An enclosed trailer is only as trustworthy as its worst weld and its most tired axle. When the ramp door won’t latch, the floor is rotting, or a cracked frame shows up on inspection, Ames Hydraulics does the enclosed trailer repair that keeps the trailer roadworthy. Frames, axles, ramps, side doors, floors, wiring, and everything in between. Free pickup within 60 miles of Ames.
What Actually Fails on an Enclosed Trailer
Most enclosed trailer repair we see is one of a few things: welded frame or crossmember cracks from years of bouncing, axle spindles and hubs that are worn or spun, ramp doors with bent hinges or shot spring-assist cables, side and rear doors that don’t seal or lock, and floors that got wet and rotted underneath the plywood. We weld the steel, service or replace the axles, rebuild or replace the door hardware, and get the trailer back on the road.
What We Repair
- Cracked frames, crossmembers, and tongues — welded and reinforced
- Axles, spindles, hubs, bearings, and brakes
- Rear ramp doors — hinges, springs, cables, and skinning
- Side doors and man doors — latches, weatherstrip, hinges rehung
- Floors and side walls — rotted wood replaced, aluminum patched, structural steel welded
- Trailer wiring, lights, and 7-way plugs
- Landing gear, coupler, safety chains, and jacks
Welding Is the Reason Most Trailers Come Here
Welded cracks in a trailer frame are the reason a lot of shops send the trailer somewhere else. We’re a welding shop first, and enclosed trailers — cargo, race, motorcycle, car hauler, and lawn-care enclosed — are one of the most common things we weld. A cracked crossmember, a broken tongue, a bent A-frame, or a sagging rear frame gets pulled square, welded, and reinforced so it holds better than it did new.
Every Kind of Enclosed Trailer
Whether it’s a 5×8 motorcycle trailer, a 20-foot car hauler, a race trailer with a living quarters section, a construction contractor’s tool trailer, or a landscape enclosed trailer full of mowers, the enclosed trailer repair comes down to the same components. Bring us the trailer and we’ll walk it with you, point out the problems, and quote the fix before we start.
Free Pickup Within 60 Miles
If the trailer isn’t safe to tow, we come get it — free within 60 miles of Ames. Text a photo of the trailer and the problem to 515-292-2599 and we’ll tell you the same day what your enclosed trailer repair needs and roughly what it will cost.
Get Your Trailer Roadworthy
See our full hydraulic repair, welding & fabrication, and trailer repair services. Call or text 515-292-2599 or bring the trailer to 210 Freel Dr in Ames. Open Monday through Friday, 7AM to 5PM.
The Kinds of Enclosed Trailers We See Most
Car haulers and motorcycle trailers are the most common enclosed trailer repair jobs on our floor, followed by contractor and lawn-care enclosed trailers loaded with tools and mowers that have taken hard miles, and then race and toy-hauler trailers where the customer cares about how the trailer looks as well as how it runs. Whichever kind you have, the failure points are the same: frames, axles, doors, floors, and wiring. We work on all of them and don’t turn away odd sizes or old brands.
Frame Cracks Are Serious — and Very Repairable
A crack in an enclosed trailer’s tongue, A-frame, or main rails is one of the reasons owners come to us specifically. Left alone, a hairline crack in the wrong place ends with a trailer detaching from the truck or a wheel collapsing on the interstate. Properly welded and reinforced, the same crack becomes a stronger spot than the surrounding metal. Frame welding is one of the highest-value pieces of enclosed trailer repair we do because it’s genuinely dangerous when it’s wrong and completely reliable when it’s right.
Axle and Bearing Service
The wheel end on an enclosed trailer is where most of the wear happens. Bearings pack heat if they haven’t been serviced in years; hubs get chewed up if a bearing seizes; spindles can bend or spin; and drum brakes on electric-brake trailers wear out on the axles that see the most weight. A full axle service — bearings, seals, brakes, hardware — is one of the smartest scheduled enclosed trailer repair jobs an owner can do, and it prevents the roadside failure that costs a lot more to fix.
Floors, Ramps, and What Water Does Over Time
The most under-appreciated enclosed trailer repair is the one you don’t see until you pull the plywood: the crossmembers underneath the floor rot and rust when water gets in through a torn seal, a bad rear-door gasket, or a leaking roof seam. By the time the floor is spongy, some of the steel underneath is compromised too. We pull the wood, weld or replace the crossmembers, and put new decking down — done once, done right.
How Much Does Enclosed Trailer Repair Cost?
Cost depends on what failed. Ramp door repair (hinges, cables, springs) is typically $200-$500. Side or man door hardware replacement is $150-$400. Axle service (bearings, seals, brakes on one axle) runs $200-$500. Full running-gear service on both axles is $700-$1,500. Cracked frame welding at tongue, A-frame, or crossmembers is $300-$1,200. Rotted floor replacement (crossmembers plus decking) runs $800-$2,500 depending on trailer size. Full trailer overhaul lands in the $2,000-$5,000 range for a beat-up but salvageable enclosed trailer. Every quote is written up front.
How Long Does Enclosed Trailer Repair Take?
Door and hardware work is same-day or next-day. Axle service is 1-2 days. Frame welding is 1-3 days per repair area. Floor replacement is 3-5 days depending on scope. Full trailer overhaul is a week in the shop. If you have a race, show, or work schedule tied to the trailer, tell us up front and we build the schedule around it.
What Enclosed Trailer Types We Service
- Car haulers and race trailers — hardest use, biggest ramp doors, most frame stress
- Motorcycle and toy-hauler trailers — usually 5×8 or 6×12; ramp doors and tie-down hardware
- Contractor tool and job trailers — daily loading, worn floors, cracked tongue and A-frame
- Landscape/lawn-care enclosed trailers — ramp doors and mesh sides beat up daily; see our landscape trailer page for those specifics
- Livestock enclosed trailers and other custom builds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you weld a cracked tongue on my enclosed trailer?
Yes. Cracked tongues, A-frames, and hitch mounts are one of the most common — and most important — enclosed trailer repairs. Welded and reinforced with the right procedure and steel, the repaired area is stronger than the original. Do NOT tow a trailer with a visibly cracked tongue.
How do I know if my trailer floor is rotted?
Signs: spongy feel when you walk on it, visible cracks or gaps at the seams, water pooling inside after rain, or rust bleeding through from underneath. Once the wood is compromised, the steel crossmembers underneath are usually rusted too — we pull the wood, weld or replace the crossmembers, and put new decking down.
Do you replace enclosed trailer axles?
Yes — bent axles, spun spindles, and worn bearings get repaired or replaced. If the trailer needs a heavier axle rating (upgrade for heavier loads), we can assess whether the trailer frame will safely take the higher rating and quote the upgrade.
What about the roof or exterior skin?
Aluminum roof and skin repair — patching, resealing seams, or replacing sections — is in-scope. Interior finishing (walls, cabinets, custom builds) is generally left to specialty trailer-finish shops; we handle the structural, mechanical, and exterior work.
Do you offer pickup for enclosed trailers?
Yes, free pickup within 60 miles of Ames. If the trailer isn’t safe to tow, don’t tow it — text 515-292-2599 with a photo and we’ll dispatch pickup.
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Written by Josiah Ragsdale
Owner, Ames Hydraulics — Ames, Iowa
Josiah owns and operates Ames Hydraulics. He has worked on hydraulic and heavy equipment since he was 18, and every hydraulic cylinder his shop rebuilds is pressure tested before it ships back to the customer. More about Josiah →
Got something broken? Call or text 515-292-2599