Looking for input on open trailers?

Gobblin Tom · Nov 22, 2011

I have been looking for an open car hauler for my 2520, it has to be an 18' model do to having the front bucket and rear blade on the tractor. I am just looking for a decent trailer that will last a long time... I have looked at Appilacian Trailers in Ohio. Have also contacted a couple of other dealers on some other brands. One thing that I am unsure about is the full metal deck or wood deck? I want to lean toward the metal deck I think just because I don't want to be replacing wood at a later time. I will be getting 4 wheel brakes on the trailer also... I am looking to try and stay in the $2500 range... I look forward to everyone's input!

streetisneat · Nov 22, 2011

I have an metal deck H&H tilt bed trailer that I've had for 10 years. I bought it to mainly haul a car behind my motor home. Mine is a 20 ft bed I had pocket stakes put on it when new. I haul stone, mulch, topsoil just about everything you can think of! I made sides to contain the loose material that fit into pocket stakes, also a good tie down point for my bx 1860 with loader and box blade. I have electric brakes on both axles and stops with no problem! It is a hydraulic tilt and no ramps required. It is a manual pump and gravity return.If you get use to it you can crack the valve on the pump and back off the trailer with no effort on you part trailer will tilt by itself.MX Speedloader ManualTiltbedTrailer

streetisneat · Nov 22, 2011

Goblin Tom i forgot to mention the deck is still as flat as the day i bought it, it sits outside and has some surface rust on it But not rusted out anywhere!
Well worth the money. I think I paid $2500 ten years ago with many add ons.
Complete D.O.T. package and all wiring in metal conduit.:thumbsup:

Soundguy · Nov 22, 2011

i tend to prefer a wood deck for increased traction.. but that's a personal choice issue..

DT86 · Nov 23, 2011

Soundguy said:
i tend to prefer a wood deck for increased traction.. but that's a personal choice issue..

Yeah, I don't think the wood would be half as slick as (I'm assuming diamond plate?) when damp/wet. Even if you ever do break a board it's not a huge deal to replace.

Case485Guy · Nov 23, 2011

Soundguy said:
i tend to prefer a wood deck for increased traction.. but that's a personal choice issue..

ditto
I prefer the wood. I have replaced the floor in my 97 G/N once and on my 20' bumper pull, both due to abuse not rot.

If you get the metal floor just remember that if you ever load anything steel direct on the floor it will slip and slide, no friction. make sure you secure very well or place wood stripping between the 2.

When looking at the trailers, be sure to look underneath. i want to see paint not primer. Also pay attention to the wiring harness.. type and how it is ran on the frame. I want a sealed wiring harness ran through pipe, heat shrink connectors at each junction. I have seen them tack weld flat washers and run wire through that eveb between the crossmember and floor. If you go wood floor, check how the boards are secured, I want floor screws in each board to the crossmember every 2 foot. Alot will lay the boards in and then drop a piece of flat bar across the front and rear, weld down and thats it...makes for a noisy trailer as the boards will vibrate on bumps etc

Gobblin Tom · Nov 23, 2011

Now I am learning what to look for!! A buddy of mine bought an H & H aluminum trailer and he said that 3 of the welds pulled apart... I could never spend that kind of $$ on an aluminum trailer though...

Mike_VT · Nov 23, 2011

I have a wood deck on my 18' 2' dove tail trailer, but also have a smaller skid steer trailer with a steel deck that I would never give up. I use the metal deck when I need stone, the steel makes it easy to shovel.

For strictly a equip trailer I would go with wood.

George2615 · Nov 23, 2011

Like Streetisneat I also have an H&H 20' tilt bed trailer. It was manual tilt but I converted it to electric / hydraulic lift up and gravity down and added a winch. It has a wood deck. The tilt bed was a little more than your price range but if you don't need tilt they had many models in your range. Mine is a 2006 I bought in fall of 05. It came with stake pockets and I welded on my own D-rings once I knew where I wanted them. It has been a great trailer for me. In NY they use a lot of salt in winter and it takes its toll on paint. I have to repaint mine about every 3 years. I don't think PA uses salt so it should last a lot longer down there. A couple friends of mine have metal deck trailers and hate them in winter with ice on the deck, for some reason my wood deck doesn't get as slippery. Wood is still in great shape after 6 years.

grnspot110 · Nov 23, 2011

I have a 16' Woodworth (local mfg.) that I've had for over 10 years. Wood floor, #1 treated pine, boards show some cracks (with the grain), but have a lot of years left in them. I coat it with a water repellent yearly, usually Thompson's. Don't really care for a solid metal floor, but have heavy expanded on my 10' Woodworth. ~~ grnspot

Gobblin Tom · Nov 24, 2011

George2615 said:
Like Streetisneat I also have an H&H 20' tilt bed trailer. It was manual tilt but I converted it to electric / hydraulic lift up and gravity down and added a winch. It has a wood deck. The tilt bed was a little more than your price range but if you don't need tilt they had many models in your range. Mine is a 2006 I bought in fall of 05. It came with stake pockets and I welded on my own D-rings once I knew where I wanted them. It has been a great trailer for me. In NY they use a lot of salt in winter and it takes its toll on paint. I have to repaint mine about every 3 years. I don't think PA uses salt so it should last a lot longer down there. A couple friends of mine have metal deck trailers and hate them in winter with ice on the deck, for some reason my wood deck doesn't get as slippery. Wood is still in great shape after 6 years.

It would be nice not to have to drag ramps out... My wife would probably kill me if I spent that much on a trailer... Although if it is a quality build it might be worth it! They use a lot of salt here also on our roads here so I don't think it would be much different than your location.

Soundguy · Nov 24, 2011

drag out are ok, as long as they are side to side adjustable a bit for laoding different width machines

Diamondpilot · Nov 25, 2011

My 2004 wood deck trailer still looks like new. It has no Dove Tail but does have slide out 5' ramps from the rear. Pull a pin that looks like a bigger version of the pin you use to hook the draw bar of you hitch to your trucks trailer hitch, and slide them out and adjust the width. I can have both ramps out or in in 30 seconds with no lifting.

Chris

tractorski · Dec 3, 2011

I have a 2010 brimar 18' equipment trailer for sale. see my ad in the classified section under private party or pm me for more info. it looks and works like new. 14000 gvw.

Brad_Blazer · Dec 3, 2011

You want an equipment trailer vs. a car hauler. They are built a little stouter for the same gvw and the ramps have legs to support the rear of the trailer as you drive on.

Hematite · Dec 3, 2011

Definitely wood flat deck. Wood deck is much more quiet and less slippery and easier to maintain. Flat deck has more level carrying room and has more ground clearance going in and out of driveways.
If you can pull the ramps out the back and NOT have to lift them, that's ok. If you have to lift them out from the side, get torsion loaded upright ramps. The uprights also have built in stands (big plus) for loading and unloading.

Two observations about steel decks. They may not look too bad on top but don't look underneath them, they tend to rot through from the bottom, not the top, especially stored on grass or dirt! Even the slightest amount of oil or antifreeze, literally drops, can cause you to slip and fall on that nice hard steel deck.

Soundguy · Dec 3, 2011

Brad_Blazer said:
You want an equipment trailer vs. a car hauler. They are built a little stouter for the same gvw and the ramps have legs to support the rear of the trailer as you drive on.

tha't a pretty general statement.

when i bought my car hauler, you have choices onthe ramps, flip up, slide in rear, slid ein side, or with legs.

as for stiffness.

in 'genera;' car haulers and equipemnt trailers ar ethe heavier duty ones, and the land scape trailers with rails, especially, are the light duty one.

making general statemts like any of these those, fails when it comes to each individual manufacturer's designs..e tc.

'get a good one' is just as usefull advice in this case

soundguy