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  Discussion on Thuro-Bilt and other trailer review?
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Member:
jerre

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 3:32 pm:

I'm looking for a used bumper-pull 2-3 horse slant trailer. I need at least 7 feet tall. Extra wide is a bonus. I'm not as concerned about stock vs. fully enclosed -- except for durability and strength. I'd like a tack room, but it doesn't have to be much.

So, around here (W. Washington) Logans are really popular. There are also a lot of Morgan-Built, but they tend to be shorter heaDrOom.

Thuro-Bilt seem to be the cheapest -- which makes me wonder why? I can't seem to find any reviews.

Does anyone have personal experience?

I have very large horses -- half-draft.

Thanks,
Jerre
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 5:32 pm:

I know nothing about the Thuro-Bilt trailers, but will say I'm extremely happy with my Trails West, made in Idaho. It's heavy, which doesn't bother me, but is really well built and finished nicely with no rough edges anywhere, stall dividers that close easily and stay closed, etc. They will build to suit, or have models to choose from. The one I have is extra wide and extra tall so I have plenty of room for mares with foals, and young horses not used to being trailered. Mine is three stalls with a good size tack room, but there's a lot to choose from. I don't know how they compare in price. If you haven't looked at one, they might be worth checking out. I sure did a lot of shopping before buying. It's a difficult decission.

It seems to me about a year ago there was a long discussion on trailers. If you can find it, it might be helpful.
Member:
stevens

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 8:15 pm:

Jerre,

I had a 2 horse slant Logan with a dressing room. I really liked the trailer, but there was a problem with the caulk used the year I got mine and the entire roof rusted out after about 5 years or so.

Fortunately, I had a lifetime warranty on paint, which they actually honored although I had to take the trailer to their plant in, you guessed it, Logan Utah, for repairs. It was a 2 day drive from LA, but they replaced the roof and repainted the entire trailer at no cost to me (Other than the 2 days to get it there and time it took to come home). They also delivered it back to Las Vegas for me, my hometown, so I was able to retrieve it while visiting relatives. All in all, excellent customer service. I'm told they no longer offer the lifetime paint warranty.

I now have a Sundowner 777 which I absolutely love. It's taller and wider than the Logan and my warmblood fits in it just fine which he wouldn't have down in the Logan. I think it's 7'6" tall.

good luck!

Chris
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 - 3:56 pm:

Let me start this with everyone is OK.
Our most recent trailer was a Sundowner 727. The next one will be a SUndowner 727. We liked it from the beginning... very smooth ride, superior insulation/ventilation laydown windows,fans, vents, interior/exterior lights, escape door. Our only criticism of this trailer would be the ceiling. We would like more insulation there. This would have been critical under worse circumstances. At least we didn't roll. Last year we extended the padded dividers to the ceiling. That would have been a huge help if there had been horses involved.
Yesterday, our wonderful trailer was rear-ended by an 18 wheeler barreling down I-90 doing 55 with 1/4 mile visibility. The horses were in a horse hotel since Friday when the weather got too bad to safely drive. By noon on Saturday, Walt went out to find a grocery store as there were no restaurants near his motel. 3 miles later, he was doing 40 with his hazard lights on, and still got hit. No, he got slammed. My point in telling you about this is the crush factor. The trailer took the entire hit, zero damage to the truck. THE rear doors are totalled, the corner with the ladder going to the hay rack is finished. THe walls in the front DR expanded about 6 inches so we know where the crumple happened. If there had been horses on board (and we Thank GOd there weren't) the one in the rear box stall would have taken a serious hit. Everyone else most likely would have been OK. The trailer maintained its structural integrity in the horses' quarters. The floor is intact, the walls, everything. Talking about the amenities are all well & good and to some extent, germaine to your thought process, but unfortunatley this was our litmus test. We really liked this trailer on Friday. Today we are in LOVE with the trailer. We will never put another horse in there again obviously, but when the insurance dust settled, it will only be a Sundowner behind our truck. I am betting that the trailers are constructed by engineering theory rather than dummy testing as the cars & trucks are. Given that, this kind of situation is the only way to test the mettle of a trailer.
Member:
jerre

Posted on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 - 4:14 pm:

Cyndy, thank you for sharing all that detail. You're right -- you don't see crash test info on trailers. Maybe Sundowner would want your hulk for research.

Jerre
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 - 5:07 pm:

Holy Hannah! So glad Walt wasn't hurt! WHY don't people slow down when the weather is so bad? Most of the accidents I see are caused by people driving way to fast for the conditions. They fly off the roads like fleas around here when it's icy, but do they slow down, no!

How is the Sundowner constructed? of what materials are the walls and frame? After several bad accidents along I-80 in Calif., I wanted something really solid and heavy so if I got hit the horses would stand a better chance of not getting hurt. I'm not sure if that reasoning is flawed or not is why I'm asking the question.

I agree that Sundowner would probably like to get your crash info. If nothing else it's a good testimonial for them.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 - 5:08 pm:

Whoops, I need to clarify. I should have said "after seeing several bad accidents..."
Member:
stevens

Posted on Sunday, Feb 4, 2007 - 11:29 pm:

Check out the Sundowner testimonials.

https://www.sundownertrailer.com/testimonials.php
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 6, 2007 - 9:49 am:

Hi... sorry this took me so long to post back... the combination of Amanda our sick and Walt in this pickle, time is more of a premium than before.
Sara, All I know is, it is aluminum, and I am so glad you only saw those accidents! lol
Chris, thank you for the link.. I did submit our story to them.
Jerre: Walt is at a Sundowner dealer in CO as we speak. They are going over the 'hulk' today. I hope it teaches someone something valuable. I cannot possibly overemphasize the value of those ceiling high dividers. They would have been critical. They did not come with the trailer, we had them fabricated locally. WELL worth the investment, only a couple hundred for each. Under the best of conditions it allows travelers to ride untied, in a situation like this, would have kept one from tumbling over into the next stall. 3 days after the fact, my knees still buckle when I think of what could have been...unproductive, I know, but still...
Member:
sonoita

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 7, 2007 - 11:17 pm:

I like the Kiefer Built. All have the 7* ceiling and plenty wide.
Good Luck
Happy Trails,
Member:
sureed

Posted on Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 - 2:24 pm:

Jerre,

I love my Trails West. It is a gooseneck, but I know they make a good bumper-pull too. I got mine in Oregon at https://www.livestocktrailer.com/
for a very good price and DrOve up from CA to pick it up. I sold it for more than I paid for it one year later and bought a brand new slant load Warmblood size here in CA. I can haul my 17.1 mare and foal to inspection just by fastening back divider. It pulls like a dream and I don't think I'll ever have anything but Trails West, though my friends with Sundowners love them as well.

Cyndy, thank goodness no one was (people or horses) was hurt.

Suzanne

Good Luck
Member:
jerre

Posted on Saturday, Feb 17, 2007 - 6:03 pm:

Thanks Suzanne. I'm near Olympia, WA, so that place is close enough to consider.

Jerre
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