Horton Trailers?

[Junior M]

Whats your experience with them?

I am posting here so every Tom, Dick and Harry doesnt post in my thread about his 7x14 being the best trailer he's ever had.

I am looking at a 20+4 deckover gooseneck to replace my deckover tag.

[ksss]

Whats your experience with them?

I am posting here so every Tom, Dick and Harry doesnt post in my thread about his 7x14 being the best trailer he's ever had.

I am looking at a 20+4 deckover gooseneck to replace my deckover tag.

Never heard of them, must be a East Coast thing. I am telling you Jr. get a Towmaster. Look at it as an investment. You can keep these trailers 10 years and still get half your money back, sometimes more depending on the trailer.

[Gravel Rat]

Is this a tandem singles or tandem duals ?

I looked at the spec's I would ask what is the crossmember size is it channel or mini I beam. I don't like the fact that they have a 16 inch crossmember spacing. Skid steers and mini excavators have concentrated weight. I would like to see 12 inch on center spacing. They are using cheaper pine decking its not that strong.

Also what is the price of these trailers ?

[Junior M]

Never heard of them, must be a East Coast thing. I am telling you Jr. get a Towmaster. Look at it as an investment. You can keep these trailers 10 years and still get half your money back, sometimes more depending on the trailer.
I would love to get a towmaster, but if everything goes well I'll be selling the tag for close to what I bought it for and I can get this left over GN for a couple hundred more than what I sold the tag for.

Dont really have the money to get a Towmaster like I'd really like without getting a loan that I dont wanna get..

[Junior M]

Is this a tandem singles or tandem duals ?

I looked at the spec's I would ask what is the crossmember size is it channel or mini I beam. I don't like the fact that they have a 16 inch crossmember spacing. Skid steers and mini excavators have concentrated weight. I would like to see 12 inch on center spacing. They are using cheaper pine decking its not that strong.

Also what is the price of these trailers ?
Its a tandem 7k axles. Most trailers I've looked at around here were 16 on center. Course I havent looked at Towmaster upclose.

I dont see a problem with pine, thats also very common. Sure, I'd like to have rough sawn oak but pine will work until the boards are done for.

I dont wanna share what I could get the left over for, but for a new 20ft flat deckover with 4ft of dovetail with tandem 7k axles, they go for around $5,300 before tax.

Its shorter than I'd like but a 24ft with 4ft of dovetail is about $1,200 more than what I'd like to spend on this brand of trailer..

[Junior M]

http://hortontrailers.net/Heavyequip.html

Shane, here is a link..


I didnt mean to sound like I had already made up my mind, but all those things GR put down are already on my current trailer? ;) I am just curious of yalls opinion..

[Gravel Rat]

If your hauling a tracked skid steer or a mini excavator you should be okay.

With a trailer that has 16 inch crossmember spacing you have a wheeled skid steer and the tire is sitting bettween the crossmembers the wood is supporting the weight.

You have to also keep in mind you can have 16 inch spacing on each trailer and one trailer has a lighter steel crossmember.

When the machine is chained to the trailer it is twisting the deck of the trailer.

I did check their customize section so they do offer 12 inch on center spacing.

Looked up the steel specs on the I beam they use man it is thin steel you would have to watch out for rust. I guess it is to keep it light weight but if you live in a area that has road salt you could have the structural part of the trailer to rust through.

I would keep in mind your not buying a heavy duty trailer.

[ksss]

If your hauling a tracked skid steer or a mini excavator you should be okay.

With a trailer that has 16 inch crossmember spacing you have a wheeled skid steer and the tire is sitting bettween the crossmembers the wood is supporting the weight.

You have to also keep in mind you can have 16 inch spacing on each trailer and one trailer has a lighter steel crossmember.

When the machine is chained to the trailer it is twisting the deck of the trailer.

I did check their customize section so they do offer 12 inch on center spacing.

Looked up the steel specs on the I beam they use man it is thin steel you would have to watch out for rust. I guess it is to keep it light weight but if you live in a area that has road salt you could have the structural part of the trailer to rust through.

I would keep in mind your not buying a heavy duty trailer.



GR makes a couple good points.

I see they use Dexter axles, I think that is about as good as it gets. It looks like a well built trailer.

I realize money is an issue but also consider where you plan to be 5-8 years from now. Hard to do at your age, I know. However trailers tend to be one of those things you keep. I would at least try and get a heavier trailer so that you can grow bigger and get bigger equipment without having to endure the added expense of upgrading your trailer again. If you have two 7K axles and you subtract the weight of the trailer which is substantial on a gooseneck, what you have left is what you can carry (the weight that is carried at the hitch point goes to the gross combined weight and not on the trailer so its not quite as bad as it first appears), That is not going to give you a lot of options as your business grows. Something to think about.

As far as the trailer, if they have a good reputation from owners I would say the price is good it sounds like. Again just make sure you buy enough trailer so you do have to buy again.

[jefftb]

GR makes a couple good points.

I see they use Dexter axles, I think that is about as good as it gets. It looks like a well built trailer.
If you have two 7K axles and you subtract the weight of the trailer which is substantial on a gooseneck, what you have left is what you can carry (the weight that is carried at the hitch point goes to the gross combined weight and not on the trailer so its not quite as bad as it first appears), That is not going to give you a lot of options as your business grows. Something to think about.


This is very, very true. Most trailer manufacturer's quote a 14K trailer but you need to look at the actual GVWR on the trailer. Many of those less expensive 14K trailers are GVWR'd at 14K, after you subtract the trailer weight you get the actual load. Many GN's in this category weigh between 4,500lbs and 5300 lbs. That means a 14K trailer can only legally handle the 14,000-4,500lbs trailer weight. Severly limiting your load capability.

There are a few trailer MFR's that spec their trailer at the actual load rate, i.e. the trailer is listed as 14K rated (meaning it will really carry a 14K load) with the true GVWR weight being higher to allow the 14K load rating. Be aware though, this drives the GCVWR higher and may push you beyond the vaunted 26,000 lbs non-commercial license class rating.

[mudmaker]

I realize money is an issue but also consider where you plan to be 5-8 years from now. Hard to do at your age, I know. However trailers tend to be one of those things you keep. I would at least try and get a heavier trailer so that you can grow bigger and get bigger equipment without having to endure the added expense of upgrading your trailer again.

That is the advice I wish I had been given when I was buying a trailer years ago. I have a 28' 14k GN that I constantly wish I had spent the extra for the 24k gvw trailer.

[Junior M]

If your hauling a tracked skid steer or a mini excavator you should be okay.

With a trailer that has 16 inch crossmember spacing you have a wheeled skid steer and the tire is sitting bettween the crossmembers the wood is supporting the weight.

You have to also keep in mind you can have 16 inch spacing on each trailer and one trailer has a lighter steel crossmember.

When the machine is chained to the trailer it is twisting the deck of the trailer.

I did check their customize section so they do offer 12 inch on center spacing.

Looked up the steel specs on the I beam they use man it is thin steel you would have to watch out for rust. I guess it is to keep it light weight but if you live in a area that has road salt you could have the structural part of the trailer to rust through.

I would keep in mind your not buying a heavy duty trailer.

I am in the south GR, people here dont know what road salt is..

if anything rusts, its from the paint cracking and peeling where the sun gets to it.

GR, I understand the boards are taking most of the weight, but the crossmembers would be taking the weight, wouldnt they? :confused:
GR makes a couple good points.

I see they use Dexter axles, I think that is about as good as it gets. It looks like a well built trailer.

I realize money is an issue but also consider where you plan to be 5-8 years from now. Hard to do at your age, I know. However trailers tend to be one of those things you keep. I would at least try and get a heavier trailer so that you can grow bigger and get bigger equipment without having to endure the added expense of upgrading your trailer again. If you have two 7K axles and you subtract the weight of the trailer which is substantial on a gooseneck, what you have left is what you can carry (the weight that is carried at the hitch point goes to the gross combined weight and not on the trailer so its not quite as bad as it first appears), That is not going to give you a lot of options as your business grows. Something to think about.

As far as the trailer, if they have a good reputation from owners I would say the price is good it sounds like. Again just make sure you buy enough trailer so you do have to buy again.

I know how to figure how much they'll haul.

Even now I am on the brink or have out grown this trailer. I was going to have the salesman write up a quote for a 10ton, but after he told me the price for a new 24ft+4ft tandem 7k, I'll stay with this. Just dont have the capital to pull that off right now.

As far as what I think, I am happy with it, it doesnt appear near as heavy as my PJ frame wise, but everything else looks heavier.

The excavation company I work for uses nothing but hortons and their only real complaints was the cheap paint. I would still like a PJ or Corn pro.

And if I hit the freakin lottery a Towmaster!

(I wanted look at a PJ but the dealership I got mine from closed so the closest dealership is 97miles from here, the next is up around Chris.. I am going to give them a call and see what they've got..)