From it’s introduction in the Sears 1939 Spring Catalog until the mid 50’s when the manufacturer went to a unibody construction, the Allstate trailer could be bought as a bare frame (no body) or with a wood box body. Sears offered a kit that could be assembled at home like Ikea furniture today, with simple hand tools. This made it very appealing and the most prolific trailer ever produced. The Allstate trailer frame is the most used for building a one off custom trailer. The wood box of these trailers are mounted to the frame with 4 large bolts and nuts. After almost 50 years, the wood of these trailers has rotted away leaving a sturdy metal frame and an open canvas to those wanting to create their own version of the popular trailer. This page is devoted to the growing number of amazing innovators who broke out their welders, tubing benders and who knows what else, and individualized their trailer.
The Station Wagon
In the Fall 1949 catalog, another single-wheel trailer was added to the lineup. The two trailers seemed to share identical frames and load carrying capacity. They differed only in their cargo boxes. The new trailer was what Sears called a “station wagon” version, with two-piece sides. (A similar two-wheeled trailer had been made by Dunbar Kapple since around 1946.) The upper side-pieces were cut in a “streamlined” teardrop shape, separated from the lower pieces by a small gap. This body was varnished instead of painted, leaving the wood grain visible; the other body was painted blue. One of these trailers was probably the model 231-508 (“Formerly Model Nos. 249.8074, 249.8075 and 327.6215”) described in a parts list ca 1951. It’s the standard version, not the “station wagon” version. The spring 1953 catalog shows the same two trailers. The prices are now $66.50 and $71.50 for the older and newer versions, respectively. In the Fall 1953 catalog, only the prices have changed, each model now costing a dollar more. (Written and research provided by John LaTorre – A Short History of Allstate Single-Wheel Trailers)
The 1961 Spring-Summer catalog marked the beginning of a new era with the introduction of a leaf spring wheel assembly for trailers. Although this particular trailer was only featured in that one catalog, it stands out with unique characteristics not seen in other Sears trailers of the time. Unlike most Sears trailers, which were typically built in Chicago, this model was produced in a factory near Des Moines, Iowa. The inclusion of the leaf spring in this design hinted at future trends in trailer suspension.
This trailer has several distinctive features, including a curved leaf suspension, a hydraulic shock absorber, and front mounting arms that curve downward at an angle. These elements set it apart from its predecessors. The body design carried over some aspects from the earlier wood box trailer, including a dark blue color scheme and the iconic “ALLSTATE” U.S. map logo prominently displayed on the front. It also appears to have removable front and possibly rear panels, similar to the earlier Wood Box trailers.
While it may have been short-lived in Sears’ lineup, this trailer from the 1961 catalog remains a fascinating piece of history, showcasing innovative design choices and a glimpse into the evolution of wheel assembly technology.
In the Spring 1941 catalog, the “Cross Country” trailer disappeared. Instead, the Chicago-made trailer was joined by another trailer from the same source in Chicago. This newest trailer was designed to replace the “Cross-Country” in the product line-up, since it was sold for around the same price and carried the same 750# load. It had a wooden box measuring 54″ x 48 ” x 9-3/4″, using apparently the same construction as its little brother. The box differed not only in dimension but in its detailing, with an ornamental pattern painted in a different color than the main color of the panels. The new trailer also used a different frame, a trapezoidal “channel steel” chassis instead of the X-frame used on the smaller model. The same “universal mount” tongues and new coil-spring suspension were used for both trailers. The prices were $29.95 and $34.95. The Fall-Winter 1942 catalog showed the same two trailers with the same ordering numbers and specs, at slightly increased prices. After this catalog, no single-wheel trailers show up in the catalog until 1948. I presume that they were discontinued for the duration of World War II, since manufacturing was devoted primarily to the war effort and things like steel and tires were in short supply. There was a kit offered in the Fall-Winter 1945 catalog for a four-wheel trailer, but no other utility trailers were offered. (Written and research provided by John LaTorre – A Short History of Allstate Single-Wheel Trailers)
X-Frame
The Fall 1940 catalog showed the CrossCountry and a new, different trailer, with a “Knee-Action spring” (using a true coil-spring suspension) and the tongues that would become associated with Allstate trailers. These tongues were castings shaped into a sort of “question mark” shape and were designed to fit over or under a car’s bumper and attach to either the bumper brackets or the car’s frame. This trailer had an X-shaped frame and was only available for 2 years from Sears. The box was 48″ x 42″ x 9-3/4″, had 4 wood sides with “steel corner angles and four steel cross members,”. It was rated for 500 pounds of cargo, came from a “factory in Chicago”, and sold for $29.95
The earlier “Cross Country” trailer, with its 750 pound load capacity, was still available, with its Niles, Ohio source, and was priced at $37.95.
In the 1961 Sears Fall-Winter Catalog, Sears introduced another exciting new trailer to their lineup, continuing their tradition of innovation. This time, it was a wood box-bodied single-wheel trailer, but with a significant upgrade—an entirely new chassis. This model marked the debut of the straight leaf spring suspension system, along with height-adjustable arms, features that would go on to set the standard for all subsequent Allstate trailers.
The wood box body of this trailer seems to have retained the convenient removable front and rear panels from earlier models, allowing for easy access and versatility in loading and unloading cargo. This design choice continued the practical functionality that Sears Wood box trailers were known for.
In a nod to its roots, the trailer also brought back the classic “ALLSTATE” logo, proudly displayed as a symbol of quality and reliability. Unlike many of its predecessors, which were typically manufactured in Chicago, this trailer was factory-built in Des Moines, Iowa, further distinguishing it from earlier models.
This introduction in the Fall-Winter catalog wasn’t just another addition to the lineup; it was a step forward in trailer design, setting the stage for the evolution of future Allstate trailers. Whether you’re a fan of classic trailers or just appreciate clever engineering, this model from 1961 is a standout, combining tradition with innovation in a way that only Sears could.
Allstate – Steel Box
The third generation Allstate trailer debuted in the 1961 Sears catalog with a wood box, the steel box had replaced it by the Fall 1967 Sears catalog. This generation used a totally different tongue arrangement, using simple flat stock bent in two places. It also sported a different suspension system consisting of twin leaf-spring assemblies. The bottom leaves extended much farther out than the others, and bore L-brackets to which the axle of the wheel was attached. Like the other trailers, the cargo load was 500#. The trailer was now made “near Des Moines, Iowa” and sold for $89.95 from the factory. I have learned that this factory was the Ideal Manufacturing Company, based in Oscaloosa, Iowa. In the 1980s, this company was absorbed into Superior Industries International, now based in Van Nuys, California, but this was long after Ideal stopped making trailers. In the Fall 1967 catalog it sold for $96.95, with an optional metal top selling for $41.95. The Spring 1968 catalog carried the same information. In the Fall catalog of that year, the price is increased to $109.95, with the optional top selling for $44.95. In the 1972 Spring catalog, the price of the trailer jumped to $154.95. The optional top was no longer available. The body was painted “cinnamon brown” instead of white, and it bore a new stock number. In the Spring and Fall 1973 Catalogs, the price was $159.95, and in the Spring and Fall 1974 catalogs it was $164.95. But in the Spring 1975 issue, the price soared to $224.95. That price remained in effect until the Fall 1975 catalog, the last catalog to list the single-wheel trailer. Some of the model numbers for this style of trailer are 287.61830; 287.61530; 287.61961 and 287-61660. Sears also sold this same trailer with two wheels and possibly even a double swivel wheel, but it is unknown if this last example is a special order or custom built job. (Written and research provided by John LaTorre – A Short History of Allstate Single-Wheel Trailers)
A Clam Shell Allstate I picked up in AZ. At some point the OG mounts were swapped for what’s on there now so it could be used on a lowered VW Bus. The tire was swapped out for a bigger one too. Owned by VintageWarehouse
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The spring 1955 Sears catalog shows what is unmistakably the all-metal body with a price of $69.50, marked down from $74.50 The stock number is 28KM6199F. This catalog marks the first appearance I can find of the steel-box single-wheel Allstate trailer popularly known as the “Tag-along” trailer (although I could find no indication that Sears ever called it by that name). Since the retail price is only slightly below that of the 1956 catalog, the date ascribed to the circular seems reasonable. It seems to have shared the same wheel assembly with the other trailer, but has a different tongue arrangement, with the new tongues being longer and designed to fit only underneath the bumper. Its load capacity was also 500#.This all-metal trailer appears identical to one sold in the 1950s by Dunbar Kapple, a trailer manufacturer in Geneva, Illinois, about thirty miles west of Chicago. (Dunbar Kapple was said to be partially owned by Sears.) The model number of the Allstate trailer was 231-963. Under Sears’s numbering system, the first three digits indicated the manufacturer, and it happens that this prefix was also used for Sears two-wheel trailers sold under the David Bradley marque (David Bradley was the Sears marque for the agricultural equipment they sold.) So the evidence suggests that Dunbar Kapple made the single-wheel trailer as well. The next Sears catalog I could locate was the Spring 1956 catalog. In this issue, the “station wagon” version has been dropped, but the original version, with the blue-painted wood cargo box, has been retained and now sells for $69.95. The all-metal trailer now sold for $77.50. If you had a 1955 Chevrolet, there was a version specifically for that model, but it isn’t stated what the differences were. I would presume it used a variant of the bumper mounting hardware. The Spring 1957 catalog shows the same two trailers, with the inevitable prices increases to $76.50 and $89.50. Again, Chevrolet owners are asked to note that on the order forms, so they can receive the proper trailer hitch configuration. The Fall 1957 catalog shows the same trailers, with separate model numbers for the versions that are used with 1956 and 1957 Chevrolets. In the 1960 catalog, the all-metal streamlined trailer is gone. Only the original version remains in the catalog, with a price of $77.00. Since the cargo box is described only as “dark blue,” it’s not clear whether this a wood or metal body. Although the trailer is still described as being made in Chicago, both the stock number and the shipping weight are different. Model numbers for streamlined metal 231-963 (“1956 or 1957”) 231-96369 (found in Canada). (Written and research provided by John LaTorre – A Short History of Allstate Single-Wheel Trailers)