Adding D rings to this trailer

[weldingisfun]

Great idea, Chris. Consider it stolen.

[KeithInSpace]

This was my solution. Each D-ring is set into the floor so I can slide the FEL over them if unloading mulch, for example. Even if they get jambed in there with rock or something, a quick pry with a screwdriver and they're back up and ready to go. A shove with the heel and they're flush with the deck.

I have 12 on the trailer, 4 toward the front and 2 toward the back on both sides. They are bolted to the cross-members under the trailer with Grade 8 bolts. Figure if the cross members fail (remember, they're further reinforced by the decking), I have bigger problems on my hands...

If I had a welder, I'd consider welding them to the outside rim of the trailer, but then they'd be clanking around endlessly AND that wouldn't work too well with the stakesides I built...this way I can keep all the chain inside the trailer.

And the larger D-rings have worked very well since I can pass the hook to my 5/16 G70 chain through them without a problem, further increasing tie-down flexibility.

I'll give you 3 guesses on which pictures were taken when new and which were taken after 1.5 years of service.

[Diamondpilot]

Originally Posted by weldingisfun

Great idea, Chris. Consider it stolen.

Hey, I steal ideas on here every day. Makes my neighbors and friends think I am genius. Keep my secret.

Chris

[LBrown59]

[quote=wkpoor;1785438]I've mentioned this before and will probably many more times......why would anyone build a trailer without tie down points????????? To me its like building one without a hitch.
I have been told though that most landscape trailers aren't intended for the load to be secured.[/quote]
Don't think that would be legal.

[KeithInSpace]

Originally Posted by LBrown59

Don't think that would be legal.

Another way to look at it is that a Landscape trailer aren't really meant to haul tractors tied down with G70 chain. It could live its live hauling mulch and office boxes as much as anything else...no need to tie down there. They have stakeside pockets and rails which are amply sufficient tie-downs for hauling lumber from the big box. Perhaps even motorcycles and ATVs. But not tractors.

Put another way: My 20' 10k# capacity trailer didn't have any tie-downs aside from the 8 stakeside pockets. Is this because they didn't intend me to haul anything? No, I think its because they HAVE NOT CLUE what you're going to haul. It is an open canvas that you customize based on what you need. Or you pay twice as much for a custom trailer that has all the tie-downs YOU need, but the guy that buys it off you in 10 years may not like ANY of them.

Either that or all the trailer manufacturers are too fricken' cheap to put tie-downs on trailers...but with the stakesides, any that were factory mounted to the 'outer rim' of my particular trailer would have been useless to me.

Just another way to think about it.

[wkpoor]

[quote=LBrown59;1786157]

Originally Posted by wkpoor

I've mentioned this before and will probably many more times......why would anyone build a trailer without tie down points????????? To me its like building one without a hitch.
I have been told though that most landscape trailers aren't intended for the load to be secured.[/quote]
Don't think that would be legal.

No one in my area (speaking for lanscapers/mowers people)including the local Cub Cadet dealer I know ties anything down on landscape trailers. Right or wrong thats the facts.

[wkpoor]

Originally Posted by KeithInSpace

Another way to look at it is that a Landscape trailer aren't really meant to haul tractors tied down with G70 chain. It could live its live hauling mulch and office boxes as much as anything else...no need to tie down there. They have stakeside pockets and rails which are amply sufficient tie-downs for hauling lumber from the big box. Perhaps even motorcycles and ATVs. But not tractors.

Put another way: My 20' 10k# capacity trailer didn't have any tie-downs aside from the 8 stakeside pockets. Is this because they didn't intend me to haul anything? No, I think its because they HAVE NOT CLUE what you're going to haul. It is an open canvas that you customize based on what you need. Or you pay twice as much for a custom trailer that has all the tie-downs YOU need, but the guy that buys it off you in 10 years may not like ANY of them.

Either that or all the trailer manufacturers are too fricken' cheap to put tie-downs on trailers...but with the stakesides, any that were factory mounted to the 'outer rim' of my particular trailer would have been useless to me.

Just another way to think about it.

My last trailer had several pockets. I added a rub rail. How much could it have cost to put on a rub rail at the factory????? Oh I also added "D" rings too. I would have gladly paid for those but of course I did buy it off the lot as is.

[weldingisfun]

Originally Posted by Diamondpilot

Hey, I steal ideas on here every day. Makes my neighbors and friends think I am genius. Keep my secret.

Chris

They'll have to beat it out of me,,,,,,or a nice bribe $$$$.

[radioman]

Originally Posted by Diamondpilot

Check the picture on my post. I used paint to mark the placement in yellow. I have not done this to my trailer but to about a dozen customers trailers. Just make sure you place the so you can run a chain and hook through.

Chris

OK- apprantly I didnt click on the picture and look closely - I should have done that. now I see what you mean by that, however looks like it won't work for me since I have 2X12's on the sides to hold in the mulch, stones, firewood. However I like keithinspace idea- recess it in the floor decking right over the frame members for holding strength.

Keith- did you make a template for your router to shape that quickly for the d rings ? looks nice and neat.

[KeithInSpace]

Originally Posted by radioman

Keith- did you make a template for your router to shape that quickly for the d rings ? looks nice and neat.

No, I just traced around the D-rings onto the wood deck, then "freehanded" with the router and a 3/4" flat bottom bit with 1/2" shank. Not exactly the quality of an Amish artisan...there are a couple of minor "drifts" if you look really close, but it is amply sufficient for the intended use. I found that they're more difficult to use if the tolerance is too close. When I replace the planks, I'm probably going to leave yet another 1/4" around each ring so I don't need a screwdriver to get them up (they can get a little jammed up with stone).

Originally, I set the router deeper for the mounting strap and had the cut a smidge shallower for the rest of the pocket. After I installed the first one, I realized that when you squished the wood during the mounting procedure, it made the ring pop up. I went back and cut all the pockets full depth and it has worked famously. I've unloaded many, many loads of mulch and stone from this trailer with my machine and haven't had any issues with 'snagging' a D-ring.

The two issues I DO have which I need to address:
1) The metal strap going the width of the trailer between the two 9' long runs of wood...my FEL always gets hung up on that. I need to fashion a "ramp" or otherwise nest it into the deck wood when I replace the planks.
2) The corrugated metal that makes up the front stakeside is insufficient structurally to push against and get that last bit of mulch or stone. I need to replace it with heavier metal or just strips of wood.
But both of those issues are off the subject.

FYI, I recently transported several vehicles on my trailer...I was fixing donated vehicles to give to local Afghan refugee families...and used chain going through these D-rings. My chains are only 16' long and I only have 3, so I couldn't "cross" the chains when holding the cars. As a result, when the suspension bounced on the car, it gave a pretty harsh tug on these rings. I'm pleased to say that after some 100 miles of transporting various cars around our local roads, the cars stayed safely affixed and there was absolutely no movement/deformation of the rings or mounts. I was very pleased in how they performed.