Building sides for trailer

[bones1]

Anyone have any good ideas and pictures of home made trailer sides installed in stake pockets?.I need to do this to haul furniture and am looking for suggestions and peoples ideas on construction.PT 2x4's seem logical or maybe aluminum channel.
Thanks.

[roxynoodle]

I had considered buying a trailer with stake pockets and was wondering the same thing. The only idea I could come up with was to secure the posts (2x6s or 2x4s) to the wood floor of the trailer with metal brackets. I wasn't sure how strong I could make it and decided to buy a utility trailer instead. I was thinking the brackets they sell for deck building would work.

[George2615]

I have thought of the idea of sides on my most recent trailers but haven't had a need to build them yet. If I were to build sides I used pressure treated 2x4's in the pockets and either 1/2 or 3/4" painted plywood for sides. Corner latches, hardware, and rear gate hinges are available at most farm and tractor stores. I built 2 trailers in the past this way. Don't have them anymore nor pics but they are still on the road in use as I see them every once in a while. Most side pockets are a taper fit and takes a little force to get them all the way in. They can be secured by drilling a hole through the pocket and bolting in place if permanent.

George

[jjcc246]

i use 2x4 stakes, about 2' sides of 3/4 P.T. This way your not wasting expensive plywood. On the corner I use a lock lasp and a pin with a clip to hold everything together. This way the 4 sides (maybe 6 pieces depending on the size of your trailer) are easily taken off. The object is when everything is put together the sides support each other (by the lasp or other fastener) to form a strong box. When your done and need a flatbed just pull the pins and take the sides off. Don't screw the sides together (in the corners) because if you take it off a few times the holes enlarge and lose their grip. Good Luck. It's a worth while project.

[bones1]

Graet ideas, keep em coming. Anyone have any pics?

[InlineDieselFan]

I am technologically challenged, so I am unable to post pictures.

I used 2x4 aluminum channel and 2- 2x12's bolted to the channel.

steve

[roxynoodle]

Don't know if it will help you any since I put the sides on a utility trailer but I posted a pic of it under the "What do you tow with thread".

[RobJ]

Not a standard 3" stake but angle with drop in sides. A metal drop in would be plenty strong.

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hi Bones. Here are three pics of my 20' 12,000lb. trailer with homemade sides. I built the sides for our big move from S. F. bay area to east Texas three years ago. For the 2x4's I used plain ole green and cheap, the straightest I could sort of course. I did use pretty good plywood, although I got a pretty good deal on it. It's all screwed together with deckmate screws. It looked pretty gaudy when I finished, thanks to some bright but durable deck stain I had on hand.

The top rails on the sides are continuous. The cross braces on the top fit on studs with thumb nuts. As you can see I added eyelets to the top rails and slots at the bottom to access the bottom rail and D rings. As you probably know, sides like this just want to shake themselves to death. The one addition you can't see is a rear gate, which was just a piece of 1 1/4 subflooring plywood which I screw to the rear when loaded. This is just about imperative to make the box solid enough to go down the highway.

I really only intended for the sides to last through the move. I first hauled most of our household goods 30 miles one way to a 40' container we purchased and loaded where it sat. Then loaded a car and the rest of our goods in the trailer and drove it to Texas, another 10,000 lbs. worth. Since our move, the trailer has made two more trips to Ca. and back. I never have taken the sides off. When we purchased our used Kubota L48, it came with a halfway decent 10,000 lb. trailer, so I've never really felt a strong need. I hope this is helpful, or at least entertaining.

Mike

[bones1]

Great stuff guys.You have given me some good ideas. Thanks a lot.
The aluminum channel is interesting as well,sure you can't post a pic.well help ya.