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Travalong VS Titan

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flyingS

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I am looking at another trailer trade. I have found a 93-94 Travalong 30ft triple axle that looks to be in good shape. The bottom has already been plated and owner states all uprights are good. There is also a 28ft Titan Classic triple axle in an 05 model. The titan has some paint fading and needs holes fixed on the inside wall. Other than the obvious pulling difference in the Classic does anyone have any pro or cons of the two trailers. I had a bad experience with an older 16ft Travalong, it soured me on the brand, I'm not sure they are all that bad. That particular trailer was a light made 16ft stock, it pulled like a dream but the roof kept coming loose over the escape door, after 2 trips to the repair shop they realized the uprights over the trailer fenders did not go all the way to the frame ending at the fender. The frame was bending right over the equalizer mount. Is that the story on the quality of all Travalong trailers? Thank you in advance. There is quite a difference in price on these trailers which is why I am considering the Travalong.
 
If you notice they do the same on the titans or at least some of them I'd look them over to make sure. Make sure the floor cross members are welded on and not just tacked we worked on one for a guy and all the cross members were just tack welded seamed pretty cheesey to me but I like heavy iron and a lot of weld. Most of the time it's cosmetic's not quality that sell's trailer's fancy paint and nice decals doesn't mean it's better that's what I see in a Titan a lot of tac weld holding it together.
 
Denny, I am not a Titan fan either. I pulled a new one once, I had to have the axles redone and quite a bit of welding done within 1000 miles of new. It seems that our options are limited here. I am hoping to sell the 7x20 featherlite aluminum I traded for last spring and get into a bigger trailer.
 
We have had a Titan Gooseneck trailer and a Titan flatbed and other than the paint not being good on the Gooseneck, we pulled both of them a long ways with no problem. With the paint, we called Titan in Kansas (I think it was), talked directly to Dave, the owner,
and he helped us out with the paint problem. He said they got into some bad paint that year (1990). We were never impressed with
Travalong, but can't recall why. That's why we bought Titan. Good luck with whatever you choose. Our Titan GN had the bull package.
 
We run titan livestock trailers. I'm not a big fan of the latch system on the travalongs.
 
Titan. I would bet the travalong is cracked out above the tailgate. But if you like slamming gates twice and hard go with the travalong.
 
I have an 86 Travelong, the director has a much newer Travelong Advantage. His has seen lots more cattle. Both are still very functional. Most Titans I have seen haven't had as much use. Paint, axles, lights, etc, about a dead heat between the two.
 
I think trading one for the other is like divorcing your wife to marry her sister. They're both built in Waterville, I think still under the same ownership - I think there is one more trailer built in Waterville besides those two, but I can't remember.

I think Donahue makes a good trailer, but I don't fault Titan or travelong.

You might consider ordering a trailer overbuilt in special areas that you have problems. From the looks of Denny's work, those rigs look as good as any.
 
I am not buying new or this would not be an issue. If I could afford new I would order what I want and have it built to my specs. I am looking at affordability, but am not willing to sacrifice quality. Both of these manufacturers have there problems. Titan seems to be the brand of choice in our area, so I don't see a lot of Travalongs. That being said, you don't find very many Titans that are 25 yrs old either. The trailers that have stood the test of time no longer are built, they gave way to a lighter made easier pulling product. I have a 16ft Hart trailer that is 10 yrs older than the Travalong and 20 yrs older than the Titan and is just as functional as either. Sagging gates an cracked bows are common in any trailer here. The hills are rough and wear and tear is an issue. I am more concerned with structure, rust problems and straight out durability. The Travalong has already been plated along the bottom, the Titan is starting to rust (I thought that was the point of the galvannealed steel). I also want something I can repair without spending money in a shop everytime something needs welded. I am not a professional welder, but I can handle average repairs with an arc welder. If I were to buy a large trailer, it will not be getting off the beaten path much, you won't get very far with a loaded 30ft trailer her before you hang up or get stuck. They are asking almost twice the money for the Titan over the Travlong.
Loomix, I would love to own a Hughes, Easley or Reyes, they are out of my price range. I have pulled an Easley a lot, they are a heck of a trailer. They are a little heavy for the sand here but they hold up. Brad, I was supprised by your liking to Donahue, I have never seen one that held up. I see some old Hilsboro trailers that are still in decent shape, but the latch system is terrible on them.
 
Does the travelong have channel iron used as a gusset for the neck assembly. If so we fixed one that the upright which was 2x3 3/16ths angle which I feel is to light anyhow it was broke at the bottom of the gusset. When we build them our gussets go all the way down to the bottom of the main frame. Myself I'd buy the less expensive mainly because it's just a trailer and there's no sense tying up a lot of extra money in something that a less expensive one will due just fine. Kinda like what color tractor you have my cows could care less what brand of trailer they ride in or what brand of tractor delivers their feed.

Livestock trailers are basically a unibody they need ALL the uprights and the neck assembly tied to the mainframe and then weld it together not tack weld everything to save a couple hours of labor. Look at a new Titan the side sheets are spot welded and they stagger them from one side to the other to save time and labor.

My neighbor has a Titan and I will say they seam to have the paint figured out as it sits outside all year long and looks pretty nice yet and itsclose to 10 years he's had it. But it doesn't get used very much the guys that use them are rebuilding them and they look rough.
 
Maybe the answer would be to buy the cheaper trailer & have Sparky go through it and fix & reinforce anything that needs it, not skimping on the materials needed. Then you'd know exactly what you have.
 
Sparky is a pretty good hand with about anything I can think of!! My hopes would be that I could do any repairs needed unless it involved structure damage, then Sparky is the man. I don't like rust and I don't care for poor structure. Preventative maintenance goes a long way.
 
I would think you could find a Kiefer in your area, that would be my choice for an older trailer. Had an old Travalong that was a pretty good trailer, kind of lite duty but it was nice to pull out in the pastures. I'm currently using a Donahue, it's built like a tank.
 
Hook on to the Titan and get your wife to pull it across the pasture, while you follow her. I will bet money that both sides flex enough to be noticeable.
At one time Titan, Travalong, and Trailman were all made in Waterville. All under separate ownership, until Titan bought Trailman out.
The only reason Titan is so popular around here is they give tremendous breaks to their dealers.
Look at V Bar, they had a 30 Trailman a few months back that was well worth the money.
 
LazyWP said:
Hook on to the Titan and get your wife to pull it across the pasture, while you follow her. I will bet money that both sides flex enough to be noticeable.
At one time Titan, Travalong, and Trailman were all made in Waterville. All under separate ownership, until Titan bought Trailman out.
The only reason Titan is so popular around here is they give tremendous breaks to their dealers.
Look at V Bar, they had a 30 Trailman a few months back that was well worth the money.
Click to expand...

I don't think that flexing would happen if the trailer had the bull package.
So flying S, does the one you are considering have the bull package? (More uprights all along the sides). I know
ours was plenty stout, no problems at all. Friend has a Travelong.....lots of problems...
 
I bet that age of Travalong bull package is plenty stout. Better steel then, but I have never been around one that long. I homemade bull packaged my 18 footer while flooring, didn't look necessary on an 86.
 
Haytrucker said:
I bet that age of Travalong bull package is plenty stout. Better steel then, but I have never been around one that long. I homemade bull packaged my 18 footer while flooring, didn't look necessary on an 86.
Click to expand...

Better steel then ???

I've been in this business 30 years and have never seen a drop in steel quality. Have worked on trailers where the angle iron had KOREA embedded in it every 16 inches and that trailer was 20 years old 25 years ago. The older the trailer chances are the lighter and cheaper it was built you couldn't sell most of those older trailer's now days.
 

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