Aluminum Trailers

Aluminum designs can reduce empty trailer weight compared with a comparable steel trailer and offer corrosion resistance. Compare the actual empty weight, payload, construction and features of the models you're considering; aluminum still needs regular care and maintenance.

Yes. A lighter aluminum trailer can help your truck use less fuel than a comparable, heavier steel trailer carrying the same load. That can add up if you haul often. Actual MPG savings depend on your truck, cargo, speed, terrain and trailer design, so there isn't one guaranteed mileage increase.

Timpte uses mechanical fasteners to join aluminum components without the heat involved in structural welding. Its grain trailers use rivets, while its aluminum equipment trailers use a bolt-together frame with mechanically fastened joints. That avoids weld-related heat-affected areas and makes joints accessible for inspection and service. Timpte brings decades of grain-hauling experience to these designs: it launched the Super Hopper in 1980 and focused exclusively on aluminum grain trailers in 1988.

W-W's All Alum is an aluminum bumper-pull horse and stock combo trailer. Its standard design is 16 feet long, with 6- or 7-foot width options and 6 feet 6 inches of inside height. Confirm the current build, animal space, partitions and availability with J4 before choosing your trailer.

A shallow loading approach can help with cars that have limited ground clearance. Fit still depends on the car's wheelbase, overhangs, clearance and the trailer's loading geometry. Confirm the exact model's approach angle and deck dimensions, and follow its loading and tie-down instructions.

Use the trailer's rated GVWR and actual empty weight to determine payload, allowing for installed accessories and everything you carry. Aluminum construction alone doesn't establish capacity. Check the trailer, axles, tires, hitch and tow vehicle ratings before loading.

Match the tow vehicle to the trailer's fully loaded weight, tongue or pin weight, hitch type and braking requirements. Check the vehicle manufacturer's towing and payload ratings. A lighter trailer doesn't automatically mean a small vehicle can tow it.

Aluminum doesn't develop the reddish rust that affects steel. It forms a natural protective oxide layer, helping it resist corrosion and avoid much of the rust-related deterioration and repainting associated with steel trailers. With proper care, an aluminum trailer can keep its appearance for years. It still needs cleaning and inspections, and steel components such as axles, couplers and fasteners can rust.