Aluminum or Galvanized?

[RABBITFISH]

What is, in your opinion, the best type of trailer, aluminum or galvinized? I just had a response in another thread that stated that Aluminum trailers were prone to flexing, causing premature wear. What do you guys think? I am in the process of buying another trailer now, so I would welcome any input!!

Thanks,

Tommy

[nipper]

I have only owned galvanized and regular painted steel. Definitely do not go with painted if you are even thinking of coming within 220 yards of the briny deep. I dunked my painted trailer in just a couple times and even after hosing it down and even washing it it blistered and rusted out badly. I would think the aluminum trailers would be a lot lighter than the galvy's.

[phatdaddy]

my v had a galvanized roller trailer under it when i bought it. it was ok, but i wanted a float on for the ramps we have here. i removed the rollers and put bunks on it. it was better, then it bent at the angles where the frame turns to meet at the tongue.(NOT the trailers fault, but thats another story). when i replaced it i got an aluminum with torsion axels. i love it. my usual ramp trip is about 7 miles roundtrip, so i don't pull that much, but i have pulled it to the keys 4 times , 1500 miles roundtrip. i launch about 60 times a year so i use my trailer a lot. my advice would be whatever you get, get torsion axels, so i guess that means aluminum. i also got one for a 23 ft boat & 7500 lbs. it was only about $200 more than 20 ft 5000 lbs.

[spareparts]

you can't give a galvinized trailer away down here, its aluminum or nothing, we do see a lot of people rebuild aluminum traierls when various parts break, but at least you can see what needs to be repaired, where as a tubular galvinized ususally rots where you can't see it. I have a c channel galvinized under my V, if I had the money, there would be an aluminum trailer under it.

[Skools Out]

if you want to see just watch an aluminum trailer with a boat going down the highway, watch it flex and then watch a steel one. 1 thing i didn't like about the aluminum ones i've had they will float without a boat at the ramps due to the tires an air under the fenders, then you run the keel into the trailer and hope the trailer goes down without hurting the boat. both will rot just wash the trailer after being in salt as you do the boat. the aluminum trailer will corrode away around the stainless bolts then they pull threw the trailer frame. one reason you see alot of aluminum trailers with hugh fender washers fixing where they have either cracked or corroded away around the bolts. and remember no matter what you buy the axles all have steel spindles and hubs, and steel springs unless torsion then it has spring steel inside the torsion axle, so really no difference in the axle area. plus don't forget what happens to your lower units after salt use they get brittle as so will that trailer even faster since they aren't painted.

[phatdaddy]

skools is correct about the floating issue. i ended up filling 2 6' pieces of 3"pvc with sakrete and tie wrapping them to the inside if the al I-beam. i also put a "sprinkler system" under my trailer in the boat shed and have it on a timer. when ever i back the boat in i turn it on for 10 minutes while i clean up the inside. it helps ,but i still have to replace hubs & rims every 4/5 years. if you dip it in salt water and set it in a hot parking lot for6 to 8 hours, it will rot.

[nipper]

I have torsion axles on my galvanized trailer.

[phatdaddy]

nipper, i've wondered why you couldn't do that.
rabbit fish, if you need rollers, i think you will be going with galvanized, but if bunks are ok, then al would be my vote.

[woodbutcher]

The last time I had to replace an axle. Dicky Fields told me to keep a spray bottle of (sugar water) and spray down the trailer after I put the boat in the water. He said that will neutralize the salt thus reducing the rust. I must confess I have never done it So I can not confirm this statment. I traded that boat for my V shortly after replacing the axle.

[bradford]

I've had both and aluminum wins with me. Saltwater will rust tupperware.