Exiss trailers: what wears first and what it costs

Exiss Trailers lists its address in El Reno, Oklahoma. On an Exiss, the maker’s own care guide focuses on two things: the floor under the mats, and the fasteners that hold the structure together. The running gear follows the usual axle schedule. We are independent, not an Exiss dealer. Typical prices: aluminum floor work about $12 to $20 per square foot, bearing repack $150 to $250 per axle, brake adjustment $80 to $150.

What fails first on an Exiss

• The floor. Exiss says to power wash the floor at least once every three months with the front raised for drainage, mats out, dry before mats go back. Its tip for between washes: treat the dry floor with an anti-acidic such as baking soda to reduce the effect of urine. See aluminum corrosion and white powder and trailer floor replacement.
• Fasteners. Exiss says all fasteners, including huck bolts, rivets, axle bolts and the bolts on the bumper pull hitch section, should be checked several times when the trailer is new and periodically after. A loose axle bolt or hitch bolt is a welding and frame or axle job.
• Lug nuts. Dexter and Featherlite both call for torque checks at 10, 25 and 50 miles after a wheel is mounted. See tires and wheels.
• Running gear. Bearings, brakes and breakaway follow the axle maker’s schedule: Dexter’s is a repack every 12 months or 12,000 miles and brake adjustment every 3,000 miles. See wheel bearing service and trailer brake repair.

Why the front-up wash matters

Exiss says, in so many words, to raise the front of the trailer for washing so the floor drains. It is a cheap habit that matters on any aluminum floor: water that stands on the floor after a wash, or under a mat put back wet, is where corrosion starts. If you park a trailer nose-down in the pasture, the same logic applies.

Typical Exiss repair prices

Same ranges as any make; see the pricing page.

Warranty first

If your Exiss is under warranty, start with an Exiss dealer; we do not handle warranty claims. For the rest of a horse trailer, see horse trailer repair.