Mac, Benson, Reitnouer, Doonan, East...

If you're gonna go with a front slider I'd bite the bullet and go with both axles being sliders. Just leave more options.

If you need the trailer to haul weight I'd go with a Mac.

Just seen in a magazine that came in the mail today. Big auction of equipment.....

www.myronbowling.com

 

I guess I'd spec a MAC and see if I could afford it.....

I had a new Chaparral flat and it was a good trailer... wouldn't buy a Transcraft due to their piss poor floors....

 

I'm guessing you already know this Mag, but go with the best trailer speced the way you want it from the get-go. Personally I would go with a MAC or Manac aluminum compared to the Reitinour. My last flat was a 2005 Reitinour and I was not impressed with the drop in quality from my 1997 model. Even at 8 years old the '97 held a better arch loaded then the '05 did when both were loaded with 48,000 lbs. coils. If I ever get back into the flat bed segment I will be buying a 53' aluminum Mac or Manac tri axle with at least 2 of the axles lifting. All of my equipment will be help in tool boxes under the deck even if I install a Fastrac tarp system (which will be needed to help my old lazy butt).

 

Mac trailer sales in Oh has a nice 06 Reitnouer 51 footer tri axel with center lift for $34,500.00

 

Most of the newer reitnouers have a relaxed arch in them. To many complaints of people wanting to haul longer stuff but not wanting to block the ends. So be careful of the arch you get most of the trailers have the relaxed arch. The 05 reitnouer I have is a tank. It's only a big bubba but I have had 72,000 coil in the center and it still had a little arch in it.

 

Four years ago we ordered brand new 53' steps and they were Chapparal's and Manac's and the company wasnt happy with them. This year we ordered 53' steps again only now we are buying East.

 

The relaxed arch you speak of was done cause Reitnouer was having a problem with trailers breaking due to not flexing.

Now do you have the big bubba or the bigger bubba? If you have the big bubba the rating on that trailer is 65k in 4', the bigger bubba is 72k in 4'. Now you loaded a 72k coil on a trailer not rated to haul it, this is the problem. You may have not done any damage that you can see right now, but later on it may show up. The next owner may be the one who has to deal with this issue or accident due to a broken trailer!

If you don't own a trailer to haul the big coils, leave it to those of us who do! Sorry but I see to many people loading beyond the capability of the trailers and then it make the trailer makers look bad, when in reality its the owner of the trailers who are causing the problems!

 

I have a fontaine combo, had a steel tracked directional boring machine on, no damage loading it but on the other end he thought he had to turn a little and started to pull up little slivers of aluminum.

 

A couple of problems that you may experience with aluminum decks are denting, due to heavy wheeled vehicles, such as forklifts and the weight bowing the aluminum panels on the deck. Another is the damage that can be caused by a heavy track machine, such as an excavator or dozer. One other problem with any aluminum open deck trailer is that they can be very slick when wet.