Rig Sleds (The Trailer Thread)

[Shaggy]

I agree that $40 isn't bad seeing what some other places charge. It is only 7 miles too but I would drive 30 to get it down to $25

[Seth]

makes me glad to have some space.

[mudtoy67]

Put a new floor on my trailer last weekend. The floor looked ok, but most of the boards had cracks. Water had been collecting in the cracks and caused the boards to rot from the inside out.

CDR's pawpaw wanted to help with the project, so I stripped the old floor and we brought it out to San Antonio.


Ended up going with regular #2 pine for the new floor. I looked into other species popular with trailer builders such as white oak and apitong. I couldn't find any white oak that wasn't big money furniture grade. Apitong is used pretty often on big rig trailers and supposed to be really durable. It was still pretty pricey at $4+ a board foot. At that cost I'd have to replace the #2 pine almost 8 times before I met the price of apitong. With proper water treatment the wood should keep plenty of years.

I wanted to add anchor points in similar positions as most steel deck car haulers. What I came up with is to span two crossmembers front and rear with channel steel. I used C6x10.5. The 6" width worked well with the floor layout. I was able to space things out so all full length boards were 2x8 and where the anchor channels were would use 2x6. The 10.5# weight gives the channel a little over a 1/4" web for strength. The legs of the channel are just over 2" tall, so I had to notch them to 1.5" where they rest on the crossmembers to make the top even with the deck. I'll pick up some recessed d-rings typically used on car haulers and weld them to the channels this week. http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/product/48/DRings

Front anchor point. Added a piece of angle to support the end of the board.


Rear anchor point on the dovetail.


Christy's pawpaw putting the final screws in the dovetail. I used floor screws the same as I had pulled out of the old floor. The screws have a T30 torx socket head, and the thread is self tapping.


And the finished deck. Still need to treat it and weld on the new d-rings.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

That looks real good BDR. Its nice getting family involved.

[Shaggy]

I dig it. Mine is going to need a new deck in the next year or two. How much did it set you back?

[mudtoy67]

Probably about $250-$300 when it's all done.

[JB]

Looks good

[mudtoy67]

Finally got around to finishing up the new deck with installing the d-rings and doing the water sealer. If I ever do something like this again I'm gonna make sure I weld the d-rings on first...it was a pain protecting the wood from burning during cutting/welding.

[Shaggy]

Looks awesome. I need to redo my deck.

[Shaggy]

Bias versus radial on a trailer tire? I am getting new tires for mine and need to decide what to get. My stepdad swears that he has better luck with bias tires on his trailers but I wanted yall's thoughts

[eight]

Bias, they don't blow up. Put size 7.00-15 on it.

[davido]

Trailer looks nice!

[JB]

For sale on the side of 21. 6 lug axles. Looks like a wood deck with metal over it? no dovetail, probably 18'. I would say it was a $2500 trailer new. Don't know what they are asking.

edit: oops, the number didn't show up well. Can get it next time I drive by.

[Seth]

That's exactly what I would like, so long as it has stake pockets and are 5200 pound axles. metal deck meh, and no dovetail, but nice.

[JB]

Any idea what I could get for my trailer?

20' steel deck, 5200lbrs, drive over fenders? I thnk I paid around $3300, with the LEDs, 2 5/16ths, old removable fendrs and paint matched.

Ask $2500, let it go for $2000? My neighbor wants to buy it.