Prices of trailers!!!!

if you can do it yourself then i say do it! i had a 6x4 high side custom built for me 3 or so years ago and mind you it was not painted and it cost me a grand and that was quite cheap!! a few months ago i bought a cheap 7x4 aussie made trailer which was poorly made but with some TLC and an extra 4 odd kilos of MIG wire it is now a superb trailer in which i made a camper out of. i personally think the steel prices are not to bad, aluminium is also still not too bad either.price hikes in materials plus a bit chucked in for the manufacturer = higher prices. cheers Paul

christopher
I bought 2.3mts of 50x50mm x3mm thick (square tube) rhs yesterday cost me $71.00 #@^&*%.
Geoff43

Mate, I think he meant 150%. Price of steel has skyrocketed over the past couple of years due to demand from China, India etc.
That's how guys working in the mines are earning $150,000 and more a year at the moment.

Increase from $450 to $750 sounds OK to me under the circumstances. I'm a bit surprised it is not more. Yep it is expensive and way outstips our income increase, but that's life.

Norm C

In the last two years steel has risen around 70% depending on your discount schedules. This year alone we had 15% in Feb, 28% in March, 12% in May, 15% in July. That isn't definitive but for structural steel mainly and averaged a bit as it hasn't been lineal.
Coil steel (to make thin sheet) is going up yet again by end of month. It last went up 22% 3 months ago.

So it is quite reasonable to assume most of the increase is material but as raw materials, transport and in some cases wages have skyrocketed in the last two years, $750 is very good value.

I paid $950 3.5 years ago for a 7x4 box trailer. I thought then it was a rip off and I still do, but I doubt I could find a comparable trailer cheaper now. Unfortunately I needed it right then and couldn't wait to make one.

Also if you as a domestic consumer try to buy steel from a mass steel merchant, you pay retail. We as commercial get between 20% and 60% discount depending on availability and type of steel. Even at that rate it still hurts. Average rate for commercial steel is roughly $2000/tonne. Scrap is going for around $500/t if offcut unused.

Give your mate a go and both will benefit unless you really have good steel just laying about.

Cheers Cam

If you have the skills then why not have a go!

I would, Im waiting to make a dual purpose box and motorbike trailer.
Try this website Trailer Parts
for even the body panels...but remember the dangers of welding Gal.

All the best

Matt.

Mate, he probably meant 15% last month. we have had near on 60% cumulative increases since about start of April. Merchant bar went up 11% yesterday. RHS will be going up around 15% early next month.

"and steels not that expensive if you buy it on special, good australian steel!!!"

Don't know where you got that idea... I buy tons every month (about 4 ton of variety). Our galv 3mm coils have jumped from $1500/ton to $1920/ton. A 50x8 flat bar is now around $40 a length. And the customers think WE are ripping them off when prices go up.

Cheers

Louie

Perhaps the good old fashioned wooden trailer will make a comeback?

Light and doesn't rust.

No, I don't build them.

Jim.

Not quite sure who we blame for this. The Chinese have been complaining that they are being ripped off by the cost of iron from Australia. It is the main reason they oppose the amalgamation of Rio Tinto and BHP and the reason that they are very keen to get a sizeable stake in Rio to try to block any merger.

$750 for a standard trailer sounds quite reasonable to me, Recently brought a 6x4 box trailer (slightly higher sides than standard) from a well known Perth maker and was a smidge over $1100.

Cheers for the reply guys, doing my maths for the axle and wheel and hubs i'm looking at roughly $200 thats without tyres, the uni-joing hitch i want is about $200 to buy, then the lights, hinges, locking mechanisms, wire harness etc and rego as i have 4by springs to go under it!


Will see how much it will cost me when i do the costing before i do any buying/ manufacturing of my own, including any steel folding( maybe) and what not, will post up on this site.

I also signed up on a web site that is a wood working site and some members have made there own trailers!!!

Will post the site! also to may post my CAD design if i get a chance. busy doing tafe and work and being a husband!!!

Well the steelie I have been getting my steel from said steel was going up this month by 15% and will be going up in November 12% it has already gone up by 70% (not including the recent rise) since January.

I wish my pay would climb like that.

Brian

You want to complain about steel prices well don't buy 4130 Chrome/Moly tubing that we use for the motorsport industry, some of the sections are over $150 per metre price.
Magnesium Tig welding rods about $130 per half kilo.
Titanium Tig welding rods $130-$170 per half kilo.
Regards Andrew.

your price seems great!!

I've been trying to ring around for a 7x4 offroad trailer - trailer only, NOT a camper trailer - and i got details of 3 Perth based manufacturers from here - read reviews etc and got in touch with them

the cheapest quote i've had is $6500. The only requirement that i had different to a standard trailer was an extended draw bar so i can open the door of my Pajero fully whist the trailer was attached.

I was flabbergasted.

Now i'm looking at purchasing a undercarriage kit from Martins Trailer Parts and putting the whole thing together myself.

Couldnt believe the price - and these are 3 companies who got goos mentions on these forums. 2 of them sell camper trailers as well and basically said the trailer only option would be whatever their base camper trailer sells for minus the cost of the camper top unit and the 3rd company is a trailer manufacturer.

wish i knew how to weld!!

cheers
Jeelan

$750 for a 6x4 trailer what a bargain, I paid $780 for the same thing 15 years ago.

lets break it down.

Wheels $40 each $80
Springs $150 $150
Axle $100 $100
Coupling $50 $50
Wiring $50 $50
Wages $40 per hour $320 based on a 8 hour day + 9%

These prices are based on of the shelf prices in Darwin.

Even if you half the wages hourly rate that doesn't leave much for the steel you need to build it, this didn't include workers comp insurance, public liability Insurance, general insurance, shed rent, tools, book keeping and so on.

So do you think your mate is ripping you off now.

Cheers Steve.

Yeah we had a look at some 6x4's, the $1000 one didn't really impress me with the quality (thin sheetmetal) and welding (small spot welds) and I'm a female! Funny the retailer said they're the best quality you'll get. Like most of you for a basic garden type trailer I'd guess at around $750.
We came across another mob and ended up driving away with a 6x4 galvanised, heavy duty (good welds and strong build) that had LED lights and also higher than normal sides, paid $1600. Yeah it's up there in price, but not so bad as we may end up using it to cart our gear for camping as well as around the property, since we sold our camper trailer.

Lol, you should try pricing custom trays to suit a cruiser ute! Talking around $6000! And no I don't think we'll be paying anywhere near that - he can keep what he's got!

In 1984 I made a tandem-axle 8'x5' box trailer which I still have today, & in good (well used) condition....

Cost of material (steel, springs, axles, coupling, etc) was around the $600 mark.. this did not include wheels & tyres, which I scrounged from various sources....

Given the _HUGE_ increase in steel prices since 1984, I'd suggest that your mate is doing you a big favour, and it would appear that he is a better mate to you than you are to him!!

Regards, Ed C