After months of agonizing over the merits of allaluminum vs. steel-framed/aluminum skinned trailers, I have just learned that Sundowner is going to replace the 727 series trailers with all-alminum models. This news was mentioned as a positive, even though the salesman had been trying to convince me all along that the steel-framed models (used to be called the Valuelite) were as good or better than the all-aluminum trailers. I cannot help but wonder why the company would make the change, and what happens to the value to all the steel framed trailers out there?

  Any thoughts?

The merits of steel vs aluminum has been debated for some time. It boils down to where you live being an important factor in how well the trailer performs.

If you live in the rust belt as I do, the smile on your face from a lower purchase price of a steel trailer, quickly is erased as rust problems soon become a way of life. Constant maintenance, lower resale values and shorter life spans are the norm. In my area, the steel trailers of most brands are given a poor reputation as a result.

If your residence is in a dry arid environment, the steel lasts well, has few issues, is less expensive and is held in good regard.

The aluminum will work universally in both areas, the steel doesn't. Much is made about the structural strength of aluminum, being weak and more brittle etc. Most of this "information" comes from the sellers/manufacturers of steel trailers. The facts speak for themselves; thousands of aluminum trailers are in the hands of owners who use them daily, in every place by people of every walk of life. This has been going on for almost two decades. For every naysayer of aluminum, an equal amount can be found against steel. Most people who have a steel trailer wish they could own an aluminum trailer.

Take a look at a twenty year old aluminum trailer, that has just had its original shell cleaned and looks like new. Compare it to a steel trailer of the same age. Compare the integrity of its "weak" frame to the steel frame.

Equate the resale values of an aluminum trailer to a steel trailer. Some used ones have sold for more than their original purchase price. Check the "trailer for sale" section of HTW, and look at the condition, value and age of the various trailers being sold. You will quickly discover how valuable the ownership of an aluminum trailer has become.

I live in the rust belt, and last year I sold my steel trailer. It was a good one; it lasted many years and never let me down. A few years ago I had to completely repaint it to save it. Had I not done so, it literally would have gone to ruin. I replaced it with a used aluminum trailer that was several years old and literally could have been put on a dealer's lot and sold as new. I consider my aluminum trailers a lifetime investment, something I would have never contemplated with a steel trailer.

As an aside, a good friend of ours bought a new steel frame, aluminum skinned trailer. There was surface rust on the frame upon delivery. Within two years, the frame had active rust to the point where repairs had to be made to save the trailer. Initially our friend was gloating because she didn't have to spend as much for her new trailer, as we did on our first used aluminum trailer. She is now considering a new trailer, and with her present trailer being worth less than the payments still owed, she is in a tough spot financially.

When you are in business, your product has to be equal to or better than the opposition. Regardless of your claims to the contrary, if your competitor has a better product and sells more than you are, you will change to stay in business.

I try to express both sides of a story, and not take sides, to let the reader make an informed decision. I've been on both sides of this fence and well know, which side I prefer.

BOL  Gard

I don't think aluminum trailers are a waste in SC as I live along the coast and I have owned both steel and aluminum. I do however prefer the aluminum over steel and currently own aluminum. This is my opinion and in no way knocking either type.

Hondarosa, Wadmalaw Island SC

I think this will come down to a business decision on Sundowners part.

As a manufacture, they have to inventory material to build their product. They have to train workers to weld both steel and alumninum.

At some point they have to decide if it's worth it to them to have two product lines. Two ad campaigns, spare parts for both product lines etc.

Sundowners decision to go all aluminum, is not a statement that they don't feel their Valueline was a good product. But rather a business decision that they could streamline their opperation toward a product line that either had better sales or higher profit margin.

I'm guessing the decision had more to do with supply and demand than whether aluminum or steel makes a better frame.  Any retail manufacturer will build what sells, and right now, that's aluminum.

I think this is a good thread in which to point out that several brands of steel framed trailers use galvaneal, not just milled steel.  The use of galvaneal has drastically reduced the worries about rust.  One brand made the change in the 90's, and you can tell at first glance which side of the change that trailer was born on.  The automotive industry begain using galvaneal even earlier, and even though many body parts are fiberglass or plastic now, the steel being used does not rust.  Further, the high end galvaneal framed, aluminun skinned brands all use stainless hardware and fasteners, and you won't see any more rust than you see on the all aluminum units, just an occasional screw or fastener that didn't get coated correctly.  The steel wheels on both types are the biggest offenders where rust is concerned.

"The use of galvaneal has drastically reduced the worries about rust.  The automotive industry begain using galvaneal, the steel being used does not rust.  Further, the high end galvaneal framed, aluminun skinned brands.... , you won't see any more rust than you see on the all aluminum units."

Galvanized steel has been around for a century. It is more refined now than when first introduced, but the steel is still dependent on a coating to be protected from the elements. Steel does rust, whenever its protective coating is damaged or worn, it will start the oxidation process.

To say that you will not see any rust on a galvanealed trailer is a misconception, and proof is no further than a look at the trailers being used in our part of the country. At any show I attend this summer, there will be numerous examples of various trailer brands that should not have rusted, but have and will continue to do so.

Much has been mentioned by a most biased self promoter of a particular brand of trailer, about the impressive warranty of that trailer. Why on earth would I want to purchase any trailer of any brand, knowing full well in advance, that I was going to encounter a rotted frame? It certainly would not be worth my loss of time and the inconvenience of the repairs, to purchase a defective trailer. It would not be in my best interest to purchase anything, in which I will be encountering a major fault. Instead, I chose aluminum competitors that have no such issues and costs less to boot.

BOL  Gard

Sundowner has had "All-Aluminum" for well over 15 years ~ I personally owned one that long ago. They are called Sundowner Sunlites. They do have steel only in the front under the noise and wheel areas. Both of mine are excellent trailers and I wouldn''t have anything else. But mind you, I only have an 18 foot trailer (two horse slant with 8 foot longwall dressing room). They are more expesive than the Value lite, but don't have the upkeep. And as a bonus, you don't need a one ton truck to pull it! Good luck!

I'm not going to get into all of the technicalities of steelvs aluminum vs gavaneal,I have both types of trailers,have had a bunch of steel trailers,and they've all been in good shape,but,I live in a good area for steel trailers.

I will just say this: if I were looking at 2 trailers,and one was steel,and the other a 4Star aluminum,and the cost between the two was no factor to me,I know which one I'D take: the 4 Star.

Is GMC going to start making aluminum frames for trucks so that they don't rust out?