Featherlite vs Exiss open car trailers

[tdecosta]

Which oned is best? I saw the Featherlite 17' tag trailer locally today, but Exiss dealer was too far. Featherlite is about $800. 00 more. Featherlite looks good, but has several steel or pot metal parts which already show rust (made April, 2004). Should I make 65 mile trip to look at Exiss unit? Is quality of Exiss similar to Featherlite? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Soot4Life]

I'm in the dark when you are talking car trailers. Horse trailers are my thing. Featherlite is generally considered a higher quality trailer than Exiss. The few rusty bolts means Featherlite put steel where it was needed. If you buy Exiss you should be able to save money up front. They are both fine manufacturers but if it was my $$$, I would buy the Featherlite for the long haul.

 

[Heelin]

I'm the same as soot 4 life. Horse trailers are what I know and in those the Featherlite is a better trailer. Exiss is low cost. It depends on how much you plan on using it. See what the GVW is of the trailer and the axle rating. Seems to me that the Exiss should be more of a savings than $800.



Good luck! Oo.

 

[y-knot]

I am not really an expert in the car hauler field, but I have sold them new before and I am on my 4th enclosed trailer for myself. There are many things that go into a quality built and furnished enclosed car hauler, many of them are very obvious others not so obvious. to me the most important areas are the ones that get the least attention, they are the underpenings of the trailer and all parts that support it's weight. I like to look at size of beams used and their placement, crossmembers, uprights, axles, suspension, tounge construction and it's matterials, and roof bracing. Yes these areas get very little attention, and are not what everyone else see's, but they are also the "Back Bone" of the trailer and will dictate how well it behaves, tow's, handles and eventualy lives.

I do not like Aluminum trailers. I know most think they are better and their fore used by most of the better trailer makers, but I do not feel they bring anything new, better or needed to the table, with the exception of weight. Yes the will never rust, but that isn't the problem area of most trailers anyway. longevity for a trailer is based on strenght, design , matterials and build quality, not if it will rust or not. While there are good trailers built from Aluminum out there to be had, the real question is," Do you need one built from aluminum"?, and "Is it any better then the same trailer built of steel"?

Most people I talk to are under the impression that Aluminum trailers are better trailers. Most think that, because they see very large tractor trailers made from Aluminum, that they must be the best. It is notso. Commercial movers, people in the trucking industry, use Aluminum trailers for one reason and one reason only... ... . They allow more product to be moved. Aluminum trailers are by nature lighter then their conterparts built of steel. In the trucking business it is all about cargo tonage, moving the most amount of cargo in one trip. Aluminum trailers are not better then steel one, they are lighter. This is the number one misconception most people have. Why then do then continue to use Aluminum trailers? Because they make more money. Aluminum trailers do not last nearly as long as a like trailer built of steel, this is well known. They suffer from stress fractures along their weld areas, and the supportive beams themselves crack from continual stress brought about my the flexing fo everyday use and abuse. But what is important to the trucking firm is dollars, the Aluminum trailer will make more money per run because they can carry more product. Most trucks are limited to 80,000lbs, so the lighter you can build the trailer (truck also) the more wieght left for cargo. Never mind that the trailer will have a shorter service life, it's all about today and how much money you can make now.

 

[bmoeller]

Depending on its use, you probably won't need an alum. trailer. Steel will last a time, even if somewhat neglected. Just wash and go. Alum. needs a little more attention. If you need an alum. trailer, I'd vote for the Featherlite, assuming it is of the same quality as their livestock trailers. Not familiar with the Exiss brand.

 

[Buffalo]

Y-Knot, I would really appreciate any recommendations You might have as to who builds the best enclosed trailers. Thank You, for Your help. If anyone else has suggestions I would, also, appreciate heaering them. Joe F.

 

[lawdog]

I will add that alot of what type of trailer, steel VS Aluminum depends on where you are going to use it. I just bought an all aluminum Featherlite enclosed G-neck trailer, 40' long. I also looked at Exiss, but went Featherlite because I needed a tapered nose for my Short Bed truck. The Featherlite standard model was better built than the Exiss Mach 10 series. To Get a tapered nose in Exiss I needed to go into a custom trailer for more money. .



A good friend has a 48' Exiss Commercial trailer, enclosed which is a very nice trailer, VERY EXPENSIVE, $34k for a non finished interior trailer. He has had 4 Featherlites as well. Both of the enclosed from Featherlite and Exiss have steel hitches and steel axle sunframes bolted into the aluminum trailer frame.



I don't know alot about the opens, but the enclosed Exiss Mach 10 has 16" on center floor supports. My Featherlite has 12"on center. When I compared a steel framed aluinum skinned 24' enclosed car trailer, the Featherlite only saved about 500 lbs, they are BUILT STRONG. They add more aluminum to make up the difference between steel and aluminum in strength.



If you are not going into poor roads IE: SALT, steel would probably be fine and cheaper, aluminum is nice though. I am running my trailer exclusively in the Michigan winters for Snowmobile racing so I went Aluminum as the salt TEARS UP the aluminum skinned steel trailers due to electrolisis.



Biggest thing to watch for is hitch strength and axle capacity... DO NOT skimp on axle size... Good Luck