Buyer Research

2020 Featherlite 8117 Horse — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $15,000–$26,000. There are 3 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.

Kestrel Take

A premium all-aluminum horse trailer from the brand many consider the gold standard — Featherlite's build quality, corrosion resistance, and resale are top of the class. The same non-negotiable horse-trailer safety checks apply: floor integrity under the mats, brakes, bearings, tire age, and structure. A well-maintained Featherlite with a sound floor is a safe, durable, high-resale trailer; pull the mats and verify the floor and running gear.

What we checked

No public record to reconcile against

We don't yet have a public record to check this one against. Federal complaint records thin out badly on older vehicles, so there is little to check against. What follows is our own write-up, and it has not been reconciled against an official record. Treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.

Known Issues for the 2020 Featherlite 8117 Horse

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

Floor integrity (rot under mats)High — wallet impact

Even aluminum trailers can have floor/support corrosion or rot (many use wood or aluminum plank floors); pull the mats and inspect thoroughly — a horse-safety issue.

Repair cost (estimate): $500-$4,000

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Brakes / bearingsHigh — wallet impact

Sound brakes and bearings are essential with live animals; test and inspect.

Repair cost (estimate): $200-$1,000

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Tire age / dry rotHigh — wallet impact

Check tire date codes; replace age-expired tires.

Repair cost (estimate): $300-$1,000

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Structure / dividers / latches / roofMedium

Inspect dividers, doors, latches, and the roof/seals for damage and leaks.

Repair cost (estimate): $100-$1,500

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Floor rot/corrosion under mats
✗Weak brakes / bad bearings
✗Old-date-code tires
✗Damaged dividers/latches or roof leaks

Good Signs

✓Solid floor (mats pulled and inspected)
✓Working brakes, serviced bearings
✓Fresh tires, sound structure

Found a specific Featherlite 8117 Horse?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2020 Featherlite 8117 Horse in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.