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Veteran
Posts: 233
 
| So the trailer hunt is on. My requirements are:
4 horse
Air flow dividers
Stock style
NO MANGERS
no rear tack
I don't know how much of a front dressing room I need, but roomier within reason is better. I don't think I want living quarters, since the plumbing, generators, etc is just more stuff to break, but I'm open to "oh, you'll really want xyz" type suggestions.
As far as what is made of, we live down a gravel road, and miles of crap roads between here and the highway. I've heard steel takes a pounding better, but I don't know if that's actually true. I've looked at a several 30 year old steel trailers that are still perfectly serviceable. I haven't seen many old aluminum trailers, but I have seen plenty of ads that say "excellent shape given its age" on 12 year old trailers. Kinda worrying.
Resale isn't much of an issue. Hopefully I can do enough research between now and then to end up with something I love.
Where does sooner, travalong, and hart fall in the brand rankings? I know to avoid Bison and Exiss, and platinum elite and 4star are as good as they come, but I'm fuzzy on the ones in the middle.
Thanks! |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
 
Location: North Dakota | I have a 2007 Featherlite and it has held up great, except for the floor. I think from about 2006-2008 they must have produced some sh*t aluminum floors because my pitted and actually had a horse fall through (not while in transit-thank goodness). It's getting replaced next week. I'd stay away from those years if you decide to look at a Featherlite. My brother in law, on the other hand, had an older, maybe a 99 Featherlite, and that thing was a brute. Lots of miles were put on that trailer hauling horses and cattle.
We also have an older (I think a 1993) Travalong stock trailer (steel) and while its older it has held up fantastic. Could use a new coat of paint, but as for the structure, man you couldn't ask for it to be in better shape. Solid built trailer in my opinion.
My very first trailer was a 2H Exiss BP with a front dressing room. Nice little trailer, the only thing I would fault it is leaked in my dressing room. Otherwise it was a solid little trailer. I wouldn't buy an Exiss LQ for that reason, but I'd be open to looking at a stock if that's what your after. Maybe that leakage problem has been corrected.
As for Sooner I think they are along the same lines as a Exiss. Nice trailers, but not as heavy built as I'd say the Platinums or Elites.
I have no experience with Hart.
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | Sooner is under the Universal Trailer Manufacturer brand which also has Exiss and Featherlite. Hart is decent. It really depends if you are wanting new or used and a price range. I work for a manufacturer and I know what I like, but I've pulled other brands. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| So are you looking for a bumper pull or a gooseneck? Dividers with stock slats or a true stock combo which will just have a cut gate?
We have a kieferbuilt stock trailer that has held up well all aluminum and I think it is a 2004. We did have a weld pop on the back gate that we had to have repaired, however we also haul cattle in it so it takes a pretty good beating.
My husband when I met him had an Exiss that in hindsight we never should have sold. It was a 16' stock trailer that he had the cut gate relocated in to form a tack room in the front using the escape door. Then they finished the 4' shortwall tack room into a weekender LQ with an AC. We really regret selling it.
Our LQ is a Lakota and we like it. My in laws have an Elite, but the only reason it fit in their budget was because it is only 6.5' wide. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| I love my steel trailers - 2 horse with tack in front and the tarp top 24 ft. stock (that one is my horse's fav). lEven if I could afford an aluminum, I would still stick with my steel trailers even though you do have maintenance due to rust. I have pulled my friend's aluminum bumper and hated it. It is a 2 horse slant with tack room up front. That thing even loaded would walk. I have pulled it with my 3/4 ton truck and ridden with her in her 1/2 ton. We pulled a lightly loaded aluminum gooseneck and didn't like how it hauled, either, but that was when they first came out with the torsion axles and it bounced all over the place. The trailer was loaded with trim chutes and panels so we assume it was because of the light load. |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| Gooseneck for sure. Stock combo, although in an ideal world it would also come with a removable cut gate so I could haul the hypothetical mare and foal. But I don't think they make trailers like that, so. . . |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | hannahbug - 2017-05-30 9:36 AM
Gooseneck for sure. Stock combo, although in an ideal world it would also come with a removable cut gate so I could haul the hypothetical mare and foal. But I don't think they make trailers like that, so. . .
if you go with a larger manufacturer, they can custom make to what you want. We've made stock combos with a cut gate before. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 795
Location: GODS country | I really like my Cimarron stock combo with small LQ (aluminum). Cimarron is a great brand!
I have looked at a few Hart trailers, and if I ever get a bigger LQ I think I will get one. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | We have an exiss stock combo and I can't say a bad thing about it. GREAT trailer. I haul the poop out of it and it stands up to everything. We even backed it over a street sign once (long story) and there was no damage to the trailer. I'd buy another in a heartbeat... although I have no intentions of selling this one lol.
Our LQ is a Lakota. Also a great trailer. We sold a Logan with a steel frame to upgrade and the difference in weight between the steel frame to the aluminum is unreal.
One thing that I would recommend (and I actually believe most trailers are standard with it now) is aluminum floor vs wood. Easier to clean, and won't rot. When I win the lottery we'll get the spray in flooring in both trailers so we won't need mats.
Also, get a screen door in the tackroom. Didn't even realize how much I like it until I had one in the Exiss :) |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | jschipper - 2017-05-30 11:31 AM We sold a Logan with a steel frame to upgrade and the difference in weight between the steel frame to the aluminum is unreal.
there it is.
thta's the part I've been waiting for.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | 1DSoon - 2017-05-30 8:40 AM
jschipper - 2017-05-30 11:31 AM We sold a Logan with a steel frame to upgrade and the difference in weight between the steel frame to the aluminum is unreal.
there it is.
thta's the part I've been waiting for.
As in I did good or you disagree? LOL |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| I'm not sure who told you aluminum won't rot, but that's only a half truth. Aluminum floors absolutely will pit, corrode, and thin. Please check your aluminum floors just as carefully as you do wood, if not more so. Mats still have to be pulled and cleaned under. Any powdery white residue is aluminum breaking down. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | hannahbug - 2017-05-31 6:22 AM
I'm not sure who told you aluminum won't rot, but that's only a half truth. Aluminum floors absolutely will pit, corrode, and thin. Please check your aluminum floors just as carefully as you do wood, if not more so. Mats still have to be pulled and cleaned under. Any powdery white residue is aluminum breaking down.
Good to know. Thanks. We do check ours regularly and they definitely stand up much better than wood. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | steel is heavier....................something to remember |
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 Saint Stacey
| TrailsWest is probably the best steel trailer. Honestly, by the time you make aluminum the strength of steel, the weight difference isn't much. Your cheaper aluminum trailers are cheaper for a reason. If you live in a humid area, steel might not be the way to go as it will rust faster in humidity. If you live in an arid region, rust will be minimal. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| jschipper - 2017-05-31 10:50 AM
hannahbug - 2017-05-31 6:22 AM
I'm not sure who told you aluminum won't rot, but that's only a half truth. Aluminum floors absolutely will pit, corrode, and thin. Please check your aluminum floors just as carefully as you do wood, if not more so. Mats still have to be pulled and cleaned under. Any powdery white residue is aluminum breaking down.
Good to know. Thanks. We do check ours regularly and they definitely stand up much better than wood.
Unless you are xraying your aluminum trailer you won't see the micro fractures till they are major fractures and fail.
Look at all heavy equipment trailers, all steel, it is because steel holds up better, and to find the cracks much cheaper, all you need to do is magniflux it, big truck trailers I believe have to be certified every year.
Aluminum stock trailers, (talking about the liners) most commercial places dump them after 5 years as it is too expensive to fix them.
Aluminum on steel if not put together properly will cause a chemical reaction and rot both.
Most trailer manufactures that claim their trailer is all aluminum are lying, most have some steel beams.
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help me trailer shop? steel vs aluminum? brands?