Sundowner Valuelite
 Trailer Review 
Wednesday August 15, 2001

  Not everyone who owns a horse, owns a trailer. But if you've come to this site, you're either looking for a trailer, looking to upgrade your trailer, or wishing you could do either one. Choosing a trailer doesn't have to be a technical task. Many things to look for make common sense - and some of them may surprise you - or at least entertain you. 
 
  Are you a Sundowner owner? Email your comments to: dave@horsetrailerworld.com 

  So what do you look for when you buy a trailer? I've talked to many folks and the responses may surprise you. While many will dig into specs, construction and weight ratios, many more simply look for a trailer with a good reputation, easy to use and attractive to pull. Safety is always a consideration but price often drives the final decision. Translation: They want the most for their money.

  What brands are the most popular? Depends on the part of the country you live in. But there are a handful of well recognized brands that seem to hold their resale value better than most. Sundowner is definitely in that category.

  In a word. Easy. Our trip from Oklahoma City back to Kansas City was over 300 miles and I had to check my mirror to make sure it was still back there. To be fair, pulling is relative to the power plant you're using. ( I was driving a 2000 Ford Powerstroke diesel crewcab with a shortbed. (4x4) But I've pulled a lot of trailers. Some have not tracked well at higher speeds, and others pulled as though they had a 40 foot silk drag chute attached to the rear.

Loading

  While clearance is a good thing - it also forces a horse to step higher when entering a trailer. The Valuelite we tried had a clearance of about 17 inches. Higher than some. Acceptable to me because I worry about low profile trailers on the uneven fairgrounds we often experience. Our horses load well. If you have one that doesn't, I would look into a drop ramp. They are a nifty option.

  Probably one of the best features of the trailer was the divider latches. I've never seen anything comparable to their ease of operation. This was critical for my wife. No slamming. No muscle. You use your thumb. (see inset)

  If you're loading alone - there's nothing worse than a swinging door to spell ACCIDENT. I had to study the hold back latches on the loading doors for a minute or so - but once I figured them out, found them to be substantial. (see inset)

 Nothing new here. There has to be some after-market tool to make hooking up goosenecks easier so you don't have to pitch head first into the bed of your truck to latch them. (Belt buckles are hard on the finish but I'm too impatient to crawl back in from the rear.) You can avoid dragging around a block of wood by dropping the jack down (see inset), but the operation of these manual jacks is cumbersome. Again, maybe there's some better after-market products available - but hooking and unhooking has to remain one of the most unwelcome aspects of trailering - on any trailer. Sundowner also offers an electric two-speed jack if you're not into increasing the size of your forearms.

  What can I say? We were very pleased with the overall appearance of the Sundowner. As my wife would say, "It gives me GO fever." You can't deny the reputation of Sundowner and the smooth white finish is easy to wash down. The graphics are simple, but classy. Everyone knows it's a Sundowner and the branding is successful. It's a well-known trailer and easily identifiable. In short - you never have to apologize for showing up in a Sundowner. Personal opinion. But that's what this column is all about. Nice to know at resale time too.

 The Valuelite insulates the horse compartment all the way up to the ceiling. Loading lights are standard. Switches to these and the interior lights are convenient. Feedbags were available though we did not use them. They were very easy to remove for cleaning, they were firmly mounted, but not over designed to avoid breaking away should a horse happen to get a foot up there. (as you know, anything is possible)

 I've never had to use the escape door for emergency unloading but just having it gives you piece of mind. Besides, it's nice to be able to have access to that front stall for storage purposes.

• A pop-out step into the upper gooseneck area from the dressing room
• An outside switch to the dressing room
• Window screens

  Sundowner remains a class act for the rest of the industry to follow - whether their competitors wish to admit it or not. Much of their quality remains unseen, in the integrity of their design (like powder coated steel frames and torsion ride axles). They've even tested wind resistance for designing an optimal 30 degree nose and low profile roof.

  While you may pay a little more for a Sundowner, my experience with the website and the feedback from other Sundowner owners verify you get a return on that investment at resale time. They hold their value. The Valuelite fits into the user profile I described earlier. A quality trailer for the discerning horseman with a conservative budget. Retail for the exact trailer we tested is around $22,500.

Or email me if you have specific questions dave@horsetrailerworld.com Needless to say, the trailer is in "like new" condition.

Dealer Login   |   Search Trailers   |   Contact 
© Copyright HorseTrailerWorld.com. All rights reserved including digital rights.