Thanks for all the great tips. I bought a tube of silicone when I went to Lowes this morning to get the crown nuts. I used it on both sides of the hole, and where the wires hung down while going from side to side for the tail lights, I also siliconed them to the metal frame.
The PT wood was a bit thicker then the wolmanized wood, so I had to sand off the edge of the wood on the front side. The wood has to go into a slot.
I then drilled and bolted the 2x10's to the cross members at three location. Two bolts per cross member. On my first bolt, I realized that the crown nuts were too tight and caused the head of the carriage bolt to spin in the wood. I tried to hold it in place with a pair of vice grips, but did't care for that method. I had already bought regular nuts, so I used them first. One lock washer, the a regular nut, then after that was tight, I added the crown nut. I figured that at the very worst, the crown nut will help lock the standard nut in place.
I thought of loctite, but knew that if I had to tighten up the nuts at a later date, that I'd break the seal on the loctite and have to start all over with it. The bolts, washers and nuts are galvanized. The crown nut is zinc plated. Since the PT wood is above the cross member, the only thing touching it is the bolt. They are 5/16's bolts.
I used two bolts per cross member at three points. Before, there was two self taping screws used per board. Six bolts versus 2 screws.
By the time I was about done, I got to wondering about that angle iron that goes over the ends of the boards. I really wonder what it's advantage is? Does it protect the wood, or does it just hold the wood in place?
What if I put two bolts through the wood and cross member?
I drilled the holes and added the bolts. This gives me 8 bolts per board.
My thinking is that the angle iron catches and holds moisture in it. The trailer is tilted to the back, so when it rains, the water runs down the boards and under the angle iron. This means the end grain is kept wet for longer periods of time then the rest of the wood. Since my wood rotted out from the end grain at the rear of the trailer, I think that the angle iron holds the moisture that caused this problem. If there is no angle iron, then the wood should last allot longer.
I drilled two more holes at the ends of each 2x10 and bolted them to the cross member. That gives me 8 bolts per board.
It's all back together and ready to haul my tractor to the job that I need it at. It wasn't a project that I wanted to do, but it wasn't very difficult either.
Does anybody have a good idea on what I can put on the wood to help it last longer?
Thank you,
Eddie
