Aluminum equipment trailers.

[Hersheyfarm]

You don’t like it because it’s aluminum or because it’s not a deckover? I’m fine with equipment style, so the aluminum to steel comparison is what I’m concerned about. Have you noticed accelerated wear or other issues with the aluminum? Have the tie downs bent the stale pockets?

because its not a deckover, an aluminum deckover would be nice too. But any deckover will weigh more and put me over the limit. I really haven’t seen any wear other than the bottom of the ramp legs, which I’m going to bolt on a couple pieces of oak for wear. But i have very thick piece of rubber i rest the boom on and i put a 3/16” flat plate(aluminum) where the dozer blade sits from the beginning to mitigate any wear.

 

[4570Man]

because its not a deckover, an aluminum deckover would be nice too. But any deckover will weigh more and put me over the limit. I really haven’t seen any wear other than the bottom of the ramp legs, which I’m going to bolt on a couple pieces of oak for wear. But i have very thick piece of rubber i rest the boom on and i put a 3/16” flat plate(aluminum) where the dozer blade sits from the beginning to mitigate any wear.

I haul my mini x with the bucket bottom flat on the trailer after I knocked a hole in the deck with the knuckle rolled all the way up. The larger excavators have to be hauled with the booms rolled completely up for height restrictions but it’s no problem to haul a mini x with the bucket flat down.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

here’s my rubber I put my knuckle on. It’s about 3” thick.

 

[4570Man]

I usually haul mine like this. Even with the stick nearly vertical it’s basically the same height as the cab and well under legal height.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

For me it wasn’t height, it was tongue weight. I have a tongue scale and my machine needed to be more forward, making the boom/stick angle to close to my truck for my liking.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Well I’ll update this. Tonight on the way home with the aluminum 14k wile pulling my mini x that weighs 11500 the axle spring hanger broke. I thought i blew a tire but it was the tire against trailer frame that was smoking. Man, it could have been a lot worse. I pull this about a 160 mile round trip, thankfully this happened at the closest town on my way home. Luckily i saw a dually with a nice gooseneck pull and asked if they were busy, they said no problem and pulled my excavator home, i pulled the tires off the bad axle and drove it. I’ll get on the horn tomorrow with suretrac, it’s supposed to have a 3 year warranty. Blew my Goodyear tire too.

 

[dieselscout80]

Well I’ll update this. Tonight on the way home with the aluminum 14k wile pulling my mini x that weighs 11500 the axle spring hanger broke. I thought i blew a tire but it was the tire against trailer frame that was smoking. Man, it could have been a lot worse. I pull this about a 160 mile round trip, thankfully this happened at the closest town on my way home. Luckily i saw a dually with a nice gooseneck pull and asked if they were busy, they said no problem and pulled my excavator home, i pulled the tires off the bad axle and drove it. I’ll get on the horn tomorrow with suretrac, it’s supposed to have a 3 year warranty. Blew my Goodyear tire too.
View attachment 2693256

Ouch

 

[LD1]

Ive always thought the spring hangers on 12k-14k equipment trailers look cheap and weak.

Ive repaired more than one shackle mount before, You look at how thin the metal is, and how little its welded.....then picture the stress when backing, and jacknifing a trailer with a load.....Im surprised there arent significantly more failures

 

[Hersheyfarm]

I started a warranty claim with the dealer i bought it from, very receptive and professional but 2 hours away..midway trailer in Dayton but recently changed their name. I will need a this trailer sooner than later. Sucks. But as far as an aluminum trailer issue, this is the bolt on steel axle carrier. Unless excessive flex from the aluminum bed caused it, its a steel issue.

 

[4570Man]

Ive always thought the spring hangers on 12k-14k equipment trailers look cheap and weak.

Ive repaired more than one shackle mount before, You look at how thin the metal is, and how little its welded.....then picture the stress when backing, and jacknifing a trailer with a load.....Im surprised there arent significantly more failures

A 10k axel is built 3x as heavy as a 7k that’s rated for 70 percent of the load. Idk what the margin of safety for a 7k axel is but it can’t be very high.