a 70s or 80s model Kingston). I paid maybe $1500 and then spent $1500 or so updating the lights to LED, rewiring everything, having the brakes and everything looked at, bearings replaced/ packed, new jack and having the ramp rebuilt. I also repainted the interior myself later that year. Well this year I decided I wanted to redo the plywood that lines the walls and the floor. Much to my surprise when we pulled up the floor the supports and frame were in terrible shape. Most, if not all, of the cross supports need to be replaced and there is a section at least 3ft long on the left side of the trailer near where the horse’s front legs would be of frame that is completely rusted/ rotted through and now resembles c channel instead of rectangle piping. I dropped it off at the welder’s last night and they just messaged me saying the trailer is not structurally sound and is beyond repair (basically I should just scrap it).

I have been using this trailer regularly for the past two years traveling up to 300 miles one way and 210 miles one way with two horses in it. I am TERRIFIED that I have been using it while its been in this condition and am so grateful nothing bad ever happened. I am scared to try to buy a (new) used trailer because I don’t want this to happen again. Would I be okay if I stuck to aluminum trailers (I only have experience with steel)? Should I just wait until I can afford to buy new?

#2

No, you don’t have to terrified of buying a used horse trailer.

Look, these are pretty simple machines. That means that the trailer’s age, price and your own inspection will tell you if you want it. It would make sense to look at the crossmembers of a steel trailer built in the 1970s or 1980s. And you got no title or VIN with it that could tell you the date of manufacture?

Many aluminum trailers are built on steel frames (because it would take a substantial amount of aluminum (which is more expensive?) to produce the strength of steel in that application. So, yes, rust can happen to those crossmembers, too. The larger issue with old and low-priced aluminum trailers would be the sealing tape they put between the steel and aluminum parts. Those metals oxidize together, so they must have a barrier between them. Look for it.

The short answer, then, is that with some due diligence, you can confidently buy used horse trailers.

5 Likes
#3

OP, if it makes you feel better, I had a similar thing happen which is why now I have been questioning SO many things about my upkeep and management of my next trailer.

The trailer was a 1999 Kieffer that was purchased in good condition 5 yrs ago and had no issues with frame or crossmembers, but the last few years just completely fell apart. Maybe a combination of not being used regularly, the climate (NE), the age… The frame, crossmembers/bars were inspected every winter, the floor (wooden) was in excellent shape, but then things just started going downhill and after having a pro look at it this winter realized it just would not be worth it to fix. The frame had rusted, the axle needed to be repaired, the only thing functional was the wood floor which was useless because the bars and members were so rotted through they weren’t safe to hold a horse…

I don’t know why it deteriorated so quickly. We’ve had tons of trailers, and everyone I know has trailers kept in similar conditions and theirs are fine.

The best thing you can do for peace of mind is get rid of this trailer and buy a new one used – you can do this by involving either a trailer mechanic in the purchase, or a friend who is savvy with trailers. Bring them along and ask the sellers if you can have the trailer inspected prior to purchase - if they say no… that’s your answer to look elsewhere.

3 Likes
#4

First, I’m glad you and your horse are OK. Second, I think I’d try to get as much out of the trailer as possible. Right now, re-purposing small trailers for campers, mobile stores, etc. is very popular. So while the trailer may not be structurally sound for two 1,200 pound horses, for humans, it might be OK. If it is and the trailer is nice looking, you could market it as such on FB or CL, or similar. That or if you have a metal recycling business in your area, that trailer might just have a decent value as scrap. If the tires are new and in decent shape, once its where it needs to go to be scrapped, remove the tires and take them to a tire re-seller. Get ever nickle you can out of it.

And ditto those that have said to have a used horse trailer inspected/evaluated by someone familiar with metal frame structures and how to spot wear and tear (welder, auto mechanic, etc.).

Good luck in your shopping for a new, safe, used trailer. They are out there.

6 Likes
#5

When I buy a trailer the number one thing i ask is the year. You might be able to find a newish trailer for $4-6 thousand. You also want barn kept if you can find it.

On my 98 trailer, the back doors rotted out, the bottom of the tack compartment rusted out, and the wood sidewalls rotted out. Just age and being stored outside in the weather.

My newer trailer is a 2007. Not that new, but minimal rust. I paid $4250. Since i neglected my prior trailer, this one is getting fixed up, before I have major issues. So I scrubbed the roof, sanded the rust at the seams, resealed the seams. May apply elastomeric coating yet. Pulled the mats off the walls to check for rust- the minor rusty areas will be sanded and painted. I bought new side boards- cut to size, primed, and painted. Those go in next. I also pulled the mats and painted the floorboards.

I’m adding windows next to keep the rain out. I picked up j channel at lowes, self piercing screws to attach those with and plexiglass windows.

It is a huge project, but this trailer needs to last. That means i need to maintain it. My prior trailer rusted from the inside out. Where the plywood boards attached to the walls is where all the rust was. It was a very leaky trailer.

I’m not that technically inclined, but my dad is so between him and the helpful people at lowes, i have plenty of assistance with this project.

I have a friend who buys cheap older trailers and fixes them up with new paint, tires etc. He has my old trailer now and it looks great. Brand new paint and everything.

I recently saw a 2016 trailer for $4500 so you can find good deals if you look. I nearly bought it and sold mine, but I’m already invested in mine with labor.

​​​​​If you want a trailer in the $2-3k range, expect to be making some repairs. The frame underneath is the most important part so check carefully for rust.

​​​​​​

2 Likes
#6

I have a mechanic look at anything vehicle or trailer when I buy and then at least annually in the spring after that.

It is no bargain buying the cheapest and oldest items. Pay a bit more for something middle aged and then take care of it.

1 Like
#7

Agreed on the repurposing, I just saw an ISO ad on FB from someone looking for an old style horse trailer to repurpose into a kiosk or something.

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#8

they can be just as bad, here is a good article that explains the history of horse trailer evolution

https://www.equispirit.com/info/articles/aluminum-horse-trailers.htm

#9

Interesting article.

A couple of comments: the article very clearly criticizes AL as a good conductor of heat and this as a negative for the material. At one point it notes this as a rational for AL cookware. Perhaps true. But, then, I’ve got a cupboard full of stainless steel and cast iron cookware. Perhaps this criticism is over stated? :slight_smile:

Structural strength is very much consideration as AL is not as strong as steel. But if the criticism were absolutely relevant then there would be no aircraft as they would have failed structurally and would have been replaced by steel. And they weren’t. Instead engineers learned how to form and shape the metal to with-strand the stresses of the use. To just note that steel is stronger than AL doesn’t answer the whole question. You also have to consider the quality of engineering and construction.

The article makes note of the advances in treatments of steel to enhance corrosion resistance. These are quire real. But as the issues with Sundowner and defective power coating demonstrate this process of protecting steel from environmental conditions has to be done right or it will cause it’s own issues.

One really crucial area NOT discussed or even acknowledged is the manufacturing challenge of mating dis-similar metals. When two, different metals come into contact and a medium that facilitates electrolysis is present (like water) then you will have a chemical reaction that will weaken one or the other of the two metals at that point. In a properly done building process a material will be placed between the metals to prevent direct contact. If this is not done deterioration can be swift. If it’s a material that degrades over time then once the degradation has reached a critical point the galvanic process will begin and failure is just a matter of time.

Which system of construction is “better?” Well, define “better”!!! Stronger, cheaper, more/less maintenance intensive, what?!?!?! In the end any decision will be a compromise. In the opinion of a Equispirit spokes-writer their system is better. No surprises there, eh? :wink: As in so many things the word of the day is “compromise.” What is optimal in the upper Midwest with aggressive road salting a large part of the year might be less optimal for South Florida with no salt on the roads but lots of it in the air. And different again for West Texas with little salt from anywhere.

No matter what you have you have to maintain it. That means keep it serviceably clean and inspect it regularly for problems and then address the problems. The BEST thing you can do for trailer? Store it on a hard surface under a cover. The true enemy is moisture.

G.

1 Like
#10

I desperately wanted an old junk trailer for a quick and dirty mobile shelter on wheels for our hogs. No one had one because the price of scrap metal was high at the time.

#11

I’m little surprised that the frame issues weren’t discovered while redoing the electrical in this case.

3 Likes
#12

You don’t need to be afraid of buying a used trailer, but you need to do your homework. I have bought about 10 trailers over the past 25 years, all used except for 2-3, and have never had an issue.

Realize that the less you spend, the less you get, but there are exceptions to this rule. I found a 1999 Featherlite 16’ gooseneck all aluminum trailer for sale by a dealer for $6500 in 2011. It had 5 new tires and the dealer said it looked like new. Had been barn-kept and been used to haul a couple fox hunters a few times a year. I bought it over the phone with a credit card. I figured if I got to the dealer and it was not as described I would kill the deal and go back to my credit card company. I got to the dealer, and not only was the trailer everything he said it was, he admitted to me that he had mispriced the trailer too low by a couple thousand dollars, and he could have sold it to between 10-20 other people after I had called. He honored the advertised price, and it is still the most versatile trailer on our farm. I had a neighbor offer me $9500 for it the day I brought it home.

If you are going to look at a trailer, be prepared to crawl underneath it when you go to look. Bring a pocket knife or a screw driver to poke at any questionable areas. Be willing to pull the mats and look at the floor carefully. Bring along someone who is knowledgeable about trailers and what can go wrong with them.

If you do not want to inspect the trailer for soundness yourself, take it to a mechanic or trailer dealer and have them go over it. What you spend for that could save you much more money in the end.

Buy from a reputable dealer. I have bought at least 2 trailers from dealers over 10-12 hours from home. I got extensive pictures of the trailers from them, and then pulled the trigger on the purchase. I have not been disappointed yet. I bought a trailer this way last year, and it was everything they described it to be. I couldn’t find a trailer anything like it in my area, and the 12 hour drive each way was worth it to get what I wanted.

Have a budget for repairs that corresponds with the price of the trailer. I bought an LQ trailer about 4 years ago for a great price, but I knew when I looked at it that the tires were ancient, mismatched and dry rotted. I automatically estimated $250- $300 apiece for 5 tires and took that into consideration when making an offer.

4 Likes
#13

That’s right, advertise it as not suitable for horses, and see what happens. I sold one like that to a woodworker who wanted a covered trailer for transporting fancy boards.

#14

I believe aluminum has been correlated with Alzheimer’s plaques? This re-makes your point about “better”: There is a trade off between heat conduction and getting poisoned.

#15

then trailers should be made of cast iron, but that is brittle so back to steel

#16

Unless you’re going to be licking your aluminum trailer, I think you’re fairly safe. :wink:

6 Likes
#17

Thanks everyone! I think I will stick it up on the local CL “as is” and see if there is any interest. If not it will head to the scrap yard and I’ll take what I can get. Unfortunately/ fortunately I hadn’t gotten around to replacing the tires yet, so they are old and probably not worth anything but I will take them off anyway.

I too would have expected the trailer repair shop to mention the rust and corrosion issue when they redid the wiring, especially considering they specialize in horse trailer repair and sales.

Any suggestions for places to look for a new (used) trailer that may be a bit off the beaten path? I am not having the best luck with Facebook and Horse Trailer World.

Also any brands to avoid? I think I remember reading something about issues with Sundowner (or maybe Featherlight?) floors from certain years.

#18

Talk to local tack shops and farriers about trailers for sale. Also check local bulletin boards.

The stock trailer I mentioned in my post above was found on Horse Trailer World, and here is the lesson I learned from that- check Horse Trailer World frequently, as in more than once a day. There are deals on there, but the REALLY good deals go fast. Be prepared to jump if you see a good one.

#19

You might start a new thread with your area in the title and ask people for reputable used trailer places/places to avoid.

#20

You spent 1500 bucks on an aged trailer and expected the floor was fine?

Yikes!

You would be well served to find local trailer sources, whether it’s FB groups or dealers. HTW is fine for buying fancy trailers, not normal stuff.

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