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Aluminum Vs Steel Trailer [Don’t Make Your Decision Before Reading This]

Tools By Alexandra / December, 22, 2024

The use of aluminum and steel nowadays is very common in appliances, devices, and equipment of every field whether it’s kitchen or automobiles. There is a constant battle between these two elements and people wonder which one they should prefer.

Further, we are going to discuss whether one should purchase a steel trailer or an aluminum trailer. 

While talking about aluminum Vs steel trailers, the main focus is always on how strong it is, as we know the main task is to bear the load and all the factors also depend on this only.

Steel Vs Aluminum Trailer

7 Major Differences To Consider [Aluminum Vs Steel Trailer]

We will differentiate these two based on their properties and now to have a clear vision about them read the full article.

Strength of the Trailer

While purchasing a trailer most people stress the strength, they choose the one with the most strength as the work of the trailer is to carry the loads which makes strength a very important property.

Aluminum is stronger than steel in structure, now you will think that I should purchase a trailer that has more aluminum in it but this is not true 100 percent aluminum is even less strong than steel, the percentage of aluminum in the trailer should be 85 percent while the remaining portion should have elements like copper, manganese, zinc, etc to have ideal strength.

A steel trailer is made of carbon, iron, and other elements, which also make it strong and tough.

So basically both types of trailers are strong but an aluminum trailer is more flexible and requires more power to bend.

Weight of the Trailer

So weight is one of the most important factors which you should consider while buying a trailer if we look at these both than aluminum trailers are 5-15 percent lighter than a steel one.

The lesser the weight of the trailer the less the workload will be on the engine of your truck, and the workload directly affects the fuel consumption rate- The more workload on the engine will decrease the fuel economy of your truck as it will start consuming more and more fuel.

Life of tires- If the weight of the trailer will be more than there would be more pressure on the tires of the truck as they will have to bear more weight, and because of this the tire will wear down more easily and their life will reduce.

So if you are looking for a trailer with less weight to save your money for buying fuel and tires more frequently then you should go for an aluminum trailer.

Longevity

If we talk about longevity then aluminum has good power to resist corrosion, yes there is another option of stainless steel which is very good in resisting corrosion also but on the other hand, it is heavier and costlier than an aluminum trailer. So purchasing an aluminum trailer will be smarter.

Purchasing Cost and Maintenance

An aluminum trailer generally costs more than a steel trailer, but the good side of an aluminum trailer is that it is less expensive to maintain in comparison to a steel trailer. So initially an aluminum trailer will cost more but in the long run, you will have to spend less money on it, now the choice is yours where you want to spend your money.

One thing to note is that if we look at the repairing cost, then repairing a steel trailer is not costlier while repairing an aluminum trailer will cost a good amount.

Environment Friendliness

If you are a person who loves the environment and do not want to contribute more and more in destroying it, then you would be happy to know that using aluminum instead of steel will reduce the emission of poisonous gases by approx 100 pounds. So now you know what to prefer.

Resale Value 

Most of the time when we do not need our appliance or things, we resale it to the other persons who are willing to purchase them and this is where resale value comes in the picture.

The resale value of an aluminum trailer is good while that of a steel trailer is not that much, so purchasing an aluminum trailer will give you good money while reselling it.

Warranty

Yes, how can we forget about the warranty, it is also an important thing to know before purchasing anything. The aluminum trailer companies offer a warranty for a longer period than steel trailer companies.

What are some best trailer manufacturing companies?

  1. Travis Body & Trailer, Inc.
  2. Timpte
  3. Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company.
  4. Travis Body & Trailer, Inc.
  5. XPO Logistics Trailer Manufacturing.
  6. Vanguard National Trailer Corp.
  7. Trail King Industries.
  8. Western Trailers

There are many more but these are the best ones in manufacturing trailers.

Can an aluminum trailer crack?

The aluminum trailers with good design and quality material will last longer without having but the maximum life of an aluminum trailer is 50 to 60 years and after that, they will start cracking.

What are the disadvantages of having an aluminum trailer?

Besides being better than a steel trailer in many properties, there are some negative points also about an aluminum trailer.

  • You have to pour acid on them after every 1 or 2 years to keep their exterior look good.
  • You have to regularly clean up their surface because of constant wear and tear as these can make the trailer look dull.
  • You have to lubricate their hinges properly for their proper functioning.

Conclusion

As it’s clearly seen whenever a buyer confuses between aluminum Vs steel trailer, they must keep above mention factors in mind and analyze their own requirements.

Purchasing an aluminum trailer is much more beneficial than purchasing a steel trailer therefore we can say without any doubt that an aluminum trailer is better than a steel trailer.