Buying a rusty old trailer

I can't speak to dry vans, but I recently refurbished an older flatbed. All the moving parts are new, new hangers put on, winch tracks, new led lighting and am slowly grinding down and repainting it.

Here's what I can tell you. I own the thing outright. Not having a payment is a big plus. Knowing I now have a reliable trailer is a big plus. I'd never get my money back if I sold it, though. Life with your own trailer is so much better than constantly dragging loadout trailers.

I think the main difference you will come across in the dry van is the release for the tandems. Newer trailers have a push button controlled air release. Very nice. The older one will have the pull handle. We all know the joys associated with those things.

Other than that, whatever you decide, I'd recommend a good paint job. I personally think those rusty old vans on the road are a poor reflection on the owner and an invitation for closer scrutiny. Good luck!

 

Check out the refurbished ones from the factory.

 

I've driven older trailers that tracked straight as an arrow,even though they were rusted the pins moved easily..others..not so much.
I wouldn't buy a trailer with the handle mechanism..and I would request a road test.

 

Luck of the draw. Friend of mine bought an old dry van at a farm auction for $1500.00 if I remember correctly. Cleaned it up and put used tires on it and hit the road. It's a 53' trailer the farmer used for storage. He runs it OTR and hasn't had any problems with it.
The paint looked pretty good after he cleaned the mildew and dirt off. He touched up a few places on the edges and support sections with high quality paint and a paint brush. The trailer looked really good running down the road.

 

It depends on what you haul. There are a few shippers who require van trailers less than 10 years old. I used to book a lot of loads like that. Some guys never see them. Occasionally I book one still but not as often. I bought mine new in Jan '15 and will sell it a few years before that 10 year mark when the value plummets like a rock. Then upgrade to another new one. Maintenance is minimal which is how I like it.

 

I've been pulled to the back of the scales four times in four months. Thank god, I passed all inspections.

The officer told me each time that I'm being pulled bc my company's CSA score is 95. He said that it's not an option for him. When the scale camera scans the license plate a red flag pops up on his screen and he HAS to inspect me.

I'm done with that company and will have my MC number in a few weeks.

I asked them each time if my trailer or freight was s factor and the answer was always "no". A bad CSA is a no brainer for DOT.

An ugly trailer with good tires and lights shouldn't worry you. Just pre-trip every single day.

 

New Trailers come with brand new tires, brand new brakes, a brand new floor, a brand new roof, brand new electrical circuits....no leaks, no shipper rejections, no DOT inspection issues, no or minimal maintenance for the first 2- 3 years. It slides like a knife on butter too. 3K a down payment and $580,00 a month and in 5 years when it is paid off, it still has a resale value of 12-15 K. Depreciation for tax purposes is nice too.

Other than that, I find that the two most important things about a dry van are floor and roof. No leakage is allowed - absolutely no signs of water/moisture inside should be allowed.

I also see maximum age requirement in some rate confirmations, especially when hauling water, paper products; it is no more than 10 years. Nobody every required me to show trailer registrations to verify their age, though.
One more thing. A new trailer, to some extent, limits the scope of cargo you want to haul. It is more psychological though. For example, it would be heart breaking for me to load some scrap metal on it, paper bales to be recycled, tires (used or new), anything going to a waste management site., anything that requires 2X4s to be nailed down to the floor - most of the time the nails are too long and go through outside. leaving little holes, weakening the boards. With an old beat up trailer, I would not mind as much.