I'm looking at buying a 12 foot aluminum trailer. Wondering what brand everyone thinks is better. Aluma or Triton?
Trailer Quality
- Thread starter dwainew
- Start date
i have had terrific experience with Triton. Well built. No problems.
I would look at Floe before you make any purchase. Seriously, look at them and I mean top, bottom, front and back in terms of build quality, features, parts/accesories, dealers. If you do all that you will pick Floe, if you don't do all that or don't like paying for quality I guess I couldn't pick either of your choices in regards to which one is better?
I personally went with an open drive on/off Aluma and love it. I thought that the quality of construction was much better, especially with in the tongue. The tongue has double stacked square tubing with the top tube having an I beam welded inside...much stronger than other manufacturers. I went with taller tires and salt shield ramps on the front.
I disagree.............
I had several problems with my floe open two placer. Wiring chases fell off, a crack in one of the welds, the design of the hold down mechanism (You needed a torch to get the frozen hold down sleeve off)
Still have it and use it, but I would not buy another..........
I have an Aluma four placer (Open) that I bought a few years used, and it has held up brilliantly so far.
Got a buddy that has a Triton, and has had great luck with that one as well over the years.
It comes down to the dealer and the support they give. If you buy a Floe and there is an issue with it, if your dealer is 200 miles away then what good is that?
Floe is over priced for what you get. (And this is coming from a Floe owner)
I love my Triton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff, you must have bought the "tilt" version? Plus how old is it? They are inheriently much weaker IMO due to the tilting style versus the ramp style. I looked at them all when I bought my Floe (2nd one in about 15 years). Triton, Floe, Alumna, Neumans, their were a few others but small names. I would never look at a tilt model so maybe their is somethings that are just that much different. Wire chases? Again how old are you talking here. All my wires have been run through the aluminum tubes/channels, not through conduit.
Weld crack? Could be a flaw but has it ever been overloaded? Putting loads of wood on a snowmobile trailer can exceed the trailer capacity pretty quick plus again with a tilt bed when the sleds hit it their is a lot of twisting force going on which may have caused a weld crack.
Suprised you wouldn't buy another one, but then again if your's is as old as I think it is it would probably pay to look again because even the untrained eye can tell glaring differences between each company.
Weld crack? Could be a flaw but has it ever been overloaded? Putting loads of wood on a snowmobile trailer can exceed the trailer capacity pretty quick plus again with a tilt bed when the sleds hit it their is a lot of twisting force going on which may have caused a weld crack.
Suprised you wouldn't buy another one, but then again if your's is as old as I think it is it would probably pay to look again because even the untrained eye can tell glaring differences between each company.
RJ;
It is about 10 years old or so, and yes you are right, it is a tilt style. I just was dissappointed with the engineering on it. I found the weld crack after a trip out west several years ago. I do not overload the trailer, the only thing that has been on it has been two sleds at once.
There were wiring chases across the back of the trailer that were held on with rivets. The rivets came off and the chase dropped down and nearly ripped off.
It still comes down to dealer/manufacturer support though if problems arise.
Thanks for the input so far. I looked at a floe and thought they were well built but were overpriced. They were $1000 more than the competitors. I'm looking to get an open one, Drive on, drive off.
+1 for the Aluma.
I have a 12ft Aluma and the construction is solid. Plus it has better tie downs (with the channel) than I've seen with most Tritons. The big thing though is that the Aluma has a 5 year warranty and the Triton has one year. I've had it for three years now.
I have a 12ft Aluma and the construction is solid. Plus it has better tie downs (with the channel) than I've seen with most Tritons. The big thing though is that the Aluma has a 5 year warranty and the Triton has one year. I've had it for three years now.
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INDEEP
Well-known member
I don't know where your located but if your near Washington state I'd look at Micah Built Trailers. They are by far the most user friendly open trailer built. The deck is split so it's a breeze loading one sled at a time. Truly a drive on drive off design. The only thing is they are steel but they use a bed liner spray to coat them. If you have any questions PM me. I used to work there and it's a great design. One piece wiring harness, sealed beam lights, Dexter torsion axles with easy lube hubs, and aluminum diamond plate slush guards (front ramps). Sorry I don't have any better pics.
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firecatguy
Well-known member
floe is the best, I have had my drive on drive off with ramp shields for 5 or 6 years and it is so smooth to work with!!tie downs could use a upgrade but i use my trailer every weekend since 02 and no complaints at all
My aluma looks better than a triton but the tongue has several cracks in it. Mostly around the welds. Better be covered under warranty.
Not covered under warranty, even though it is only 2 years old. Because I'm the second owner. I knew I should have bought a Triton.
Got an 02 floe enclosed. It's as good as the day it was new. Zero problems, like it a lot.
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