Opinions on all-steel cargo trailers; CM, W-W, etc.

[AZKayaker]

I am thinking of converting something a little more rugged like a steel 6x10 and am considering this CM Cargo Mate. More weight, I know, but that's not a problem on my end. I'd like to hear from any current or past all-steel owners. http://www.cmtrailers.com/cargo-mite/

[piperpilot3tk]

An "all steel" trailer will do nothing for extra strength, it will however be slightly heavier and more prone to rust when the finish wears thin or is scratched or dented. The steel sides will also be HOT in the summer sun!

The strength in a cargo trailer is in what's below the floor. My trailer had floor cross members on 24" centers, these so called cross members were made from heavy gauge sheet metal that was bent into Z angle. My wall studs are Sheet metal Z angles on 16" centers, and my roof supports are heavy stamped steel U channel on 24" centers. When my trailer was new you could walk inside of it and feel the floor flex, you cold also bounce up and down in a corner and see the walls flex when the frame twisted. I planned to add some structure below the floor to support some water tanks, and when I removed the 3/4" ply it became obvious how much the wood was stiffening the entire trailer since the thing then flexed like silly putty. I ended up cutting out most of the Z angle floor cross members and welding in square tubing. Now even without the 3/4" plywood on the floor I used a floor jack and jacked one corner up high enough that one tire came off the ground and the sides did not flex and the rear doors would still open and close.

I traded with a friend for my trailer, but if I were looking to buy new, I would make sure I got one with square tubing cross members on 16" centers, as well as square tubing wall studs on 16" centers. If you are having a trailer built the cost to upgrade the cross members and wall studs is a bargain. Another option would be to do like I did and make a welding project out of it before you start the conversion.

[MtnDon]

Hmmm. Looking at the pictures on the linked website one thing I noticed was those trailers do not use any interior plywood. On the typical aluminum sided cargo trailer with a steel framework the plywood is required for making the walls, rigid or stiff. Two manufacturers of cargo trailers told me that. So from the lack of inside plywood I would have to assume the steel sided trailer is more rigid than an aluminum skinned trailer. I do wonder how the steel skin is attached to the framework; probably that special sticky bonding tape that is used when doing a seamless, fastener free aluminum skin. Or it could be welded too. Galvaneal welds better than ordinary gavly steel.

The steel skin on those trailers is a galvanized type with heat treatment that converts the zinc to a zinc-iron alloy. It's more scratch resistant than ordinary galvy and the galvanneal steel sheets and accepts paint very well. I have a garage door than is made of galvanneal steel. Many auto body parts use it too.

It would be nice to see a weight comparison between aluminum skin and steel skinned, similar sized trailers.

[piperpilot3tk]

The interior wall plywood is only required if you have wall studs made Z angle and are not made from tubing. I have Z angle wall studs and after reinforcing the frame with real cross members made out of tubing, my walls do not flex. All 230 pounds of me was on my roof today with no ply on the interior Z angle wall studs,and no wall flex. Plywood will make the walls much stiffer, especially if you are creating a bending load by attaching something to the interior of the wall such as bunk beds or shelves.

The use of steel wall skins versus aluminum will not add any measurable strength, unless the steel is thicker than the aluminum. It is relatively inexpensive to spec a new trailer with .030" skins instead of the standard .024". Any way you look at it the walls in a standard cargo trailer are not meant to be primary load bearing members. You are always supposed to secure the cargo or load to the floor, the walls and roof are just there as an enclosure, although a sturdy one. There are exceptions with trailers that are built with heavy wall structure, but if the frame and cross members are heavy enough then the walls will not flex when driving over rugged terrain, nor will they flex if loads imparted on them during your conversion is designed to be primarily in compression (load running down the studs, and not twisting or side loading the wall).

[hankaye]

AZKayaker, Howdy;

We all choose what we do because of what we feel suits our personal
wants and needs.
Below is a link to the Interstate website (I know tootin' their own horn),
but they show the frame work and explain it concisely.
http://www.interstatecargo.com/enclosed.php
Also on you tube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuHMj1p43JY
The one I'm going to get will be this same size
http://www.trailersplus.com/Utah/Murray ... 8DN087961/
only with the Barn Doors, brakes and the 7 way plug and possibly an up graded axel. Living in the
desert SW I'll stick to basic White also.

hank

[lrrowe]

hankaye,
I have visited my local Trailerplus dealer earlier and liked what I saw. So did I with Car Mate. Both had quality trailers.
Your choice is just the size with the same options I would order if I could convince myself that a 6 x14 is not that much worse in the wind resistance department then a 6 x 12 VNose (with 3 ft nose) model. As I might have mentioned in an earlier post, I have read many posts here about different views and I have even contacted a manufacturer about it and I am still as uncertain as in the beginning. Guess I will go with the best deal I can get and drive slower (it is all about gas mileage for me). My deadline comes in about one week before price increases come.
Bob

[hankaye]

lrrowe, Howdy;

Ain't it great to have choises???
Won't be ordering mine till The end of April so it'll
be ready for me the 1st-ish week of June.

hank