aluminum atv trailer question

[wpwarren]

This isn't really a hunting related question at all, but I figure a lot of you probably ride atv's and such. I am going to look at an 11 year old aluma brand aluminum trailer this evening. It is a 4.5 by 10 foot trailer with a maximum payload of 1600 pounds or so. After I set up the meeting time I noticed how old the trailer is (built in 2004). Should I be concerned about fatique in the aluminum? The advantage is I don't have to worry much about corrosion, but I am unsure of what the longevity of the other components of the trailer would be. I will be using this trailer for some general moving tasks and hauling my drz 400s around as well as some camping gear. I would love to hear some feedback on whether buying this trailer is a good idea at all and if so what I should look out for.

 

[Yellowknife]

It's all dependent on the quality of the welding, the number of miles it has on it, and how often it was overloaded. But yes, fatigued and cracked welds are pretty common on light aluminum trailers. Not sure how good or bad the Aluma's are in that regard. Just have to crawl under it and look at the welds with a light as best you can. The other very common issue is lost camber, which causes tire scrubbing. It should have some slight visible camber to the axle when unloaded.

If the bearings weren't maintained (greased) and it has a lot of mileage, that can be another issue. Basically you want to walk away if it shows any signs of un-even tire wear IMO. A set of brand new tires might be another bad sign!

Probably the biggest issue I see with older trailers is bad wiring. The super cheap wiring they use on those little ATV trailer can't handle cold at all and cracks on a regular basis as they get older. It will drive you nuts chasing electrical gremlins until you give up and re-wire the whole thing with real wire.

Yk

 

[wpwarren]

Thanks for the reply. I will keep that in mind. Ultimately I don't mind rewiring a trailer as it is a pretty quick job, but checking the camber is something I hadn't thought of.

 

[wyosteve]

I wouldn't walk away from it just because there is uneven tire wear if the price is fair. Any good frame/axle shop can align the axle/tires for a reasonable price. I had it done on my boat trailer a couple years ago.

 

[rayporter]

i bought a feather lite in '89. it shows no sign of a problem yet.

 

[RCA Dog]

Yellowknife hit the nail on the head. If there's a bunch of cracks, walk away. Repairing (especially by welding) old corroded aluminum is not exactly a long term fix, and the likelihood of future cracks developing in the same spot is pretty high.

 

[wpwarren]

I ended up passing on the trailer. It was not that good of a deal and I decided on a tougher cheaper steel trailer instead that I bought new. That being said it may well have been fine for many years and the lighter weight would have been nice.

 

[husky390]

I'd check the bearings to make sure they put enough grease in them before it left the factory, I'm anal like that and I don't want to be stuck on the side of the road due to a welded hub with all of my toys on the trailer, especially after seeing how little grease is applied to atv's and dirtbikes when they leave the factory. Have fun riding.

 

[Alphaman77]

My 2 cents here, but bearings aren't a big deal. They are a moving part so they are going to be replaced at some point anyway, as long as they haven't been run after going out. As long as the spindle is ok. As far as cracks, if there are any you will never stop them from recracking in the same spot. We have a 1989 grain trailer that is still going strong and it is all aluminum. But I see them everyday with cracks that have been welded and plated and still crack in the same spot.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I love my steel yaht club. I have bought two of them for less than $300. While some corrosion was present on both, there was no fatigue. I think you made a good choice. Good luck!

 

[LaGriz]

View attachment 24518View attachment 24519View attachment 24519
Attached are to pics of my custom built alumium trailer. Have owned for 10+ years and have repaired/modified a couple times.
Independent suspention with Toyota lug patern can use a spare from my truck if need be. Went with the pindle hitch,and I must recomend you do something else. Most repairs (gussets welded) are to the mount of the pindle hitch. Added the folding ramp 4 years back. I can move this thing around in the yard by hand. Handles my 2006 Yam 660 Griz just fine. For western trips I load the Large Coolers, tent, wood stove, water jugs and gear and cover with a tarp and cargo net. The 6X6 rack was a "deadhead" recovery (with G&F contact- all above board) I only wish I got a shot at such an animal! This was the return trip from the 2013 "Monsoon" in Colorado. Thank God we rented a cabin and even still had to cut the hunt short do to the washout that occured. Don't be afraid of the aluminum construction!
LaGriz

 

[El Gavilan]

I'm on my second Aluma trailer and have had no issues at all. The first was a 6 X 8 low slung that I used to haul my V Rod to the drag strip in Kauai. Also used to haul my wifes Honda and the V Rod at the same time and it worked well with the built in ramp and low slung cargo deck. After moving to AZ and getting a couple of Honda ATV's the old trailer was to small for 2 ATV's so I ended up selling it and getting a larger Aluma with a high deck. It has an 8 X 10 deck and I can get both ATV's sideways on it. The side rails detach and are used for the ramps and you can load from either side or the rear. Works great. The new trailer also has bearing lube zerks on each hub too.

Mike

 

[tstowater]

Aluma trailers are made about 15 miles from where I live. Trailers are awesome and sold all around the world I have been told. The workmanship is excellent as far as I know. When you drive by the factory, you wonder if they ever sell any as the whole outside is covered with trailers. I have several clients who work there and tell me that all of the trailers are sold and waiting to be picked up. A couple years ago, they moved the enclosed trailer production to Emmetsburg to focus on the open trailers in Bancroft as they needed the production space.

Don't know anything about the one you looked at, but the concerns that others spoke about what be the ones to look at.