Best brand of dry van trailer

I'm a company driver and never owned my own trailer, but my company uses Great Dane, Wabash, Hyundai, and Utility trailers. Hands down, without question, the Utility are the best of the bunch. They always pull nice and straight. The GD and Wabash seem to start dog tracking, even when they're still relatively new. That says to me that the materials used arnt of as high a quality. The Hyudais are pretty nice too, but the Utility's are hard to beat.

 

Well there's gotta be a reason Swift/Schneider/Werner seem to have mostly Wabash Trailers.

Prolly cause they're cheaper then the others.

 

The best dry van is the one that is spec'd for your operation. Every brand of dry van is just a box going down the road on wheels.

The short list of what you need to figure out is:

sheet and post or composite?
flat or ribbed panels?
16, 24, or 48"?
aluminum floor, wood, composite or combo?
steel or aluminum cross members in the bay?
phillips, trucklite or grote?
drums or disks?
tandems or super singles?
air, spring or composite?
holland, meritor, hendickson slider?
air or manual slider?
4 or 6" hole spacing?
meritor, holland, or hendrickson axles?
serviceable or unitized hubs?
oil or grease?
straight or tapered spindles?
auto air?
jost, holland, or other landing gear? what weight rating?
galvanized or stainless bolster?
12, 24, or 48" thresh hold plate?
wood or composite doors?
3, 4 or 5 hinges?
lined or un-lined? wood or plastic?
single scuff or double scuff?
aluminum or translucent roof?
skirts, tales, or fins?


Why have you owned several trailers 2012-2014? Trailers are 15 year assets. How rough are you on equipment? How rough are you customers?

If I were to go back to slamming doors, I would buy a ultra light composite trailer with as much aluminum as I could put on it, disk brakes, aluminum roof, jost landing gear, auto air, holland slider, an air pressure gauge for the bags, super singles, straight spindles, sealed hubs, and skirts.

In 2012, a 100 Wabash's were $35k each. I'm guessing the price has gone up now.

 

It really depends on how they are spec'd below the rail, how many miles are on the units, and how good the maintenance program is. I've seen a thousand trailer's come in for an alignment, and the bushings had been wobbled out for a long time. Drivers just kept pulling the trailer.

No trailer manufacturer makes anything below the bottom rail. There are only a hand full of companies who make sliders, axles and suspensions. Holland, Hutchens, Hendrickson, and Meritor own 99 44/100th's of the market. All of which are state of the art facilities that can take the production number off any part and tell you the date, time and tolerances of that part when it came off the line. They don't do random sampling. Every part is checked.

Any trailer that dog tracks is the direct result of driver error or a poor maintenance program.

 

I've owned a lot of different dry vans over the yrs. how you spec the trailer is the most important aspect in getting a great quality van. In my opinion Great Dane is the best van trailers, they run about 300 Ibs heavier, but every Dane I've had lasted 15 yrs plus. The stainless van I have was built in 1988 and is still a very good looking trailer. Utility is probably the best refer I've owned still have one of them as well from 1998. It really comes down to preference and how well you care for your equipment. If you bang up your equipment it doesn't matter what you buy it's gonna cut down on the life of the trailer. If you buy a top of the line Dane, Utility, or wabash and keep it nice you'll have the trailer for 10-15 yrs easy.

 

I'd say one that works and makes you money is the best brand.

 

that is inaccurate picked up a new Great Dane 6 months ago
went back before I got it to the yard because it dog tracked

 

Almost every manufacturer has different LEVELS of trailer--think of new pick ups for example w/different trim/interior packages....so especially comparing larger companies w/different trailers really has no bearing..since due to costs and deals made...one could have been specd much stronger than the others--due to size of purchase availablility--etc etc....
Also this NEW trailer dog tracking issue--has almost nothing to do with brand--and everything to do w/specs and delivery
First off--larger companies have trailers delivered direct--the factory only eyeballs alignment--they dont actually align--it is considered dealer prep..and if it comes straight to your company--it is said companies responsibility to do ALL the prep work--including alignment..which almost NONE do...
as for specing--there are quite a few different suspension pkgs available--the cheaper the pkg--the cheaper(thiner) the bushings--ergo--quicker they got knocked outta line--and remember almost EVERY carrier is more concerned about WEIGHT today than anything else--and the lighter the trailer--the lighter the components--the sooner it will fail--and since the average large company doesnt hang on to them long enuff to care it again is kinda moot to discuss your big company trailers....
then the whole drop and hook bit--from the yard switcher that ABUSE them to the other driver that bounce 10 curbs on first trip w/trailer--etc....and don't get me started on the things Ive seen as some drivers attempt to slide tandems--its painful to watch...
So these are all things to consider...Now since I said all this heres MY opinion--and opinion only..
There are only 2 kinds to choose from anymore--that is Dane and Utility..both build a high quality long lasting product depending on how YOU spec it...Danes typically cost a little more but IMHO are well worth it.....
As for service and alignment...my latest wagon is now 3 years old..and has just over 1/2million miles on it...going to need her 3d set of tires here before too long..so she'll get her 3d alignment--always has pulled straight as an arrow,,,course I am about the only one ever under her...Never drop and allow yard guy to touch..occasionally one of the farm hands will put it in door at farm to load/unload--or shop guys pull in/out for service..and they ALL treat her like they own it...Makes all the difference in the world...and it's a Dane...but I have freinds w/Utes that do as well...
So to the OP--talk to couple of dealers in area--tell em what YOU need to do w/wagon--see what they have available---and treat her right and you'll be in good shape

 

My company has old trailmobile, Wabash, stoughton and great Danes. So a pretty mixed bag. The Wabash generally dog track like has been said. My fav are the stoughton never had any alignment issues or tandem pin problems. Great Danes are great too