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| Kinda curious, been just casually thinking about upgrading and getting a bigger stock trailer. The aluminum ones sure are spendy, but in the end are probably worth it I think. Although, for the most part we do pressure wash everytime we use our current one, so buying a new one rust probably wouldn't be a huge issue. I could also have the bottom and bottom of sides sprayed with a linex type product. Or just pony up and get the alum?
Who makes the best ones? I'm familiar with featherlight and wilson. Featherlight has a huge following in this area but I'm not completely sold on them, seem cheap and the welds scare me. My neighbor who helps haul cattle for me has a wilson and that looks like the cats meow, really impressed with it and is a sharp well built looking trailer.
That being said, I've never owned one of those fancy suckers, and am not using one multiple times a week so I don't know, that's why I am asking you? For now, I got my trusty rusty piece of scrap metal, LOL. |
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| There are many Wilson's around here. I have one and I whole-heartedly agree w/ your neighbor. |
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| We use hillsboros and really like them, I also have a kiefer that has been a piece of junk since the day we bought it. All of them are alluimiun |
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WY, OK | Pretty regional, Titan is what we use, I know older Donahues were good but not sure about now. |
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Driftless SW Wisconsin | Corn Pro for an economical but very well made steel trailer. Good for folks that don't use it every week. Jim |
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| Dad's last 3 have been Wilson's, really nice trailers and tough as well. He had 3 or 4 featherlite's, they were good trailers as well. We had a cow catch the center gate latch a couple different times and break it and they were a little higher off the ground. |
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N E Illinois | I have an Alumiline. Built well. Had it 4 years. It is about 15 years old. Very little use before me. Wilson appears to be made very well also. Never heard a comments otherwise. |
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North West Missouri | Ive had a Barrett for 10 years. Been a good one. Lots of them in this area. |
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Buffalo IL | I would recommend an aluminum trailer. The steel trailers will still rust even if cleaned and kept in a shed. They lap the metal and leave areas that are uncoated to prevent rust. One trip with salt on the road and it's done for. I've got a 97 boss that is rusting bad and needs to go to the shop or do it myself. The most profitable thing for me would be to never buy another trailer and sell the 3/4 ton trucks and get a 1/2 ton truck that gets 20 mpg. A 7gal improvement x 25000 miles = 3571.42 gal less fuel x $3.50/gal= $12499.97/year less cost. I think I could pay someone to haul my cattle for less and most people that buy my calves can load them at the farm. Before I do that I need to get a lowboy for the semi to haul hay. |
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Eastern North Carolina | Wilson or Eby, I rather have the Eby... http://www.mheby.com/livestock/
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SW Iowa, Clarinda | I like my alum Wrangler by Eby. Otherwise I would want a Wilson.
Ben in SW Iowa |
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Farmington IL | We bought a new wilson two years ago and are totally happy. A friend has one that is a few years old and has hauled alot of cattle with it. When were were hauling cattle together this fall I had trouble telling them apart as it looks like new still, inside and out. Well built for the long haul. Dont buy steel a steel trailer and I would give Wilson a good rating. |
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central mn | Just got a Platinum this month. Is well built, it was on alot beside an exiss and a wilson and I picked the Platinum, because the it was heavier built than the exiss and the smooth sides pull easier than the wilson my freinds have, plus it doesn't rattle like the wilson as it is welded and not riveted. Have a local cattle hauler who has both a platinum and a wilson and the platinum is always hooked behind his truck now and wilson sits. He says the platinum pulls better and is easier to clean. I've only had one load in it, but am very happy with it so far. Pulls very easy and when its empty I forget its back there! |
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Baldwin City, KS | I noticed that about our 17 yr old Wilson grain trailer. If it weren't for the wheels needing some paint, you can't hardly see much age show up. |
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eastern ontario | Our wilson is welded and we love it so I would vote for it. Seen lots of other aluminums falling a part |
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South West MN | il cow man your math is off 25000/20 mpg=1250 galx$3.50= $4375
25000/13 mpg=1923 gal x $3.50=$6730 for a cost difference of $2355 |
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| IL cow man - 12/27/2012 05:01 The most profitable thing for me would be to never buy another trailer and sell the 3/4 ton trucks and get a 1/2 ton truck that gets 20 mpg. Before I do that I need to get a lowboy for the semi to haul hay. Get rid of the 3/4 ton and hook the trailer to the semi. |
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Saronville NE | I always love those answers, how good is a semi, with no weight over its back axle, going to start out in the snow or ice in winter? How good is it going to be going in and out of ditches in a pasture in the summer? Starting on a wet surface like mud or wet grass? I put that SA truck and FB under our 31ft hay trailer, I will agree it handles trailer better, but absolutely sucks getting around in anything less then perfect conditions. A 4wd pu is still too much of a must IMO, in alot of our conditions. |
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| I bought an Eby Wrangler this spring and am very happy with it. Also looked at the Wilson Stampede at the same time and would have bought it if it wasn't $2000 higher. I liked the riveted construction and the Wilson hinges and gate latches looked a little nicer but I haven't had a thing to complain about with the Eby. Eby uses a harder (better?) grade of aluminim than Wilson but the softer aluminum on the Wilson has a nicer shine. On a 20 ft gooseneck the aluminum trailer is 2000 pounds lighter than the steel trailer it replaced. The aluminum trailer was expensive but it should be the last livestock trailer I ever have to buy. My steel trailer was on it's second paint job and was due for a third if I'd kept it around.
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Mankato MN; Casa Grande AZ | My 7 X 24 Kiefer steel trailer rusted from the underside and the floor fell out!
We were loading hogs and the angle iron stringers underneath let loose from roadsalt rust. I'm glad I was in the yard, and not going down the highway 50 mph!
They were only welded on one side of the angle iron and they pulled loose next to the weld.
I jacked it up and rewelded it (on both sides), but the floor is shot.
I replaced it with a 7 X 24 EBY Maverick, and couldn't be happier! I looked at the Wilson, but liked many of the Eby features better. The Featherlight looks too light for me. |
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| I like you on getting around with a semi in less than ideal conditions. I like my one ton flatbed with 4 wheel drive and if you start spinning just engaged the 4 wheel drive and usually you just go on. With a 3/3 or one ton you are below the radar with DOT officers here in Tennessee. It would be nice to have a single axle semi tractor to pull flatbed gooseneck trailer when hauling hay to save some wear and tear on the one ton. I like Gooseneck brand stock trailers, but for winter hauling the enclosed aluminum trailer would be nice. |
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Mankato MN; Casa Grande AZ | I don't like the little punched holes in the Wilson, I couldn't get my farmer arms through the holes to latch/unlatch the side door behind me, and slamming the divider gate shut from outside.
I also like the EBY trailerlength 6" air slots for slapping the hogs from the outside when unloading.
They are also easy to winterize, just slide the corrigated plastic strips in. |
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Buffalo IL | That's what I'm thinking or get a single axle semi and a small hopper and sell tandem. I would want one with air ride suspension. |
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Buffalo IL | I thought I did the math wrong after I went to do chores. |
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| I've got a 24' Titan steel trailer, 6 years old, and no signs of rust. The problem with aluminum is half the weight and twice the price. I paid $8,000 for it, and last year I was at a sale that had the identical trailer and it brought $8,200, so they hold their value very well. |
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| We manage to get trucks around the yard in less than ideal conditions all the time. If we need help getting it moving we'll either push it or pull it. For our short hauling tire chains are a real possibility. You can also unhook the gooseneck trailer from the truck and use a ball on a tractor 3pt to move it around if it comes to that. If you load out of a muddy pasture a lot then maybe it doesn't make sense but there are a lot of 3/4-1 ton pickups pulling trailers that never go off roading. Unless you're talking about a big trailer it also isn't out of the question to hook the trailer to a half ton pickup for occassional light use. Just use a little common sense.
Edited by Kooiker 12/27/2012 10:02
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Fairbury, NE (Southeast) | 1/2 ton will never get that kind of mileage unless on a level road at 55 mph.
Can't really argue with wilson trailers. Most pots around are wilsons and they obviously hold up.
We've got a 2006 Travelong steel with the smooth outsides, rumber floor and kevlar top for light. Have been very happy with it. If it had aluminum wheels there would be very little rust on the trailer. We don't run a whole lot in the winter though, the cows get moved around on the gravel, and don't haul calves til the spring. Hopefully the next trailer we have will be a aluminum.
Edited by dt4020 12/28/2012 17:35
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No Mans Land , Cimarron co. OK. | wilson and easley |
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| wilson |
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Denhoff,ND right in the center of the State | I really like my Wilson stock trailer, it has the same great construction as my big cattle pot, and that has stood up very well for me in my trucking operation. Terry |
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| I think Wilson owns the market on cattle pots. I have nothing but great things to say about my Wilson stock trailer. Had it three years now an love it. I always thought Wilson trailers were in a class by themselves. People never hesitate to buy a nice new pickup but wont spend the extra dollars on a stock trai;er. I consider that one off the most important things on the farm. Dont even consider a steel trailer get an aliuminum an be done with it. Right now I could sell my three year old trailer right now an get my money back. Never do that with a steel one. Pull a aluminum around one day an you wont even think about a steel one. So much lighter an easier on a pickup. Whats that worth. A lot. Easier on brakes an tires big dollar items. Better fuel mileage to. Fuel isnt cheap. Had the bad experience off helping a neighbor whos trailer had the axle break in the midle off a busy highway. Off course it was 0 an the wind was blowing an had to back up an load his cattle while traffic was wizzing by at 60 mph. Lucky nobody got killed in the deal. His trailer was pretty old about 20 years old. The manure had rusted where the axle connected with the drum. Something all trailers will do in time. I will probably sell my trailer in a couple off years an get another new one to avoid that. One break down like the neighbor teaches you that.
Edited by farmdude 12/28/2012 04:24
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| I had a brand new axle break off spindle out of tube. Faulty weld on tube, it was a 7,000 lb. axle. I just welded it back in, then had axle alignment done on it. It was out of the axle warranty time frame. I was turning away from loading chute when it fell out of axle tube. So it didn't damage anything when it came out other than brake wires. This was on a Slipper spring set up on a steel trailer, never had a problem with torsion axles. |
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SwMo on Ks line | Aluminum gets my vote,we run two and would not go back to steel. |
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Best Stock Trailers???
