# Looking to purchase a new trailer



## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

FreedomFaulty said:


> Here is a picture of my roof tearing off when my trailer
> was just 6 months old ...
> 
> My motivation is to warn others of what lies ahead
> before they purchase a trailer ... :blink:


I was just giving my impression. That's all. We get a lot of 1 post wonders around here. If you're legit, then by all means post away.

An intro would be nice so we can get to know ya!


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## world llc (Dec 9, 2008)

What was the price on the trailer VS buying local that it was worth the driving?


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## jstanton (Mar 25, 2012)

I was told from several dealers around here not to buy trailers from Ga. Very cheaply made, china axels you cannot get parts for, lighter duty frames ect.

The guy I bought mine from has actually worked on a few so he has actual experience with them. I was told to drive out to Indiana if I was going to pick one up.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

I bought mine from GA. No problems. 
Just don't buy something premade off the lot.
I spec'd mine and had it made the way I wanted.

I don't like those flat top trailers like the one with the blown off roof.
I want something that will at least shed rain and melting snow.


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

I too am looking to buy a trailer, have been looking for about a year and probably another year before I purchase.
By "looking" I mean researching, seen plenty of freedom trailers on Craigslist, they look cheap 4" frame is your first clue the rest is extra cheesy.
I am a flooring contractor , I need a 7x14 v nose( some carpet is 15 ' wide)
The rear door which has been discussed, barn or ramp, I also need short clearance because of short driveways.
U haul has roll up doors, their trailers are built to last but they only manufacture for themselves.
Stealth trailers have the option of roll up along with tons of other options. 
8 lug to match my 3/4 ton , when tire goes flat already have spare.
Front ramp door on v section ( called snowmobile door) need this to handle 5k lbs. for pallets of tile, wood, vinyl plank or tile. Rear can't be ramp due to forklift loading but can have removable ramp.
Also to use for ride on scraper.
Drop deck trailers would work but their shell option seems cheesy, the back door is like a one piece tilt up garage door. 
Anyone knowing of a company building trailers for flooring contractors please let me know, thanks


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## FreedomFaulty (Oct 12, 2012)

*My complaint just closed with the BBB*

My complaint that I filed last year just closed with the BBB
in Northeast Florida against Freedom Trailers LLC ... 

I also have a complaint with the Georgia Attorney Generals' Office
alleging fraud ...

If anyone is thinking about possibly buying a trailer,
new or used, made by Freedom Trailers LLC out of
Willacoochie, GA - you might want to read about my 
experience with this company first ...  


I purchased a new carhauler model trailer from Freedom Trailers LLC in November 2011. 

Within a few months, the roof started to tear off. 

I returned to the factory for repairs, I had to travel 1500 miles round trip from another state. 

Repairs were supposedly made at the factory in Willacoochie, GA. 

The roof started to tear off again within a couple months. 

I returned to the factory again in Willacoochie, GA on another 1500 mile round trip and was refused repairs. 

I filed a complaint with the BBB and had the trailer inspected by a trailer repair facility (which I paid for) 
and had a licensed engineer 
(B.S. Materials Science & Engineering - Chrysler Corp., Plant Metallurgist - Goodrich Aerospace, Chief Plant Metallurgist) 
who has over (10) years experience as a metallurgist and specialized in product failure analysis, 
weld metallurgy, and the heat treating of mild & alloy steels. 

This trailer repair facility issued a detailed report several pages long documenting the failure in the design 
and manufacture of the trailer as the reason for the roof tearing off. 

Freedom Trailers LLC has provided no documentation upon written request to date as to 
the design specifications or construction methods of the trailer I purchased from them. 

To my knowledge, there is no professional engineering behind the trailer I purchased from the company. 

Freedom Trailers LLC represents a 5 years structural warranty, yet the trailer I purchased started falling apart in less than 5 months. 

Freedom Trailers LLC manufacturered and sold me a trailer that cannot even be towed down the road without literally falling apart. 

Freedom Trailers was offered the opportunity to participate Binding Arbitration by the BBB to resolve this complaint and refused. 

I cannot rate Freedom Trailers LLC less than ' zero ' which is far too generous a score in my opinion.



Jim


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

I don't think I would need all those rocket scientists and just look at a trailer for quality, Lark is a good trailer, wells cargo, stealth . Those are quality made trailers- was it worth the agony to buy a lower priced trailer, I can't afford one right now, it will be used when I purchase it and it will be top quality. Sorry for your experience , appreciate the awareness you bring to the subject.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

MIKE ANTONETTI said:


> I don't think I would need all those rocket scientists and just look at a trailer for quality, Lark is a good trailer, wells cargo, stealth . Those are quality made trailers- was it worth the agony to buy a lower priced trailer, I can't afford one right now, it will be used when I purchase it and it will be top quality. Sorry for your experience , appreciate the awareness you bring to the subject.


Lark are awful trailers. We have a pro-line, carmate and lark and the lark is awful quality. The pro-line was nice but still nothing like a carmate. My own carmate looks like it did the day I bought it 4+ years ago. Don't see to many wells cargo around here and never heard of stealth.


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## FreedomFaulty (Oct 12, 2012)

*I agree*



MIKE ANTONETTI said:


> I don't think I would need all those rocket scientists and just look at a trailer for quality, Lark is a good trailer, wells cargo, stealth . Those are quality made trailers- was it worth the agony to buy a lower priced trailer, I can't afford one right now, it will be used when I purchase it and it will be top quality. Sorry for your experience , appreciate the awareness you bring to the subject.


Mike,

I agree with you.

When a trailer is literally falling apart, you can pretty much
figure out if it is because someone damaged it or if it because
it is built like a POS ...

But, the burden of proof is on the trailer owner to document
independently what the technical reasons are.

Just more money I shelled out.


To date, (2) round trips to the factory totalling 3000 miles.

Add in a few hundred dollars for temporary repairs.

Easily, this trailer has cost me well over $3000 .....



Jim


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## madmax718 (Dec 7, 2012)

TimNJ said:


> Look into one with drop axles. Takes about 3-4" of stepup out.
> But, at the end of the day, even with drop axles, that step is tiring.
> I have barn doors because I work in too many tight developments.


not singling you out specifically, but complaining about a ramp door and working in tight places as a reason to get a barn door-.. it just doesn't compute in my head when you talking about a 8x20 trailer.:jester:

that thing takes up a lot of space to begin with!


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## madmax718 (Dec 7, 2012)

The only real difference in "tight" driveways is the door when deployed. On a ramp its slightly shorter than the walk in height. On a barn, if its a single barn then its the width of the walk in, or double barn, is roughly half. So realistically a barn door is about 3-4 feet swing out, vs a ramp of roughly 6-6.5 

In an overall standard single cab pickup and a 15 foot trailer, your already over 35 to 40 feet. I don't know if another 3 feet is that significant, but.. I guess it makes a difference?

tripping the cable over is enough for me though. Lol. And also the ability to carry stuff longer than your trailer by keeping the door open.


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

That's what I was thinking about the barn doors as far as space, they don't make sense to me , pulling in driveways or right spaces they swing 3-4 ft out the sides. One or two companies I've seen offer roll up doors, you can open wherever you stop your trailer.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

madmax718 said:


> The only real difference in "tight" driveways is the door when deployed. On a ramp its slightly shorter than the walk in height. On a barn, if its a single barn then its the width of the walk in, or double barn, is roughly half. So realistically a barn door is about 3-4 feet swing out, vs a ramp of roughly 6-6.5
> 
> In an overall standard single cab pickup and a 15 foot trailer, your already over 35 to 40 feet. I don't know if another 3 feet is that significant, but.. I guess it makes a difference?
> 
> tripping the cable over is enough for me though. Lol. And also the ability to carry stuff longer than your trailer by keeping the door open.


One of the differences is that with that ramp door you need additional space beyond the door to really do anything. With the barn doors, you still have the usable space from the back of the trailer.

In my area, I can usually back completely in a driveway (full size van + 20' trailer). Very often I wouldn't be able to if it were a ramp.

Rollup door might be ok, but I wouldn't do it without adding additional height to the extra height I already have. I'm 6'4" and wouldn't want to keep rapping my head!


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

I have barn doors on a 16', and for me its all about the wall space. I have most of my cords on one side, and an aluminum storage unit on the other.... I'm not giving that space up just so i don't have to step up 18".

I will say I've seen ramps that slide under the trailer like a uhaul... i. Been thinkin of havin this fabbed up and have exactly what i want.


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## jomama (Oct 25, 2008)

I guess it depends on the type of work you do vs. the rear door. For concrete/masonry work, I wouldn't trade the ramp door for anything. The other day, we tore out about 40 sq. feet of a patio, loaded it all in the power buggy, drive it in the trailer, and hauled it to the dump site, never having to handle it more than once. Saves the need for another small trailer, and a vehicle to pull it. We often haul one of the mortar mixers and power trowels (on wheels) in the trailer as well. On a daily basis, we haul a few wheelbarrows. Sometimes there full of garbage, and we wheel them right to the dumpster when we get back to the shop.


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## crgmark (Nov 23, 2012)

is it a red flag that the website doesn't show an actual address for anything, not even an office or plant address, if you Google trailer manufacturers near Douglas Ga a ton of them come up...well 11, how can there be 11 plants in that small hick town ?? ...answer ...they are all economy grade trailers, sure you can have one made to spec, but be careful, I also read a lot of bad on the flat roof models versus the curved roofs, avoid Look, Freedom, Lark, Pilot, Forest River, Cargo Craft and Diamond Cargo they are all low end economy trailers


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## MIKE ANTONETTI (Jul 17, 2012)

Ok you've listed low end, how about high end? Also I think these companies make varying degrees of quality, I think I have commented on 4" frame and then I saw they make in 6" frame. Some have a lot of upgrades $$$ ,


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Lark and carmate here are sold in the same dealers. The Larks can have upgrades over stock but even their top of the line model aint as nice as carmates lowest end model. 

Most dealers around here have a good brand and a bad brand. I guess the bad ones would be fine for someone towing a couple of motocross bigs or a snow mobile but when a contractor uses them lower end brands they sure show signs of lack of quality fast.


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## crgmark (Nov 23, 2012)

MIKE ANTONETTI said:


> Ok you've listed low end, how about high end?


not sure what your asking Mike, a list of the good guys ?? Wells Cargo, Pace, Carmate are a few that I've seen up close ( I own a WC ) and noted the difference in quality...YMMV

I'm sure you can go and pick items that are standard on the better trailers and upgrade, but go to one of those websites that let you pick the upgrades and then look at the total...wow it almost doubles for what other manufacturers offer as standard...

example take 7 x 14 tandem 
from the trailer Showroom place ( and who know where they are gonna make it ) is $ 2995

look at a Wells Cargo same model it's about $ 3400

but you get torsion axles, radial tires, sometimes upgraded wall or floor cross member spacing, 4 inch triple tongue, stabilizer jacks, 4 standard ring tie down , interior lighting, etc, etc ...when you add up all those other upgrades it adds a lot to the price


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## elementbldrs (Sep 26, 2010)

I've had great experience with Interstate trailer.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Featherlite, Rance, Pace American.

The advantage to the first two, they are all aluminum and have a higher cargo capacity due to lower curb weight. 

Disadvantage to all 3, they are not inexpensive. Purchase for the long haul. 

Tom


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