7x14' Aluminum Dump Trailer

[JNyz]

Which direction would you go and why?

7x14' steel
Unlaiden weight 3,650 lbs
GVW 14,000
Cost $7,000.00

7x14' aluminum
Unlaiden weight 1,450 lbs
GVW 14,000
Cost $11,000.00

[StihlBR600]

Steel all the way. The aluminum one will break and dent super easy

[JNyz]

I am not sure I understand how if will break? Could you explain?

[knox gsl]

I would like to know how often 2200lbs will make or break your day? Steel will take many more years of abuse without cracking. Aluminum tends to crack near welded joints and high stress areas.

[JNyz]

I personally i think 2200lbs is a lot of weight with diesel fuel being $4.00 a gallon. There will be no resale value with a steel trailer after 10 years. Almost every tri axle and 18 wheeler dump i see has an aluminum body, so I don't think it will "break" like the above posted stated. They do give a 10 year warranty. The ones I see look new after 5-6 years. Steel trailers look like rust buckets.

[Dually00-00]

If your concerned about the aluminum body getting dented from the material your hauling you could always have polymer liner placed in it . Not sure how it would break either. What I can say is that tandem and tri axles use aluminum dump bodies all the time not only to haul rock salt but gravel and other stone aggregates.

[knox gsl]

Originally Posted by JNyz

I personally i think 2200lbs is a lot of weight with diesel fuel being $4.00 a gallon. There will be no resale value with a steel trailer after 10 years. Almost every tri axle and 18 wheeler dump i see has an aluminum body, so I don't think it will "break" like the above posted stated. They do give a 10 year warranty. The ones I see look new after 5-6 years. Steel trailers look like rust buckets.

The 1 ton of weight will make very little difference in fuel cost, but the aluminum will crack. I've pulled enough Benson and Raven flatbeds to tell you sooner or later it will happen. The reason the trucking companies run them is to get more payload in them as required by the customer.

[knox gsl]

Originally Posted by StihlBR600

Steel all the way. The aluminum one will break and dent super easy

Look in his equipment list, maybe he knows what's up with them.

[Dually00-00]

My aluminum gooseneck trailer is twenty years old and not a single crack,break or dent on it. Im sure that there are some crap aluminum and steel trailers, buyer beware.

[StihlBR600]

Originally Posted by knox gsl

Look in his equipment list, maybe he knows what's up with them.

Thank you! At least someone gave me some credit. Aluminum is softer than steel theres no way around it. If your hauling rock and stone it will warp and dent a lot easier than a steel. Also if your aluminum dump ever does break your not going to be able to weld it as easily as a steel dump. Trust me i know! Unless you have a TIG welder (like i do for my aluminum trailer) your going to have to call someone out that specializes in aluminum welding.