Used flatbed combo vs all aluminum

What is it rated for and what do you plan to haul with it? Your trailer should match the freight you want to put on it.

 

Check all the welds, usually when someone spec’s something light like that, it’s for a reason…

 

I would say that all aluminum flats are more common now than combos are. Just check for cracks around the landing gear and suspension. Also check the arch. Beyond that, pretty simple. Good luck.

 

I don't have any experience with a Chaparral flat but I hope they are built better than their livestock trailers were. When they were building those in the early part of the 2000's I knew a fellow who bought one & after a couple of years the floors started coming up in it. Come to find out they used some sort of glue/ adhesive to fasten the floors instead of welding like a Wilson.

 

I've owned a few of both. Pull a bunch of different ones every week that I don't own. I owned a Benson all aluminum and a fruehaufe combo with steel beams aluminum crossmembers and bed, some combos have steel crossmembers and are heavier. The Benson was stronger but was rated higher to begin with it was lighter by about 1500 lbs. As far as cracking I've seen it more in combos especially transcraft. Pay close attention around the spring hangers. You don't have to worry about rust on all aluminum so that's a plus. Having said that I pull a 53ft transcraft sometimes for the company I work for and it's a good trailer. I pull a couple of routiniers and Fontaine phantoms too. The fontaines are my favorites and I pull alot of different trailers ranging from all steel tandems to 53ft spread axle combos and everything in between. If I were buying a trailer for myself it would definitely be all aluminum and probably be a Benson, fontaine,east or Mac. Hope this helps.

 

Oh yea if your going to only pull the one trailer get a dump valve, I had one on my Benson and it helps getting it in places and helps keep the binding to a minimum when your twisting it around.