Hey guys,

Hoping one of you smart guys will help me run some numbers. We have a old construction trailer we have stripped down to the steel frame and plan to make a mobile stage/ party platform. It will have a pipe framed tent on top.

I need to add 2' to each side to make it wide enought for tent to sit on top. We are planning to use angle iron and 5/4 deck wood with tube and pin hinges to allow these to swing up and act as sidewalls when we are traveling.

Now for the math part. If I find a way for angle iron to lock out on the side of the Ibeam frame and we have 6 pieces of 2' angle coming off the side to act as the joists for the deck wood. What thickness of angle do I need to keep it from bending unsupported? With say, 600 LBS load (two large friends) on the cantilever.

I would just go with 2x2 1/4 angle but I need to keep the weight down. I was thinking at least 3/16 2x2. Or maybe 3/16 2x1 with the long leg in the vertical plane when in use.

Clear as mud? Whacha think?

why mess with hinges?

Just make removable sides using posts like any normal trailer would. But then make horizontal post holes in teh side of the trailer to slide the side in to, to extend the deck out.

Make sense?

Thanks for the input Travis. I am open to all ideas. We decided to to go the stake pocket route for two reasons.

We travel about 10 hours to where we are going and I have had problems with the sides of another trailer w/ pockets. If you hit a bump the walls want to bounce out of the pockets even with ratchet straps. With all the wood on them they get heavy and a pain to get back in place.

Alignment is the other issue. With wood sides they are bound to warp a bit, making it hard to get the stakes back in the holes

Also the sides are Ibeam so we would have to make pockets that sit outide the profile of the Ibeam(for travel mode) or cut them in. More work I think.

OK thats three ;)

In the current plan- The hinges will just be a single piece of black pipe welded to the lip of the I beam and the pin a piece of 1/2 inch rod stock weld to the end of the angle. 6 on a side. So 13 straight cuts of pipe 13 of rod stock with the saw and simple welds

Seems like less work but I have been wrong before ;) What say you on this concept? Any other suggestions are more than welcome!

Ok with a 2"x2"x1/4 angle all 600lb on one end of it and it fixed at the other it will deflect or bend 0.272394.

2"x2"x3/16 will bend 0.353103