Goosneck

Be aware that ALL aluminum trailers big or small will develop fatigue cracks over time with heavy use. Once that starts its expensive to repair and keep them up from then on. Either you pay some one $70+ an hour to repair them of buy the specialized cutting and welding equipment and learn to do it yourself.

Fatigue cracking will never be a problem for most non commercial users. It occurs mostly in situations where the trailer is loaded heavily the majority of the time and is used a lot....like daily. I've seen brand new aluminum rock trailers begin cracking in just a matter of months.

In your case inspect the neck very carefully before buying. Thats where the stress is the most concentrated. If you get it take time every so often to inspect it for cracks as well.

Point the quality control guy was trying to make to me was don't run gravel roads empty alot. Trailer will not flex as much if it has a load.

Since everyone here assumes you are asking about stock trailers I'll ad more. Riveted trailers are better than welded ones. They flex more.

Featherlite stock trailers could use more reinforcement around the rear door.

Keep whatever aluminum stock trailer cleaned out as urine is hard on the floor.

Nearly all of the large aluminium semi trailers are now on air ride systems. They aren't on air ride for driver comfort, they're on it to reduce shock loads to minimize fatigue cracking. I've also noticed most of the new aluminum stock trailers I see are on a torsion axle system, rather than leaf springs probably for the same reason.

Me? I wouldn't worry about buying an aluminium trailer..... other than writing the check. I keep thinking about buying extrusions and plate and having pieces sheared and broke to assemble me a custom aluminium equipment trailer. The only thing stoppping me is the material price is just hard to justify on small scale and part time use. I doubt I could save but about 500 lbs on a 20 ft trailer the same size but it would sure be neat to have.