Skip to content
Texas BraggTrailer Resource

Comparisons

Steel vs Aluminum Trailers

Steel and aluminum trailers both have loyal followings. The right answer depends on your load, your climate, and how you plan to maintain the trailer.

· 6 min read

Strength and payload

Steel offers more strength per dollar and handles concentrated point loads better, which is why nearly all heavy equipment and dump trailers are steel. Aluminum saves weight, adding usable payload within a given GVWR.

Corrosion

Aluminum resists corrosion inherently. Steel depends entirely on its coating, so a chipped powder coat near the Gulf Coast becomes rust quickly. Inland Texas is far more forgiving of steel.

Repairability

Any welder in any small Texas town can repair steel. Aluminum repair requires specific equipment and skill, which can mean longer downtime and higher labor cost.

Price

Aluminum typically carries a 25 to 50 percent premium. It pays back through weight savings and corrosion resistance for high-mileage or coastal operations, less so for a jobsite trailer that gets abused.