aluminium or steel stock trailer?

[coyote2]

need advice good and bad which one?

[ivbinconned]

NO question! Alunimum!

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I've been looking into this myself as I'm thinking about doing some custom hauling to earn some extra burger and bean money.

About the only bad thing I've heard about aluminum is if they see alot of bad back roads, the flex can eventually break out welds on the aluminum. I've been told to stick to 6 inch centres on the floor crossbeams (or was it 12? Whatever the smallest centre available was). Also I believe its Wilson who builds one with a rivetted floor construction that you may want to look seriously at. Most of the OTR aluminums are rivet construction to prevent weld breakage, and if its good enough for them, it oughtta be good enough for a light truck unit.

If you're hauling alot, make sure to get double cam locks on the back doors if you go with aluminum. Single cam locks will break out.

Rod

[mb_rancher]

We haul alot of roughstock bulls and I wouldnt have anything but a well built steel trailer. Ive seen when bulls getting pushing in an aluminum trailer they can actually buckle the back door.

[ivbinconned]

A Wilson is a good choice...maybe the best. I have worked on every alunimum trailer made and Dimonds observation is correct concerning cracking but only if some issues around a trailer are ignored long after a repair SHOULD have been done. Like donamoes one problem will lead to another!!

If you do buy a new one the first thing you do is sheet the under side of the trailer in with alunimum or puck board. As well as attach, WITH RIVITS, a quarter inch by 6 inch alunimum bar down the middle to tie all the ribs together.
This will prevent gravel damage to the ribs and allow air to pass through better. The result easyier towing.

When the ribs start to curl...and they will if you don't take these steps, your floor becomes weaker and begins to sag under load. Eventually cracking the the side frame that the ribs butt up to.

With proper care you will be pulling a good looking trailer that will be 10 years old or else the alternative a pile of rust...making the alunimum alot cheaper in the long run.