ATV Trailer build

[handirifle]

OK made a bit more progress today. Got the ball coupler welded in place, stuck a coat of paint on it (black) to match the tongue. Then I welded the brackets on for the end panels, and sprayed the first coat of orange on it. I got all but the back rail, and will need to hoist it for that. I am going to do that at the second coating. Then I will be able to lift it and lower and walk around as desired.

Tomorrow, church, and probably Monday for the second coat. I checked on some steel prices and the galvanized come in 4x10 sheets. Way more than I need. If I have this one shop bend it, the sheet metal will cost more than the whole trailer has so far. That's not good. I am considering making my own sheet metal brake to do the body work. Still figuring on that one. The shop wants $105 an hr for their work, with $45 min. They charge the same just to CUT it. I do not have a good way to cut a piece of steel that long.

Got to go back to the thinking room on this part of it. Money might prohibit me from doing what I had hoped. My only hope would be to find scrap pieces big enough, and real cheap.

Craigs List.

 

[Oldpath05]

I thought sheet metal came in 4 x 8 ft. If you have a skill-saw get a carbide blade for cutting sheet metal and a straight edge. Getting a good bend on 16 ga. 5 ft. long wont be easy, be interesting how you do it. You could cut it to fit, then weld it back together, it's more work, 16 ga. galvanize is weldable, sand it first, then tack, then weld back step with .023 wire, 3-4 in. at a time, but weld will rust if not painted and a grinder fixes everything.

 

[handirifle]

Well welding and painting is exactly what I want to avoid. The trailer is 4ft long, but that's still pretty long. If I build a brake it would be with 3x3x1/4 reinforced angle, but I am reviewing my thoughts on sheet metal. It is still my number one choice for the bed though. I am considering lumber though, just not sure. If I had planned on lumber from the start I would have added more braces in the upper section.

I am considering lumber on the bottom, and metal on the sides.

The skill saw would leave a nasty jagged edge on sheet metal. I have metal shears but that is a long cut.

I just got off the phone with my generous neighbor, and he offered me any metals I need, that he might have, so I have to go take a look. He is in Oregon right no so I will look on my own. I gotta say I have some very generous neighbors.

I am seeing, on craigs list, some of the heavier materials I might use for a brake, so I will see. This might work out yet.

 

[handirifle]

I thought sheet metal came in 4 x 8 ft. If you have a skill-saw get a carbide blade for cutting sheet metal and a straight edge. Getting a good bend on 16 ga. 5 ft. long wont be easy, be interesting how you do it. You could cut it to fit, then weld it back together, it's more work, 16 ga. galvanize is weldable, sand it first, then tack, then weld back step with .023 wire, 3-4 in. at a time, but weld will rust if not painted and a grinder fixes everything.

The zinc coated does, but their galvanized, they said, came in 4x10. No idea why.

 

[Xfaxman]

The zinc coated does, but their galvanized, they said, came in 4x10. No idea why.

??? What is the difference?

Here is the definition: galvanizing, is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which parts are submerged in a bath of molten zinc.

Galvanized roofing panels can be 4'x10', maybe this is what they meant.

 

[handirifle]

Except I am going for smooth sheets, but I didn't ask why 10ft instead of 8.

If I cannot get metal prices where I want them, I might go with boards on the floor, and metal on the sides, and build some sort of brake to do what I need.

 

[Jim Timber]

Build the panels out of marine grade plywood, and skin it with aluminum flashing?

 

[Oldpath05]

Painted wood or plywood will last quite a while, might be wee bit heavier though depends if you use heavy paint or light paint

 

[handirifle]

Maybe I was confusing NON coated and zinc. My mistake. It was the non coated that was 4x8, sorry bout that.

Yea I was TRYING to avoid the wood, especially on the sides. If I cannot get sheet metal, like I want, I was kinda thinking some sort of planking on the bottom. I do not want 2x lumber though, too much space loss. I don't think anyone sells 1x treated, around here. I wonder if I could rip 2x4 treated, and put the treated side up? Would then coat it with some sort of acrylic to seal all the holes from the treating.

Would HAVE to be light paint

 

[Oldpath05]

Maybe I was confusing NON coated and zinc. My mistake. It was the non coated that was 4x8, sorry bout that.

Yea I was TRYING to avoid the wood, especially on the sides. If I cannot get sheet metal, like I want, I was kinda thinking some sort of planking on the bottom. I do not want 2x lumber though, too much space loss. I don't think anyone sells 1x treated, around here. I wonder if I could rip 2x4 treated, and put the treated side up? Would then coat it with some sort of acrylic to seal all the holes from the treating.

Would HAVE to be light paint

Treated 2x6=1-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches so if you had or know somebody with a shop planner, it would be quick to shave off 1/2" or you could stop by my house on your back from the HD store and I'll do it cheap, the cost of gas might be high though.

 

[handirifle]

Yea that MIGHT just kick it a little out the the budget. Tomorrow I will check out the neighbor's stuff. Was at another neighbors tonight, and he offered the same offer, so I have some possibilities. Might be just the angle iron I need and make my own brake. That will save a bundle.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Going to post this in its own line but was perusing my popular mechanics last night before bed, and the subject of a metal brake is in the magazine. These guys are pushing the use of a Door as your brake. At first I laughed, but then it made sense.

 

[Ford850]

I have a small trailer that I floored with 3/4" pressure treated plywood. Works great. I stored it in the barn one season and it dried really well so I painted it. I keep the top surface painted now just to make it easier to clean.
You can get the PT plywood in different thicknesses too.

 

[handirifle]

Well I might end up with wood, but it's not by choice. Went looking over the neighbors stuff, and saw sheets of stainless, 14ga I think, but I will not ask him to part with that. That has to be a lots of $$. I am almost getting in the frame of mind to make it like the old pickup trucks, with the planks on the bed floor and sheet metal on the sides, BUT I am still in the same boat of getting the metal and having it bent.

I also need something to cover the end panels with, when I make those.

Today, I got the third coat of orange on the main frame, so hoping tomorrow to set it down and put the hubs on it, and roll it around a bit, just cause I can . Still gonna keep my eyes peeled for some cheap sheet metal.

 

[handirifle]

On the other hand......I just thought of something. I have a bunch of clear doug fir floor boards that I took up from the floor of an old house we tore down when we built this one. The house was built in 1920 and the floor boards were original. That will work for the floor. They ar T&G but not sure if I want to keep that part, or trim it off. It would only trap anything dropped in there.

Still need to cover the sides and end panels.

 

[PAGUY]

Any thought to use metal screen like the tow behind trailers I seen in Cabela's spring catalog?

It would definitely cut down on your trailer weight and you could always use something like cardboard to line the inside when filling with material that would fall thru screening.

PAGUY

 

[GLyford]

My local HD/Lowes have PT 1x's (3/4" actual) and "5/4" decking boards (1" actual). I would think either could work pretty well for a trailer. I have also picked up composite decking really cheap on a closeout (used it to redo a picnic table) and they often have short lengths of various 4' or so PT in the bargain bin.

I suspect fir won't last too long unless protected, but if you keep the trailer under cover and don't use it for wet things it might be OK.

If you have access to local roughsawn, white oak will last a while. 1x roughsawn (1" actual) could work really well.

My Dad built a trailer out of white oak, a car axle, and a 4' square x 1' tall metal cargo box he scrounged from somewhere. It had stake pockets, so with a stake in each corner if you stacked it right it could hold half a cord. The oak was soaked with used motor oil when the trailer was made, then used the heck out of it for 30 years with no further care. It was stored out in the elements, the most he would do was put a chunk of wood under the box (manual tilt) so the box wouldn't collect water. When he passed the oak frame was just starting to rot to the point where one would think about replacing it.


If you are worried about the dimension of the wood taking up cargo space, inset the wood into your frame. At each pipe, weld on chunks of 1" flat bar with mounting holes, so that when you bolt/screw on the wood, it's flush (or almost) with the pipe. The pipe would then help protect the wood from getting dinged up at the ends, too. If you wanted a tighter fit, you could bevel the wood ends where it buts against the pipe. You could also run the boards in the upper angled section of your frame up and down, instead of the long way, if you thought you didn't have enough support in that direction.

 

[handirifle]

Going to post this in its own line but was perusing my popular mechanics last night before bed, and the subject of a metal brake is in the magazine. These guys are pushing the use of a Door as your brake. At first I laughed, but then it made sense.

Somehow missed this post in reading. I think it makes a lot of sense. I wonder how much you could get away with bending that way, and how accurate you could be. I don't need a 90* bend, just a 45, and I can live with a soft corner on that.

Paguy
I do something similar on my regular utility trailer, it's 4x8. It started life as a grape bin Ag trailer. I converted it to road use, and put heavy expanded metal on the sides. That EM is just as, if not heavier than 16ga would be. But I wanted strength there and was not concerned with weight. I use a tarp in the bed when hauling small stuff.

GLyford
If I had planned on wood I would have done it differently, but for now I have to deal with what I built. I don't really want to start cutting and welding on it at this point.

If I use wood, I will most likely coat it with some sort of acrylic or epoxy based clear coat, cause the trailer will spend most of it's time in the weather. Not enough storage room under cover, yet.

 

[handirifle]

Even though I shoot down a lot of idea that are brought, I want to be clear, that I really appreciate you guys spitting them out there.

 

[GLyford]

No worries, a lot of the answers amount to personal needs and style, and that's not something someone else can decide for you.

Every time I look through these builds, I see ideas and techniques that I can use later, even if it's too late on whatever my current project happens to be.