What gauge steel for trailer deck?

[jeepcj7]

I am converting an old single axle Hesston Stackhand (given to me for free) into a trailer. I have access to 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" flat steel plate (also available free) to use for the deck. The stringers on the Stackhand that I would be welding the deck to are probably 18" apart. The Stackhand is rated to carry 6000 lbs. My question is, what thickness (or gauge) steel do most 7000 lb GVW trailers with steel decks use.

 

[George2615]

A previous trailer I owned had 1/8" diamond plate. I am guessing that diamond plate would be stronger than flat steel. I think that with 18" spacing you would be fine with 1/8". It seems to me that 3/16" or 1/4" would be overkill and weigh a lot on a 7K trailer. My current trailers have wood decks since I found steel decks slippery when wet and iced up easily in winter.

 

[Renze]

18" is 45 centimeter... for farm tires, i'd use 3 to 4mm sheet, which will equal about 1/8"

Last year we built a 17 ton forklift trailer for a customer, with crossbeams every foot. After 2 months we had to change the 4mm diamond plate for 8mm because it was washboarding. Forklift tires cause huge spotloads.