Lightweight flatbed trailer

What are you wanting to haul? The heavier your payload and the more concentrated it needs to be (coils) the heavier it may need to be. You can get some pretty light trailers if all you need to haul is lumber to 80k gross.

 

I've hauled a heap on an aluminum trailer.

 

Fontaine make a nice one. I had a Ravens that weighed in at 8700.

 

Sure, as long as the trailer is designed for it. But steel or aluminum, adding enough reinforcement to be able to concentrate all that weight does add weight.

 

You can haul heavy stuff just fine on aluminum.

My Benson flat is all aluminum and weighs 9900 lbs with a single tarp box. I've had close to 60K on it several times. That load was concentrated in the middle 10-15 ft. Those loads are the only ones that can actually take the arch out. 45K of steel dead center doesn't do much to make it flat.

Also have a 3 axle all aluminum Reitnour Bug Bubba flat that I've had 86K on going down the road. Have also used it for a short move in a plant for a single 117K piece. Both of those had the load distributed across about 15FT. The Reitnour is around 13K empty.

Like @ChaoSS said though both of these have some pretty beefy frames under them which does add to the empty weight.

I've seen some of the contained with light decks and smaller frames that look pretty light. Only downside I've seen on them is lack of support near the edges of the deck. They were good for steel loads though where most of the weight will be focused near the middle right over the frame rails. Wouldn't recommend loading anything that has to rest only on the edges of the deck though.

 

Certainly. Just depends on what all you want to haul. Versatility in types of freight, and a trailer being ready for all of it, will kill the weight. If you are specializing, you could find a trailer that will be a little lighter for your purpose.