OzCop

I noticed through some posted photos that several on this forum own a trailer very similar to mine, manufactured by Aluminum Trailer Co. I bought mine in 2006 and it has been perfect up till this weekend when I noticed a crack in the left side frame rail just above the fender attachment extension, and it is cracked around the entire 2x6 inch box. It appears there was a fist-sized hole cut behind this area to accomodate a relatively small wiring harness that may have contributed to this failure. I have contacted the company, but not sure how they will handle it. If you have a trailer of this brand, you may want to check to see if you have any signs of cracking in this area...

See attached photos for more detail...

c4cruiser

Owww. I think I would expect nothing less from the company than a full inspection of the entire frame and a repair that strengthens the entire area. On both sides.

Running the car over that crack during loading could easily lead to a full fracture of the frame rail at that point. You could have the car fall off.

I would not use the trailer until this is fixed (or replaced).

froggy47

Are you the first owner? Tha't an ugly hole, can't imagine any mfg would do that.

OzCop

Nope, will not use it till it's repaired. Heading to Lincoln, NE for the Solo Nationals in a couple of weeks so I hope it's repaired by then...

OzCop

Yes, I bought it new in August 2006. Yeah, it was their deal, hole was filled with rubber-like gray putty...

Last C5

That just doesn't sound like a very professional situation.

ghoffman

What is that last pic with what looks like a big hole? I have considerable experience with aluminum structures, and I would be interested in what they say.

rasrboy

Yep! We had the same problem with our trailer and it was bought new in 06 as well. I took it directly to ATC headquarters in Nappanee, IN for repairs.

I spoke with Nelson and all parts and labor were taken care of. If you need direct contact info, PM me and I will give it to you.

Aaron

AU N EGL

what caused that? Over weight, Poor construction, Harmonics of just driving ?

John Shiels

poor design:o

JDIllon

Having been in the trailer bussiness most of my life. I have seen this happen on hundreds of Aluminum trailers. The aluminum work hardens over time and will crack at major stress points. And it is much worse on welded aluminum trailers. Aluminum trailers do not handle rough roads very well they tend to accelerate the cracking. God luck, hope they cover it. JD

coffey

Damn. I have a trailer world aluminum trailer and I have had a few non critical cracks but nothing like that. That hole is silly. I have beat my trailer up and crossed the country a few time with alot of weight on it. It has held up well. I guess I should stay away from ATC stuff

c4cruiser

After looking at the pic of the inside of the frame and that hole and the cracks, I have to think that is some pretty poor workmanship/design if the only intent of the hole is to allow a wire harness to pass thru and into the fender attachment tube. Guess the fender has a red marker light at the back??

I would have figured that something like a 1" diameter hole would have been sufficient to pass the wire through. The hole looks like it got beat out with a hammer and chisel.

It looks like the crack is just forward (12 to 18"??) of where the rear wheels of the car would sit. If so, that puts a lot of strain on the area where the crack is. It also looks like the frame rail is completely broken with the possible exception of the outside just below the fender attachment bar.

Hope it can be repaired and strengthened. Don't ask for anything less.

ghoffman

OK, the big hole is so not good, but what is the small ragged hole for? It is obvious why this failed.

KY-Traveler

Did this get worse on the trip home? The picture looks worse than when I saw it at the ATX.

OzCop

Thanks Aaron, I spoke with him today and he is going to get back to me tomorrow with instructions on how to proceed. Do you recall the cost of repairing yours? I'm being quoted 300 labor/welding plus parts. They advised I could have it done locally, just need to send them pics after the repair, and oh, they are sending me the material for the fix...must have been an issue with 06 models.

However, I spoke with a friend of mine in Cincy who purchased his a few months prior to my purchase, and after sending him the pics, he checked his thoroughly and could find no damage or cracks. I use mine much more than he uses his though. He also advised that wire loom hole was less than two inches in diameter and had been cut with a hole-saw, as opposed to being blown out with a torch...

OzCop

I believe the major cause was fatigue from weakend sturcture over time due to large hole cut in the back of the box tubing.

This crack is located at the front of the left front wheel, where the front of the fender attaches. The arm sticking out from the frame rail is the attaching point for the fender.

Someone mentioned the smaller hole on the bottom of the frame tube. I don't recall if there was a small hole there or not, but just assumed a larger piece broke out sometime during operation.

I usually haul a 1900 lb. CRX on this trailer, but have hauled my C 6 to several track events on it, plus a couple of trips between Lexington, KY and DFW, TX. It has been an excellent trailer up to this point, easy to pull and maneuver behind the Durango or the 35'MH... One of the things that saddens me is that I know several people who purchased this brand based on my recommendation...I sincerely hope they do not have the same experience...:o

rasrboy

Phillip,

I first took mine to Bowling Green, KY where we bought it since they said they could weld it there. After I dropped it off they called a week later and said they could not do it there and it had to go to the factory in Indiana. I sent pictures ahead of time telling them it was bad but I guess they thought they could do it. That was a long haul driving back to KY and then up to Indiana and back to Ohio.

The Nelson guy is the manager of the plant and it should cost you NOTHING to repair this problem. They did not charge me for the same repair as yours. They wanted the trailer to put back on the frame jig to make sure it was true and straight while welding/repairing.

I would really stress working with them more on this so it doesn't cost you a dime or just your fuel there and back.

Keep us in the loop, this is where they need to stand behind there product or it could really affect future business for prospective customers hearing of this matter.

Aaron

FasterIsBetter

This is exactly why I like my Trailex trailer. They do not cut and weld anything, anywhere on the trailer. All components are bolted together. Rails have a channel in them that accepts a special flat head bolt, and all nuts are nylock so they can't back out. All I do periodically is go around the trailer with a wrench and make sure everything is nice and tight. Have never found anything that loosened up.

Cutting holes in aluminum and welding it is a sure-fire way to induce cracks like this. Trailex specifically warns against making holes or welding on the trailer. Those pictures are a great example why they give that warning.

froggy47

Complete idiots, should not be allowed to even sell bicycles.