trailer story

 

I get the trailer home and look at it and think, those welds are not nearly as good as my other Aluma trailer (6.5 x 12 ft, rated 3,500lbs), I could probably weld as good as that.   Do a little measurement and the stake pockets are not in the same position on both sides.   But I think, ok, I can live with that.

 

Finally used it about a month ago.   Loaded 60 sheets of 7/16 OSB board on it (hot day and I have a tight schedule)  and fenders are within an inch of the tires and a screw holding a light on are within half an inch.  I know this is a 3,000 lb load, so unload 1,000 lbs and no change.   Did I mention hot day and handling these sheets by my self ?    So I reload on my older Aluma trailer and everything is fine on that trailer and the new one looks good again empty with good clearance.

 

I took pictures with the 2,000 lb load and suggest to the factory either the fenders were not welded in the correct position or the axles is not up to rated specs.  ( sticker on axle says 3,000 lbs).   Haul it back to dealer and it goes to the factory.  It sets in never never land there, I ask them a few times for a status report, and then finally I get a call from the dealer if I want to go to the factory to pick it up or back to him.  DUH.   I ask the dealer what they did to it, he didn't know.

 

I call the factory and they tell me that it was a little out of kilter and they welded in a half inch spacer to make the fender to tire measurement equal.  I know how the axle is mounted and this does not sound like a good idea to me.   Warrantee guy tells me they had the engineer look at it and this was the fix.   I ask, did you load it with 3,000  lbs and check it?   He says, the legal limit is only 3,000 and trailer weighs 460 lbs.  I said, surely it is over engineered beyond that limit.   Finally convince him that before he return it to put a 3,000 load on it to test it.   Do they not issue thinking caps to engineers anymore?

 

So, my question is between the crappy welds, mismounted stake pockets, bad idea of half in spacer on axle mount, and admitted out of kilter, should I insist it is a lemon and ask for a new one.  Are my expectations of over engineering out of line?

Ok gentlemen,

To clarify the problem, I have two problems here, maybe more because now my attitude toward the trailer is bad.   One is quality issues, the other is design issues.

 

 

This is the trailer I bought,  I know it is marginal weight wise for the jeep (2,500 llbs plus 500 for the trailer) but should work and was willing to take the risk.   My other trailer is 3,000 rated but has a 3,500 lb axle and works well with the jeep, just a little too large for my limited storage situation.

 

Now I am told that at 2,500 lbs of load plus 500 for the trailer the torsion axle is maxed out and further flex is now in the tires.   Shouldn't I expect some reserve in the axle for bounce down the road?   Be tough on me , are my expectations out of line?   Is engineering design that close and no reserves any more?

 

This is not a cheap trailer, guess I had too high of design expectations.   Let others be warned.  I have two other Aluma trailers and have been more than happy with them and I do on occasion overload them.   Try to buy long term with quality.  The world changed on me.

 

The first trailer had the screw within half inch of tire.

 

The second effort, they bubified it and I refused to take it.

 

The 3rd effort, they buillt me another trailer but forgot to put a 3,500 lb axle on it as promised

 

the 4th effort, the trailer is finally ok but I never even received an apology or thanks from the dealer or factory. Every time I look at the trailer I still see that screw half an inch from the tire.   I was without it for a month and it just seemed like I had to drag them through the process.   When you make some mistakes it should cost you so you won't do it again, and every time they screwed up, I added more to the things it would take to satisfy me such as spare tires, and mounting points.  Bottom line is I have a story to tell often and will cost them more than if they would have made me a satisfied customer with some  "cheap trinkets"

 

Conclusion.  Build your own trailer as some here have suggested and stay away from Aluma.