Livestock Trailer Restoration in Story City, IA | Ames Hydraulics

Livestock Trailer Restoration Serving Story City, Iowa

Livestock trailer restoration is one of the most common trailer rebuilds we do for Iowa producers. Cattle producers, hog operations, sheep producers, and general livestock haulers in the Story City area bring us aluminum and steel livestock trailers that have hauled for 15-20 years and need floor work, panel repair, gate rebuilds, and brake service before they can safely keep working.

Our shop is in Ames, 12 miles north of Story City on I-35. Livestock trailer restoration customers come to us regularly from Story City because we do the whole rebuild in-house — aluminum welding, floor work, mechanical, wiring, and DOT inspection — instead of shipping parts of the job out.

Floor Work — The #1 Job On Livestock Trailer Restoration

Wet manure and urine sit on the floor and corrode aluminum or steel over the years. Livestock trailer restoration nearly always starts with floor work. We replace aluminum planks individually, patch or fully replace steel floors, and install new pressure-treated wood on older wood-floored trailers. Rubber mats over the new floor are the standard long-term protection for Story City-area livestock operations.

Panel And Gate Work

Cattle push, kick, and lean on side panels. Over 15+ years that puts dents, cracks, and eventually failures in the aluminum or steel. Livestock trailer restoration typically includes straightening or replacing bent panels, welding cracked seams and corner posts, and rebuilding gate hinges. Sliding gates get service on the sliding hardware. Divider gates get new hinges and latches.

Suspension, Brakes, Bearings

Livestock trailers sitting between spring and fall use get neglected on the underside. Livestock trailer restoration includes full suspension and brake service — spring replacement, drum-and-shoe rebuild, new bearings and fresh grease throughout, axle spindle inspection.

Electrical Rebuild

Old livestock trailer wiring is corroded, chafed, and unreliable. Restoration usually includes tearing out the whole harness, replacing with new marine-grade wire, upgrading to LED lights, and rebuilding the 7-way plug. Bad wiring is the top DOT violation cause on livestock trailers.

Free Pickup And Delivery From Story City

A livestock trailer that needs restoration is often not roadworthy. Free pickup and delivery within roughly 60 miles of Ames covers Story City and surrounding area. We come get it, do the work, return it.

Between-Season Timing For Story City Operations

Livestock trailer restoration is best scheduled between hauling seasons — winter for spring-hauling operations, summer for fall shipping. If your Story City operation has a specific season target, tell us the date and we’ll plan the work to hit it. Restoration during off-season means no lost hauling revenue.

Cost Ranges

Partial livestock trailer restoration (floor patch, brake service, wiring): $1,800-$3,500. Fuller restoration with panels, gates, full floor replacement: $3,500-$7,500. Ground-up restoration on a 20+ year old aluminum livestock trailer with full structural, mechanical, and cosmetic: $6,000-$12,000. Written estimate before we start.

Common Questions From Story City Livestock Producers

Do you rebuild aluminum livestock trailers? Yes. Aluminum welding on Featherlite, Wilson, Merhow, and similar trailers is what we do most often for livestock trailer restoration.

How long does restoration take? Partial 2-3 weeks. Full 4-6 weeks. Between-season scheduling common.

Will it pass DOT inspection when done? Yes. Full FMVSS inspection documented.

Can I bring the trailer to Ames instead of pickup? Yes, if it’s road-safe. Otherwise free pickup within 60 miles of Ames covers Story City.

Brands We Restore For Story City Producers

Featherlite is the most common aluminum livestock trailer we see in for restoration — floor plank replacement and structural aluminum welding are standard work for Story City-area Featherlite owners. Wilson livestock trailers get similar treatment. Merhow and Hillsboro trailers we see for both aluminum and steel components depending on the specific model. Titan, Trails West, and Sundowner livestock trailers are also regular candidates for livestock trailer restoration. Older steel livestock trailers from Barrett, WW, and Coose are less common but we do those too — they usually need heavier structural work and full floor replacement in restoration scope.

Written Estimate And Honest Assessment

Every livestock trailer restoration gets a written estimate before we start work. If the trailer’s frame is rotted through, the axles are non-repairable, or the aluminum has corroded past the point of economic repair, we tell Story City customers to move on to a different trailer rather than restore. Restoring a $3,000 trailer that needs $6,000 in work is the wrong math. We do that math with the customer up front, before anyone commits to the job.

DOT Inspection Included

Full FMVSS DOT inspection is included in every livestock trailer restoration we complete. Documentation goes with the trailer for your records — proof that the restored trailer meets federal safety standards. This matters for Story City operations that haul across state lines or through inspection checkpoints.

Turnaround Expectations For Story City Producers

Partial livestock trailer restoration jobs (floor patch, brake service, wiring rebuild) turn in 2-3 weeks in our shop. Full restorations with structural aluminum welding, complete floor replacement, and full mechanical overhaul run 4-6 weeks. Ground-up restorations on older aluminum trailers with extensive structural work take 5-8 weeks. If your Story City operation has a target season or hauling date, tell us and we’ll plan the work backwards to hit that date. We also send progress photos during long jobs so you know where the trailer is in the restoration process.

Independent Livestock Trailer Restoration Shop

We are not a Featherlite, Wilson, or Merhow dealer. We do not sell new trailers, and we don’t do warranty work on new equipment. What we do is out-of-warranty livestock trailer restoration — usually less expensive than dealer restoration quotes, and often turned faster because restoration is our specialty rather than a dealer side job.

Getting Started

Call or text 515-292-2599. Send photos, especially of the floor and any damaged panels. We’ll ballpark livestock trailer restoration cost over the phone and arrange pickup from Story City when you’re ready.