Plastic fenders

[Mysfyt]

I'm rebuilding the dump box for my trailer and had this idea to make the fenders out of polycarbonate (Lexan). Reason being is I often hit the fenders with the brush guard when loading wood and brush with the grapple. Thought I could get a sheet of say, 3/16" black, and water jet and form it up. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[fidowanttobe]

Find an old tractor tire, cut it in half, and bolt one to each side! Ultra durable! No, I'm just kidding. Ain't THAT much of a bill-hilly.

 

[handirifle]

If it's flexible it might work. If it's rigid and will crack, I say no. Mine are 12ga steel and I have dropped some heavy oak rounds on it and although it bent, it still functions.

 

[Mysfyt]

Lexan is hard to crack. Maybe in the cold of winter, but otherwise you can hit it with a hammer and it just bounces back.

I know sign makers use it a lot. Was hoping there would be one on this forum who could enlighten me about the right thickness to use and how to form it. Maybe there is something on YouTube.

 

[Copperhead]

You might want to see what these guys have to offer. Pretty popular in the trucking community. Fenders for a wide range of applications, though they primarily cater to commercial trucks.

Semi Truck Fenders | Minimizer - Tested and Tortured

 

[civilian]

When I built my catamaran boat trailer I was able to find white belting. It was for a conveyor belt in the food industry. The trailer wheels were just under the hulls, so I wanted a flexible fender. It was bolted to two brackets that were welded to the trailer frame. The belt was long enough to act like a mud flap. Just another method for fenders. Jon

 

[Weedy Fields]

Lexan is hard to crack. Maybe in the cold of winter, but otherwise you can hit it with a hammer and it just bounces back.

I know sign makers use it a lot. Was hoping there would be one on this forum who could enlighten me about the right thickness to use and how to form it. Maybe there is something on YouTube.

My experience with lexan is different than yours. Yes you can hit it with a hammer and it bounces back. Clamp one end in a vise and try bending it. It'll shatter. You want a "softer" plastic.

As far as forming it, its usually formed by heating and vac. forming it. It would be easy enough to make a mold to vac. form it in. You'd make it from wood.
You need a oven big enough to heat the mat'l, a wooden mold and a vac pump. I'd do my trimming after forming.

I have spent alot of time in my past making tooling for 1 part. Now in my older age I wouldn't waste my time. I'd look around for something that I could salvage off something else and make it work. Any farm-implement grave yards around you?

 

[Mysfyt]

My experience with lexan is different than yours. Yes you can hit it with a hammer and it bounces back. Clamp one end in a vise and try bending it. It'll shatter. You want a "softer" plastic.

As far as forming it, its usually formed by heating and vac. forming it. It would be easy enough to make a mold to vac. form it in. You'd make it from wood.






You need a oven big enough to heat the mat'l, a wooden mold and a vac pump. I'd do my trimming after forming.

I have spent alot of time in my past making tooling for 1 part. Now in my older age I wouldn't waste my time. I'd look around for something that I could salvage off something else and make it work. Any farm-
implement grave yards around you?

If what you were trying bend shattered, it wasn't lexan . I've cold formed 1/8" in a press brake, having to bend it to sixty degrees so it would spring back to ninety.

 

[4570Man]

My vote is 1/4 steel.

 

[TractorGuy]

If what you were trying bend shattered, it wasn't lexan . I've cold formed 1/8" in a press brake, having to bend it to sixty degrees so it would spring back to ninety.

Same here. Have bent up to 3/16 in a sheet metal brake. When new you won't shatter it. Standard poly-carbonate is soft and scratches easy and not sure how it will hold up in the sun long term. I had coated stuff in my stockcar and the coating started to flake off but the plastic was still pliable.

 

[ArlyA]

I'm a BIG fan of plastic parts and black HDPE is what I prefer to use. As I understand it, HDPE is better for impact over Lexan. HDPE and ABS is all I've used.

Here is a tandem axle made of some sort of plastic for $90.

Black Plastic Universal Tandem axle Trailer Fender

 

[joefromga]

You could paint it with hvac mastic and it would probably last forever. Either that or the pink sealant used on Backer board. That stuff seems impervious!

 

[Mysfyt]

I'm a BIG fan of plastic parts and black HDPE is what I prefer to use. As I understand it, HDPE is better for impact over Lexan. HDPE and ABS is all I've used.

Here is a tandem axle made of some sort of plastic for $90.

Black Plastic
Universal Tandem axle Trailer Fender

Thanks for this link, ArlyA! I think this is the answer to what I'm looking for. And for the price, I'll buy an extra pair to have on hand.
Snow all gone up there yet?

 

[ArlyA]

Glad that helps. I spent most of my working life in the steel/weld industry and became a fan of HPDE about 10 years ago when some fellows using it for the work I do today, pointed out to me its many, many uses.. Now a keep my own modest supply of it.

We skied just a few days ago but our snow its going n down fast.

 

[brown40]

I was thinking HDPE or ABS--I believe the "polar circles" salmon farmers use up here are welded out of the HDPE and they get bumped and pulled in all conditions 24/7/365 without incident. Lexan is tough but brittle--I think you'd crack it where HDPE and ABS would just lose some thickness.

 

[ArlyA]

I suspect these fenders are HDPE... Black Plastic Universal Tandem axle Trailer Fender

Having said that, the retailer does not say what they are made form. If it was us purchasing them, I'd ask.

If anyone cares to see how to install and use plastic, we could start a new thread concerning that. Any interest here???