Flatbed Purchasing Question..

Depends on how much you want to spend and are they heavy loads? Are you going to be hauling 44k or 50k lbs loads. I always had aluminum trailers because most of my loads were around 45k to 48k but I also had a heavy truck with all my equipment, my empty weight was 31,500.

 

my empty wgt. full of fuel is 33,200k that was a year ago. i have added some stuff to the boxes since then.

 

I got a nice all steel 48x102 ill sell you! Pm me!

 

IMO aluminum all the way. The money you may save with steel will be ate up in paint. Between being heavier and the inevitable rust issue, it's just not worth it. Truckpaper is flooded with cheap aluminum flats.

 

Be careful with those cheap aluminum flats a lot of em' are worn out.

 

If you are going to only carry lumber look for an outside frame trailer. It will save you 2,000 lbs.

 

I haul lumber several times a month and have an aluminum Ravens. I suppose you could get a way with a combo but that would depend on the weight you plan to haul. Stay away from all steel or wood decks...

 

No matter what you buy look it over for cracks... they CAN be fixed but some trailers have worse problems than others.... try to get an experienced O/O to look with you OR a good trailer man.

 

When I go to buy me another Flat , it's going to be a WESTERN.