Reply With QuoteOne dip in salt, and rust never sleeps.
I am considering buying a 32-36 foot boat and I am wondering the pros and cons of an aluminum trailer vs a steel (Construction Channel Iron) trailer. Most of my boating is in Lake Havasu (fresh water), but sometimes I will go to the ocean (salt water). I know I don't want a steel rectangular tube trailer because they rust out from the inside out. I have had good luck with steel trailers made from construction channel iron, but I don't know much about aluminum trailers, other than seeing them around.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
David Kahn
West Hills, CA
One dip in salt, and rust never sleeps.
I have an aluminum. Not the sharpest trailer in the lot, but no muss no fuss.
difference?What the warranty?
I am still waiting for the prices to come in, it sounds like the aluminum trailers are about 2/3 the price of the structural steel channel trailers. $5,000-$6,000 for aluminum and $8,000+ for steel. The guys at trailrite said the aluminum trailers are too flexible, but they only make steel trailers so I don't know how much I can believe what they say as unbiased.
David
Im on my 4th Alum Tri axle trailer Light weight and strong. Been hauling back and forth from South Fla. to Phx AZ for years. If you get into salt water Rinse it off as soon as you can
My Rolls Axle trailer is aluminum and stainless. Even the brake rotors and calipers. Yes it does flex, moan and groan alot while moving around a parking lot, but just rinse and drive can't be beat. I did have one bracket crack after a year, but it was a 15 minute fix by unbolting the old one and bolting on the new. I would never go to steel if you dunk in salt. Here is when I picked it up in New York. $4500. + $500 shipping from FL to NY.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...010_Small_.jpg
If you are considering aluminum, the local builder is http://www.abtrailers.com/
Thanks for the info, I didn't know that there was a local manufacture for aluminum trailers, I requested info from them.
DK
Aluminum is simply the ONLY way to go.
Steel rusts, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
Galvanized steel does not rust, but has the disadvantage of weight, and looks as ugly as aluminum. They are bolted together too, so they creak and squeek too.
Right: the bolted together trailers are embarassingly noisy.
Aluminum is light, lasts seemingly forever. Mine has been dunked in salt water easily 200 times, if not 300, is never rinsed, and looks more or less the same as it did when new.
Aluminum is stiffer than your boat. Same as steel.
Get stainless calipers. Probably get stainless disks. I have steel disks because I use my trailer so often, but I'd go with SS if it was ever more than 3 weeks between trips.
Get electric over hydraulic brakes. Just no other way to go. They saved my life.
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