# American trailers?



## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

I posted a while ago asking about what to look for in used trailers...well, the quest continues. We found a good-looking trailer within our budget (my sister and I are buying the trailer, my dad is buying the truck)--asking $2500. I've seen but not heard much about the brand, so I was wondering if y'all have any input. Just want to make sure it's not a trailer that's going to fall apart in 6 months.  It's a 2H slant "American Trail Mfg.", made in Boise, ID in 2000.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

It is possible that the manufacturer closed or was bought out by another company....

I would love to see a close-up of the tag on the bottom front of that picture...you may have a "model" not the actual manufacturers name.

By looks... this trailer as a year 2000 model is now 15 years old.
Looks alone tell it was well taken care of and probably very well maintained. Most who spend a pretty good sum of money on something like this tend to take good care of it...again really look at that picture.

_For $2500 I would be looking in person at it_,* very carefully*, but seriously looking at it.
Take it to a trailer shop/dealer and have them go over it with a inspection. They can tell you what they find that needs attention and can also tell you if it has had good care and maintenance.
Looks alone, by me that trailer would be having a price on it double and getting it.

Normally I would be a nay-sayer on a trailer of this age for this amount...this trailer looks nice, looks like quality and only a good visual inspection will prove or dismiss the care done or not...
Being it is a slant load, make darn sure the stall length and width will fit your horses in either stall location comfortably. Slants sometimes although look "big" are not long enough or wide enough in one-stall or the other or either....

Happy shopping and good luck in your search....


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Based on the appearance alone, I'd say that's quite a bargain o,o

But! As horselovinguy pointed out, definitely have someone look it over.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I also like the look of the trailer (have never heard of the company, by the way, but I'm in Canada so maybe that's why).

As said, inspect carefully from bottom up and inside out -- in particular look for damage to frame (eg rust, cracks) and suspension, make sure brakes and lights work, try for a test drive to ensure it pulls straight. Also check the measurements to make sure it will fit your horses -- my 2 horse slant is 7 ft tall and around 6 or 7 ft wide (sorry I'm not remembering the exact one at the moment) and it's a great fit for my horses of whom the largest one is 15 hh (it's my belief that for horses larger than 15.2, most standard size slants start to get short on the length).

Hope you can get it.


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## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Thanks everyone! We've already seen it in person and it looks to be in really good condition. There is a bit of surface rust, but the wood floor looks good and we looked high and low for structural rust and didn't see any. The divider in the horse compartment is pretty skeletal (just bars, no solid padding) so we'd look into beefing it up a bit. Otherwise it looks good inside. I'm going to double check on the stall length because it looked a bit small...but then again, slant stalls always look small to me.

There's a very good local trailer dealership that we would take it to for maintenance, so maybe I'll look into a pre-purchase inspection through them, too. We don't have a truck yet so we would ask our neighbor to haul the trailer home for us; he would also be a good judge of the trailer's quality and condition.

Here are some more photos, including the tag that was asked about.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

With more information I did some digging for you...

_*THEY EXIST*_....here is the website for them.
_USED 2014 BALBOA 22'

_This is where else I found all kinds of information........
_American Trailer - Boise, Idaho, United States - YouReview_

I "searched" for....
Does this manufacturer still exist, American Trailer Mfg, 8645 Westpark St., Boise Idaho 83704? 

Pages of information suddenly appeared...

They are legitimate and BIG in trailer sales it appears...

Hope that helps some.

As before....

Happy Shopping!!


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

A used trailer this nice sold here in the Midwest would go for more like $5000-$7000 as we have a real rust problem (they throw salt on the roads in the winter). 

In fact, it would be snatched up so quickly you wouldn't have time to think about it! I really envy you the cheap, nice trailers you apparently have available out there!


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## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

TrailDustMelody said:


> I posted a while ago asking about what to look for in used trailers...well, the quest continues. We found a good-looking trailer within our budget (my sister and I are buying the trailer, my dad is buying the truck)--asking $2500. I've seen but not heard much about the brand, so I was wondering if y'all have any input. Just want to make sure it's not a trailer that's going to fall apart in 6 months.  It's a 2H slant "American Trail Mfg.", made in Boise, ID in 2000.


 
There were several merger/buy-outs/consolidations in the trailer industry over the last six or so years.

Trailers are like boats. All the suspension, axles and wheels are bought from a handful or OEMs. That looks like a sweet deal. Here is what I would do if it were me:

Check the floor by pulling out mats and then from below....I mean crawl ALL the way under it with a flashlight and inspect the beams and frame welds which support the floor.

Check date codes on tires.... the code is four digits, example 3704 means the 37th week of 2004. 

Count on a complete disassembling, inspections and repacking of wheel bearings. Ditto for brakes and maybe new shoes. 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Chasin--I was thinking the same thing! xD I don't really think rust is an issue in CO, but for some reason used trailers are nearly as expensive as new ones!


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## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the info. We went to look at it again with my sister's riding teacher, and it looks like a go. There were just some issues with the recently-redone wiring...like how turning on the truck's headlights activated the trailer breaks. That was interesting. Anyways, the seller is taking it back to the shop to get sorted out, so barring any more issues, we will take it home tomorrow. So excited!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Sounds like a wire was placed wrong when re-wiring took place.

Also realize that you may experience a "wiring" issue as there are several ways, _all correct_ that your truck to trailer wiring can be done.
There are not hard and fast rules to that wiring if you look at 7-pin wiring diagrams online...little adjustment as this one is and hopefully you have the exact same pin wiring as the present owner does.

Congratulations on the trailer...may you have years of safe fun and travels with it...


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## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Yep. There was also an issue with the right turn signal light, which was flickering. It seemed like something was loose in there. My dad just wanted to make sure everything is working properly before we take it home.

Thanks!

Now all we need is a truck.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Congratulations! I'm jelly


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## Jumping4Joy (Jan 29, 2014)

Good luck! I wish I could find a nice trailer for that price near me lol!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

You did well on this purchase, nicely done.


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## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Thanks everyone! I'm so happy we FINALLY got a trailer! Though it still hasn't really sunk in..even though I spent the whole evening cleaning it, inside and out. Lol! Still a few little details to fix, but a friend is coming on Friday to haul us to the lake with her truck, so we'll get to use it for the first time!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Jumping--I think we're all there! xD


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