Buying a flatbed trailer...

Les2, is the Reitnouer's Big Bubba the coil trailer?

 

Yeah. The Maximiser is rated for a 50k coil and the bubba is 65k on the older ones, the new ones is 72k I think.

 

actually benson was bought out by wabash but i'm not sure if they still make all aluminum flatbeds

east makes a very good aluminum flat i know several guys that have 20 year old easts that have kept their arch and use them everyday

fontaine also makes a very durable trailer

everybody i know that have transcrafts have had breaks in the frame at the suspension mounting points and have had to plate them also the paint was terrible as far as rusting

ritenour makes a nice trailer i would be concerned over time with the bolted together construction and corrosion around those bolts over time

manac is similar to ritenour except riveted instead of bolted

 

Didn't hear about Wabash buying Benson, thought they was gone for good. My dad has 2 1997 Reteniour's and no problems with the bolts. The only corrosion problems on them is where the suspension bolts up and the fifth wheel plate caving in, but after about 12 years you can't complain! He's hauled alot of heavy loads on it and the trailer has never been re-arched, yet.

I own a MAC and love it! It's the highest rated aluminum trailer on the market. They do make regular trailers for guys who haul and run everywhere and they are lightweight but not real good for hauling coils. They have since changed their design some and instead of having 3 weight classes of trailers to pick from I think they only have 2, a 60 or 65k beam and the 80k beam.

 

If I was going to get back in the flatbeds I would buy a MAC over East, Reitnouer, etc.... Very sharp looking trailer.

 

Which one is better aluminum or steel ?
Thanks

 

The nice thing is, they will build it almost anyway you want!! I did have some problems with mine but they did take care of it.

Thats really a matter of opinion. With aluminum you'll be lighter, most of the time. And the fact that they are making aluminum trailers to haul just as much as steel. Steel trailers are usually cheaper. Some combos are nice. Fontaine's are heavy combos and Transcraft is a light one.

 

The east bst is practically a steel trailer in that when you put anything on the deck it sags, not sure if the mmx does the same or not. My alum. fontaine has done alright but its not a all the time heavy coil hauling trailer. I know alot of guys pulling ravens flats around that love them either the eclips or a magnum. I would prefer the Mac over them all

 

fontain bought ravens several years ago and took over the flatbed part of the company

the ravens dumps are still being produced but made by some former ravens employees that took over that part of the company

 

They are called Ravens by Kruz I think? They look just like the old ravens.