Opinion of Gator Trailers

4010 puller · Jun 20, 2010

Hey Guys:

I'm thinking of going to buy a new 16K (8 ton) Gatormade Deluxe Gooseneck for about $6800 this week, just wanting to hear feedback from Gatormade owners and what your opinions are.

johndeerefan · Jun 21, 2010

I don't have a Gatormade, but I know several people that do. They have nothing but good things to say about them. DScott on this forum has a Gatormade and loves it. You might also look at Lawrimore trailers. They are priced a little cheaper, but are still a pretty nice trailer. It really depends on what you want to do with it, how nice a trailer you want (bells and whistles), and how often you are actually going to use it. But, sturdy built with good welds are needed no matter what the price.

DScott · Jun 21, 2010

(quoted from post at 17:56:07 06/20/10) Hey Guys:

I'm thinking of going to buy a new 16K (8 ton) Gatormade Deluxe Gooseneck for about $6800 this week, just wanting to hear feedback from Gatormade owners and what your opinions are.

I have a Gatormade Trailer that I bought new in 2004. It has been a very good trailer and if I needed a new one now I probably would by a Gatormade. Mine is a 20+5 foot, 14k gooseneck and it pulls very good. I recently had the brakes rebuilt and I added a winch to it just so I'd have a "plan B".

4010 puller · Jun 21, 2010

Is a 8 ton gator built sturdy? I'm needing a trailer this week and for the same money, I can buy the deluxe 8ton gator with lights and wide ramps or a standard pro trak (no options) 10 ton for the same money.

Chuck Heck · Jun 21, 2010

I have 2 trailers, a 2008 16ft Gatormade lowboy "bumper" pull, and a 2004 38ft Loadtrail 22,000 GVW gooseneck. I wish I had seen the Gatormade gooseneck first. VERY nice trailer. I definately would have bought Gator brand.

I really like my 16ft Gator Trailer! I went to the factory in Somerset, KY and picked it up. Great people!
F.A.R.M. Club Show, Osgood, IN, June 25 26

Welding man · Jun 21, 2010

If there is a better trailer out there I haven't seen it. The workmanship is excellent. I have built more trailers and truck beds than I care to count, so I know what to look for.The two things most trailer makers skimp on is the paint and the wiring. Gatormade doesn't skimp on either. They are top shelf in my book, and I think they are very competitive on price.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 21, 2010

Just watch where you buy your Gater trl,because they will build a trailer to price too.If a dealer says he will only pay so much per trl.and no more then they will build it.

toolz · Jun 21, 2010

I have a 2006 40+5 Pro-Trak 20k goosneck, and I think it's a P.O.S. I bought it cheap, and it is cheap. I'm doing a few modifications so I can trust it, but from the factory, they are at the bottom of the quality scale. I have been impressed with the Gators, but they do cost more.

4010 puller · Jun 22, 2010

I was looking at 2. A gatormade 16k deluxe for 6800. Is there really a difference between the 7k and 8k models and are axles the same? Also toolz, I was looking at a 20k protrak for the same money. Comparing it to a 20k gator, its 2000 less in price. What do you dislike the most about the protrak? I've really pulled 3 trailers, one was a fastlane 14k which was junk, a moritz 14k which was pretty good, and a pintle hitch 20k trailking which was great. So i know what you mean about cheaply made. That fastlane was junk and probably only had 2 or 3 thousand miles on it, bad wiring and hot brakes.

toolz · Jun 22, 2010

My previous trailer was a Coose, and I've never seen a better built trailer. It was heavy, but it would carry anything. This Pro Trak has what they call "flex control" which is a torsion tube down the center, but it's so small that it has very little effect. The trailer flexes and twists very easily. The neck is made from 10" channel instead of I beam, outer rails are angle iron instead of channel, and the chain pockets along the rails are very thin- kinda scared to tighten the chains too much. I've had the trailer less than a year, but it's only 4 years old, and the paint is about gone. Decking is regular treated lumber, the Coose had 2 inch semi-trailer decking that was put on when it was built in '92 and still good. The frame on the Pro Trak is 19 pound, the Coose was 26 pound. I switched because I needed more room, but there are times I wish I had the Coose back. I would recommend that you go with a 20k trailer- it's easy to overload a 14 or 16k, and if you blow a tire on a 4 tire trailer, you have to stop. With 8, you can probably keep moving till you get to a good place to change it. Oh, I also had to rebuild the suspension on this trailer, but they don't build that like they used to either. Good luck--

4010 puller · Jun 22, 2010

So to me you would definately not recommend a protrak? I guess I'll have to come to the reality that trailers will need work, especially if sitting outside. I just thought the 10 ton model protrak for 6800 was very reasonably priced. There's many trailer manufacturers anymore using axles other than dexter, which would make me a little leary. I've also heard the axles are the same between the 7k and 8k models, just a heaver I beam on main frame, which would actualll lower the load carrying of the axles.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 22, 2010

The brakes on the 5K-6K-7K axles are 12X2.The 8K-9K-10KGDs are 12 1/4X3-3/8".Each size up has a heavier tube and springs.10KHDs have bigger tubes and brakes yet.

4010 puller · Jun 25, 2010

It's funny you show me those pictures. The FleXcontrol is also shown on another brand of trailer. look at www.beckercustomtrailers.com Is this torque tube deal a dexter product or is it from the trailer manufacturer?

toolz · Jun 25, 2010

The torque tube is put in by the manufacturer, but in Pro Trak's case, it's such a small diameter that it has very little effect. Some builders use a lot bigger one, which actually works, and some put several tubes connecting the framerails, instead of lengthwise. The idea is that a closed tube can't twist (opposed to a channel or I beam) but it has to be big enough and thick enough to do some good.

On2Wheels · Jun 26, 2010

I have done my research this spring and ended up going to Gator Made in KY and picking up a 20k GN. The model I bought was the next step down from their Elite model. I needed three adjustable ramps due to the variuos loads I carry. With oil bath axles and the spring loaded ramps hauling just got all that easier for me. What I did do was, while at the factory purchased LED lights, spare tire and mudflaps from them. They gave me a really great price on those three items. I am very impressed with the quality and would recommend Gator to anyone. Actually I am an antique tractor puller and my Farmall M always gets a lot of lookers. The first pull this year my new Gator got all the looks and questions. Pretty cool.

VicS · Jul 1, 2010

I have a Corn-pro 15000 torsen axles 20 plus 5 ,the paint is as good as it gets and it doesn't shake. I would buy another one. But Gator sounds good also. I may be wrong but I was of the opinion that you needed to stay under 26000 GVW or you needed a CDL , and meet all the standards of a semi.S0 15000 and 9000 = 24000

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Welding man · Jul 1, 2010

VicS, the CDL subject has been worn out on this forum and I don't think anyone has a firm answer, even the DOT themselves.Some states allow exemptions for farmers, some don't. Some say you have to be making money with the rig, some don't. Some DOT ,know nothings, try to say a tractor pulling trophy is income. The federal regulations plainly state a trophy or prize money is not a basis for being a commercial vehicle. I have a rig licensed for 30,000 in my state,and I don't have a CDL or a DOT number either and have had no problems.I only use it to haul my pulling tractors. So use your own judgement.

mkirsch · Jul 1, 2010

Welding Man,

The DMV/DOT will generally let you register anything you want, because:

A. They're not in the business of enforcement.
B. You are the owner, not necessarily the driver.

Unless you're speeding, or you pass a mandatory weigh station with your rig, the cops won't pay you any notice. You could be driving with no license at all and they won't say boo. They don't have X-ray magnifying eyes that can look in your wallet as you pass by doing the speed limit.

In NY state, the law is as long as the combined GVWR of the truck and trailer does not exceed 26000lbs, you do not need a CDL.

You can also drive a truck with a 26,000lb GVWR AND a trailer, as long as the trailer's GVWR is 10,000lbs or less.

This info is very easy to find on the NY State DMV website.

I believe the laws in many/most/all other states are similar.

Welding man · Jul 1, 2010

That is just what I was talking about in the last post, state laws are different, I have a CDL exemption for my state and it reads: Only vehicles OVER 26,001 or more qualify for a Farm vehicle exemption. It must be used to transport either agricultural product, farm supplies or FARM MACHINERY to or from a farm and is good within 150 miles of the farm.

4010 puller · Jul 12, 2010

toolz:

I'm going to go with a pro trak. For the money I dont think they can be beat. I can buy a new one for less than used ones.

Opinion of Gator Trailers

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