Has anyone here refloored a trailer? Need help!

[cabreco]

Went hunting for 14" rims today at Pick & Pull junkyard...Do you KNOW how hard it is to find 14" rear wheel drive 5 bolt 4 1/2 bolt pattern rims? REDICULOUS!

The smallest I found on Crown vics, mustangs & other rear wheel drive were 15"

I did see a 92 Ranger but it only had 1 rim.

I FINALLY came across a Ford Aerostar with 3 good rims & hubcaps.

Got them all for $30 bucks. I brought them home & cleaned them up the broke out the old Coates 10/10 & mounted 215-60/14 H rated tires I had in my garage from my Capri GT.

I got lucky, once I came home from junkyard it started POURING BIG TIME.

I will post pix tomorrow (if it's not still raining)

[cabreco]

WILL IT EVER STOP RAINING!

Got very little done. New wheels & tires mounted!

Those puppies JUST made it in.

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043428/IMG_20130712_114127.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043428/IMG_20130712_114146.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043428/IMG_20130712_114201.jpg

[saddlebum]

Ok here is one I don't see mentioned. I have re-decked a lot of transport trailers over the years and here is a suggestion. Go to a transport trailer shop or supplier and ask for decking for a flatbed. shop around because it comes in varies types of wood. it is usually 2x6 or 2x7 shiplap lumber. generally 1 1/2" thick. being shiplap you get almost a 3/4 inch overlap at the edges which will prevent road crap from coming up through the boards. Cut the boards to fit then before installing them treat all surfaces with wood preservative including the end cuts. If the metal on your trailer is at least 1/4" think you don't need carriage bolts just use the self tapping flooring screws used on transport trailers. It will last a lifetime and be strong. And if you are concerned about weight distribution, consider that lift trucks / tow motors run up and down on these flat decks all the time.

Just make sure it is the solid boards and not the laminated butcher block style. The butcher block style although it would look nicer, is only good for inside dry van trailers.

Edited July 12, 2013 by saddlebum

[Big Lou]

AMC has ford pattern rims and some dodge wiil fit

[Ride2much]

I assume you will be hauling your Venture? I find a front wheel bracket bolted through the floor to secure the front wheel is a must. While you have the trailer stripped down you may want to make sure you have a cross member in the right place to bolt a bracket through the metal,if you weld a nut on the underside, this bracket can easily be installed and removed..just a thought

[cabreco]

I assume you will be hauling your Venture? I find a front wheel bracket bolted through the floor to secure the front wheel is a must. While you have the trailer stripped down you may want to make sure you have a cross member in the right place to bolt a bracket through the metal,if you weld a nut on the underside, this bracket can easily be installed and removed..just a thought

 

I will be installing 2 of them. One for my Venture & another for my CB750 when we move to Tennessee. I like the idea of welding a nut on the underside, this way I can reposition them to either haul 1 bike center or 2 bikes side to side.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_21740.jpg

[dacheedah]

I love it when a plan is well thought out

[cabreco]

OK, I'm Sporting Wood now!

I went with the 5/4 deck planks. I let them sit in the hot sun a few days to dry out

and I just waterproofed them all around. Next step is trimming & fastening the boards down!

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043602/wood2.jpghttp://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043602/wood1.jpg

[Squidley]

Looking good Andy, that trailer will give you many years of service I have no doubt....nice finger in the pic too

[cabreco]

TIME TO WELD the pieces together!

 

I do have to trim about 3 inches off height of these to make them fit perfect.

Time to break out the metal fab tools!

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043710/1003329_383916575043698_1986690648_n.jpg

[dacheedah]

nice

[Big Lou]

definety nice.. you goig to add tool boxes to sides or front

 

once seen pull out boxes from the bottom that were about 3 or 4 inches above axle with weight on it

[cabreco]

definety nice.. you goig to add tool boxes to sides or front

 

once seen pull out boxes from the bottom that were about 3 or 4 inches above axle with weight on it

 

Not sure as of yet, I want to keep the weight down BUT if I need them I will definitely add them.

 

Steel Fenders assembled & spot welded together, then I stick welded the fenders to the frame. Primed & undercoated the fenders...Paint to match next.

I also added 1/4 wheel spacers to give me additional clearance on the 215 60 14 tires against the frame. GETTING THERE!

 

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043728/IMG_20130719_143552.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043728/IMG_20130719_143424.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043728/IMG_20130719_143610.jpg

[Bob Myers]

I used to build and sell trailers, so Iknow the looks over your shoulder to assure yourself the cut was right, etc. First trailer I built for myself was a tilt, some one stole it. Last 3 flatbeds I either built or bought and refurbed to sell were stolen too. I got tired of supplying those bastards with trailers and kept one junky looking trailer, and no one has taken it.

Moral of this tale; The better it looks, the quicker it'll get stolen.

[cabreco]

...

Moral of this tale; The better it looks, the quicker it'll get stolen.

 

When I was a young man my Daddy gave me similar words of wisdom,

he said: "Son, never marry a beautiful woman, she'll leave you and break your heart"

So I asked him, "Couldn't an ugly woman leave you as well?"

he said, "Of course, but you won't care as much!"

[Big Lou]

seen drawer slides at lowes for 16.00$ holds 100 lbs. and slides 36 inches out

 

may make cool tool boxes to slide out from bottom and still have clean top:lightbulb:

[cabreco]

Ok

I finished Painting the fenders & fastening all the deckboard (I'll post pix tomorrow)

Here is where I need input ideas.

 

LOADING RAMPS - to hold the Venture's weight.

I am looking for inexpensive.

It doesn't have to be a tailgate (I have storage room)

I figure 4 ft wide to be able to handle a disabled bike being walked

 

 

If I made it out of wood what would be the best contruction to meet the above?

My deck is 16" from the ground so I think 6 feet long would suffice.

[Big Lou]

looks like you have enough room for a pull out ramp

 

wood may be heavier than a mesh steel ramp like a tilt trailer has

 

kind of like one piece with 2 handles on channel to pull out the back with locks ,,

 

my tilt trailor has a fold down ramp and the gate sticks up really father than i want like a parachute.. it is a factory made for lawnmower, it does hold my bike on the center stand ,, just have to tie it down good

 

 

just an idea??

[Prairiehammer]

Here is a homemade ramp for loading a motorcycle:

http://www.bikercamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DIY-bike-Ramp.pdf

Off hand, I think that six feet long might be too short and steep. Lots of motorcycle loading mishaps on You Tube and one common failure is when the underside of the bike catches the trailer lip because of insufficient ground clearance.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMBbzzfkQbs]Motorcycle load crash - fail - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmaVlJmHgGc]Loading Motorbike Epic Fail - YouTube[/ame]

[dacheedah]

I always find a ditch or birm, don't need alot to back a truck up to and ride in.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cabreco]

Well I decided to use a set of old aluminum ramps I bought years ago to load my lawn tractor into my pickup when I bought it at Lowe's (never used them again) They have a 1,300 Lb capacity. I widened them by attaching 12, 3 ft deck boards between them.

As predicted, the Venture is bowing the board under it's rear wheel. I will have to place a bit of plywood across the boards to equalize the load across all the boards.

Wheel chocks from Harbor Freight work GREAT. Without straps the Venture is off it's side stand sitting straight.

 

Loading them both one was fairly easy. I made sure I had sufficient clearance below. The 6ft ramp worked GREAT since the deck is only 16 inches off the ground.

 

Tomorrow I will be installing 10,000 Lbs capacity D rings.

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043960/IMG_20130724_142321.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043960/IMG_20130724_142333.jpg

 

http://honda-cb750-s.456789.n3.nabble.com/file/n4043960/IMG_20130724_142346.jpg