Steel versus Aluminium semi-trailers: which material should you choose? | STAS

Belgique | België

Configuring a semi-trailer involves a lot of choices. One of the most important considerations is the material with which the trailer is manufactured. At STAS, we produce both tippers made completely of steel or aluminium, and moving floor trailers where the body is made of aluminium and you can choose an aluminium or steel chassis. Since this is a crucial choice, we’ve listed everything you need to know to make a well-informed decision.

When transporting corrosive materials, such as chicken manure, champost (mushroom compost) ... steel is not interesting because of its susceptibility to corrosion. Corrosive loads corrode the paint and, in the case of steel, the acid will eventually affect the steel itself, resulting in a shorter life cycle of the chassis and/or body. Aluminium is less affected by this, although in time it will also corrode.

Aluminium is the best choice for loads where spark prevention is important, such as sawdust, because of its spark resistance. For loads that interact with the food chain, aluminium is necessary to prevent rust (iron oxide) from entering the load and therefore the food chain.

As for the body of the trailer, wear resistance depends on the material used on the inside of the body. For example, steel, with Hardox 450 with a hardness of 450HB, offers higher wear resistance than aluminium, which can attain a maximum hardness of 110HB. For loads that cause a lot of wear, such as larger stones or metal scrap, a steel body is recommended. This is because every time a load is unloaded, it scrapes across the body, taking away a few micrometres each time as the load slides out.