# Brands to avoid



## CLaPorte432

Not sure of what to avoid... But I have a 3 place slant BP. I have a Titan Avalanche II. I absolutely love it. Check to see if you have a dealer in your area and go take a look at them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d

What's your tow vehicle? A lot more options with a gooseneck. Not to mention they tow much better. If you are gonna tow with an SUV or van, look real hard at your tow rating. Once you get over the initial understanding of goosenecks you'll not want a big bumper pull.


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## Fowl Play

I drive a 3/4 ton Suburban with a 454. My husband wants me to consider a pick up, but we've almost paid off the suburban. I don't haul very far, and the "long" trip we take is pretty flat, and on the freeway to my daughter's reining shows. I'm up in the air about getting rid of the sub. I love it, but I'm not opposed to trading it in, if I can get a reasonable price on a better tow vehicle. One dealership (about 100 miles from here) sells both trailers and is a car lot. Definitely a place to look for a package.


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## Joe4d

Personally I will only buy aluminum, but if you ares shopping steel, when replying for adds, insist on good detailed pictures of the frame at the back door/ ramp area. This is the area that tends to rust out first. COurse that maynot be true in a slant load. Id think Id want detailed good picture of area where the horses back ends usually are. Before making the drive. Seems all the adds say no rust, or good shape, till you get there. SOme of the lower price stocky looking 3 horse bumper pulls are terrible, they will rust driving off the lot new.


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## Fowl Play

Joe4d said:


> Personally I will only buy aluminum, but if you ares shopping steel, when replying for adds, insist on good detailed pictures of the frame at the back door/ ramp area. This is the area that tends to rust out first. COurse that maynot be true in a slant load. Id think Id want detailed good picture of area where the horses back ends usually are. Before making the drive. Seems all the adds say no rust, or good shape, till you get there. SOme of the lower price stocky looking 3 horse bumper pulls are terrible, they will rust driving off the lot new.


My husband wants an aluminum trailer. I did find one that is 3 hours away within our price range. We're not afraid to drive, but if I'm driving, frankly I'm driving for a new trailer. I'm not driving 3 hours each way to save $1000, to get there and see a rusted out "in good shape" trailer. Like saddles, and all other horse equipment, I know there are some that are just crappy, that's what I'd like to avoid. 

I borrow a Logan 2 horse slant all summer and it's so nice, even for an older trailer. No one sells Logans around here, so to find something like that, I'll be driving.


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## tim62988

check out horse trailer world (hopefully everyone is ok with me saying htat on here....seems to be 2 very different style forums)

but one thing that I did is looked up a LOT of reviews online when I was looking at used trailers so I knew before I went these are the 3 places on this particular brand/model/year that cause problems.... I pulled in to look at the trailer we bought and luckly it was a rainy day roof leaked, I was expecting it as it's a common problem with the year of Exiss trailer I have so I talked the lady down on price a bit more since there was more work that I needed to put into it.

so know the problems, know how much to fix (call a repair shop that specializes in RV's, horse trailers, or regular trailers depending on the problem but get a quote before you go) and make sure the known problems are either already taken care of (signs of a good trailer/trailer owner) or know what it will cost to fix them and add a bit to cover your extra time


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## Horsigirl

I just got a trailer and warped my brain trying to figure out galvanized steel vs steel vs aluminum .. Etc
Ended up with a trailswest 2 horse slant it is nice
Has drop down windows on head side and stock type on rear side and rear which can be closed off with plexiglass
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

Stay away from Thuro-bilt. They are cheap for a reason. 

I have a Circle J that I love, but also consider a Charmac, Sundowner and a Featherlite. It's a 2 horse slant BP, but I am going to need to upgrade to a 4 horse LQ in the next couple years. Also go with all aluminum if you can, and for better resale value get the tallest trailer you can.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tim62988

the previous post got me thinking:

for your location is there a lot of salt on the roads? also how much hauling do you plan to do in the winter time?

Here in northern NY, lots of sand on the roads and some salt both get corrosive so aluminum is king, for those of you in the south with the same question for trailer brands steel is probably just as good and quite a bit cheaper and never have to worry about rust (well not never, but no more than aluminum corroding)


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## Fowl Play

tim62988 said:


> the previous post got me thinking:
> 
> for your location is there a lot of salt on the roads? also how much hauling do you plan to do in the winter time?
> 
> Here in northern NY, lots of sand on the roads and some salt both get corrosive so aluminum is king, for those of you in the south with the same question for trailer brands steel is probably just as good and quite a bit cheaper and never have to worry about rust (well not never, but no more than aluminum corroding)


Well, I'm in the NW. Not a ton of snow or ice, and I won't be hauling then anyway. Our biggest issue is rain...lots and lots of rain. It's unavoidable. It is really common for people here to have to redo floors. They say Washingtonians don't tan, we rust...well, so do our vehicles.


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## Joe4d

buy once cry one, get an all aluminum


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

FowlPlay: I'm in the NW too! Woodinville/Redmond WA area.

You will def. see Thuro-bilt trailers as theyre from Roseburg, OR. AVOID LIKE THE PLAUGE. They're thin skinned, and very very cheap, in price and quality. And they are the barest of bones entry level

You will also see a lot of Circle J trailers. Still economical but much higher quality. They are mostly steel frame with aluminum skinned, but the Runabout and Lightning 7 models are ALL aluminum.

I ended up buying a Circle J Lariat 2 horse slant x-tall (7' 6")
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## OldHorseLady77

*Thuro-Bilt trailers*

I'm just curious about what you don't like about Thuro-bilts. I've owned one since 2003 and I absolutely love it. I've also owned a Circle J too and I like those too, but my Circle J didn't have all the fancy options that my Thuro-Bilt came with. The only down side I've found with my Thuro-Bilt is it's a little heavy, but I figure the trade off between that and a lighter weight aluminum trailer is that mine is sturdier in case of an accident, plus it doesn't cost as much. It also hauls really straight and true even with super heavy horses and I haven't had to put on sway bars ever. After 16 years of ownership, the rust on my trailer is quite minimal. Much less than my Circle J had. I think it may be due to the double wall construction. It will have more rust though than any aluminum, but I'm ok with the small amount it's incurred.


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## Cedar & Salty

CLaPorte432 said:


> Not sure of what to avoid...But I have a 3 place slant BP. I have a Titan Avalanche II. I absolutely love it. Check to see if you have a dealer in your area and go take a look at them.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


We also have a Titan. I think ours is a Royale 3 horse bumper pull. It's a great trailer-- very well built and functional. We bought new and it will probably last a lifetime for us.


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## Jennyo

BigGirlsRideWarmbloods said:


> Stay away from Thuro-bilt. They are cheap for a reason.
> 
> I have a Circle J that I love, but also consider a Charmac, Sundowner and a Featherlite. It's a 2 horse slant BP, but I am going to need to upgrade to a 4 horse LQ in the next couple years. Also go with all aluminum if you can, and for better resale value get the tallest trailer you can.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Have a 2006 thuro-bilt. Owned it 14 years and have had zero problems. It pulls smoothly and its nice and tall and extra wide. At 14 years old I just now have to replace two boards near the back from a little dry rot. Its been an amazing trailer for our family, only required maintenance.


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## Jennyo

BigGirlsRideWarmbloods said:


> FowlPlay: I'm in the NW too! Woodinville/Redmond WA area.
> 
> You will def. see Thuro-bilt trailers as theyre from Roseburg, OR. AVOID LIKE THE PLAUGE. They're thin skinned, and very very cheap, in price and quality. And they are the barest of bones entry level
> 
> You will also see a lot of Circle J trailers. Still economical but much higher quality. They are mostly steel frame with aluminum skinned, but the Runabout and Lightning 7 models are ALL aluminum.
> 
> I ended up buying a Circle J Lariat 2 horse slant x-tall (7' 6")
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Have a 2006 thuro-bilt. Owned it 14 years and have had zero problems. It pulls smoothly and its nice and tall and extra wide. At 14 years old I just now have to replace two boards near the back from a little dry rot. Its been an amazing trailer for our family, only required maintenance.


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## Jennyo

OldHorseLady77 said:


> *Thuro-Bilt trailers*
> 
> I'm just curious about what you don't like about Thuro-bilts. I've owned one since 2003 and I absolutely love it. I've also owned a Circle J too and I like those too, but my Circle J didn't have all the fancy options that my Thuro-Bilt came with. The only down side I've found with my Thuro-Bilt is it's a little heavy, but I figure the trade off between that and a lighter weight aluminum trailer is that mine is sturdier in case of an accident, plus it doesn't cost as much. It also hauls really straight and true even with super heavy horses and I haven't had to put on sway bars ever. After 16 years of ownership, the rust on my trailer is quite minimal. Much less than my Circle J had. I think it may be due to the double wall construction. It will have more rust though than any aluminum, but I'm ok with the small amount it's incurred.


Love my 06 thuro. I agree with your assessment of it. Been a great pulling trailer. Mine too has very little rust. Great priced trailer for what it offers.


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