Problems with ‘plastic’ trailers?

ImmyS

ImmyS

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Hi,

I posted another thread about Humbaur trailers. On that thread an interesting point was brought to attention about trailers that are made from ‘plastic’ materials, especially the front the trailer and how these may be less robust and unsafe. It’s not really something I had though about and there are popular brands such as chevalier liberte and Böckmanns etc that have fronts made of ‘plastic’ based materials. I just wondered if anyone ever had an issues with these? Such as the horses damaging the trailer or a blow from the outside causing serious damage?
 
ycbm said:
Interesting question, I hope it's been tested, but plastic isn't just plastic these days, there are parts of aeroplanes and cars made from plastic.
Click to expand...

This was my sort of hope, in that these things should have been robustly tested. I had a lovely old Böckmann which always seemed very sturdy, but it’s made me think about it ?
 
Most Bockmann trailers are composite construction, either all fibreglass or a plywood/fibreglass sandwich. The two that we have had/got have been really solid, the first one was sold when it was about 12 years old with no deterioration in structural strength.
 
I can't speak for the Bockmann or Humbaur trailers, but the plastic used in the Cheval Liberte trailer fronts is thin and flimsy.

As I posted on your other thread, the Cheval Liberte main dealer told me that the plastic front wasn't strong enough to screw a lightweight cctv camera to, so the camera would need to be stuck on with adhesive. So how would the trailer front cope with a knock from a horse or a brick thrown up from the road flying through it?
 
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Most of these European trailers/German trailers are flimsy. I don't trust any of them to do sh*t in an accident, really. Just being realistic here.

However, materials have changed and there are thin and lightweight materials that are more durable. People want lightweight. Lightweight isn't always best. After living in the USA for awhile, I got accustomed to the trucks and trailers there. What people tow with and what they tow in Europe seemed kind of nuts ? but it's just different, for a variety of reasons. Some Euro trailers are certainly better than others.

To me most of these Euro trailers are like new cars; meant to break.
 
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