Tidewater vs. Load Rite Trailer?

Goin' Deep · 09-15-2009, 06:14 AM

Hi all.

I think I'm spending more time researching trailers, than I did when I bought my boat.

Can anyone weigh in on the quality of Tidewater trailers (link below)? I was about to buy a Load-Rite, but I believe the Load-Rite comes with Tie-down brand brakes on the front axle only, but the Tidewater has Kodiak brakes on both axles. From what I've read around here, I want to avoid Tie-down brakes. The Tidewater has plastic fenders and the Loadrite's are galv.

Both companies offer similar trailers (7,400Lb Cap, galv. tandem 64 roller trailer, LED lights) at around the same price, and have dealers within 50miles of me. Which would you choose?

LINK:

http://tidewatertrailers.com/page6.html

Thanks! -GD

gf · 09-15-2009, 10:30 AM

Flip a coin.

Tidewater was founded in 2003 by several Load-Rite Trailer employees. They set up shop in Morrisville, PA, just down the road from Load-Rite in Fairless Hills, PA and are basically building identical trailers using essentially the same components.

demjjm · 09-15-2009, 11:34 AM

It seems like the tidewater would be the obvious choice based on the upgraded brakes. If you only hear good things about Kodiak, with the exception of their cost, and mostly bad thing about tie down, and the trailers are priced similar.... then the one with the more expensive brakes would be the ticket.....

If the fender is bothering you that much, I bet adding the galvanized fenders to the tidewater will still come out cheaper than adding the Kodiak brakes to the Loadrite....