Hello-

I'm hoping someone can help me.  I recently sold a 4 horse Charmac trailer and am looking to down size.  I've been looking at a 2 horse 2004 Thuro-Bilt Spirit trailer to replace my Charmac.  The only problem I have is that I don't know anything about Thuro-Bilt trailers.  Can someone enlighten me on whether or not these are good trailers?  How are they for wear and tear over an extended amount of time?  I would really appreciate any input people may have.  Thanks.

you came to the right place for answers. My close friend purchased a Shilo 2005- 3 hourse slant/bp. Shining brand new and so proud for 8 months. This trailer is parked under cover and she has been maticulous in washing and waxing-the paint is flaking off and rusting. She is so upset!! She is a member of the backcountry horseman of washington and is going to write Lemon on the back.

It is very upsetting to see someone work so hard to purchase a new trailer and to have this happen.

Lufts trailers in Rochester washington will not stand behind this trailer nor will Roseburg trailer works.

My Husband is an autopainter and he looked at this piece of work and he was flaking paint off with his fingernail. He told her it appeared to have no metal etch/phosfate primer or sealer- just color.

Stay far away, very far!

bobbismom,

I am new to this forum and must say that this post concerns me greatly, as I manage Luft Trailer Sales in Rochester. This is the first time i have heard of this issue. I would be extremely greatfull if you would contact your friend and have them get into contact with me so that this issue can be resolved. Thuro-Bilt has always honored there warranty issues for me and if not, Luft Trailer Sales will, as we stand behind the products that we sell. Thuro-bilt uses a " catalyzed polyurathane paint and catalyzed two part primer" as well as Galvanized sheeting / roof bows and pre-primered tubing. If Something were missed on this particular trailer, I need to know about it so that I can get this taken care of. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Dear lufts manager,

so very glad that you dropped by the forum and saw this post.  I was at a bch meeting with her last night, About 19 of us were talking about just this trailer. Her name is Vicki and I will call her and tell her she has your attention.

Do you have any trailers that can be lent to her? As a member of a club that rides as we do- we cannot be without our trailers. When my husbands company fixes a car for a client they have lender cars. Perhaps if this brand of trailer is going to cause problems you should have some lender trailers available to your customers while theirs is being fixed correctly.

 update: just spoke with her and she will call you on Tuesday when you open. FYI she spoke with a women at your store who transferred her to the manager at your repair shop. His response was "all steel trailers will rust!".

When this is taken care of be assured that she will post positive feedback anbout her service at Lufts and Roseburg trailer. Her computer is down now or she would be writing the message.

I was very impressed how Dixie's horse and mule trailers answered a poster on this forum about a problem with her Exsis brand trailer. Dixie went above and beyond to help this gal get her trailer fixed- trailer was not purchased from Dixie. However, she sell's this brand.

 BTW- Lobo, granted this is not the top of the line steel trailer but she spent well over $8,000 not a small chunck of change by any means. I dont really think the "get what you pay for" senerio fits this case. It is impossible for someone uneducated about the painting process to make an educated decission. Her trailer was beautiful when first purchased- just one year ago. She really regrets not coming to this forum and asking about this brand of trailer.

this forum is providing a wonderful service for trailer consumers.

 I think Trails West has a good trailer and they are using very fine paint and primer. My husband talked with the company about their painting process for a long time and he was impressed with their system.

We did choose to purchase a aluminum trailer however because we did not want to ever deal with rust again

for any one following this thread the update is that Lufts in Rochester has taken pictures of the trailer. They were expecting to see a much rustier trailer! What does that tell you...it's 1 yr old.

Will keep this thread up and running and post Thuro-builts and Lufts response to the Rusty 1yr old trailer, which is kept under cover.

If this trailer is not fixed, it will be a moving burma-shave advertisement for both manufacturer and dealer. It wont be pretty driving all over Wa/Oregon states.

Is this the only recourse a person has?????????? 

I have called the dealer and they are sending pictures.  I'll post them here.  They explained to me that they were simply expecting more rust based upon conversations with the owner, not from expectations for the trailer as you implied. 

For what it's worth, I haven't recieved a single complaint about Luft Trailers or the Thoro-built trailer - until this one. 

DaveM - Owner
Horse Trailer World

Dear Dave- Here is a complaint that was posted on this site:

In my experience with the one purchased for work (animal control), they DON'T seem to hold up for long term wear and tear. We purchased a 3 horse slant, and within 1 year, it rusted like and old battleship, and one of the dividers completely jammed in the closed position. We had to cut it off of the wall and replace the sliding part of the divider. You get what you pay for....they make a great "short term" starter trailer. Maybe a good trailer to haul sheep....thumbs down for me!8
**********************************************

 Dave- I hope that you allow this post to keep up and running. I am not bashing anyone.  Look up posts about customer service at Dixies trailers on this site. If the customer is not happy- they fix it. I would buy a trailer from that place in a heart beat- just from reading posts on this site. That is the beauty of democracy, message boards and the internet.

Dave-  All this lady school bus driver (with a severely handicapped child-who gets paid very little) wants is to have her rust and flaking paint fixed on her trailer. It took her one years wage to pay for it. This is her only release in life- to ride her horses and camp with her son. Should she have to battle a dealer to get her trailer fixed! 

As the picture shows she has taken very good care of this trailer. We can post close up pics on this site of the problem areas too.

Lufts, Just fix it for her

Yes, I agree; this trailer is beautiful from a distance. She takes very nice care of it. I will take my camera over to her home this weekend and get close ups of the rust and flaking.

There is cancer bubbles that you will not see from a distance. These only will get worse with time.

I am not here to bash anyone without justifible cause. I think pictures of the problem area's are a fine idea.

TO LUFTS MANAGER OR THURO-BUILT TRAILER Manufactur,

My friend Vicki is greiving over a family death so I do not know if I can get the pictures this weekend.

YOU PEOPLE HAVE CLOSE UP PICTURES OF THE RUST AND CANCER- PLEASE POST THOSE ALSO.

IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO I WILL EVENTUALLY GET THEM NEXT WEEK AND POST PICS STARTING A NEW THREAD.

Roseburg Trailer Works, makers of the Thuro-Bilt line of steel horse trailers would like to take this opportunity to respond to the issue posed by Bobbismom.

We became aware of this issue thanks to Luft Trailer Sales contacting us regarding a potential warranty issue.  They also notified us of the conversation on this site.

Firstly, Roseburg Trailer Works has always and will always stand by our products. 

Second, Our paint process has been designed over 12 years to minimize the potential for rust commonly found in steel trailers.  We use only Pre-Primered or Galvanized tube and Galvanized Sheet Metal.  Each unit receives a two part Epoxy Primer with bake and Catalyzed Polyeurethane Paint with bake.  Having thouroughly inspected trailers at 3-8 years of age I have noted no significant deficiencies in paint quality or process related issues.

Lastly, errors do occur, thus the concept of warranty.  It is not possible to respond to a potential warranty issue unless it is raised.  Jerry has notified me of the possible problem with this trailer and sent me 6 photos.  The only photo I have seen which indicates possible warranty concerns will be sent as an attachment to this reply.

This is only a photo, Jerry and his service department will be asked to follow up with a physical inspection of the chrome coating on the fender trim, which is scraped off next to the rust spot, to ensure that this is warranty and not damage.

Roseburg Trailer Works will gladly take steps to assist Luft Trailer Sales with any repairs deemed necessary.

I don't normally allow this board to be a place to "leverage" your interests.  If you have a problem with a trailer, a dealer or a manufacturer, you should be talking to them directly as a first course . . and give it time to be resolved. 

The reason?  There is no perfect trailer . . . hence . .  the warranty.  And this would turn into a board for disgruntled owners . . . on every brand.  This will not happen. 

On the other hand . . . problems when found, often become great opportunities for trailer makers and their dealers to show their customer service and I'd hate to take that opportunity away from Luft and Thoro-built.  I left this one run because both parties contacted me personally and had a sincere desire for just action.  And Luft and Thoro-built have been nothing but reputable in the past.

I'd like to freeze the thread for it's information value . . . and ask that the parties involved let us know how it turns out.