Stock trailer flooring

[Kfbeal]

I've started working on a cattle trailer project I purchased last fall. I took out the floor, and now plan to put in some new cross braces. I planned to use 2 1/2" x 3/16" angle iron for the cross braces. They are roughly 55" long. How far apart should I space them? The overall length to cover is 12'. I planned to use 5 pieces.

I'm unsure to run the boards the length of the trailer, or cross-ways. If I run them cross ways, I'll need some other angle iron, possibly 1-1/2" to run towards the front.

The first part of the pic I would run the boards across the width. The second part would run the board the length of the trailer.

The front portion (rounded), those boards will go cross ways regardless of how the others are.

Any ideas or suggestions? I plan to use treated 2x8 and 2x10 lumber.

 

[Egon]

You should probably engage the services of someone who can design the trailer flooring.

 

[Trails2004]

Ditto to what Egon said

IMO- I would not plan anything more than 12" OC spacing for any lateral supports.

 

[Duffster]

Ditto to what Egon said

IMO- I would not plan anything more than 12" OC spacing for any lateral supports.

What does he plan on hauling? Elephants?

 

[weldingisfun]

What is the make of the trailer?
What happened to the original bracing?
Is it possible to look at another trailer, of the same make, to see how the manufacturer does the bracing and flooring?

 

[Kfbeal]

Thanks for the help Egon, or lack therof.

It's a WW trailer.

The original bracing looks a little weak in areas. On the outside rails I ran a 3x3 angle the length of the trailer for support since those were a little weak looking also and attached that to the original frame.

I plan to weld the supports to that new angle. The original bracing looks just like the left side of the picture above. The original boards ran across the trailer. I was hoping to run them the length of the trailer as in the right side of the picture.

Those pictures are a quick Paint mock-up.

 

[Egon]

Thanks for the help Egon, or lack therof.

Please, I did make a suggestion and a very plausible one at that.:thumbsup:

Take the trailer out on the highway and get in an accident or have some zealous inspector at scales get inquisitive was what I was thinking of.

 

[jayste]

I've been around WW trailers all my life and know them to be very well built trailers. (Rust is their worst enemy as most trailers) If I were doing this I would go with the original design and replace bad cross members and beef it up if you desire. I'm guessing this is a 5' wide and 12' long trailer and probably tandem 3500 lb axles. Going back to the original design would probably handle more than what you can carry. I'm guessing that most Elephants won't fit in it. (Duffster).:laughing::thumbsup:

 

[Kfbeal]

I guess I should expect that kind of comment from someone when it comes to quality work.

The trailer is 5' x 14'. I might just put the board in the same way they were, cross-ways. It will just require more angle iron and more boards. I could get by with 2 less boards if I ran them the length of the trailer versus crossing them.