What’s best for me, a Steel or Aluminum Horse Trailer?
I thought it would be suitable to start this blog off with one of the most hotly debated topics in the industry today. Currently there are three general choices when it comes to material of your horse trailer: aluminum, steel, or a steel frame with aluminum skin. Since Featherlite’s first all aluminum gooseneck in 1973, the debate has been raging back and forth about the advantages and disadvantages of either material. I won’t pretend to be able to put an end to this debate here today, but I am hoping you’ll leave today’s post with a more comprehensive view of the subject.
Aluminum
Aluminum, though it is the most abundant metal in our planet’s crust and the third most abundant element on the planet overall, is highly reactive and must usually be separated from other metals. The most common ore to obtain aluminum from is bauxite, and yes that is why the Arkansas town is named as such. Being relatively difficult to produce and work with, aluminum will typically be more expensive than steel.
Aluminum is highly resistant to corrosion, and as a non ferrous material cannot rust. Aluminum can, however, produce a galvanic response with steel called electrolysis, and cause the steel to corrode much more quickly than it would on its own. The steel types used in horse trailers with aluminum skins, such as galvanized steel, are generally extremely close on the electro-potential series, making electrolysis an unlikely problem.
Known problems with aluminum are numerous, though some have become irrelevant in modern times. Aluminum was thought to be extremely difficult or even impossible to weld years ago while today that’s just not true. It does take different training from steel welding, and may still take more skill, but it’s certainly possible. Aluminum welds do still break more than steel welds, but the difference is not as dramatic as it once was. Most aluminum alloys have high variance in fatigue strength due not only to the other materials in the alloy but also to the production quality of the alloy. Even with proper production and heat treatments, however, aluminum fatigue strengths are considered too low for infinite use. Even so, an aluminum horse trailer should still last many years.
Steel
Steel is a strong and easily obtainable alloy that humans have been producing for centuries. It is by definition is a ferrous material alloyed usually with carbon but can also be alloyed with tungsten, manganese, nickel, or chromium, among other elements. Carbon steel, which is by far the most commonly used, consists of on average of between 0.2% to 2% carbon. The higher the carbon content is the harder the steel can be but it will also be less ductile.
Steel tends to hold up better against damage when compared to aluminum, whether it is from your unruly horse kicking the walls and panels or your irresponsible friend backing into the post by your roping pen. Welds don’t break easy and the walls and panels will bend before they’ll break, saving your horse from some possibly painful laceration injuries. In addition to saving the rare veterinarian bill for your horse, your wallet might thank you for the price of your trailer overall.
The downsides of using a steel trailer are well known but I will give a quick rundown of the major issues. Steel can rust, and it has to be well maintained to avoid this cancer of ferrous alloys. A good paintjob can help ensure a lasting life on a steel trailer. Steel is also extremely heavy, but given that many all aluminum trailers are just as heavy (and sometimes even heavier) this often isn’t even a problem.
Conclusion
Which horse trailer is better? Well, steel and aluminum manufacturers are abundant and if there weren’t many positive and negative aspects to each, I am sure there would only be one material used. For all intensive purposes, a two horse bumper pull trailer can be any material in my opinion, but keep in mind that most of the high end manufacturers are producing all aluminum trailers these days, so if you’re in the market for something very nice expect it to be aluminum.