Buying a brand new trailer. Looking at Mac, Fontaine, Manac, and few others. What do you guys like?

We have Reitnouers ranging from 1998 through 2014. Great trailers very strong easy to fix. Had a driver hit a cement post with a loaded 2005 Reitnouer broke the studs pushing the rear duels up and out the back, split the passenger side junior rail above the rear axle and tore the back corner up pretty bad. That trailer was only down a week. Unbolted all the damaged pieces and using new bolts to replace the entire junior rail and all the rear damaged area. Reitnouers also have a five year warranty that covers lights, wheel seals, labor etc.

I like the Mac's its good quality and strong. Sent one of our 2016 Mac's to the shop with two leaking wheel seals and found out Mac only has a year warranty on wheel seals.

We do have one 2014 Manac it is not really holding up to my standards. Floor keeps working lose, rub rail is super thin and is all bent up. I think Manac builds their trailers out of beer cans the aluminum seems thin. It will be traded for new trailers.

My only experience with east was with some 2001-2006. One broke the main beam at the East emblem in the center of the trailer. Cracking issues around the suspension hangers. Don't own any currently.

When I'm in the market for trailers there is only two Manufactures I really consider Mac and Reitnouer. I'm looking for quality and strength. I'm looking for a long service life.

 

Hauling heavy dense loads, like mill rolls or coils, nothing beats a properly spaced Mac.

 

I have a 3 year old Fontaine Revolution 53 foot flat. Weighs 9280 from the factory. I like it a lot. Pulls very easy. Has a pretty wicked arch to it so factor that in. The securement design is fantastic. 10 year electrical warranty. The wiring is all VERY easy to get at, you don't need to pull out a nailer unlike most other designs.

Here's what I've had go wrong:

- A few tail lights have gone out, all on warranty
- Two ABS faults. Corrosion, not covered by warranty But nobody does
- Front air line plate securement isn't the best. I replaced with bolts, but I figured it was coming off due to my air lines being a bit short and pulling on it
- I had a lift axle specced and they put the wrong airbags on the other axle, so it was taking too much weight. All fixed now!

When you start looking at things like axle or wheel seal warranty, that has to do with how the trailer is specced not the make. They all use hendrickson and you can get a 1 up to 7 year warranty. Maybe that's changed now.

 

I have 3 sets of Manac 26'-32' B-Trains. Those trailers get tortured steady with 96,000lb payloads on them. Lumber and crane counterweight mostly and lots of times they're out in the woods with the counterweights on them. I've never had any of them in a welding shop.

 

All of ours are ravens. Lightest I could find.
And they are making new ones if that floats your boat

 

Awesome. Ive had many trailers but the ravens have a place in my heart. Some of the most difficult loads went onto it and I did not feel unsafe with it. Mine anyhow... (Other than a little anxiety over tipping...)

 

Raven flatbeds have one design flaw even the new ones by Kruz. The main beams are not made out of two extruded aluminum pieces. Raven welds the bottom flange and top flange on to build their main beams. This causes the trailer to be weaker and over time more prone to cracks from flexing.

 

I'm partial to these.

 

I've been looking for a few years, and am stuck between Fontaine, Mac, and Manac. The Fontaine is really gabbing my attention because of the stupid thick rubrails, no crossmembers to worry about, and no way for the floor to work loose, but the lack of nailers seems like a mixed blessing. Mac seems like the way to go if I'm going to jump into a tri-axle spread, since that, Benson, and Reitnour are what all the 8 axles run. Manac is grabbing my eye because I just love that #### flying moose.