Why aluminum trailers?

[eroller]

No, I have friends that drive on to their rollers as well. Didn't mean to lump everyone together. Point being, that generally speaking most with rollers are winching because they can't get the trailers deep enough to float or drive on.

I remember in the 70s and 80s there was nothing better than an EZ load (roller) trailer and we used to hook the electric winch to the batteries on the truck. You were the man if you had that setup. Not so today, you got three minutes to get it on the trailer or your an #$@$%%.

[capt. daddy]

The points raised about aluminum being so much lighter led me to do a little research.
My Tidewater 3100# galv. roller single axle w/ brakes is listed on their site at 600 pounds. Their equivalent capacity aluminum I beam bunk is also listed at 600 pounds.
I looked at another manufacturers and found the same thing. It's not until you get into the larger duel and triple axles that you start to see a significant difference in trailer weight between the 2 materials. I was surprised by what I found.

[theoldwizard]

rite hook - 3/5/2008 4:56 PM

I drive my boat onto my roller trailer, have for years, is that a no-no?

Every ramp I have been to has signs that say "NO POWER LOADING"

[bamaboy473]

flyau98 - 3/4/2008 7:09 PM

I don't think so.* The washdown didn't do crap but keep 1/4 of the insides clean.

yikes! I was thinking discs and calipers, not drums. Anyway, a brake washdown setup will prolong the life of the brake system, no matter what it is. How old are those drums?