Posted 2014-12-05 4:52 AM (#161937 - in reply to #161933) Subject: RE: all aluminum or not?
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Idaho
Depends on where you live and what kind of roads you drive. If you live in a area with high humidity aluminum can be a good choice due to the concern over corrosion over time. However here in Idaho where are roads can be extremely rough an aluminum trailer simply will not hold up as well as a steel trailer, but if your never going to leave the paved road an aluminum trailer will be fine.
Posted 2014-12-07 8:11 PM (#161956 - in reply to #161933) Subject: RE: all aluminum or not?
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: rapid city sd
more than a few of the ranchers around here have 10 to 30 miles of dirt road. Have not heard them say the steel trailers held up better. All aluminum is the only way to go.
Posted 2014-12-15 8:41 AM (#162067 - in reply to #161933) Subject: RE: all aluminum or not?
Member
Posts: 15
Location: Southern Oregon
Remember, none of the trailers are all aluminum. The axles, springs, and the assembly that holds the suspension together is steel. Often, much of the structure that holds the gooseneck area is steel as well. This can cause a corrosion caused by placing dissimilar metals together. In the construction process barriers are placed where these two metals come together. It's an imperfect solution with lesser quality builders sometimes not protecting the aluminum adequately. This form of corrosion is very aggressive an should be watched for. Other than this and cost aluminum is a great material to work with. It is lite and easy to work with, but it does work harden over time and can become brittle and crack.
I'm not trying to knock aluminum trailers. I own one. However you need to understand the material.
Posted 2014-12-15 1:32 PM (#162069 - in reply to #161933) Subject: RE: all aluminum or not?
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: rapid city sd
not sure what brand trailer you pull, but I have not seen springs or anything but torsion axels on aluminum trailers for the last 20 years or so. Never heard of an issue on steel plate attaching them.
all aluminum or not?
