Horse Trailer Restoration in Iowa | Ames Hydraulics

Horse Trailer Restoration In Iowa

Horse trailer restoration is a specific job that combines the metalwork of any trailer rebuild with careful attention to the interior — mats, dividers, tack rooms, ventilation, and the small details that make a trailer safe and comfortable for horses. Our shop is in Ames, Iowa. We do horse trailer restoration on Featherlite, Sundowner, Hillsboro, 4-Star, Cimarron, and older restoration projects on the classic aluminum and steel trailers from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

What Horse Trailer Restoration Actually Involves

The list is longer than most people expect. On the structural side: frame straightening, cross-member repair, floor plank replacement (aluminum or wood), roof and skin panel weld work. On the interior: divider replacement, chest bar service, butt bar rebuild, tack room shelving and lock work, ventilation window repair. Mechanical: brakes, bearings, axle service, suspension. Electrical: full harness replacement, LED lighting, interior dome lighting, marker and running light rebuild. Cosmetic: sandblast and repaint, or aluminum polish.

Floor And Mat Replacement

Horse trailer floors take heavy loads and lots of moisture. Over years the boards rot, aluminum planks corrode, or steel floors rust through. Horse trailer restoration nearly always includes floor work. We replace aluminum planks individually, patch or fully replace steel floors, and install new pressure-treated wood on older trailers that were originally wood-floored. Rubber mats go over the new floor for shock absorption and traction.

Divider And Interior Work

Horse trailer interior components take a lot of use. Chest bars come off and go back on. Divider posts crack at welds. Butt bars get bent from horses shifting weight. Tack room latches and shelving fail. Horse trailer restoration includes tearing out the interior components that need work, repairing or replacing, and reinstalling to spec. Latches and hinges get replaced with equivalent hardware — no cheap substitutes on load-bearing components.

Ventilation And Windows

Older horse trailers have sliding windows that seize, ventilation openings that don’t close, and dome vents that leak. All fixable. We service the sliding windows or replace with new units, rebuild ventilation hatches, and reseal roof penetrations. A restored horse trailer should have every window, vent, and hatch working right.

Suspension, Brakes, And Axle Work

Horse trailer suspension takes weight cyclically as horses shift — different loading pattern than a static hauled load. Suspension bushings wear, springs sag, and torsion axles lose their rubber cushioning over 15-20 years. Restoration typically includes suspension service, axle inspection and possible replacement, and full brake system service — drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware. New bearings and fresh grease throughout.

Electrical And Lighting Upgrade

Older horse trailer wiring is often the weakest link. We tear it out, run new marine-grade wire, upgrade to LED lights (running, brake, marker, interior), and rebuild the 7-way plug. If the trailer is going to be used for camping or long trips, we can add auxiliary interior lighting, USB outlets, and 12V systems as part of horse trailer restoration.

Cost Ranges For Horse Trailer Restoration

Partial horse trailer restoration — floor, brakes, wiring — runs $2,000 to $4,000. Fuller restoration with interior rebuild, ventilation, cosmetic work, and lighting upgrade runs $4,000 to $8,000. Ground-up restoration on an older aluminum or classic horse trailer with structural work, complete interior rebuild, and full mechanical service can push $6,000 to $14,000. Every restoration gets a written estimate before we start.

Free Pickup And Delivery

We offer free pickup and delivery within roughly 60 miles of Ames for horse trailer restoration jobs. For farther out we can coordinate a hauler. Either way, we get your horse trailer to Ames safely and return it the same way.

Timeline

Horse trailer restoration is a 3-8 week job depending on scope. Partial restorations turn in 2-3 weeks. Full restorations run 5-8 weeks with interior work being the longest-lead category. If restoration needs to be done between show seasons or before a specific trip, tell us the target date and we’ll plan around it.

Common Questions About Horse Trailer Restoration

Can you match interior finishes on an older trailer? On most trailers, yes. Some 1970s and 1980s trailer interiors used specific materials that are hard to source; we work with the customer to find equivalent finishes.

Do you install slant load conversions? Yes. Slant load conversion on straight-load horse trailers is a horse trailer restoration option we do regularly.

Will the horse trailer restoration pass DOT inspection? Yes. Full FMVSS inspection is included and documented.

Can you paint the exterior custom colors? Yes on steel trailers. Aluminum trailers we typically polish or clear-coat; painted aluminum is possible with proper prep.

Iowa Horse Owner Coverage

We do horse trailer restoration for show barns, breeders, ranch owners, and recreational horse owners throughout central Iowa. Customers regularly come to us from Story County, Boone County, Marshall County, and further. Free pickup and delivery within roughly 60 miles of Ames; hauler coordination for farther out.

Show Season And Trip Planning

Horse trailer restoration timing matters. Most owners want the trailer restored between show seasons or before a specific big trip. Tell us your target date and we plan the work backward from it — mechanical and structural first (the safety-critical items), interior work and cosmetic last. If you’re using the trailer for hauling to shows or shipping to a sale, we make sure the DOT inspection is documented and the paperwork is ready to hand to a transport officer if you’re pulled over. A horse trailer restoration is a serious investment and we treat every job that way.

Get A Quote

Call or text 515-292-2599. Send photos of the trailer inside and out. Describe what’s wrong and what you want changed. We’ll ballpark the horse trailer restoration cost over the phone.