Posted 2014-11-17 3:18 PM (#161616) Subject: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Spokane, WA
What trailers (besides cimarron and 4-star) make trailers with air-ride suspension? I'm looking for a 2 horse trailer to move my 2 senior geldings (25 and 28) from eastern washington to southern california, and want them to have the smoothest ride possible.
Posted 2014-11-17 3:25 PM (#161617 - in reply to #161616) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by cassie1111 on 2014-11-17 3:18 PM
What trailers (besides cimarron and 4-star) make trailers with air-ride suspension? I'm looking for a 2 horse trailer to move my 2 senior geldings (25 and 28) from eastern washington to southern california, and want them to have the smoothest ride possible.
From my understanding you can buy an air ride kit for just about any trailer built! Are you wanting one just for the transport or to use from now on??? With a quality trailer in a 2 horse I would get just rubber torsion axles and good quality tires.
Posted 2014-11-17 4:22 PM (#161620 - in reply to #161616) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Veteran
Posts: 124 Location: Calgary, Canada
I believe that many of the premium trailer companies will offer air ride suspension, but it comes at quite a premium. I seem to recall in a discussion with a major trailer manufacturer that the premium on an air ride LQ trailer was $12,000 to $15,000 for the STI system. I am not sure what other bells and whistles that included.
I did a test pull of a next to new 12,500 lb Sooner LQ trailer that had the STI air ride system on it. The difference was very noticeable with way easier pulling of the trailer. In my travels, I slowly went over a set of railway tracks … my truck clunk, clunked over the tracks but the trailer pulled over smoothly with no noticeable thumps to the truck. I can only imagine that translates to a much smoother ride for the horses.
So in answer to your question, check with your favorite trailer manufacturer and see what they can offer in an air ride system.
Posted 2014-11-17 4:23 PM (#161621 - in reply to #161616) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399 Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350
Unless you have a lot of disposable income that you want to put into a trailers suspension; I would add a product called "Soft Step", which I believe used to be called ProCushion. It is a product that you put under your floor mats. It will feel to your horses like you would feel if you had high dollar gym shoes on. It takes the vibration and the roughness out of the ride. It will cost you a couple of hundred dollars instead of several thousand. Check with your trailer dealer near you, and see if he carries it.
Posted 2014-11-17 8:42 PM (#161634 - in reply to #161620) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by ThreeCW on 2014-11-17 4:22 PM
I believe that many of the premium trailer companies will offer air ride suspension, but it comes at quite a premium. I seem to recall in a discussion with a major trailer manufacturer that the premium on an air ride LQ trailer was $12,000 to $15,000 for the STI system. I am not sure what other bells and whistles that included. I did a test pull of a next to new 12,500 lb Sooner LQ trailer that had the STI air ride system on it. The difference was very noticeable with way easier pulling of the trailer. In my travels, I slowly went over a set of railway tracks … my truck clunk, clunked over the tracks but the trailer pulled over smoothly with no noticeable thumps to the truck. I can only imagine that translates to a much smoother ride for the horses. So in answer to your question, check with your favorite trailer manufacturer and see what they can offer in an air ride system.Regards, 3CW
Posted 2014-11-18 12:26 PM (#161649 - in reply to #161616) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
Unless you just want a new trailer, or dont have one to start with, I would put some anti-fatigue matting under the rubber floor mats and then bed the trailer deeply with good shavings. My trailer has the Pro Cushion lining under the mats and it is wonderful, but for a smaller 2 horse trailer you can buy the interlocking anti fatigue matting at places like Harbor Freight.
Posted 2014-11-18 6:50 PM (#161668 - in reply to #161616) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Spokane, WA
I currently have a 1997 logan coach 3 horse trailer and was considering trading it in, but if I could make modifications to smoothen the ride then I would definitely prefer that.
Posted 2014-11-18 6:59 PM (#161669 - in reply to #161668) Subject: RE: Trailers with Air-ride suspension
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by cassie1111 on 2014-11-18 6:50 PM
I currently have a 1997 logan coach 3 horse trailer and was considering trading it in, but if I could make modifications to smoothen the ride then I would definitely prefer that.
Trailers with Air-ride suspension
