8'x30' deckover (ish?) trailer refresh

[aczlan]

Picked up a trailer tonight, 8'x30' mostly flat deck (has small "fenders" over the wheels), sits about 28" off of the ground.
6 lug 15" wheels, 205/70R15 tires, brakes on one axle, tag on the brake axle says 6000#, but only ~3700# of tire on each axle.
Spring perches are welded to a piece of 3"x6" 1/4" angle that is bolted to the frame.
3"x6" 3/16" (might be 1/4") wall rectangle tube main frame with 3"x3" 3/16" wall square tube running across it every 6', 1"x3" 3/16" wall running across about halfway between each 3"x3" tube.
Has a channel in the front that currently has a lunett ring in it. Borrowed a pintle hitch from a friend to get it home, going to switch it to use a 2 5/16" ball, too much slop and clanking in the ring for my taste.
Needs:
A new deck
Some of the 1x3 crossmembers replaced (rusting)
More crossmembers added (thinking a cross member every 1.5' to go between the existing ones)
Stake pockets (and a rub rail?)
Cur the perimeter 1"x3" at the wheels and move it out (its within 1" of the wheels and I could see it hitting when loaded and turning)
Possibly the frame cut to make a 3-5' dovetail (want to be able to put cars on the deck, will need a dovetail or 8' ramps)

It is framed something like this:


Vertically from bottom to top:
Black is wheels/axles
Red is the main 3"x6" frame
White/Blue striped is the 3"x3" box tubing sitting on top of the main frame (front, first from the front and back have 3"x6" tubing under them)
Green is the 1x3 box tubing sitting on top of the main frame and going around the primeter.

What weight should it be good for with the 3"x6" main frame? It will be towed behind our 2002 F350 SRW.


Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[Tinhack]

Do you have a picture of the frame? That sounds an awful lot like a camper trailer chassis. I would lean on the safe side and say 7K max. That thing is going to flex like a rubber band. Check all the welds before decking it. And I admit; I'm not an engineer.

 

[aczlan]

Gotta take one, was dark when I got it home.
If it was a RV frame, it was a real heavy one.

Aaron Z

 

[Johnkn]

^^ Tinhack suggested it was a camper frame, not an RV frame...

 

[aczlan]

^^ Tinhack suggested it was a camper frame, not an RV frame...

Sorry if I was confusing, I meant RV as in travel trailer, not a motorhome.
I have never seen a travel trailer tongue setup like this one, it has a pintle hitch for one (and a 4 hole channel that it's mounted to), the channel is lower than the main beams, so it could not be used with a weight distribution hitch (unless the chains were a foot and a half long) and there are no marks where a WDH was mounted, or where propane tanks would have been.
I could see it as having been an enclosed trailer (like a big snowmobile trailer), but not a travel trailer.

Aaron Z

 

[Tinhack]

Sorry, I missed the mention the pintle hitch. That's why pictures are worth a 1,000 words. Perhaps it was a work site office or a military work trailer. It's definitely not built like a machine or car hauler. I wouldn't expect that 12+ foot span over 3x6" box to hold much machine weight. I would expect 8-10" C-channel or better there.

And I repeat, I'm not an engineer. But I have hauled a lot of machines and cars on heavy duty trailers.

 

[aczlan]

Sorry, I missed the mention the pintle hitch. That's why pictures are worth a 1,000 words. Perhaps it was a work site office or a military work trailer. It's definitely not built like a machine or car hauler. I wouldn't expect that 12+ foot span over 3x6" box to hold much machine weight. I would expect 8-10" C-channel or better there.

And I repeat, I'm not an engineer. But I have hauled a lot of machines and cars on heavy duty trailers.

Could have been an office trailer, here are some pictures:












Aaron Z

 

[ArlyA]

Aaron, That frame is light for a normal deck-over trailer but if you don't load is heavy, you should still be fine.

 

[aczlan]

Aaron, That frame is light for a normal deck-over trailer but if you don't load is heavy, you should still be fine.

Kind of what I was thinking after bouncing on it today and watching it wobble.
Therein lies the problem, if I keep it, it will get tractors, cars, round bales, etc on it.
Might cut it down to 20' (or 24' with a 4' dovetail) re-deck it and sell it.

Time will tell.

 

[Tinhack]

Yeah, I think you'll be alright if you keep the weight (within reason) over the axles. But that flooring might as well be tissue paper if you haul something heavy. I can't tell how it's fastened to the frame. If there's no sign of walls around the perimeter (holes, shadows, impressions, etc.), that floor was most likely thrown down by a previous owner. Can't trust that. I wonder what the tops of the frame members look like?

Gook luck with your new trailer. I didn't mean to sound like I was ragging on it. Honest! Just be safe. :thumbsup: