OT: Utility Trailer Floor and Side Questions

[John Weber]

I just bought a light duty utility trailer for around the house stuff such as going to the dump, auctions, etc… It was just a frame and I needed a quick deck for a trip from PA, so I screwed some OSB together, rimmed it with 2x4’s and strapped it down with nylon straps. Now I need something more permanent. I priced Trex, but it is about 3 times the cost of treated. So I’m heavily leaning toward treated deck boards. It’s set up for 5/4 deck boards, but I’m not sure about mounting the wood to the frame. I thought of using either carriage bolts (2 on the end and one in every frame member); the frame is aluminum so I’m not sure if it would hold a screw fastener. I’ve also thought of attaching the floor from the bottom, but again I’m not sure how the fasteners would hold up over time. I could also use treated plywood for a floor, but thought the deck boards would drain better, and I think they would hold up better over time. I also need to get a friend to add (weld on) some extra stake pockets. Right now I have two across the front where the a-frame meets the main body, and 1 at each corner on the sides. I was going to add another on each side of the fenders and maybe 2 on the back rail. TSC has stake bed corner brackets that allow the sides to be removed, but lock in place when the sides are on the trailer. Also, and ideas on side height? I’m thinking 12” – 18”, but I don’t really have a good idea of what is a good height. Obliviously I am in the dark with most of this trailer stuff, so any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks – John

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/pond/trailer3a.jpg

[Howard Barlow]

With 5/4, you're gonna be limited somewhat on heavier loads. Especially those with small points of contact on the floor.

Use carriage bolts w/ nuts. Go through wood and frame, not into one or the other.

Nice looking framework.

[David Rose]

I used rough saw, green white oak for flooring mine a few years ago. The miller recommended just coating it with motor oil for preservation. I shot it with some deck preservative and it is in perfect shape, though it shrunk considerably as expected.

I think it was 2" which is how mine is setup.

David

[Bill Pingree]

5/4 PT decking should be fine for the floor and will easily hold more weight than that trailer would be rated for. If you’re using it for dump runs it will get some abuse so there is no need for anything fancy. I would drill though and use carriage bolts and nuts with lock washers. I’d also recommend using 5/4 decking for the sides as well, 4 high would give you about 24” sides. Depending on the visibility height from the tow vehicle you may want to go lower if you do not want a blind corner of the trailer. One thing you’ll definitely want to have is some solid tie down anchors in the floor. Some 3/8” U-bolts or eye-bolts though the frame rails are cheap and simple. Have fun with it and be sure to post completed pix haulin’ old iron.

PS: If you’ve got a pick-up watch out, that jack handle and tailgates will not like each other.

[John Christiansen]

You're in the dark about trailers huh?
well let me tell ya, that trailer is no good at all! don't waste any more money on it. Just let me know where you live and I'll come down and haul that thing away before your neighborhood association fines you or something.:D

The other input you've gotten all sounds good to me. 5/4 decking will probably be sufficient for most of what you will haul, or you could go with treated 2X6's. 5/16 carriage bolts should be plenty to hold the deck down, but I'd probably go 3/8 myself. and mainly for asthetics, I'd put two per board in the ends and each crossmember.

Someone mentioned tie downs, good idea!!

I'm not sure now where, but I've seen in one of my regular catalogs, bolt on stake pockets, but I'm not sure if they were aluminum. Might have been Northern hardware. But again I can't remember.....uhhh, what were we talking about?

[John Weber]

Thanks for all the input. The frame is loosely rated at 2,000 lbs load capacity, the builder said he has run into a little problem with guys using them for racing cars instead of motorcycles and lawn mowers, but I don't think I'll be doing any racing anytime soon. I had another friend mention white oak, but I'll guess I'll go PT since it's set up for deck boards. Would you go with 2 bolts in each end and one in each cross member, skip every other cross member, or 2 bolts in every cross member (2 ft on center I think)? The trailers at Lowes look like the deck is just held on by the trailer frame overhanging the wood.

Since I sold my truck (ugh), the trailer is now the replacement. I'm using our Sienna mini van to pull it. It does a nice job, and no tailgate problem, but wiring the Sienna and adding the hitch was a major pain.

My trailer builder gave me 6 extra stake pockets, so now I just need to see if my machinist friend can weld them for me. Overall the trailer is fairly light, made with 6061 Aluminum, so it should handle a well distributed load just fine. I brought back around 1,000 - 1,500 lbs (I can' t guess weight for anything) from PA and it rode wonderfully.

Thanks again - John

P.S. Going Overboard - Like Everything Else...

[Cam.Hedrick]

I would bolt two at the ends and one at each crossmember as you suggested. I've got a utility trailer rated to 4500 lbs. that has 5/4 decking on it and has held up to many loads of 4000+ lbs. of gravel as well as firewood and lumber. Yes I have a truck, in fact two...until tomorrow, Chevy is sold(I will miss that truck, it never let me down in the five years I had it).
Anyway, back to trailers, that's a really nice job that the builder did....where are you located again? Actually, I should have said, where is he located?
Anyone with a good MIG and spool gun can fix you right up as far as the stake pockets go.
Enjoy!!!:cool:

[Gary Hern]

It won't rot, no need to finish, it will last longer than white oak, and on top of that, there will be minimal swaying from loads!

This is the perfect application, just watch the splinters, they hurt!

[Joe Suelter]

Nice looking trailer. I purchased an old boat trailer that was converted over to a flat bed. Absolutely love it. I used plywood, marine grade, but it is torn to heck due to gravel, rocks, etc... This thing gets the heck beat out of it. I'm planning on using 5/4 decking this spring when I overhaul it. One quick note about your jack, spend about $5 and get a flat jack pad, if you ever park that on grass or dirt, that jack foot will surely sink right in, DAMHIKT, especially loaded. A flat jack pad can be drilled and outfitted with a quick release pin to remove it when not in use. Wal-Mart sells those here in Illinois, back by the fishing goods. Anyway, nice looking rig, post some pics after it done.

[John Weber]

Cam,

Thanks, the guy that built it lives in Southern Maryland. I wanted something a little nicer the the utility trailer available around me. Plus with aluminum I don't have to paint or worry about rust. He was supposed to be a certified welder, but I've seen much better welds. He was also a bit of a pain to deal with (deliver problems) but everything worked out. So I might buy again, but would hold final payment until the trailer was delivered. Sorry about your truck, but at least you have another plus a killer trailer (4,500 lbs - Wow)!

Gary,

Where are you finding Ipe?

Joe,

I added a wheel, but I like the flat skid - I'll keep my eyes open for one. The Bulldog jack is already drilled for a quick release wheel or foot.

Thanks again - John

[Gary Hern]

Go over to Ellis Island and use his woodfinder and find it in your area. St. Louis Hardwoods on Watson carries it as does a supplier out in KC. (Paxtons I think) , but I'm not familiar with the suppliers in your area. I know Paxton deals in mail order, but this stuff is as heavy as it is hard! Are you going to be coming up this way soon? If you can wait till Andersons and can't find it locally, I can bring it along. Let me know! I've got some cutoffs left that I use for planters and such. It just won't rot and repels water like nothing I've ever seen. I have some 4" x 4" posts and made the decking for my bridge across the pond and they take weather like nothing I've ever seen!

[John Christiansen]

I considered suggesting IPE to you as well, John, but didn't because of the cost. I am paying about $5.00/foot around here.

It is a wonderfull wood to work with. And there is nothing better for exterior applications. Extremly dense, very heavy, has the same fire rating as steel (seriously), never twist, warps or cups, and is beautifull to look at.

I have worked with it in the past and am building some picnic tables out of it right now. But again, it is kind of expensive for the type of treatment that it will get as a trailer deck. I don't know how people can afford to build decks out of it, but then again a deck out of IPE will be there for life.

[Cam.Hedrick]

It's not so bad, I have an F-250 4x4 extended cab long bed diesel now:cool: .....say that three times fast! I'll just miss the Chevy, guy didn't show up today.....wonder if I should call the other neighbor that says he's interested?

[John Weber]

I found some generic trex type stuff at Menards this weekend. Pricewise it was right between PT and Trex, so I picked up enough for the deck and sides. Hopefully it will do ok. My stake pockets are an odd size, so I'll likely cut down some oak to fit. The poly wood looks good, but is a bit on the heavy side. I checked on Ipe, but I think price wise it might have been a bit out of my budget. Thanks again for all the help, now to buy some hardware.

John

P.S. We also bought a swingset/fort kit at Menards, I had the trailer loaded about 36" high all the way across with the poly wood and a ton of wet PT for the play set. I was concerned about my little trailer frame since we were about 65 miles from home, but it did super. We took the back way to avoid the interstate, not something I want to do again. I could hear my frame builder cursing all the way home.