When you or your fleet transport goods, the most important thing is that your trailer must be durable enough. To meet this requirement, most semi-trailer manufacturers use steel or aluminum as raw materials for flatbed trailers. These two trailers have different advantages. How should you choose when buying?
The difference between steel trailer and aluminum trailer
1. Strength
Strength is usually the most important factor for buyers. No one wants to use the semi-trailer only a few times after purchase.
The trailers of both materials are equally sturdy, but steel flatbed trailers tend to be stronger than aluminum. When driving on uneven roads, the steel flatbed trailer will not bend and lose its structure. Aluminum flatbed trailers are more pliable and tend to bend when driving on uneven roads.
When the structure of the flatbed trailer changes, the steel trailer usually cannot be repair, but the aluminum trailer can.
2. Weight
Weight is also one of the important considerations. Aluminum flatbed trailers will be lighter than steel flatbed trailers. Its benefits are:
- Higher payload: A lighter trailer body means more cargo can be loaded under the legal load.
- Cost-saving: More goods are loaded, which means fewer round trips. This indirectly reduces tire wear and fuel consumption. And a lighter trailer will reduce the pressure on the engine.
But at present, Three Horses Trailer uses SH800 steel as raw material and adds molybdenum alloy and vanadium alloy, which can not only reduce the weight of the trailer body but also increase the strength.
3. Corrosion resistance
Corrosion resistance is often linked to the life of the semi-trailer. Compared to steel flatbed trailers, aluminum flatbed trailers are less likely to rust and corrode. Because rust is the reaction between steel and oxygen, aluminum does not. Usually, the surface of the steel flatbed trailer is painted, which will isolate the steel from the air and delay the speed of rust and corrosion.
If your area often rains or snows, it will accelerate the corrosion of the trailer. In this case, aluminum trailers may be a better choice.
4. Cost
There is no doubt that the cost of steel flatbed trailers is much lower than that of aluminum, both in terms of maintenance and purchase costs. If budget is the main factor you consider, a steel flatbed trailer will be a good choice.
Aluminum trailers are more expensive, and you need to invest more money in the early stages of use, but it may last longer.
How to choose?
You can decide which material you should choose by thinking about the following questions:
- How many years do you plan to use?
- Is there often rain and snow in your transportation route?
- How is the road condition on your transportation route? Is it flat enough?
- Do you have a larger budget?
If you still can’t decide which flatbed trailer to choose, you can contact us and we can help you decide which material to choose flatbed trailer.
Thanks for detailing the differences between steel and aluminum trailers. It’s interesting to learn that aluminum is more durable than steel. I think that would help you save money in the long run since it would help your trailer last longer.