Trailer Choices

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AlfinCT

Member
I'm looking at new trailers. Two different kinds of constuction. One has a chassis with box beam construction. First builder claims it's stronger and lighter than channel construction
Competitor claims that's poor design because water/moisture gets inside the box and it rusts from the inside out. His design is based on channel sections beams that always dry out.
Third guy claims channel construction with rubber type chassis coating for rust protection is best of all. Some claim coating de-laminates and traps moisture anbd causes rust.
Experiences and comments please.
 
I have been looking at various trailers also. I hope you get some responses. Right now I am between Cargo Mate and Interstate. I looked at the aluminum chassis ones but pretty pricey. I have decided to go inexpensive on this one and if I like using it for longer trips will sell it and move to a better one. Or at least that is my current plan. Looking forward to seeing what the responses are to your question.
 
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I built my own car hauler about 30 years ago. I used 1/4" x 4" x 4" galvanized angle iron. It was used and still has the orange and white paint on it. I think it came from a TV tower and has hauled some heavy loads and is holding up very well. I never did paint the new steel I used for the side rails and tongue, so some day I'l have to sandblast them and paint them.

BTW, for hauling some smaller things I can lay 2 sheets of plywood down.

If I had some extra money and was looking to buy a new trailer, I think aluminum would be a good choice. I'd hate to use it with road salt though.
 
They are all right.You have to pick your poison,or pick your deck chair on the Titanic.Box tubing is strong and light.Rots from the inside out.Channel is strong,but a little heavy.It will scale up on the outside and stay that way for a long time.Protection? I don't know what to say.I don't know of one manufacturer that properly prepares and finishes a trailer.I do know that you couldn't do it properly for an extra $1000.Blast,etch,prime,and paint with quality materials.I've built a lot of trailers over the years and we had a little welding shop near me building specialty boat trailers for a lot of years.Those were custom built trailers and the customers would pay the extra to finish them right.He would bring them to me in the raw,I would drop out the axles and blast them.They would look perfect but the sheets of mill scale that flew off were amazing.Two and three foot pieces would fly off ahead of the blast nozzle.Store bought trailers are going to paint right over that stuff.My blasting was usually about $200.The body shop in my building got paid to shoot three times,Vari-prime etching primer,DP40,then whatever kind of acrylic enamel with a hardener they were using at the time.The owner preferred Centari at the time.In the mid-90's he said to do them that way it was adding about $1200.to the cost of a trailer.If a production trailer builder tries that he will be sitting on a lot of high priced trailers.I hear people say they would rather pay more for a quality product,but when it comes down to prying another $1200.out of their wallets for it things change.
 
I have a dual axle, channel type car carrier trailer I've had for 34yrs. It sets outside in the Pacific NW wet weather all year long. Two yrs. ago I did replace the entire braking system which included new backing plates, lines & master cyl. (surge brakes). I also replaced the tires & wheels which were also the originals. Most of the orig. paint is gone. I bought it new & paid $1200 for it 1977. When you have a trailer it seems to get loaned out alot.
 
John, your response is correct. Buy a reasonably priced one, use it for a few years and if it suites you-good. When you want something better, sell it and move on.
No point in getting hung up as to every specific detail. When I didn't have a trailer, was renting all of the time. Bought an inexpensive one and it works fine. More importantly, find it is best to buy new, as tires, bearings, etc. will eventually need replacemt. Found many used ones were just as much as the new one I had bought. Good luck!
 
Mine came from down south. Made from channel iron, with a pressure treated wood floor. Dual axel. It cam with brakes on one axel, but I added brakes to the other for safety and to comply with state law. It is starting to rust a bit, but after 10 years outside, it is still strong and safe. I paid under $2,000 for it.
 
In the last two years I replaced my steel enclosed and open trailers with all aluminum(except axles, springs, & coupler). I did this for light weight and appearance. The steel trailers never were unsafe because of rust even though they lived outside. It would seem that it would take a lot of time, moisture, and salt for most steel trailers to become unsafe. Like most things in life it depends on your needs and what you can afford.
 
Maybe another consideration would be what are you going to pull it with. I tried pulling a enclosed trailer with my 2003 1/2 ton Chev PU and the poor PU just about died. It was way to heavy even without anything in it.

But I wish now that I have purchased some kind of light enclosed trailer rather that my flat bed because I could have stored one of my A's in it rather than my shop.
 
BCCHOPIT said:
My 2 cents
Box will rot out a lot faster. You can't paint inside the tubes
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Ummmmm, I think you can, ...because that is what has kept companies like Ziebart in business for years on automobile undercarriages. They drill holes in the boxes and have special wands that they are able to coat the inside of the tubing with no different than rocker panels and other pinched joints.
 
Please purchase as large an enclosed trailer as you can use .....or might use. Fred mentioned that he would like to store an A in it. An enclosed trailer is the cheapest storage building you can own. You can use it now, later load up your stuff and move to the retirement community and sell the trailer for 70%+ of what you paid for it. In my area, the aluminum units retain their value best.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Ummmmm, I think you can, ...because that is what has kept companies like Ziebart in business for years on automobile undercarriages. They drill holes in the boxes and have special wands that they are able to coat the inside of the tubing with no different than rocker panels and other pinched joints.
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OK you got me. But are these trailer builders using this pricey paint?
Most trailers builders use **** paint and don't prep it reals nice.
When the tubes start to rust on the inside or get water trapped in side and pops the tube with the winter freeze. How do you fix that?
I am just saying I like the channel you can have it sand blasted down the road and it will be like new.

If I had the cash I would buy a Alum. trailer
 
Be careful storing your car in your trailer. I would never do it, its too easy to steal the whole thing, and there goes your car. Pick up any Hemmings or Old Cars Weekly and there is a sad tale such as that. We had a club member who had his enclosed trailer stolen and it was locked and faced in but they still took it. He got it back, (they use them to steal other items) and fortunately his car wasn't in it. I have a PJ flatbed and the nice thing about that is its powdercoated rather than painted so the finish is very tough.
 
Several years ago our 6 yr old Grandson responded to a dilemma I had concerning where I was going to store some stuff. He told me that I should "just put it all on your trailer and park it out in back of the shop like Daddy (my son) does......!" :p:p:p

In fact our Daughter in Law (his wife) has actually called and asked if I could haul some sand or dirt for her for various projects, "cause their Trailer is ******* (loaded)" :(:o:(:o:p
 
AlfinCT: I have two trailers, one 16' and one 18' - BOTH channel-type construction: I purchased them BOTH used, and the simple solution is to have the entire trailer sandblasted, THEN primer with a commercial-type primer and cover the entire trailer with Rhino coating or the equivalent. You can buy it in WalMart; AutoZone, etc. The instructions say to roll it on - I don't have the patience, so I brushed it. One has been coated for 7 years with NO flakes or rust; the other for about two years.........no problems. By the way, when it comes time for tires - do NOT go cheap! Buy quality 6-ply radial trailer tires - cost here in Central Missisippi is approximately $400 for four........well worth the peace of mind.
 
mkmskm said:
Be careful storing your car in your trailer. I would never do it, its too easy to steal the whole thing, and there goes your car. Pick up any Hemmings or Old Cars Weekly and there is a sad tale such as that. We had a club member who had his enclosed trailer stolen and it was locked and faced in but they still took it.
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I have heard of cars stored in trailers being stolen also. Another problem is moisture. I stored a restored Model A in my old enclosed trailer which was vented. By spring all of the nickel was turning green. Probably wouldn't be too much of a problem for an unrestored car.

Relative to theft my trailers are stored hidden from view by the road traffic. Also, each has wheel locks, coupler locks, and cable locks which go through two wheels. They are insured by Hagerty for fire, theft, and accident damage. Many think the tow vehicle insurance covers the above but only liability at least in my state.
 
My trailer is made of steel RHS(box), and was privately made. It is 30 yrs old, has a steel checker plate floor, electric brakes and shows no sign of corrosion. It also hauls a lot more than cars.

Of course the manufacterers are going to say the oppositions trailers are not as good to convince you to buy theirs. It is all about the sale to them.
 
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