When you’re ready to buy a flatbed equipment trailer, trying to choose the right one is often a daunting task. With so many custom trailer styles and features available today, the options can feel overwhelming. The key to choosing the best trailer for you is to consider how and where you’ll be using it. While you don’t want to waste money on features you’ll never use, you also want to be sure that your trailer is tough enough to handle your biggest jobs.

Because most people will own their trailers for many years, it’s important to choose a durable design that will stand up to the test of time. When it comes to long-lasting strength and utility, aluminum is hands-down the best material choice for your new trailer. Read on for more about the benefits of choosing a durable custom aluminum trailer.

Strength

One of the biggest decisions when purchasing a new trailer is deciding between a trailer made from aluminum or one made from steel. Generally, steel is a stronger metal than pure aluminum. However, aluminum trailers are typically made from aluminum alloy. Aluminum alloy has traces of other metals mixed in with the aluminum, to fortify and strengthen its composition. The result is a trailer construction that is much stronger than pure aluminum.

Weight

Weight is probably the most important consideration when choosing a new trailer. An aluminum trailer typically weighs quite a bit less than a similar trailer made from steel. The vehicle you use to tow your trailer has a certain weight limit, or towing capacity, that it can safely pull without damage. Because steel trailers are heavier to begin with, you can haul more in an aluminum trailer without going over your vehicle’s payload limit.

A strong, lightweight aluminum trailer can be pulled by smaller vehicles. The lower trailer weight means your vehicle’s engine doesn’t need to work as hard as if it were pulling a heavier steel trailer. This results in using less fuel, which saves you money. A lighter trailer weight also puts less strain on your tires, which is another money-saving advantage of choosing an aluminum trailer.

Maintenance Requirements

Another key factor in determining a trailer’s durability is the amount of upkeep required to keep the trailer looking and functioning like new. If you’re planning to use your trailer year-round for many years to come, aluminum is probably your best bet. Environmental humidity, ice, snow, and rain can cause rust and other harm to a steel trailer in a relatively short time. Steel trailers must be repainted and resealed frequently to prevent corrosive damage.

Aluminum, on the other hand, is naturally resistant to rust, corrosion, mould, and other weather-related issues. This makes aluminum trailers particularly well-suited to surviving intense Canadian winter weather. In addition, aluminum alloy is usually a bit more flexible than steel, making it easier to repair any dents and dings that may occur. Aluminum trailers typically cost more upfront than steel trailers; however, they require virtually no maintenance and will stand the test of time, making the extra cost well worth the investment.

Performance Record

Aluminum’s all-weather durability and excellent strength-to-weight ratio have made it the preferred material for many industries other than trailer construction. Boats, airplanes, and large-scale trucking and shipping applications have all moved away from steel construction in favour of primarily aluminum fabrication. In other words, aluminum has a proven record of outstanding performance in nearly any application.

Find Your Ideal Custom Trailer

Millroad Manufacturing produces a wide variety of durable, lightweight, long-lasting aluminum trailers. Our reputation for building top-quality, low-maintenance trailers has made us one of Canada’s leading trailer manufacturers. Visit one of our authorized dealers to find the perfect aluminum trailer to meet your needs, or contact us to learn more about our custom designs.