# Sawtooth Trailers... Best trailer out there?



## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

The question I've always had about that style of trailer is, wouldn't it make more sense to have a flatbed trailer that sits lower to the ground? That way you can load your boat fully rigged, saving all the derigging and lifting heavy gear. 

I have a winch and a roller on my trailer and its super easy to launch and load even when fully loaded for a multi-day trip.


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## LJPurvis (Apr 12, 2017)

I have a flatbed trailer. It does sit lower but still requires a lift. The takeout, if a good ramp is available, is much easier as I will back it way down and float the boat on. I do like to have my boat fully loaded on my trailer. Then, at the put-in, just back into the water (if available) and float it in. It is hell on the bearings but worth the cost of an annual repack.

I find the biggest issue I have is, since I am one of the guys with the trailer and a Suburban, I tend to shuttle and stack. This usually means, unless we pack all of our food and bags a day or two before launch, we cannot pack the boat fully. We usually stack the boats the day before or sometimes two days before. This means that I, and my friends, keep their bags and coolers off the boats. We can usually throw our bags in the stacked boats for the trip but the coolers need to go somewhere since we cannot access the cooler bays with the boats stacked. Only so many coolers can fit in the back of the Burb.

I am thinking of getting rid of my flatbed for something similar to the one above. I prefer the storage ability over the 2' of lift I save. Plus, it works better for other "yard" stuff.


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## LJPurvis (Apr 12, 2017)

I do want to add that I have a friend that had a "whitewater trailer". This was a flatbed made mostly of aluminum. I did like that trailer as it weighed so little it was easy to move it around by hand. I have one of those trailer dollies to use in the yard and that helps. My flatbed is iron and heavy.


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## GrapeEscape (Feb 13, 2016)

Pine said:


> The question I've always had about that style of trailer is, wouldn't it make more sense to have a flatbed trailer that sits lower to the ground? That way you can load your boat fully rigged, saving all the derigging and lifting heavy gear.
> 
> I have a winch and a roller on my trailer and its super easy to launch and load even when fully loaded for a multi-day trip.


We've already had this style for years and at this point we just want the extra storage. We have multiple boats and like to stack them so there is going to be lifting anyways. Having one trailer that can take multiple boats, dryboxes, coolers, all our other gear... well that's what our situation is looking for now. Additionally, I think the trailer shown above can double as a snowmobile trailer and also be used as a utility trailer for landscaping tasks.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

Pine said:


> The question I've always had about that style of trailer is, wouldn't it make more sense to have a flatbed trailer that sits lower to the ground? That way you can load your boat fully rigged, saving all the derigging and lifting heavy gear.
> 
> I have a winch and a roller on my trailer and its super easy to launch and load even when fully loaded for a multi-day trip.


We just got a new trailer and decided to get a low deck flatbed from Quadrax, which is based in Ogden Utah. It is true that a Sawtooth Trailer style can hold a ton of stuff because of all the space underneath (my friend has one and it is great). But for me, I wanted to be able to stack my wife's cataraft on top of my boat and have both boats rigged all the time, and still be low enough to fit into our garage (which is not very tall) - see the attached picture. We just got the trailer 2 weeks ago right before we were supposed to go on the main Salmon (but had to cancel our trip due to the fire up there). 

Also, the guy at Quadrax is named Clay and he was awesome to work with. He was happy to do any kind of custom stuff that I wanted and the trailer is beautiful and super heavy duty with full-size 15" wheels. I even asked him about the Sawtooth trailer style, and he said he had just built one for someone, so if you are interested go ahead and contact him and discuss with him. I decided against that style, but if I had decided to go that route, Clay said he could do it.


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## GrapeEscape (Feb 13, 2016)

Utah78 said:


> We just got a new trailer and decided to get a low deck flatbed from Quadrax, which is based in Ogden Utah. It is true that a Sawtooth Trailer style can hold a ton of stuff because of all the space underneath (my friend has one and it is great). But for me, I wanted to be able to stack my wife's cataraft on top of my boat and have both boats rigged all the time, and still be low enough to fit into our garage (which is not very tall) - see the attached picture. We just got the trailer 2 weeks ago right before we were supposed to go on the main Salmon (but had to cancel our trip due to the fire up there).
> 
> Also, the guy at Quadrax is named Clay and he was awesome to work with. He was happy to do any kind of custom stuff that I wanted and the trailer is beautiful and super heavy duty with full-size 15" wheels. I even asked him about the Sawtooth trailer style, and he said he had just built one for someone, so if you are interested go ahead and contact him and discuss with him. I decided against that style, but if I had decided to go that route, Clay said he could do it.


That's awesome!!! I'll reach out to him tomorrow. I asked a few of our local trailer dealerships and they just seemed confused from the get go. Thanks for the heads up!


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## Junk Show Tours (Mar 11, 2008)

GrapeEscape said:


> That's awesome!!! I'll reach out to him tomorrow. I asked a few of our local trailer dealerships and they just seemed confused from the get go. Thanks for the heads up!


I'm very happy with the trailer that Clay built for me. He's really got things dialed.


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## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

Another option is to instal rollers on a utility trailer. My web site is down but IT is working on the issue.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

GrapeEscape said:


> That's awesome!!! I'll reach out to him tomorrow. I asked a few of our local trailer dealerships and they just seemed confused from the get go. Thanks for the heads up!


One other thing - in my discussion with Clay at Quadrax, their normal decking material for a raft trailer is wood, but he also offers an option of Trex composite decking material. I chose to do that. It added a few hundred dollars to the cost, but now I don't ever have to treat the wood or worry about wood cracking or warping. My guess is he could probably also do diamond plated metal decking as well.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Having owned a Sawtooth for many years, I'd say the design is great, their execution was sub par. The ordering process was rough, they blew the timeline and delivered the wrong layout and had to redo, I had to rewire it myself, and have a buddy re-weld a bunch of it because the original welds were janky. This was before it changed hands the first time though. Not sure where Sawtooth is now. Mine is old enough that I paid $2,200 for it. Last I saw they were about $5k.

Sounds like Clay does good work. If I were buying a trailer again, I'd have someone talented build one and pay a fair price for it the first time around.


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## Utah78 (Apr 28, 2018)

Conundrum said:


> Having owned a Sawtooth for many years, I'd say the design is great, their execution was sub par. The ordering process was rough, they blew the timeline and delivered the wrong layout and had to redo, I had to rewire it myself, and have a buddy re-weld a bunch of it because the original welds were janky. This was before it changed hands the first time though. Not sure where Sawtooth is now. Mine is old enough that I paid $2,200 for it. Last I saw they were about $5k.
> 
> Sounds like Clay does good work. If I were buying a trailer again, I'd have someone talented build one and pay a fair price for it the first time around.


I agree, the full-on sawtooth style i'm pretty sure will be upward of 5K. 

Regarding delivery timing with Quadrax, I ordered it in May and got it 8 weeks later, several days before the promised date. In fact, Clay originally told me that he was scheduled out until August with trailer builds, but then asked me when my big river trip was, and when I said I had a big trip on July 16th, he said he would have it July 14th and he delivered on time.


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## Iamquigley (Sep 6, 2020)

I got a trailer from Clay at Quadrax as well and can say that the stock flatbed he offers for rafting is BURLY and will last a lifetime but also that he is a top notch fabricator who builds a ton of raft trailers and if you can dream if he can make it. He showed me a grand canyon rig trailer he was building when I was in there and this thing was bananas. Same style you are looking for but the top had t or 6 rollers and was also completely removable so the trailer could be used as a standard utility trailer. Him and his team geek out on making custom stuff for rafters and he will out together a dream trailer for you. Too notch customers service and quick responses. He basically told me "If it ever breaks for any reason bring it back and I will put it back together for you". Can't recommend these guys enough!


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## Patrick Lynch (Nov 20, 2014)

I got a Sawtooth about 5 years ago, and as stated above, the follow through by the owner/welder was abysmal. It is a good build, but I have also had to do extra welding and add angle steel on the front yoke tray, which had only expanded metal, which could not bear weight. I also had to redo the wiring, and will probably have to completely redo it as the owner/welder was clueless on this aspect. His wiring fell apart on the way home from the delivery point. It's too bad this guy was such a flake, as I love the trailer. Yes, I will have to re-weld and replace the door latches, as they are pretty feeble, but the bones of the build are solid. The clearance with my torsion axle is a positive as well. Highly recommend that in a build for backcountry hauls, like the 30 mile put in on the John Day, which we did in June. Storage underneath allows us to take two complete rigs and gear. We have stacked boats several times with zero issues. Final note is that I think a good welder with a little business sense could sell many of these, as long as he or she had their shit together and were able to actually meet timelines and see the value in this trailer.


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## markhusbands (Aug 17, 2015)

I bought an All American 12 footer this year and so far I sure like it. I sure like having a winch and a roller.


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## Runnin Rivers (Sep 26, 2021)

GrapeEscape said:


> Looking to upgrade our trailer. For years we used a fairly basic utility trailer with supports on top for the raft and gear storage below. We sold that and just moved to a flat snowmobile trailer that was used in the summer for rafting and snowmobiles in the winter. I've been introduced to Sawtooth Trailers over the last couple of years and have decided to make the investment. Unfortunately, I have been provided with the sad news that they are no longer in business. I've left multiple messages for them at the number found online but have not received a response. Does anyone know of other companies that make similar trailers to theirs? We are looking specifically for the one with gear storage below an upper deck. The storage area has multiple doors that open to provide access to gear while the boat(s) are on top... The top deck folds open on each side to make it easier when loading. Appreciate the help!!!
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I own one of those trailers. Thinking of selling it. I’m out of Washington State. Feel free to contact me. Thanks.


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