Wood Vs Steel Open Trailer

[rherold9]

Learns me the ways of the trailer game, great hate.

From what I have found online:

Wood Pros: is lighter = better gas mileage, no slip like you can with steel, multi-use (cars, moving shit, etc..) more than steel because of the no slip, and easily replace plank of wood.

Wood Cons: Wood goes bad if sitting out in the sun within two years even if UV coated?

Steel Pros: steel lasts a bit longer as long as it stays painted or coated?

Steel Cons: heavier and a bit more expensive to replace rusted

What else am I missing here? Or what are your experiences between wood/steel towing? What your likes about steel vs wood? Or gripes?

[*insertusernamehere*]

Let me go start the popcorn

I think aluminum gives you the benefit of everything. Buy right buy once.

[JPolen01]

Do you have a truck yet? Have you considered a lightweight aluminum trailer?

[rherold9]

Of course, already knew the aluminum was going to come out. Let me go get my $6k outta the bank and buy a nice aluminum one for my first trailer ever..... not even going to respond to any more aluminum trailer comments. I'd rather pick up an enclosed at that point.

And no I do not have a truck yet. Looking at doing both in August/July. Just preparing to look at the costs so I can see what I'm looking at here.

[CaptainHenreh]

No truck, no need for a trailer...don't have 6 grand.

Man, just, I'll just be over here.

[JPolen01]

Had to throw it out there. You gave no info on budget so you brought that on yourself.

[rherold9]

I'll be over here waiting for an actual good response that isn't trolling:



Let me know when ya'll will buy an aluminum open trailer. Oh wait none of you would or have because it is pretty stupid... I have enough to afford one but that's just asinine. There are better things like putting a bit for a down payment on a truck then buying the average used trailer with the rest...

[.RJ]

Both will be fine. Find the nicest, closest trailer for sale in your budget and dont sweat it.

[rherold9]

Both will be fine. Find the nicest, closest trailer for sale in your budget and dont sweat it.

It's a Christmas miracle. This was the plan for sure that I had in mind. Just wondering if I had the choice what would be better? There are several in $2k range both steel/wood that look nice.

[*insertusernamehere*]

Both will be fine. Find the nicest, closest trailer for sale in your budget and dont sweat it.

It's a Christmas miracle. This was the plan for sure that I had in mind. Just wondering if I had the choice what would be better? There are several in $2k range both steel/wood that look nice.

Dude seriously just choose one lol.

[SlimKlim]

Wood definitely won't go bad in 2 years, parents have a 15+ year old low-boy with a wood deck that is still fine, just not as pretty as it once was. It's also not a huge deal to replace boards.

[rherold9]

Okay, some people were acting online wood goes bad super quick in the sun. Good to hear that your parents has lasted so long

[G.Irish]

If you're looking at using something for the next 3-5 years, either will be fine as long as you receive it in good condition. So it really comes down to what you can find the best combination of price and condition on. If you're buying new condition doesn't matter, so then it's just price.

I would probably go wood because a lighter trailer is less wear on brakes, easier on gas, and might allow more types of vehicles to tow the trailer + car.

[BLINGMW]

Wood definitely won't go bad in 2 years, parents have a 15+ year old low-boy with a wood deck that is still fine, just not as pretty as it once was. It's also not a huge deal to replace boards.

I was going to say the same thing. I mean come on even a mistreated deck will probably last 10.

And my naive question, is a steel deck really any (much?) lighter? I am a little surprised.

[Jake]

I bought steel because 1. it was for sale, 2. it was cheap, 3. a friend sold it to me.

Weight didn't really matter to me as between the trailer and car I'm still only looking at 5500 lbs, assuming the trailer is a fatass (I've never weighed it). Mine is a closed deck which I did really want. Having something that's just a giant sheet of metal is super handy. Paul, the previous owner, built side boards for it that slide into the stake pockets, which means if I spend 15 minutes assembling things, I suddenly have a box with wheels (there is a back piece too, not installed in photo):



Was really great for my last move, I just strapped all my shit to it and drove off to Alexandria.

Aluminum strikes me as an unnecessary expense unless you're trying to tow with a too-small SUV, which you won't be doing. Some friends with Touaregs and X5's use them over steel, but since it sounds like you want a full-on #merica pickup, just get a steel closed-deck and call it a day.

The steel has been low-maintenance, I resprayed the whole thing last year because it was looking funky. Mine is a 2006 EconoTrailer and seems to have held up well with regular maintenance.

[Kaan]

I bought steel because 1. it was for sale, 2. it was cheap, 3. a friend sold it to me.

me too...

what RJ said is true. whatever is close, in good shape, and a good deal is probably worth it. In the end if weight is really a concern, you can look for an open deck trailer and skip the aluminum route.

[rherold9]

And my naive question, is a steel deck really any (much?) lighter? I am a little surprised.

You mean wood? And yes several hundred pounds.

And thank you all for the info. Anyone else have experiences like Jake between wood/steel.

I'll definitely have to keep in mind whatever is cheapest, looks decent, and has been maintenance. I like the wood idea because it seems like it can be multi use as it won't slide as much like steel?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[SlimKlim]

Some wooden decks the boards are literally just sitting in there, conceivably you could knock a few of the middle ones out and make track-side brake bleeding and whatnot that much easier, but I'm not sure they all work that way.

[BLINGMW]

You mean wood? And yes several hundred pounds.

Yes.
Ok!

[Jake]

For what it's worth, DJ's old open trailer was also a steel deck but had an open center. I remember pulling my Miata up there once to work on something at Summit Point. The theoretical convenience of having that open center was cancelled by the fact that getting under the trailer was a pain. I'd rather just have the car up on jackstands.