Want a tie down fastener for trailer to go between deck boards

[newbury]

I've a trailer with deck boards that shrunk over it's life such that there are cracks between boards that easily fit a 3 gauge corner angle bracket.
The trailer is used as a flatbed for hauling tractors.

as a trailer w/ sides for hauling miscellaneous stuff,

and with a homebuilt 4' high cargo "box" w/o floor other than the trailer decking for transporting.


With the box on I've places above the floor to attach straps to but I'm transporting some heavy equipment like a plow and a 5' tillerwhich I'd like to anchor to the deck.

So I want the design easily removable.
The picture shows one such bracket dropped thru a crack.


I'm looking for an elegant solution on putting a "thick as I can" (3 or 4 gauge) piece of metal thru the "slot" and fastening it so it doesn't pull thru.

Presently I'm thinking of dropping the angle bracket thru the crack and then put a bolt w/ nut thru the bottom hole that sticks under the bed, then a bolt w/nut thru the second hole up. I can then fasten something to the remaining portion of the angle bracket sticking above the deck.

I've thought of just a straight piece of steel strapping, but have the angle brackets.

So TBN, any more elegant solutions?

 

[George2615]

To install a tie down on a wood deck you need to use a backing plate on the bottom of the wood. Preferably close to a steel cross member. Just an L bracket through the gap in the wood is not a secure way to tie down. If you don't want to drill a hole for recessed tie downs you can use the surface mount D-ring type but still need a backer plate on the bottom. These are available from Etrailer and most trailer stores.

 

[bcp]

Anything that fastens to wood and may have lots of sudden stress makes me nervous.

For light and medium duty, I would make 1/4 inch steel cable loops through the crack and around a steel crossmember. If you put the clamps underneath, the cable will drop out of the way in the cracks when not being used. You could do the same with a U-bolt left loose.

Bruce

 

[muddstopper]

If i was going to use anything, it would be attached to the metal and not the wood. I think some stake pockets added along the outside of the frame would come in very handy and give you something to attach straps to. You can use the pocket tie down above in the middle pic. Route the wood to accept a flush mount, and locate it over one of the cross members for secure support.

 

[kennyd]

Deck boards are causally attached to the cross members of the trailer with self drilling TEK screws, I wouldn't put to much faith in them holding-or the boards may easily pull up over the screw heads especially since the boards have shrunk.

 

[check]

Don't attach it to anything that does not hook around a steel crossmember. Wood is way, way too weak.

 

[boggen]

jumping on the band wagon as well. not the best idea to attach directly to the wood flooring for tie downs

you have a metal frame " use it " attach hooks (drill frame or weld to frame)

you did well on the sides, but i think ya over stepping limits on the tie downs via wood flooring.

 

[Sodo]

I've been thinking about the same problem (tiedowns that ar accessible in the middle thru the gap between (shrunken) floorboards. George I was looking at the same recessed rings, but was thinking to put 2 of the bolts thru the steel crossmember.

 

[George2615]

I've been thinking about the same problem (tiedowns that ar accessible in the middle thru the gap between (shrunken) floorboards. George I was looking at the same recessed rings, but was thinking to put 2 of the bolts thru the steel crossmember.

Yes, as mentioned, wood floor itself is not a good thing to install a tie down to. Tie downs need to be attached to the frame in some way whether you go through the wood and bolt to a cross member or directly to the side rail frame.

 

[Sodo]

George I bet you moved back because of the "other" metal flange on top. A reasonable way to make your tiedowns very very strong is to add a plate on the bottom (with 4 holes). Drill 2 more holes ahead and add bolts that go thru the steel flange(s?). Use Self-locking nuts so its secure without having to squeeze down hard on the upper flange. Even a thin plate like 10ga, or 1/8" is very strong in this application.

 

[George2615]

George I bet you moved back because of the "other" metal flange on top. A reasonable way to make your tiedowns very very strong is to add a plate on the bottom (with 4 holes). Drill 2 more holes ahead and add bolts that go thru the steel flange(s?). Use Self-locking nuts so its secure without having to squeeze down hard on the upper flange. Even a thin plate like 10ga, or 1/8" is very strong in this application.

The pics I posted are not of my trailer but from Etrailers website.
I don't have any tie downs mounted in my trailers wood floor. My tie down points are all to the frame of the trailers. The only thing I have mounted through the wood deck is a winch and only the back two holes. The front winch mount holes go through the frame. On the top and bottom side I installed 1/4" flat plate on all 4 grade 8 mount bolts. I do have a D-ring in the center of the trailer bolted through the wood deck but that is only to hold the winch cable hook when not in use and not a tie down point.

 

[newbury]

What I might do is just run my ratchet tie down straps thru the cracks, underneath and back up out. I was just hoping some one would know of something shaped like a t-bar.


But 4 gauge and with a "Ht" of at least 4" so I could drill holes in it. I could then slip the vertical between the wood from below and fasten it above the deck.

As it is my biggest piece of equipment, the tiller fits fairly tight and only requires a little blocking.

 

[George2615]

If all you are looking to tie down to the floor is attachments then any of the tie downs I posted in post 2 will work. I would not trust a wood mounted tie down to hold a tractor.

 

[bcp]

What I might do is just run my ratchet tie down straps thru the cracks, underneath and back up out. I was just hoping some one would know of something shaped like a t-bar.
View attachment 396233

Might be easier to find: have an I-beam cut down the middle, or 2 angles welded back-to-back.

Bruce

 

[Sodo]

One thing about tiedown points is they should probably be designed to accommodate someone who does not know which ones are weaker and which are stronger. I've had trouble in the past when folks are helping and you say "don't use that hook for THAT!". They look at you crosswise and are thinking "I wouldn't have no half-strength tiedowns on MY eqpt,,,,". which may be a lie, but still. :laughing:

 

[Mace Canute]

This past summer a friend had a couple of planks on his trailer come loose and one came of the trailer. Fortunately he noticed it when it come off and was able to recover it. The trailer is overbuilt to say the least but the planking was attached to the trailer deck cross members with screws installed from the underneath without coming through the top side. It looked good and the treated wood never deteriorated but the screws corroded completely through. I believe the wood treat hastened the corrosion.

Regardless of the condition of the wood decking or the strength of the planking you can never trust it to hold tie downs securely because the screws or bolts that attach it to the frame are susceptible to corrosion and they corrode at the interface between the cross members and the underside of the planks, a place where you cannot inspect them without actually removing them.

Only attach tie downs to a substantial part of the trailer's framework.