# Steel or Aluminum cattle trailer?



## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

A question for all the cattle guys on here. what kind of stock trailer do you prefer? Steel or Aluminum? Right now I have an 05 32' gooseneck Titan steel trailer. I generally only pressure wash it out once a year and its beginning to show some pretty bad rust. Most of the rust I believe is from the salt on the highways that the guy who owned it before me pulled it on. Most of my hauling is on gravel roads. Some of the people that I've talked to about aluminum trailers claim they don't take gravel very well and seem to crack up if hauling into pastures. Some claim steel flexes better and doesn't crack up like an aluminum will. Just wanted to get everyones opinion on here if they'd rather buy an aluminum or a steel trailer and reasons why? I haven't been to impressed with the quality of the paint on the Titan trailers as mine is rusting and my neighbor who just bought a new 36' Titan had some issues with the paint already flaking off before he even hauled any cattle in it. He plans to bedliner his basically from the bottom up about 3 feet.

I know my trailer has a lot of life left in it but I'm gonna sell or trade it this fall and get a new one before its rusted out.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Same debate with hopper bottom trailers.

Steel is cheaper and rusts out but anybody with even a 110 volt wire welder can repair them.

Aluminum isn't rust proof but is far more resistant to corrosion than steel but is prone to cracking and takes a more experienced welder with either a spool gun or a tig machine to repair.

We went with a new aluminum hopper bottom from Integrity, manufactured in Fort Wayne Indiana. Tractor and trailer combined weighs roughly a 1000 lbs more than our largest tandem grain truck but can haul almost double.

Don't have a lot of experience with cattle trailers and I imagine it's hard to actually overload them but a aluminum will be much lighter than a steel trailer. Also if possible get a trailer that is riveted together instead of solid welded. The rivets allow for more flex which reduces cracking, if the rivets ever get loose a competent truck/trailer shop can enlarge the holes and install new rivets. Another big help with aluminum, slow down when entering or exiting a drive, slower you go the more time thing have to flex instead of getting in a bind from a sudden twist.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Steel all the way


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

Everything he said! Today's steel isn't like it used to be though. We used to have a featherlight that had to have the cracks welded up every year. Depends on how you use it and your truck size. I have a 7x24 steel. Heavy as hell, but I can fix it myself and I pull it with a diesel, so I'm not lacking in the power department. Yeah, may use a little more fuel because of the added weight. Not 7-10K worth though in the difference of price vs an aluminum though.


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

As said, depends how your using it. A lot of highway miles and a daily runner i would go aluminum. Short halls used just every once and a while go steel. Over time I think the weight savings will add up in fuel savings. Short halls used once a week, you will never make up the savings of paying for aluminum. Another factor is where are you? If your in snow country and or plan on salt, then think aluminum. I have steel trailers and one season in the winter and the rust sets in.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

I agree mostly, but I don't think the steel pulls that much harder with a diesel. I could be wrong. Now with a gas? My old Gmc 6.0 gas was junk. Dropped a gear going up hill, empty....with my diesel, I set the cruise on 75 and she doesn't know she's even hitched


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## crashncowgirl (Jun 25, 2012)

DON'T KNOW ABOUT CRACKS BUT I READ A TEST BETWEEN STEEL AND ALUMINIUM STOCK TRAILERS A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE STEEL TRAILERS GOT BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN THE ALUMINIUM ONES. AND BY MORE THAN YOU WOULD THINK. FOR THE DIFFERANCE IN PRICE YOU CAN USUALLY BUY 2 STEEL FOR THE PRICE OF ONE AUMINIUM. ALL THAT CATTLE WASTE IS QUITE COROSIVE. TRY WASHING IT MORE FREQUENTLY [I KNOW ANOTHER THING TO FIND TIME FOR].


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

crashncowgirl said:


> DON'T KNOW ABOUT CRACKS BUT I READ A TEST BETWEEN STEEL AND ALUMINIUM STOCK TRAILERS A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE STEEL TRAILERS GOT BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN THE ALUMINIUM ONES. AND BY MORE THAN YOU WOULD THINK. FOR THE DIFFERANCE IN PRICE YOU CAN USUALLY BUY 2 STEEL FOR THE PRICE OF ONE AUMINIUM. ALL THAT CATTLE WASTE IS QUITE COROSIVE. TRY WASHING IT MORE FREQUENTLY [I KNOW ANOTHER THING TO FIND TIME FOR].


Better milage with a steel trailer.That's BS.So if you read it on the internet it must be true?

Aluminum trailers are about 50% more then steel,not double.

Resale is excellent for aluminum trailers here.

The one thing I don't like about aluminum is that they are noisier.When hooves hit the floor it is noisy and tends to spook the cattle.

I used to run Kiefer steel trailers.I could trade reasonable at about 5 yrs old.The last one I could hardly give it away so I went to Aluminum and plan on keeping it longer.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

You see more Aluminum trailers around here (horse country). I have a Co-Hann Performance Steel 6x16 stock trailer. It is built good and I can tell when I am pulling it even empty. It was a 2011 and used very little and I got a good deal. I was supprised at the quality of workmanship in it. I would love to have an Aluminum but price wise is out of the question ... even used. I just need to find some mats for it.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

swmnhay said:


> Better milage with a steel trailer.That's BS.So if you read it on the internet it must be true?
> 
> Aluminum trailers are about 50% more then steel,not double.
> 
> ...


Same thing we've found with aluminum hopper bottoms, they last longer for the most part in the salt and resale is much better.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I have a 7x30 Exiss that's prob. 12 yrs. old. Have not had to weld a thing on it. Still holding up and will probably be my last livestock trailer. Marty, how long have you had your Integrety HB trailer. I was looking at them a couple weeks ago, and the price looked right. How is the construction? Mike


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

Yeah, I do think those test results are wrong as well. Aluminum may be better, by a long shot? That I don't know. Not everyone has the cash to shell out for them either. If u take care of them, the steel will last a while too. Both have their plus and minus


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