TRAILER

[bobg1951chevy]

I have an ad running in the "garage and trailer" forum, but not receiving any feedback.

If you have an OPEN  trailer for sale,  please look at my ad in the "garage and trailer" forum.

 

Thanks, Bob.

[Terry Bond]

Just thinking here, and maybe you've already considered this, but the price of a new open trailer is not too bad, unless you are after something in an all aluminum unit, or something with lots of bells and whistles.  I see a lot of great deals on trailers displayed at the Charlotte auto fair, and there are a number of dealers near you.  Perhaps you should consider buying something new and get exactly what you want and not have to put a bunch of bucks into repairs or mods on a used rig.  If you just need something for a brief time frame you can always sell it when you are done with it.  Maybe one of the new trailer dealers can provide a lead on someone who is upgrading and wants to sell.

Terry

[Steve Moskowitz]

Good advice Terry but also there are a lot of dealers that have used trailers for sale as well.  Craigslist, eBay etc.  I sold my enclosed trailer in 48 hours on Craigslist and I know another person here sold there's in 24 hours. 

[Guest]

I don't know where you're located Bob but, as mentioned here, there are quite a few listed on craigslist; at least there are here in the greater Los Angeles area.

[CarFreak]

ATC (Aluminum Trailer Company) in Nappanee Indiana bought back our open aluminum trailer this past summer.   Or as I told the Warranty Rep, there were more miles on the trailer from going in multiple times for service than when I was actually able to use it.  We were right at the cusp of Lemon Laws kicking in.....

 

Not sure what they did with it - resold it to someone else without making repairs AGAIN OR if they cut the trailer, apart as they wanted to do when we still owned it, and rebuilt it to correct inherent design flaws and then resold it. 

 

In other words, if you are buying a used trailer from a dealer or more specifically the manufacturer, there may be a reason why it is available and not just because the previous owner upgraded to a new trailer. 

[bobg1951chevy]

3 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

Just thinking here, and maybe you've already considered this, but the price of a new open trailer is not too bad, unless you are after something in an all aluminum unit, or something with lots of bells and whistles.  I see a lot of great deals on trailers displayed at the Charlotte auto fair, and there are a number of dealers near you.  Perhaps you should consider buying something new and get exactly what you want and not have to put a bunch of bucks into repairs or mods on a used rig.  If you just need something for a brief time frame you can always sell it when you are done with it.  Maybe one of the new trailer dealers can provide a lead on someone who is upgrading and wants to sell.

Terry

Terry, thanks for the insight and information.

It was my thought that a used trailer would be much less in cost, than new.

Looks like that idea of mine was erroneous.

I am located in Hendersonville, NC , about 100 miles exactly west of Charlotte.

Should have started this trailer search earlier, in preparation for the 2018 tour season, but I didn't.

In the past I would have wanted to drive my old cars forever, but am now a senior who still enjoys my old cars, but think I would prefer to tow to an event.

I could wait until Charlotte 2018, but that somewhat puts me against the ropes in finding something for the 2018 season.

I will check our local "new trailer" dealers to see what's available.

Thanks for your input, Terry.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

1 hour ago, GregLaR said:

I don't know where you're located Bob but, as mentioned here, there are quite a few listed on craigslist; at least there are here in the greater Los Angeles area.

I am in western NC, Hendersonville, just a stones throw south of Asheville.

[bobg1951chevy]

36 minutes ago, CarFreak said:

ATC (Aluminum Trailer Company) in Nappanee Indiana bought back our open aluminum trailer this past summer.   Or as I told the Warranty Rep, there were more miles on the trailer from going in multiple times for service than when I was actually able to use it.  We were right at the cusp of Lemon Laws kicking in.....

 

Not sure what they did with it - resold it to someone else without making repairs AGAIN OR if they cut the trailer, apart as they wanted to do when we still owned it, and rebuilt it to correct inherent design flaws and then resold it. 

 

In other words, if you are buying a used trailer from a dealer or more specifically the manufacturer, there may be a reason why it is available and not just because the previous owner upgraded to a new trailer. 

Interesting info, thanks.

[Larry Schramm]

When I bought my open trailer, I looked at quite a number of them and it seemed like almost all of them needed tires, brakes, and wiring for starters.  That is usually in the $600-$800 range to spend it to get it safe before you even get started with any other issues.  Also at the time most trailers only had brakes on one axle.

 

For the asking price of the trailer plus what I figured I needed to spend to make it safe, it was cheaper to buy a new one which I did.  Got everything new with brakes on both axles.

 

Just my experience. 

 

There are a lot of trailers available on craigslist for eastern NC.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Henderson,+NC/@36.9955993,-80.3103137,7.1z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89adbc402a62d2df:0xaa1e90ecc1cfd5d1!8m2!3d36.3295905!4d-78.3991638

[39BuickEight]

Larry said it best.  Figure on several hundred dollars to get most used trailers up to snuff.  Not all, but most.

[John348]

What are you using for a tow vehicle? That dictates everything. The smaller the tow vehicle the lighter the trailer you will need. That weight all has to balance behind you.  When I was towing with a Yukon and a 1500 series truck I had bought a new Featherlite open trailer and used for about 4 years and pretty much got my money back when I sold it. I must agree with everyone else the price difference between new and used after you are done with tires, bearings, and brakes is pretty much going to cost the same as a new one.

When buying used stuff you get what you pay for and most of the time less

[padgett]

Depends on how good you are at spotting defects & whether you enjoy fixing them. Most of my cars (bought tow car new because with rebates was only a few hundred more than used) were bought used with between 50k and 130k miles and enjoy "getting them right".

 

Have tow bars and a tow dolly & if need a trailer, U-Haul will rent me anything they have. Just a thought.

[John348]

27 minutes ago, padgett said:

 

Have tow bars and a tow dolly & if need a trailer, U-Haul will rent me anything they have. Just a thought.

 

Not every State or Road allows the use of tow bars or tow dolly's 

[mrspeedyt]

the biggest maintenance expense of owning a trailer are the tires.

[Akstraw]

Plenty of used trailers for sale in western NC on craigslist.  For a new trailer, I would recommend L.B.s trailer sales in Harmony, NC.   Golden Gait Trailers from Charlotte is a regular exhibitor at the AutoFair.   Good luck!

[Plyroadking]

3 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

the biggest maintenance expense of owning a trailer are the tires.

 

I'd have to disagree, the biggest expense is that you've got the ability to haul stuff home that you'd normally walk away from because you don't want to mess with renting a trailer and going back for it......

[bobg1951chevy]

All the above replies are appreciated.  

It seems the majority like new trailers vs used trailers.

I will do my search for new ...... thanks to all.

[John348]

14 minutes ago, bobg1951chevy said:

All the above replies are appreciated.  

It seems the majority like new trailers vs used trailers.

I will do my search for new ...... thanks to all.

 

Just figure $500-$600 in tires, breaks and bearings around another $1000. break away battery and misc another $300. If your buying one either used or new make sure it has Dexter Axles and the heaviest duty ones for that trailer. 

Good Luck on your search, there is always a guy who is graduating up to an enclosed trailer. 

[Frank DuVal]

5 hours ago, Plyroadking said:

I'd have to disagree, the biggest expense is that you've got the ability to haul stuff home that you'd normally walk away from because you don't want to mess with renting a trailer and going back for it......

 

That is a major reason  I have yet to buy a trailer or upgrade my 84 F150 6 cylinder Balsa Wood 4 speed to a real tow rig! I've hauled enough junk home using borrowed rigs and trailers.....

 

Then there was a rollback at auction.....   Still resisted.

[John348]

22 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

 

That is a major reason  I have yet to buy a trailer or upgrade my 84 F150 6 cylinder Balsa Wood 4 speed to a real tow rig! I've hauled enough junk home using borrowed rigs and trailers.....

 

Then there was a rollback at auction.....   Still resisted.

 

You are 100% correct! The trailer is the cheapest part of the operation 

[Joe in Canada]

9 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

the biggest maintenance expense of owning a trailer are the tires.

The biggest expense in Ont. is having to have my truck and trailer inspected at $200. each year. Plus raise the weight capacity of the licence on my truck an extra $100.  seeing all pickups are rated for passenger weight only. Technically with a full cab and then put a sack of potatoes in the box I could me dinged for over weight. Then again if I did not have my truck inspected and left the past dated yellow sticker on my windshield, could be find for having an unsafe vehicle on the road. 

[61polara]

Since you are in NC, take a look at Kaufman Trailer in the High Point, NC area.  I have had one of their 18' open trailers for 8 years and it has been a great one.  Ordered it the way I wanted it and it was a just a few weeks before it was ready for pickup.

http://www.kaufmantrailers.com/

 

[bobg1951chevy]

7 hours ago, John348 said:

 

Just figure $500-$600 in tires, breaks and bearings around another $1000. break away battery and misc another $300. If your buying one either used or new make sure it has Dexter Axles and the heaviest duty ones for that trailer. 

Good Luck on your search, there is always a guy who is graduating up to an enclosed trailer. 

Thanks John.

[bobg1951chevy]

3 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

 

That is a major reason  I have yet to buy a trailer or upgrade my 84 F150 6 cylinder Balsa Wood 4 speed to a real tow rig! I've hauled enough junk home using borrowed rigs and trailers.....

 

Then there was a rollback at auction.....   Still resisted.

Frank,  you comments make perfect sense.

[bobg1951chevy]

2 hours ago, 61polara said:

Since you are in NC, take a look at Kaufman Trailer in the High Point, NC area.  I have had one of their 18' open trailers for 8 years and it has been a great one.  Ordered it the way I wanted it and it was a just a few weeks before it was ready for pickup.

http://www.kaufmantrailers.com/

 

Looks like a place worth investigating. Prices seem good, thanks for the info.

[bobg1951chevy]

On ‎11‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 3:55 PM, John348 said:

 

Just figure $500-$600 in tires, breaks and bearings around another $1000. break away battery and misc another $300. If your buying one either used or new make sure it has Dexter Axles and the heaviest duty ones for that trailer. 

Good Luck on your search, there is always a guy who is graduating up to an enclosed trailer. 

John, Tell me about Dexter axles ...... don't know about Dexter.

[John348]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDsomiLH1ps

 

https://www.dexteraxle.com/

[Robert Street]

Just to add my 2cents worth to John's axle comments.  If you do allot of towing use a HD torsion Dexter system rather than shackles and springs.  Wow what a difference. Was near your area at the Charlotte Speedway Good Guys event a couple of weeks ago. Just to throw another trailer company in the basket Trailers of the Eastcoast is a recommended trailer retailer I think out of Mocksville on I-40.

Robert

[John348]

The torsion system will give you a better ride in your tow vehicle, less transmission of the bumps. If you need a part, such as a bearing, hub, brake parts and such, most trailer supply places stock the parts and if not in stock they are easy to get in overnight.

[bobg1951chevy]

17 hours ago, John348 said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDsomiLH1ps

 

https://www.dexteraxle.com/

Thanks, John.

[bobg1951chevy]

7 hours ago, Robert Street said:

Just to add my 2cents worth to John's axle comments.  If you do allot of towing use a HD torsion Dexter system rather than shackles and springs.  Wow what a difference. Was near your area at the Charlotte Speedway Good Guys event a couple of weeks ago. Just to throw another trailer company in the basket Trailers of the Eastcoast is a recommended trailer retailer I think out of Mocksville on I-40.

Robert

Thanks, Robert, will check them out in Mocksville.

[Paul Dobbin]

My first open car trailer was a steel trailer with 2 straight axles and springs, a diamond plate deck and two wheel brakes, both on one axle.  I Kept it about 2-3 years and bought an all aluminum full deck open trailer with 2 Dexter 3500 Lb. axles & 4 wheel brakes  and saved almost 1000 lbs towing weight.

Tows like nothing back there.  I've had it now for 15 years and two new sets of tires and a bunch of AACA Tours.   Tried a 20 foot box trailer when we moved to NC.  It had the 5500 lb Dexter axles and it made 10 trips to get all our junk up here, then I sold it.   

Whatever  you buy, get the Dexter Torque Flex axles.   My aluminum trailer is worth more now at 15 years old than I paid for it in 2002.   I'm always aware that it's worth a Bazillion beer cans at the scrap yard, and keep it locked up.  That's my 2 cents. 

[bobg1951chevy]

2 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

My first open car trailer was a steel trailer with 2 straight axles and springs, a diamond plate deck and two wheel brakes, both on one axle.  I Kept it about 2-3 years and bought an all aluminum full deck open trailer with 2 Dexter 3500 Lb. axles & 4 wheel brakes  and saved almost 1000 lbs towing weight.

Tows like nothing back there.  I've had it now for 15 years and two new sets of tires and a bunch of AACA Tours.   Tried a 20 foot box trailer when we moved to NC.  It had the 5500 lb Dexter axles and it made 10 trips to get all our junk up here, then I sold it.   

Whatever  you buy, get the Dexter Torque Flex axles.   My aluminum trailer is worth more now at 15 years old than I paid for it in 2002.   I'm always aware that it's worth a Bazillion beer cans at the scrap yard, and keep it locked up.  That's my 2 cents. 

Paul, I recall you are not far from my home in Hendersonville.

What "brand" did you buy and did you purchase it in NC ?

[Marty Roth]

Bob,

 

In my experience, Featherlite tends to be recommended as the best quality and warranty for aluminum trailers, and have been around probably the longest. Years ago I even had one of their much older steel open trailers which was very good quality. I have not owned their open aluminum model (or closed either). My current open trailer is a steel "Open Pit" design, and is made as a "Tilt" trailer which I find very convenient. I can actually get under the trailer and work on the car's undercarriage and chassis if necessary while on tour or on the road. While the steel is a bit heavier, I believe the difference in an open trailer is negligible, and it is solid as a rock, where my friends with open aluminum trailers tend to need frequent weld repairs due to vibration and stress cracks

 

Good luck with your quest.

[bobg1951chevy]

23 hours ago, Marty Roth said:

Bob,

 

In my experience, Featherlite tends to be recommended as the best quality and warranty for aluminum trailers, and have been around probably the longest. Years ago I even had one of their much older steel open trailers which was very good quality. I have not owned their open aluminum model (or closed either). My current open trailer is a steel "Open Pit" design, and is made as a "Tilt" trailer which I find very convenient. I can actually get under the trailer and work on the car's undercarriage and chassis if necessary while on tour or on the road. While the steel is a bit heavier, I believe the difference in an open trailer is negligible, and it is solid as a rock, where my friends with open aluminum trailers tend to need frequent weld repairs due to vibration and stress cracks

 

Good luck with your quest.

Marty, as always, thanks for your info.

[jrbartlett]

I bought a 2004-vintage Featherlite enclosed trailer a year ago, and its quality is very impressive. I found no evidence of cracks anywhere, but will be watching for any. And as is typical for a used trailer, I had to replace the tires and brakes. It has the 8-lug wheels with 235-16 tires; uncertain of the axle rating.   

[Joe in Canada]

Does anyone ever do the math when comparing a steal to an aluminum  trailer weight . I keep seeing guys  saying their aluminum flat top trailer is a 1,000 LB. lighter than a steal trailer. Now I am comparing a Big Tex 18' 70 DM at 2140 LB  to a Featherlite Model 3110  17'6" at 1550 LB. and the Big Tex is 6" longer. Now that is only a difference of only 590 LB.  or about a 25% difference . Also if you check you will see Aluma and ATC are advertising 1462 LB. curb weight Aprox. BUT they do not advise hauling say a skid steer loader or a concentrated weight load or you will damage your trailer severely. Featherlite does advertise a skid steer option and that will inflate the price and the curb weight. Then if you check the curb weight on an American Hauler aluminum 18' with a wood deck the curb weight is almost equal to a steel trailer at 1986 LB. a difference of 154 LB.  Just more info when looking to buy a trailer.

 If I live in a southern climate that greatly reduces cracks caused from corrosion I would have a Featherlite and not worry a great deal as they are a fantastically built trailer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Joe in Canada (see edit history)

[mike6024]

 

Aluminum does not have the fatigue resistance that steel has. This chart illustrates how aluminum can develop fatigue stress cracks at very low stress levels over time as the number of cycles grows. Steel effectively has a "fatigue limit" meaning if the stress is kept below a certain level you can expect no stress fatigue cracking no matter how many cycles it is subjected to.

 

Areas above the lines in the chart represent failure, and below the lines represent safe operating. So the safe stress level for aluminum is lower for high number of cycles.

 

That chart above may not be immediately clear, but the way the blue line of steel flattens out represents an extraordinary property of steel.

 

It also suggests why aluminum would tend to get over-built. They are made too strong for the load because designers want to avoid failure due to fatigue cracking, which can be microscopic internal cracks that can grow.

 

Anyway, I just remember this from materials science and thought it would be of interest.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_limit

 

Some authors use endurance limit, Se, for the stress below which failure never occurs, even for an indefinitely large number of loading cycles, as in the case of steel; 

Edited November 15, 2017 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

3 hours ago, jrbartlett said:

I bought a 2004-vintage Featherlite enclosed trailer a year ago, and its quality is very impressive. I found no evidence of cracks anywhere, but will be watching for any. And as is typical for a used trailer, I had to replace the tires and brakes. It has the 8-lug wheels with 235-16 tires; uncertain of the axle rating.   

 

James,

 

Typically, 8-lug wheels on a Featherlite is spec for a pair of 6,000 lb axles;

6-lug are generally 5,000 lb or 5,2000 lb;

5-lug are generally 3,500 lb

 

also, your tires are probably 235/85R-16 LRE, or Load Range "E" - same as mine? I switched to Michelin truck tires instead of trailer "ST" tires  and haven't had any more problems after getting rid of the Chinese tires

[bobg1951chevy]

44 minutes ago, mike6024 said:

 

Aluminum does not have the fatigue resistance that steel has. This chart illustrates how aluminum can develop fatigue stress cracks at very low stress levels over time as the number of cycles grows. Steel effectively has a "fatigue limit" meaning if the stress is kept below a certain level you can expect no stress fatigue cracking no matter how many cycles it is subjected to.

 

Areas above the lines in the chart represent failure, and below the lines represent safe operating. So the safe stress level for aluminum is lower for high number of cycles.

 

That chart above may not be immediately clear, but the way the blue line of steel flattens out represents an extraordinary property of steel.

 

It also suggests why aluminum would tend to get over-built. They are made too strong for the load because designers want to avoid failure due to fatigue cracking, which can be microscopic internal cracks that can grow.

 

Anyway, I just remember this from materials science and thought it would be of interest.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatigue_limit

 

Some authors use endurance limit, Se, for the stress below which failure never occurs, even for an indefinitely large number of loading cycles, as in the case of steel; 

Interesting information, thanks for sharing.