Circle J Horse Trailers

compliant with NATM safety and productionrecommendations. Circle J is one of the fewmanufacturers in the trailer industry to have earnedthe right to put the NATM Compliant Sticker on itstrailers.Sikkens primer and paint are made by Akzo Nobel.Production informationDesigns – Trailers are designed by Circle J with acomputer program that interfaces with their ERPsystem.Engineering – Circle J contracts with outsideengineers to verify its trailer designs and theengineering behind them.Quality Control – Quality control is performed bythe lead person in each department. The final qualitycontrol check is done by the person who delivers thetrailer. Over 100 points are checked through theproduction process and frequent random inspectionsare done by the sales department. The paintdepartment tests the thickness of primer and paintbefore a trailer leaves the paint area. Electrical testequipment is used to test electrical circuits.Paint – Trailers are placed in a special booth wherethey are washed to remove oil, grease, and dirt. Afterbeing washed, trailers are moved to another buildingto dry. Trailers are then moved into a paint booth fora primer coat to seal the steel from moisture andother contaminants. Trailers are then moved into ahigh temperature bake booth that has heated forcedair to cure the primer onto the steel, unique in thehorse trailer industry, though standard practice in theautomobile industry. Trailers are then moved into astate of the art paint booth where they are given twocoats of paint. And, lastly, trailers are moved into ahigh temperature bake booth that has heated forcedair to cure and set the finish. Circle J uses Sikkensepoxy primer and Sikkens Autocoat LV paint.Page 2 - HorseWheels Volume 1 Issue 1Metal bending and forming – All aluminum andsteel bending and forming is done on site, except forfenders and dividers, which are purchased fromoutside sources. Metal sheeting and roof bows aregalvannealed steel in some trailers and aluminum inothers.

Metal attachment – Metal panels are attached withadhesive tape, rivets, or welded, as required.Welding jigs – Jigs are used to hold metals duringwelding for walls and frames and other componentsto ensure proper alignment.Roofs – Single piece composite roofs are placed onall steel, aluminum skinned steel, and some allaluminum trailers. Aluminum roofs are placed onmost all aluminum trailers.Body sheeting rust protection – All body steelsheeting is galvannealed.Insulation – Double walled trailers have 1½-inchbead board (similar to Styrofoam) insulation betweenthe walls. Insulation is as high as the double wall,either to the beltline or the roof line.Axles – All trailers except the Outbacks have DexterEasy-Lube torsion axles. The Outbacks have springaxles.Axle placement – Determined individually for eachtrailer model to maintain approximately 13 percenttongue weight and divide the trailer’s weight 65percent in front of the center line between the axelsand 35 percent behind the center line between theaxels.Brakes – All trailers have 4-wheel electric drumbrakes.Floors – All trailers have 2-inch thick Douglas Firfloors, except the Legacy, Rancher, and RancherCombo, which have aluminum floors. Floor supportsare placed on 12-inch centers.Parts – Circle J carries an extensive parts inventoryfor production and to sell directly to the public.Production HistoryYear production beganJulius and Vernon Cobb built their first trailer in1958 in Salem, OR. They moved Circle J toHorseWheels Volume 1 Issue 1 - Page 3

Caldwell, ID in 1960.Trailers produced in first yearAll steel, 2-horse, side-by-side horse trailers.Evolution of trailer types, lines, modelsCircle J has been a leader in the development of newmodels throughout the years, first through all-steelconfigurations then through the addition of one-piececomposite roofs and all aluminum models.Year production of current types, lines,models started1996 Riata – all steel1997 Mirage – steel frame with aluminum skin2002 Lightning – all aluminum frame and skin2003 Outback – all steel2004 Legacy and Rancher – all extruded aluminum2004 Western Living Interiors – in-house livingquarters constructionToday – types of trailers producedCircle J builds all steel, steel frame with aluminumskin, and all aluminum 2- through 4-horse slant loadbumper pull and gooseneck horse trailers, and allaluminum 20 and 24 foot gooseneck stock trailers.Some gooseneck horse trailers can be purchased withliving quarters.Today – lines & models of trailers producedLegacy – all aluminum double walled gooseneck 3-and 4-horse trailers; extruded aluminum constructionwith all aluminum frame, baked on enamel aluminumsheets on sides of the front and sides of the horsecompartment, one piece all aluminum roof,aluminum roof bows, powder coated aluminumgooseneck sub-frame, and tongue and grooveextruded aluminum sheeting over the sides from infront of the fenders to the rear of the trailer; dropdown windows with grills and screens on head sideand bus windows on tail side; torsion axles; allaluminum floor; dual rear doors with slider windowon curb sideLightning – all aluminum single walled 3- and 4-horse gooseneck and single and double walled 2-through 4-horse bumper pull trailers; seamless onepiece composite roof; SX models have single airspace on both head and tail sides; Plus models havedrop down windows with window grills and screenson head side and single air space on tail side; Deluxemodels (bumper pull only) have drop down windowswith grills and screens on head side, bus windows ontail side, and lined and insulated to beltline; dual reardoorsMirage – steel frame, structure, and interiorgalvanized steel skin and exterior aluminum skin;seamless one piece composite roof; inside is linedand insulated to the roof; available in 2- through 4-horse gooseneck and 2- and 3-horse bumper pulltrailers; drop-down windows with grills and screenson head side and bus windows on tail side; dual reardoorsPage 4 - HorseWheels Volume 1 Issue 1

Riata – steel frame, structure, and galvanized steelinside and outside skins; seamless one piececomposite roof; inside is lined and insulated to theroof; 2- through 4-horse gooseneck and 2- and 3-horse bumper pull trailers; drop-down windows withgrills and screens on head side and bus windows onthe tail side; dual rear doorsdrop down windows with grills and screens on headside and bus windows on tail side; dual rear doorsLariat – steel frame, structure, and galvanized steelinside and outside skins; seamless one piececomposite roof; inside is lined and insulated tobeltline; 2- through 4-horse gooseneck and 2- and 3-horse bumper pull trailers; base model has single airspace on head and tail sides and single rear gate; Plusmodel has drop down windows with grills andscreens on head side and single air space withPlexiglass insert on tail side and dual rear doors;Deluxe package has drop down windows with grillsand screens on head side and bus windows on tailside; dual rear doorsLiving Quarters – available in 2- through 4-horsegooseneck trailers, minimally includes a bed, toilet,shower, refrigerator, cabinets, microwave, stove top;sink; wardrobe; dinette or fold down sofa;CD/AM/FM stereo, awning, build rate is four perweekOutback – steel frame, structure, and galvanizedsteel inside and outside skins; seamless one piececomposite roof; inside is lined and insulated tobeltline; 2- and 3-horse gooseneck and bumper pulltrailers; base package has single air space on bothhead and tail sides and single rear gate; Plus packagehas drop down windows with grills and screens onhead side and single air space with Plexiglass inserton tail side and single rear gate; Deluxe model hasHorseWheels Volume 1 Issue 1 - Page 5

Arizona. The top dealer usually changes each year.WarrantiesAxle assemblyThe axle manufacturer warrants the axles supplied onCircle J trailers: Dexter.Rancher Stock and Combo – all aluminum 20 and24 foot gooseneck trailers with a roadside escapedoor; 20 foot Stock has one, 24 foot Stock has twocenter gates; all models have a solid rear swing gate;Stock model rear gates have a sliderFactory and Dealer SalesSalesCircle J sells only through its dealers.DeliveryCircle J trailers are delivered only through its dealers.Trailers cannot be picked up at the factory.Repair and maintenanceMost Circle J dealers have complete repair andmaintenance facilities. They can also service towvehicles, install hitches, and connect electricalwiring.Warranty serviceMost Circle J dealers have warranty service facilities.If there is no local dealer or the local dealer cannotperform a needed repair, Circle J will perform thewarranty work at its factory. It is the customer’sresponsibility to deliver the trailer to the Circle Jfactory for repair.Dealers – number and locationsCircle J has approximately 50 dealers located in thestates west of the Mississippi River, in WesternCanada, and in Tennessee.Leading dealersIn 2004, Circle J’s largest volume dealer was inCouplerThe coupler manufacturer warrants the couplersupplied on Circle J trailers: Bull Dog.Jack assembly and landing gearThe jack assembly and landing gear manufacturerwarrants these items supplied on Circle J trailers:Bull Dog.PaintThe paint manufacturer is partnered with Circle J towarrant the paint used on Circle J trailer. The brandname is Sikkens, manufactured by Akzo Nobel.TiresThe tire manufacturers warrant the tires supplied onCircle J trailers: Goodyear, Maxim, and Mission.Tredit Tire and Wheel Company, Inc. in Salt LakeCity, Utah, warranties Maxim and Mission tires.Goodyear dealers nationwide provide warrantyservice for Goodyear tires.WheelsThe wheel manufacturer warrants the wheelssupplied on Circle J trailers. Only white painted orpowder coated steel wheels are used. Tredit Tireand Wheel Company, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah,warrants the wheels.Trailer (other than above)Depending upon the model, a Circle J trailer iscovered by one of three warranty periods: 1) a fiveyearhitch to bumper limited warranty on all butOutback, Lightning, and Legacy horse trailers andgooseneck stock and stock combo trailers; 2)Outback and Lightning horse trailers have a one-yearhitch to bumper limited warranty; and 3) Legacyhorse, gooseneck stock, and gooseneck stock combotrailers have a six-year limited warranty.Page 6 - HorseWheels Volume 1 Issue 1