# Sundowner Trailers...looking to buy and questions I have....



## KristinalovesYankeeTB12 (4 mo ago)

Hi everyone! I’m new here. I’ve been trying to find a trailer for quite a while now! I’m starting to look at auctions which certainly have quite a few rough trailers but I have found a few that I do like! This is one of them which will be posting below! I got very excited about this one but then I saw the rust on the front part of it and I wasn’t sure if that’s a bad thing or something that needs to be worried about? What do you all think? I will post photos of the trailer below. It’s going to be for my three horses mostly my thoroughbred to go showing and I want to make sure it’s usable. And safe! As that is the most important thing! Thanks!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Only way to know if that trailer is safe for horses to be in it is to go in person with a mechanic and look very closely at welds, flooring and all the parts of the trailer.
Certain year Sundowner trailers were full of serious issues of breaking welds and metal fatigue.
Don't know where you are but near me, good horse trailers used do not sit around very long when priced realistic and reasonably.

Make sure the stall width and length are going to work for your sized animals....not every slant load has the length of stall that a horse fits in comfortable nose to tail and head at a comfy level for traveling...
If that trailer is not at least 7' wide I know for fact my 15.3 horses will _*not*_ fit and if not wider stalls you are not closing the dividers.
Make sure that rear opening is wide enough your horse can and will walk through it or the what was storage/rear tack space is collapsible or your horses will not load willingly on or off.

Now as far as to appearances...
To me there is something wonky looking with the axle, the forward one... not sure what but that tire does not look right to me in how it sits.
By evidence of the rims, the trailer has not had the best of care either...and tires again do not match in tread not wear pattern front to rear tire...
The entire front hitch area also is very rusted under the flaking pain...is it just surface or is this one of the problem trailer years is what you must find out..
Surface rust is one thing, it is how deep and how cancerous it is that is the concern.
Once again, there were certain years this brand had some difficult issues of metal problems steel to aluminum.
Have a feeling that because the trailer is listed at $100 bid to open it will quickly go to the thousands, like many, many.
🐴....


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## Elessar (Dec 28, 2011)

I bought a used two horse trailer this year and it cost me over $10k. This trailer wouldn't last one day if for sale in Kentucky. If I were you, I'd follow Horselovinguy's recommendation and get it inspected by someone who knows what they're looking at and then, if you're still interested, make your highest bid. This trailer will sell very fast. Too bad it's an auction because that'll drive up the price in the frenzied bidding. Good luck.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

You will have to look at it. check for rust on the frame, make sure the tires and breaks are good. Double heck the break box. Look at the hitch itself to make sure it's solid. I used to have that kind of attachment on my older trainer and I remember I would have to kick it with my heel to make sure it actually latched. It wasn't a huge deal because it was solid but you did have to double check to make sure it latched.


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

I would be very leery of buying a horse trailer at auction. I require quite a bit of inspection time when I am choosing a trailer especially used. A lot of the time a trailer that is put up for auction is because it has a problem that is keeping it from being sold for a set price. I would encourage you to keep looking at used ones that will give you time to inspect or have inspected and not an online auction.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

Really check the floor boards too--I've heard horror stories of horses falling through rotten wood flooring while being hauled!


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## Zimalia22 (Jun 15, 2021)

Take someone with you that knows their stuff. Go look at the trailer in person. Its the only way you will know, and not be buying a pig in a poke. 
I would not hesitate to buy a trailer, or anything else really, at an auction. After all, it's just a place that brings buyers and sellers together, not that much different than want ads in the paper. 

It appears to be a pretty nice trailer. It looks like it's been kept under cover for much of it's life. 

Go look at it!


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## janerides (Jul 19, 2013)

ksbowman said:


> I would be very leery of b
> 
> Not always so.... but look at it over and under before money exchanges hands... esp frame/floor/roof leaks... etc.


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