Posted 2009-08-07 1:10 PM (#109127 - in reply to #109123) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by Safet on 2009-08-07 12:07 PM
When did Universal Trailer take on Exiss and Sooner?
Has Sooner lost quality of construction since that time?
Would I be better off with a Sooner stock with dressing room, vs. an Exiss event horse?
I may be looking at some Sooner and Exiss trailers this weekend, although I have found a Featherlite I am interested in.
Thanks.
I think mid 2003 or first of 2004, we bought a new 2004 Sooner at the first of 2004 and it was not part of the Universal group. My opinion, YES Exiss and Sooner both lost quality after the change? Go find some 2003/2004 and older Sooner and Exiss trailers and compair them to some 2004 and newer trailers and see for yourself. Look at the little stuff like door hinges, window frames, latches door hold backs, etc.....
Formed in 2001 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Universal Trailer Corporation acquired Exiss Aluminum Trailers, Inc. of El Reno, Okla., making Exiss its first brand. In 2002 Haulmark Industries, Inc., headquartered in Bristol, Ind., joined the family of brands. Sooner Trailer Manufacturing Company of Duncan, Okla., became a part of Universal in late 2003, Miley in 2004 and Featherlite of Cresco, Ia., in late 2006. Though Universal was formed in 2001, its brands have been in existence for a minimum of 15 years to more than 50 years. Today Universal has nine manufacturing plants across the United States.
Posted 2009-08-07 1:40 PM (#109129 - in reply to #109123) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
I knew someone could find the actual dates..... I know the Sooner we bought was not apart of Universal and the build date was 12/03 titled as a 2004. Was going to trade it in and upgrade in 2005 and ofund that the Sooner was much lower quality than it was in 2004. (same model trailers, just larger LQ)
Posted 2009-08-07 2:14 PM (#109133 - in reply to #109123) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 10
Whoa Whoa Whoa, I think some of you should re-think your posts!!! I like something about every MFG out there, and I have recently bought a sooner trailer and if you have owned an older sooner trailer... they are well built trailers. The trailer I bought is built better than the old trailers, welded hinges, heavy built doors are all some of the things they do much better these days. Seriously go put your hands on them. When I shopped for my trailer I also looked at Exiss on the same dealer lot, truthfully they re-minded me of the old sooner more than anything. They are all good trailers, but take a closer look.
Posted 2009-08-07 2:42 PM (#109134 - in reply to #109133) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
I have looked. I wasn't impressed. They are prettier now than they were then, but what I looked at wasn't near the trailer that the mid 90's one was. More posts, gussets, and more welds than the current trailer. The current trailer is a better trailer than some of what they produced around 99, 2000, and 2001. And I don't think you could have looked any closer than what I did.
Posted 2009-08-07 3:36 PM (#109135 - in reply to #109133) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by txgirl on 2009-08-07 2:14 PM
Whoa Whoa Whoa, I think some of you should re-think your posts!!! I like something about every MFG out there, and I have recently bought a sooner trailer and if you have owned an older sooner trailer... they are well built trailers. The trailer I bought is built better than the old trailers, welded hinges, heavy built doors are all some of the things they do much better these days. Seriously go put your hands on them. When I shopped for my trailer I also looked at Exiss on the same dealer lot, truthfully they re-minded me of the old sooner more than anything. They are all good trailers, but take a closer look.
I looked REAL close, that is why I went with another brand in 2007. We just out grew our 2004 Sooner. The first thing I noticed when I looked again in 05 and 06 was the drop down windows was much lighter and had rounded corners and really did not fit well, the manger door was much lighter also. The mangers and drop down windows on the Sooner we had was much strongera nd when you shut them they would close with and close solid.
The trailer I really liked was the 2000 Exiss SS413 we had before the Sooner. We went to trade it in on another Exiss in 2004 and noticed a different quality with Exiss then, that is why we bought the Sooner.
Posted 2009-08-07 5:20 PM (#109138 - in reply to #109123) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 10
05'-06' Come on I said take another look. My trailer is a 2009... I promise my drop doors and manger doors are all square and welded. That is why I said take another look and all you talk about is trailers 5 years old. All you are doing is running down someone elses decision. Looks like you bought a Sundowner, don't even get this forum started on that trailer!!!
Posted 2009-08-07 9:48 PM (#109148 - in reply to #109138) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by txgirl on 2009-08-07 5:20 PM 05'-06' Come on I said take another look. My trailer is a 2009... I promise my drop doors and manger doors are all square and welded. That is why I said take another look and all you talk about is trailers 5 years old. All you are doing is running down someone elses decision. Looks like you bought a Sundowner, don't even get this forum started on that trailer!!!
If you would go back to my fisrt post and READ all of it you would see that I stated in my opinion! Why would I need to look now? I wanted larger trailer in 05 or 06, have no need for one now! Again, READ the entire post, the reason I am talking about a 05 and 06 trailer is that is what I was looking at. We did look at Sooner and Exiss both last year and felt the same way, lower quality and higher price to compairable trailers. I am not running nobodys decision down I am stating MY OPINION! That is what the question was! Yes, I bought a 2004 Sundowner 8010 3 horse trailer last Dec. as a bank repo at half price and the LQ had never been used and only had a horse hauled in the last stall. I have the original build sheet and the cost was over 80-k new and we paid under 30-k! AND WE LOVE IT! Steel frame and all!
Posted 2009-08-10 7:39 AM (#109207 - in reply to #109138) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Originally written by txgirl on 2009-08-07 5:20 PM
05'-06' Come on I said take another look. My trailer is a 2009... I promise my drop doors and manger doors are all square and welded. That is why I said take another look and all you talk about is trailers 5 years old. All you are doing is running down someone elses decision. Looks like you bought a Sundowner, don't even get this forum started on that trailer!!!
You are the only one that is running down someone else's opinion. You were the one that stated "Whoa Whoa Whoa, I think some of you should re-think your posts!!!"
You like them, I don't. I crawled all over them at the AQHA World Show last year. IN MY OPINION...it is better than they were a few years ago. Again IMO, the trailer is much more pleasing to look at than they were...but a better trailer than the mid-90's...once again, IMO no. That simple. And neither HTB or myself stated that the trailer was a bad trailer...are there better trailers out there? In my opinion, absolutely. Are there worse trailers out there? Once again, absolutely.
Back to the OP....
Stock trailer w/ dressing room versus horse trailer...regardless of brand, it is a use consideration. For my purposes now, the stock trailer setup. For yours, up to you. Of the three trailers, I like the Featherlite better. But the are three very comparable brands also. Find the one that best fits your use and use that and value as your deciding factor.
Posted 2009-08-10 10:36 AM (#109216 - in reply to #109207) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by Tresvolte on 2009-08-10 7:39 AM
Originally written by txgirl on 2009-08-07 5:20 PM
05'-06' Come on I said take another look. My trailer is a 2009... I promise my drop doors and manger doors are all square and welded. That is why I said take another look and all you talk about is trailers 5 years old. All you are doing is running down someone elses decision. Looks like you bought a Sundowner, don't even get this forum started on that trailer!!!
You are the only one that is running down someone else's opinion. You were the one that stated "Whoa Whoa Whoa, I think some of you should re-think your posts!!!"
You like them, I don't. I crawled all over them at the AQHA World Show last year. IN MY OPINION...it is better than they were a few years ago. Again IMO, the trailer is much more pleasing to look at than they were...but a better trailer than the mid-90's...once again, IMO no. That simple. And neither HTB or myself stated that the trailer was a bad trailer...are there better trailers out there? In my opinion, absolutely. Are there worse trailers out there? Once again, absolutely.
Back to the OP....
Stock trailer w/ dressing room versus horse trailer...regardless of brand, it is a use consideration. For my purposes now, the stock trailer setup. For yours, up to you. Of the three trailers, I like the Featherlite better. But the are three very comparable brands also. Find the one that best fits your use and use that and value as your deciding factor.
Posted 2009-08-10 4:37 PM (#109230 - in reply to #109229) Subject: RE: Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
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Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Originally written by bowhunter70 on 2009-08-10 5:31 PM Exiss & Sooner are built in the same building in El Reno,Ok.So quality has to be the same good or bad....Right?
Here's a previous posting about this topic:
Same plant, same line, different materials. The Sooner extrusions are heavier. The rear end is heavier. When we had 1 of each here, the Sooner weighed 700# more (according to the MSO), with the difference being in materials content. The biggest difference is in the side slats as the Sooner will use a patented "triple hollow core slat". A pretty neat slat that is rippled on the outside, smooth on the inside, hollow in the middle. Same tires, axles, and neck.
Sooner has used pretty heavy extrusions for some time. UTC still uses the same ones today, to the best of my knowledge. There is a floor plank that is exclusive to the Sooner Ranch stock trailer. The wall slat is used on many Sooners. And the last time I had a new Sooner & Exiss side by side the header reinforcements inside the rear frame were much heavier in the Sooner. A full .25" plate on the Sooner if I recall correctly. Hence the 700# or so.
Universal Trailer - Sooner, Exiss
