When it comes to materials in building trailers, steel and
aluminum are the best choices. For years, steel is the primary choice in
building trailers. However, steel can rust over a couple of years which
resulted trailer manufacturers looking for alternatives and many are using
aluminum as their main material. Today, we’re going to compare both materials
and what suits your trailer best.
Strength
In terms of strength, what metal is stronger? Steel is one
of the toughest material and can sustain a lot of stress when driving long
distances or on bumpy roads. Steel trailers believe that aluminum can’t handle
these kinds of condition well.
Aluminum is commonly used
for foils or cans. However aluminum used in trailers is different, this alloy
has about the same yield strength as steel and contains 95 percent aluminum and
the other 5 percent consists of copper, chromium, zinc and titanium.
Payload
Technically, steel is stronger when driving
the payload on long drives and bumpy roads. But, since the material is heavier
than aluminum, payload needs to be kept to a reasonable level in order for the
trailer to move.
Aluminum on the other hand can carry heavy
loads because of its light weight. It has a higher payload capacity than steel.
Repair and Maintenance
Steel is considered easier to repair than
aluminum, making steel easier and cheaper to fix. Working with steel trailers
is generally less expensive. On the other hand, preventing rust on steel
trailers is quite difficult. Some use a protective layer of zinc to
reduce the corrosion. Adding a coat of paint can help improve your protection
too.
Aluminum has also its perks though. Aluminum
doesn’t rust or corrode like steel. But for maintenance, aluminum trailers need
lubrication on hinges and cam latches. For cosmetic purposes, you may also need
to give an acid bath every couple of years to clean the exterior.
No comments:
Post a Comment