I'm looking at a 1995 Featherlite 3 car wedge gooseneck with 3-7k axles for 8k. Which is a better buy for your money and durability aluminum or steel ?

Thanks guys !

 

I prefer steel. In order to get the same strength as steel, you have to use more aluminum. That makes it bulkier. It also makes it a lot more expensive.

 

I have a Featherlite deck on my truck and I'm impressed by the quality and durability of there product. I have been warned about aluminium in particular with the cold weather and stress breaking but haven't had any problems yet (50000 miles). Some of the things I considered was that aluminum doesn't rust and therefore looks always good, with the 500 pounds weight savings over a steel deck I have a higher payload and save fuel too. Over the service live the fuel savings add up to the point that I think after 2 or 3 years the whole deck paid for itself. In particular with the fuel prices we pay thees day every mpg or even halve a mpg add up.

 

No, it oxidizes and corrodes instead. And God help you if you get a crack somewhere structural. You'll be chasing that crack with a welder for the rest of its' life!

 

Thanks guys

 

Not anyones fault you cant fix it the first time.....

 

BAM! Right in the Jimmy!

 

You know I'm right, don't give me any of your old school, outdated guff!

Why don't you go to lunch with your secret admirer!


If aluminum is all that great, why do they have to reinforce it with steel in the gooseneck area. Or the suspension mounting points? Or anywhere else there's a slight amount of strain for that matter. I've had 3 trailer manufacturers tell me to replace components rather than repair them because once they crack, they keep cracking even after repair. The weight savings isn't all that terrific either. By the time they use thick enough aluminum to make up for the strength loss of steel, they've only saved about 10%.

 

Oh I prefer steel.

But you still dont know how to properly fix a crack...

And no you old codger, I dont mean by pulling up your pants either.

 

Cold should not be an issue, that is one of the strengths of Aluminum is that it is not effect by cold.(above -270). This is what we were taught in my materials science classes.

 

The biggest downfall about aluminum is that if it at some point in time it WILL fatigue, where as steel can be made to withstand a certain workload with no fatigue.

 

I can fix a crack just fine thank you!

 

Well then just go ahead and enlighten us, oh Fuseologist of the Heavens.

Should the OP buy an aluminum trailer, and develop a crack in said aluminum trailer, what is the only way to keep it from running?


I shall humbly await for you to bestow your knowledge upon us mere mortals.

 

Oh and Scott, If I catch ya Googling anything Im gonna send Eric to your place, steal the sheep, and cut him loose with the shears. Someone needs a haircut.

 

Chak! Don't answer, it is a trick question like how do you get rid of Shrews....

You don't, they just move elsewhere...............