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Member
Posts: 13
| i am looking at buying a 2000 Sundowner Sierra 8012 and had a few questions i was hoping someone could answer. Is this model all aluminum? Are there any known problems to look for with this year and model? I have a F250 CC with the extra leaf spring, will it pull/stop this trailer ok?? Thanks |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | How many horses does it carry, 2, 3, 4, 5? And I believe that would be a steel frame aluminum skin trailer if it's a 2000 Sundowner Sierra 8012, 727. That might be a bit much for a F-250.... What year model is the F-250? Trailer like like this one...? <script> window.setTimeout("watermark()",50);
Edited by retento 2009-06-02 4:49 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa | I just got a 2006 Sundowner Sierra 8012 727 4 horse...it's all aluminum, sides, floor, frame. It has a 12 foot LQ and an empty weight of 11,500 lbs. (CAT scale). I have a 2000 Dodge 2500, and I did pull it from the dealer's place to my place about 250 miles with no horses, and then this weekend to a campground close by with 3 horses...but I am DEFINITELY now looking very hard and very fast for a 1-TON DUALLY!!! The 2500 pulled and stopped it...and I kept my speed to 60 mph...but without a doubT it's waaaaaay too big of a trailer for a 3/4 ton...so I'd say your F250 would defintely NOT be enough truck either. |
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Member
Posts: 13
| it is a 3 horse, no mid tack. the F250 is an 02 with the 7.3L, it has the extra leaf spring so i am told it is like a f350??? i was mainly looking at 10' sw max but this one is a pretty good deal thru info an pic's (8' wide), what is the floor length (i was quessing around 28') thanks for the input |
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Veteran
Posts: 201
| The 8012 Sundowner, built prior to 2003, is an all aluminum trailer. The empty weight on a 3H should be about 9,000# and a 4H about 10,000# |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 430
Location: TN | I have a 2001 F350 crew cab 4 X 4 SRW with a 7.3 Powerstroke and would not attempt pulling that trailer on a regular basis. Just from a maintenence perspective, more wear on tires, brakes, hoses, lines, etc. than a 3/4 ton or SRW 1 ton is meant to handle. My Powerstroke will pull a house, but stopping the house is another issue. I have pulled a 3 horse Elite, 8 ft. wide with a 8 ft. living quarters fully loaded and stopped without the trailer brakes working with no problem, but would not have wanted anymore behind me in that circumstance than what I had. Extra leaf springs do not help with braking. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | gator12513..... If the 2000 model year 8012 trailer you're looking at has a single DOT stripe around the bottom, it has the steel frame. If it has the double narrow stripe, it's all aluminum. |
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Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: rapid city sd | 727 steel frame and very heavy. 720 all aluminum. The last 6 of vin. two letters LA or AA aluminum all others VA,ZA etc. steel |
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Member
Posts: 13
| Thanks for all the info, i am inquiring about the VIN to determine if it is all aluminum, but from what i am hearing it is probably to much rig for my truck, we are on the road with it twice a month. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
| I see a lot of 27' box 3H LQs (Sundowner 3H 8012 is 27') running around on 3/4 ton trucks. Yes, make sure you have a Prodigy. You'll like it. |
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Member
Posts: 13
| DOT Stripe?? do you mean the reflective tape at the bottom edge of trail siding?? |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Originally written by gator12513 on 2009-06-03 11:59 AM
DOT Stripe?? do you mean the reflective tape at the bottom edge of trail siding?? Yes. |
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Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: rapid city sd | if you have the trailer so you can look at it, the gusset that holds the goose neck to the body of the trailer is welded on an aluminum and huck rivets with a steel. Stripe does not work |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | I did DEEP research before I bought my 2004 Sundowner Signatures Series 727 8010 last winter.
1) ALL 727 Model Sundowner trailers have the steel frame!
2) The dot tape on the lower will confirm, if it has single tape it is a steel frame, double row of tape is an aluim. frame.
3) We use a 1-ton Dodge C/C dually to tow ours with. I have used a 2005 Ford F-250 with the 6.0 diesel and it will tow the trailer, but I will not do it unless I just have too. To soft in the rear for me......
I had a lot of questions about mine and alot of the Sundowner dealers on here helped me out with no problems. Even my local dealer just did a complete service and checked out everything and even did some recall work at no charge. |
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa | Hmmm...I was told my 2006 8012 Sierra 727 is ALL aluminum...the floor is aluminum sprayed with truckbed liner (Suncoat), the frame of the roof is all aluminum, the skin is all aluminum, mangers are aluminum,, etc....I've not seen any steel on it. Am I missing something? 4H, 30' on the floor, 12' LQ, empty weight of 11,500.
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Member
Posts: 13
| OK, the last 6 numbers of the VIN are LA2290, so i am "assuming" that it is all aluminum (770?). i already have a prodigy brake controller for my bumper pull. What is the loaded weight of this trailer, usually only haul one or two horses that weigh a touch under 1000 lbs each. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Originally written by Flooper on 2009-06-03 1:56 PM
Hmmm...I was told my 2006 8012 Sierra 727 is ALL aluminum...the floor is aluminum sprayed with truckbed liner (Suncoat), the frame of the roof is all aluminum, the skin is all aluminum, mangers are aluminum,, etc....I've not seen any steel on it. Am I missing something? 4H, 30' on the floor, 12' LQ, empty weight of 11,500. Easy way to tell...get a magnet and go to one of the seams on the smooth skin sheet and see if it sticks. I think HTB is right, but not sure. There was something on a previous post about it. Still searching.... |
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa | Magnet...good suggestion!! I'll try it., |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Quote... Easy way to tell...get a magnet and go to one of the seams on the smooth skin sheet and see if it sticks. Don't think that will work. The steel frame we are talking about is the chassis, or the steel frame that the "aluminum box" sits on. The uprights in the walls are aluminum on the Sundowner. Hawk, Trailet, Equispirit, etc, use a steel skeleton and attach an aluminum skin to this steel skeleton. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 317
Location: Barnesville, Ga. | I used to pull a 8012 with midtack, genset, hay rack 3H with a srw F350 6.0. It did a pretty good job. The trailer I had had 7,200 # axles with large brakes and would stop very good. If it has the smaller brakes of the 7,000 # axle I would be careful. As I have pulled a couple of heavy trailers with the smaller brake setup and was not happy with the setup at all. We live in middle Ga and go up in the Smoky Mts trail riding. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Originally written by retento on 2009-06-03 2:36 PM Quote... Easy way to tell...get a magnet and go to one of the seams on the smooth skin sheet and see if it sticks. Don't think that will work. The steel frame we are talking about is the chassis, or the steel frame that the "aluminum box" sits on. The uprights in the walls are aluminum on the Sundowner. Hawk, Trailet, Equispirit, etc, use a steel skeleton and attach an aluminum skin to this steel skeleton. No, the uprights are steel. The thread got locked that talked about it. To repair the ones that had rust they had to strip all the skin off of the sides. 3yrHitch was the one that talked about how they fixed the ones with issues. Look at the uprights in the dressing room of this one...powdercoated white... http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=195291 I am still looking for that dang thread... |
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Member
Posts: 13
| Are the uprights steel in all sundowners or only the 727 model?? |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Sundowner does build an all aluminum trailer. When the discussion went on before, it was said that anything that ended in a 7 was a steel frame aluminum skinned trailer. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Originally written by Tresvolte on 2009-06-03 4:59 PM Originally written by retento on 2009-06-03 2:36 PM Quote... Easy way to tell...get a magnet and go to one of the seams on the smooth skin sheet and see if it sticks. Don't think that will work. The steel frame we are talking about is the chassis, or the steel frame that the "aluminum box" sits on. The uprights in the walls are aluminum on the Sundowner. Hawk, Trailet, Equispirit, etc, use a steel skeleton and attach an aluminum skin to this steel skeleton. No, the uprights are steel. The thread got locked that talked about it. To repair the ones that had rust they had to strip all the skin off of the sides. 3yrHitch was the one that talked about how they fixed the ones with issues. Look at the uprights in the dressing room of this one...powdercoated white... http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=195291 I am still looking for that dang thread... Well that will work... The picture I remember seeing, (that's now long gone), showed the steel frame chassis that the aluminum box sat on... It was like loading a big aluminum module onto a steel trailer frame., only the lower part was steel, so it too is a steel skeleton somewhat like the Hawk, trailet, etc?... Maybe it was another brand but I know it was in the midst of a SD discussion, I remember the thread but it may have been more than a year old, if so it may be gone... Thanks for setting me straight Tresvolte!!
Edited by retento 2009-06-03 5:13 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa |
Here's the thread...I think!
http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=876...
Originally written by Tresvolte on 2009-06-03 3:59 PM
Originally written by retento on 2009-06-03 2:36 PM Quote... Easy way to tell...get a magnet and go to one of the seams on the smooth skin sheet and see if it sticks. Don't think that will work. The steel frame we are talking about is the chassis, or the steel frame that the "aluminum box" sits on. The uprights in the walls are aluminum on the Sundowner. Hawk, Trailet, Equispirit, etc, use a steel skeleton and attach an aluminum skin to this steel skeleton. No, the uprights are steel. The thread got locked that talked about it. To repair the ones that had rust they had to strip all the skin off of the sides. 3yrHitch was the one that talked about how they fixed the ones with issues. Look at the uprights in the dressing room of this one...powdercoated white... http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=195291 I am still looking for that dang thread...
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Member
Posts: 13
| does this mean that based on the VIN (LA2290) the Sundowner Model i am considering is a 770 model, all aluminum and does not have this problem?? Thanks |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | I've never heard any compaints on there all aluminum trailers. And check your towing specs on your F250. Depending on engine, tranny, and axle combination, I think you will be okay. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350 | I hope I can clear up some of the confusion on Sundowner models. The 720 and 725 models have been and are present models that are ALUMINUM FRAMED TRAILERS. The 727 model was originally a Valuelite model that was built from late 1997 to December of 2007. All 727 models built up to January of 2008 were steel framed. An easy way to tell the difference is either by the Vin tag as previously mentioned on this thread, or by looking at the bottom rail of the trailer. If the bottom rail is covered in stainless material and is beveled, it is a STEEL skeleton trailer. If the bottom rail is ribbed aluminum and not beveled (or angled), is is a ALUMINUM skeleton trailer. The person that posted that he has a 2006 727 Aluminum framed trailer is going to be able to tell by what I have just posted, or if he reads the last of his vin and it is either ZA and 4 digits or HA and 4 digits; he has a steel framed trailer. There are also a couple of other ways to tell if your trailer is steel or aluminum framed. Pick up the floor mats and look at the floor planks. They will be aluminum in both the steel and aluminum framed trailers, but the 720 and 725 models use an interlocked planks that run cross ways in the trailer. The 727 models use a deep ribbed interlocked plank that run lengthwise. They have about a 1" deel drain channel in them. The neck structures are also different. The 720 and 725 models use an A framed neck that is webbed with smaller tube steel, and makes for a "pie crust" look. The 727 also uses an A frame, but the use angles across the neck from side to side. If you have a manufactured trailer from January 2008 or newer; ALL Sundowner models will made with aluminum frames. Hope this clears up some of the confusion. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350 | I hope I can clear up some of the confusion on Sundowner models. The 720 and 725 models have been and are present models that are ALUMINUM FRAMED TRAILERS. The 727 model was originally a Valuelite model that was built from late 1997 to December of 2007. All 727 models built up to January of 2008 were steel framed. An easy way to tell the difference is either by the Vin tag as previously mentioned on this thread, or by looking at the bottom rail of the trailer. If the bottom rail is covered in stainless material and is beveled, it is a STEEL skeleton trailer. If the bottom rail is ribbed aluminum and not beveled (or angled), is is a ALUMINUM skeleton trailer. The person that posted that he has a 2006 727 Aluminum framed trailer is going to be able to tell by what I have just posted, or if he reads the last of his vin and it is either ZA and 4 digits or HA and 4 digits; he has a steel framed trailer. There are also a couple of other ways to tell if your trailer is steel or aluminum framed. Pick up the floor mats and look at the floor planks. They will be aluminum in both the steel and aluminum framed trailers, but the 720 and 725 models use an interlocked planks that run cross ways in the trailer. The 727 models use a deep ribbed interlocked plank that run lengthwise. They have about a 1" deel drain channel in them. The neck structures are also different. The 720 and 725 models use an A framed neck that is webbed with smaller tube steel, and makes for a "pie crust" look. The 727 also uses an A frame, but the use angles across the neck from side to side. If you have a manufactured trailer from January 2008 or newer; ALL Sundowner models are made with aluminum frames. Hope this clears up some of the confusion. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Thanks for the info jim bob. |
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa | Great info. Anyone know how you can tell if your steel frame trailer has the powdercoat plus the Suncoat on the frame? I went out and looked very carefully at my frame, and saw no rust at all. it's just black. But it's smooth...not rough like bedliner coating. My title says it's a 2006 model, but the manufacture date on the plate is June 1, 2005. So is it a 2005 or 2006? |
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Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: rapid city sd | if your title says an 06 it is 06. the heavy salt areas are where the steel frames tended to fail and the suncoat fall off |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350 | Flooper; the frames on Sundowners were sprayed with a Canadian made undercoat treatment starting with 2003 models. They were powder coated first and than undercoated on top of that. It is a different material than the Suncoat that is used on the necks and the horse area. Starting with 2003 models, in addition to the undercoating, Sundowner went to stainless steel hardware, and made LED lights standard equipment. |
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Veteran
Posts: 198
Location: Iowa | Wow...the people on this forum are awesome. Thanks everyone for such great info. Had it not been for this forum, I would never have known about the rusting frame issue...and I would not have known my trailer was steel framed. I was told by the dealer it was all aluminum...guess I should have done a bit more research, but regardless, I love the trailer, and fortunately, there is no rust whatsoever on the frame. I will keep a close watch on it for any signs of rust at all. Thanks again for all the info. |
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