Enclosed Trailer – Steel Frame versus Aluminum

Tossing around the idea of getting an enclosed trailer. It would be used year round, Spring thru fall for occasional use, winter would be for hauling the ATV for ice fishing (or a future SxS) on most weekends.

The price difference is substantial. Just curious, what are people’s opinions? I had a small utility trailer that was steel, got about 10yrs out of it, currently have a 8ft by 14ft aluminum atv trailer, but its big and heavy to try and move by hand, plus having to have a trailerable cover for the atv is a pain as they only last about 2 seasons

If you have the money and plan on keeping the trailer aluminum is nice.

I understand that. Looking at it from a different angle, most trucks are made of steel (F150s have aluminum body starting in 2015 but still have steel frames) and I havent heard of major failures.

Short of surface rust on an enclosed trailer what is the advantage of aluminum? Has anyone seen a steel frame enclosed trailer fail? Im not talking about the wiring for the lights at by any means, every trailer I have seen (utility, enclosed, boat) all have the cheapest possible method for light wiring.

If you plan on keeping it for many years and use in the winter then aluminum. Also if you plan on getting a sxs in the future remember your going to need at least a 7’ wide one and extra height and then you might as well get a tandem axle. By the time you get one big enough for a sxs it won’t be any lighter than the aluminum trailer you have now.

You say the aluminum trailer you have now is too heavy to move around by hand… your not gonna be moving any steel enclosed trailer around by hand big enough for your needs. I had a small 6×12 steel enclosed trailer and that was too heavy to move by hand

A big difference between a steel trailer and a truck is that you can take the truck through a car wash. A trailer not so much. I’ve had steel galvanized snowmobile trailers and have had friends with steel frame enclosed trailers. They rust no matter how well taken care of. I’ve had suspension failures due to rust and friends have had frame rust through. If you plan on using it a lot, especially in the winter, I’d strongly consider aluminum.

The question is this: How much would it bother you if the frame of your enclosed trailer eventually started showing some rust discoloration and surface rust?

If seeing that would drive you crazy, then go aluminum.

Personally, I don’t care what my utility trailer looks like as long as it’s mechanically sound and hauls what I need it to haul. I have better things to do with my money than spend it on trailer undercarriages that nobody but me will ever give a second glance.

Also, the place on most steel framed trailers where rust is most visible is the tongue. If you took the time to coat the tongue with truck bedliner when the trailer was new, I think that would go a long ways toward keeping it looking new with shelling out for aluminum.

Grouse

bigstorm wrote:

Tossing around the idea of getting an enclosed trailer.

The price difference is substantial. Just curious, what are people’s opinions? I had a small utility trailer that was steel, got about 10yrs out of it, currently have a 8ft by 14ft aluminum atv trailer, but its big and heavy to try and move by hand, plus having to have a trailerable cover for the atv is a pain as they only last about 2 seasons

Storm I have a 7×14 aluminum utility SA that I can roll around on semi level gravel when empty. Why is yours so heavy?

If it was me I would go aluminum if using it much during salt season. JMO.

Thanks for all of the input, not sure which way I will go if I end up getting more serious about getting an enclosed trailer

Bigstorm, I work at a trailer dealership and the durability/popularity of aluminum is so strong along with a narrow price difference, we don’t stock steel frame enclosed trailers anymore, also if you buy one large enough to haul a SxS in that is steel it will be a mouth full for a 1/2 truck (if you have a 1/2 ton) otherwise it doesn’t matter much.
**if you buy one to haul a SxS in make sure to get a sloped v-nose, makes it pull way easier**

Jgross – I’m in the same hunt as Storm. Looking for an enclosed trailer but I know it will be aluminum and V-nose.

Do you know what dimension trailer most guys are buying for hauling a full size SxS?

PM me the dealership name you work for and I can see what they have in stock. Maybe shoot some business their way too.