Here's the situation...I have a steel gooseneck and a aluminum/steel bumper pull...i'm looking to consolidate and get one aluminum bumper pull with tack room and sell/trade in the others. I've narrowed it down to a 2003 Exiss or a 2016 new Sundowner charter . I was able to look at the Sundowner as we have a dealer about 3 miles away...it looks nice but some of the things looked flimsy to me (butt and chest bars are aluminum and very light ..also noticed that the window leaked on this brand new trailer since it was raining the day we stopped to look..hello QC department) The Exiss is a 4 hour drive away...it looks to be in good shape but I won't know until I look at it in person. Should I drive the 4 hours ..taking my gooseneck to trade in? I am somewhat limited in my choices as I need a trailer that is 7'6 or taller and stall length needs to be at least 7 feet (butt to chest bar) for my 18'3 hh horse : ) I am in SW Pennsylvania ...anyone have some advice
Posted 2016-07-06 6:39 PM (#167505 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
With a horse that size are you looking at a reinforced floor to help hold your horse? I think I would because I'm sure your horse far exceeds the typical 1100-1200 "big horse" that a tag-along style trailer is built around. Let me do some digging and I'll post back with my results, if I find anything.
Posted 2016-07-06 8:01 PM (#167507 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Member
Posts: 5
Location: KITTANNING,PA
Hmmm... Not sure about that. He is at 2200lb so under the weight limit of 3900 carrying capacity of trailer but the aluminum floor may not be heavy duty enough ? Let me know what you find out... Thanks!!
Posted 2016-07-06 9:11 PM (#167510 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
I would really be focused on floor cross member spacing. You'll want them close together enough to support your heavy horse and maybe more than a metal sheet floor over the cross members, think more like metal planks, to support all of that in one stall. Eby makes a very stout trailer that I think we've had good reports (on the forum) from draft/WB owners. Not sure what your price range but you might find towing a horse that size with the weight off center could be more than most tag-along type BP's can handle in an emergency maneuver. Keep in mind that tag-alongs were built as TB hauling rigs for medium to large SUV driving hunter jumper owners and not to drag draft or draft crosses around. Please indicate your price range and if you are willing to stay in a GN and I'll help target a search for you and recommend brands that come up. Paul should be around here somewhere and he's a wealth on knowledge when it comes to hauling the big'uns and others should chime in about floor recommendations as we are not talking about a standard big horse with a long lanky frame obviously! I did find a possible match but I'm still not sure about the floor on it for your size horse... http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=1062343
Posted 2016-07-06 9:12 PM (#167511 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Here was my search, if you change the info on the left you can dail in the search for your Zipcode and distances...I just picked a town in SW PA as a guestimate. http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/Search/TrailerSearch.aspx?action=s...position=0&mangers=0&midtack=0&slides=0&load=0&sold=0
Posted 2016-07-07 6:06 AM (#167515 - in reply to #167511) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Member
Posts: 5
Location: KITTANNING,PA
Ok..so what would be an acceptable cross spacing? Most trailer descriptions don't include that info so I guess i'll need to do some digging. I'm not opposed to gooseneck totally, but I have arthritis and we have a big dually truck...I have issues climbing up into the bed to do the hitch up at times, that is why I was looking at bumper pulls..i can hitch them a lot easier..and I figure i'm not getting any younger ;) I guess I should also mention that I don't haul the draft very often or very far. I mostly use the trailer for my Standardbred or TWH ..both of which are "normal size". My big guy only goes to clinics or lessons 3-4 times a year, but I need a trailer that can fit his big self in : )
Posted 2016-07-07 6:11 AM (#167516 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Member
Posts: 5
Location: KITTANNING,PA
My budget kinda depends on what I can get as a trade in value for my gooseneck...ideally i'd trade in both m gooseneck and my Kingston 2H bumperpull but not sure that will happen if I have to get trailer from far away.
Posted 2016-07-07 6:39 AM (#167517 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Well, I can recommend any of the Kingston trailers with the wood floors as I have hauled a couple of 18-1 hand Percherons in their extra high option Kingston and they fit and didn't go thru the floors or the ramp...
Posted 2016-07-07 8:11 PM (#167528 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Understand about the getting in the bed, I'm not the same after back surgery. Only hauling the draft a few times a year should be OK as long as you monitor it for weakness. I love wood floors (too) because if you have a problem you can pull the board and replace as a DIY and it's not a major production like metal floors. The majority of your hauling fits the tag-along style trailer to a T. I've not seen any of the "new" Kingston trailers but the pictures look good and if they were sold locally I'd have crawled all over them by now. I wouldn't hesitate at any of the better brands even with some age: Elite, C&C, Platinum, Featherlite, Hart, and several others that I can't think of right now. I would stay away from ultralight Aluminum trailers, you'll want a good sturdy heavy framed trailer that will last. The above named brands have weights posted on their website so use these as a guideline. If it feels flimsy it won't last...you will know quality when you see it, go with your gut. I will say that for a tag-along trailer I find the front facing windows nearly always leak in just about every trailer I've seen. If I were looking for one I wouldn't want windows in the front "nose."
Posted 2016-07-07 11:53 PM (#167531 - in reply to #167501) Subject: RE: 2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
Member
Posts: 5
Location: KITTANNING,PA
When I got the gooseneck we had all these plans of going camping for weekend and making a small sleeping quarters etc...well that never happened and now that I have rheumatoid arthritis if we go riding somewhere I'm sleeping in a real bed ..or I won't be able to walk the next day lol!
2003 Exiss vs 2016 Sundowner
