The Pros & Cons of Stainless Steel Horse Trailers

Steel was the most commonly used material for building horse trailers prior to the introduction of aluminum trailers in the late 1970s and 1980s. Steel horse trailers have some advantages and disadvantages when compared to aluminum trailers. The vast majority of modern horse trailers are made of a combination of steel and aluminum. Older-model steel horse trailers can still be purchased used.

  1. Rust

    • One of the primary reasons steel trailers have become less common is rust. Steel trailers rust, and rust will ultimately destroy the trailer and make it unusable. Rust can be difficult to repair. The use of thicker steel and better rust prevention can minimize rust damage, but maintenance is a must in order to avoid serious rust damage. Steel trailers do best with covered storage and regular painting, waxing and maintenance.

    Weight

    • One of the ways that trailer manufacturers fight rust is to use thicker, heavier steel when building trailers. Unfortunately, the thicker the steel is, and the more there is of it, the heavier the trailer becomes. Extremely heavy trailers are difficult to maneuver and pull, often requiring heavy-duty pulling vehicles. Also, the heavier the load, the more fuel the vehicle pulling it uses in the process.

    Strength

    • Steel trailers are strong and difficult to damage. This is why steel is a component of many aluminum trailers, especially for the axles, dividers and other areas that are expected to withstand a significant amount of abuse. Steel trailers are harder to dent and damage than aluminum trailers.

    Price

    • Steel is consistently less expensive than aluminum, making steel trailers more affordable in general than their aluminum counterparts. The more steel that is used in a trailer, the less expensive it will be. The trade-off is that it will also be heavier.