Trailer rebuild- a summer I will never get back.

[CHDinCT]

Looks familiar. Did the same thing, sort of, to my trailer this summer too. Stripped, sanded, primed, painted, re-wired, added brakes and replaced the fender skirts. I hate to think what I have into it, but it's worth more to me now than probably anyone I'd sell it to. Just need new tires, which I'll get next Spring.

Nice job on your car hauler. Like the yellow too. Don't see many/any that color. I went with ye'old Rustoleum Gloss Black. Good 'nuff!

 

[bubbacuse77]

Well in 14 years when he wants to borrow the trailer, he'll understand

That made me laugh a bit, Thanks

 

[bubbacuse77]

Looks familiar. Did the same thing, sort of, to my trailer this summer too. Stripped, sanded, primed, painted, re-wired, added brakes and replaced the fender skirts. I hate to think what I have into it, but it's worth more to me now than probably anyone I'd sell it to. Just need new tires, which I'll get next Spring.

Nice job on your car hauler. Like the yellow too. Don't see many/any that color. I went with ye'old Rustoleum Gloss Black. Good 'nuff!

Chris, I don't think I could ever sell this thing now. When I rewired I made sure to use oxguard / dielectric grease on all the connections and heat shrink to hopefully keep the connections from corroding apart in a couple years. I hate to leave it outside now thinking that I will have to repaint and redeck it earlier than later but I'm not sure I have the room inside.

What did you use to put the deck down? Long self tapping screws or bolts?

 

[Turbys_1700]

Chris, I don't think I could ever sell this thing now. When I rewired I made sure to use oxguard / dielectric grease on all the connections and heat shrink to hopefully keep the connections from corroding apart in a couple years. I hate to leave it outside now thinking that I will have to repaint and redeck it earlier than later but I'm not sure I have the room inside.

What did you use to put the deck down? Long self tapping screws or bolts?

The trailer I am fixing up attached the deck with small bolts...
I would say 1/4" x 2"...
The gentleman that built the trailer put bolts in every cross member...
I counted 9 cross members...
I don't know how many holes that equates to but at 2 per 6" wide board at each cross member you are looking approximately 300 bolts total...
Needless to say I ain't gonna use that many when I re-floor...

 

[cabover4us]

I have a"92" Doolittle 16' landscape trailer, and use it for everything, tractor, cars, supplies, etc....
But, it's getting rough, it needs a complete rebuild, I did add brakes to the other axle some years ago, and glad I did. My son's friend borrowed it and dropped it off late at night, in the morning I found some damage, heavy gauge grating on full width ramp has huge hole, and rear back edge is bent out away from wooden floor three inches.
Noticed axles are extremely rusted, metal just flaking off, fenders also rusted.. Five years ago I rewired whole trailer, put wire in rubber reinforced tubing with junction boxes with plastic screw terminals. Well guess what happened to screw terminals, you guessed it, rust..
Needing the tractor in Greenwich, I hooked up to trailer, no lights, all the junction boxes needed wire nuts, snipped out all the screw terminals, we're off like a dirty shirt...
Not sure if I'll buy new adjustable ramps or make my own, but definitely have to replace axles, I'm surprised they haven't broken in two yet.
The main pipe that's the spine of this trailer is rusted through in a few places also, so I can see buying pipe and steel in my future.
Where should I buy axles from? Northern Tool?
1987 John Deere 855 #7 back hoe

 

[CHDinCT]

What did you use to put the deck down? Long self tapping screws or bolts?

Used carriage bolts, which is what it came with when I bought it used - two per 6" wide PT board X two cross members. Just got new bolts and used the same holes, but turned the PT boards over. The boards are held down by angle iron at the front and back, so no bolts there.

Probably should have replace a few of the boards, but time and expense was mounting and come late August, I just wanted to be done with it. :laughing: Like you (and your rebuild is more complete than mine), never thought I'd spend as much time on it as I did.

 

[bandaidmd]

The trailer I am fixing up attached the deck with small bolts...
I would say 1/4" x 2"...
The gentleman that built the trailer put bolts in every cross member...
I counted 9 cross members...
I don't know how many holes that equates to but at 2 per 6" wide board at each cross member you are looking approximately 300 bolts total...
Needless to say I ain't gonna use that many when I re-floor...

my 16' has the ends of the 2x10 boards trapped under steel and is bolted with 5/16" carriage bolts on 2 crossmembers about 4' from each end so basicly the boards are "attached" every 4'

 

[bandaidmd]

I have a"92" Doolittle 16' landscape trailer, and use it for everything, tractor, cars, supplies, etc....
But, it's getting rough, it needs a complete rebuild, I did add brakes to the other axle some years ago, and glad I did. My son's friend borrowed it and dropped it off late at night, in the morning I found some damage, heavy gauge grating on full width ramp has huge hole, and rear back edge is bent out away from wooden floor three inches.
Noticed axles are extremely rusted, metal just flaking off, fenders also rusted.. Five years ago I rewired whole trailer, put wire in rubber reinforced tubing with junction boxes with plastic screw terminals. Well guess what happened to screw terminals, you guessed it, rust..
Needing the tractor in Greenwich, I hooked up to trailer, no lights, all the junction boxes needed wire nuts, snipped out all the screw terminals, we're off like a dirty shirt...
Not sure if I'll buy new adjustable ramps or make my own, but definitely have to replace axles, I'm surprised they haven't broken in two yet.
The main pipe that's the spine of this trailer is rusted through in a few places also, so I can see buying pipe and steel in my future.
Where should I buy axles from? Northern Tool?
1987 John Deere 855 #7 back hoe

try eastern marine in Delaware, great place for all things trailer. I have shopped in the store and online, there good people to deal with.

 

[bandaidmd]

Then after about a week I thought, suck to have a trailer I don't trust to put my tractor on. I also hate junk, so began the end of my free time this summer. I started tearing it down to pieces, literally and rebuilt it from scratch. The only thing that stayed in tact was the front, but it got heavy modifications. As you can see I basically started from scratch. I pieced in a new side rails to where the bend started then also "sistered" another 3x5x.25 inch angle over top of where the axles are and over the weld joint to add strength. The pictures on the right are during during dissemble and the two on the left are the rebuild.

Great job on the rebuild!
So basicly you bought a title and some scrap steel for $450 lol

 

[bubbacuse77]

Great job on the rebuild!
So basicly you bought a title and some scrap steel for $450 lol

Yep, and a pattern