i have a triple axle deck over utility trailer to hual my rig on. currently it has a wood deck as it was previously used to hual tracked equipment. the wood is getting pretty rough and has some rot. i want to replace it but an considering going with a steel deck. the current wood is roughly 2.5" thick by 8" wide and is a real rough sawn finish, sort of like timbers. i have no idea where to buy this type material or what it cost. do you see any advantage or disadvantage to going with steel decking. if i did go steel how thick plate would i need to use. how much heavier would the steel be then the wood? the trailer is about 8.5' wide and 25' long.

any input would be helpful

personally i would go wood because you can replace it cheap and easy when it gets busted up. steel will rust, weigh more, and when you drop a chain on a steel deck its really LOUD. wood is plenty durable, cheap, lightweight, and easy.

what kind of decking do you see on the majority of beavertail trailers used to haul heavy equipment? wood :D

Wood.

What is GREAT FUN is to sit back and watch someone with a flat, smooth steel deck go to load a wet, muddy, vehicle. Best if the trailer is parked with a slight slant to it. :D

Tom :usa:

look in your phone book, go to your local sawmill. they will sell you rough grade stuff.

Ive got a brand new 16 foot dual axle trailer that I will use to haul my jeep. It has now sat out side for a few months and the wood is starting to warp( one of my budies trailer is doing the same thing). If it gets too bad I will put aluminum diamond plate in it. Im not sure what thickness I will use but it should be lighter then steel and atleast give some traction.

How about expanded metal? I don't know if it's strong enough, but it's light and plenty grippy;)

Definitely go with wood. Put down some wood sealer and it will last you a long time. I like wood because I can screw or nail down pallets and other stuff to the trailer when I moving stuff.

Charles

This is a little off the subject, but.

Has anyone ever taken a dual axle 16' utility trailer and widened it for a wider vehicle? That is what I am looking into doing.

I happen to be the biggest clutz when it comes to walking over things and personally I would never use steel for that reason alone! :) If its wet and I am trying to walk on it I would want it to be wood!

As far as wood goes, see if you can get some presure treated stuff. It will last and not warp if screwed down right. Or treat teh stuff you have now and see how much longer you can get it to last.

I've got wood. :D Seriously though... I used 2x8s, applied a sealant and ran two 14 inch wide expanded steel runways where the truck drives... The wood keeps it light and simple... The sealer keeps it from warping, rotting and staining... The expanded steel provides plenty of traction...

Originally posted by Weezer
Ive got a brand new 16 foot dual axle trailer that I will use to haul my jeep. It has now sat out side for a few months and the wood is starting to warp( one of my budies trailer is doing the same thing). If it gets too bad I will put aluminum diamond plate in it. Im not sure what thickness I will use but it should be lighter then steel and atleast give some traction.


Let that aluminum sit outside for awhile and it's going to look like chit.

Go down to your local hardware place and get some 1/4" X 2" self drilling screws to go through wood into metal. They have ears on them to clear the wood away from the screw. Drive your Jeep up on the trailer to flatten out the board and run a couple of those screws through it. You want to tighten them down just enough to suck the board back down. DO NOT overtighten them or you will split the board. This is a typical problem found on trailers that use a lower quality of lumber to keep costs down. On the upper end trailers that we carry, we hardly ever have a problem with wood warping.


As far as the steel vs. wood debate...
When your trailer gets to sit at the trailhead baking in the hot summer sun while you are on the trail, it gets a little attitude. It turns up the heat on that deck high enough to give a guy 3rd degree burns when he chains down his rig. Wood doesn't get as hot. Next time you use your trailer, think about how many times you lay an arm down on the deck, and think about how hot it's going to get this summer.

properly sealed wood will last a suprisingly long time if sealed and cleaned. My work trailer gets tons of wet grass on it and is always stored outside, never covered and the wood lasts several mowing seasons. Also we roll the sealer on REALLY thick and just throw play sand on it for some traction it works well!

go with the wood. Like people have said, any type of metal will be slippery and will dent. Wood will look nice, and is cheaper to replace.

You could get ruff sawd (technical spelling) wood or get a nicer, harder wood and put a nice finish on it. I'm a subcontractor in the summer and the guy I work with used some spare walnut flooring and put some stain on it. We beat the shit out of it day in and day out, but it looks classy despite with the dents and scrapes. Just a thought....:smokin: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:


Jason

BIGJEEPINYJ

Hey, when you think about doing that you should look at making the deck go out over the fenders, or stick out to the edje of the fenders then beef your fenders up so you can drive over them.

Reasons

One, there is a legal limit for width in Indiana.
Two. it would be real tuff to lengthen the axle.
Three, simplest way to do it.

If you dont understand what I am suggesting I will talk to you this weekend.


I would say we could hit the steel and lumber yard and turn on the buzz box and chop saw and whip it out in a day. No problem
Later

EDIT- I got to thinking and I really think we could do it in 4 hours, no chit

Originally posted by 46willys
One, there is a legal limit for width in Indiana.


Max width on all federal highways and interstates is 102". State routes and backroads may differ.

Another vote for wood. I thought about going with steel checkerplate steel on my deck but it does make for a interesting ride when wet.

i have the same pressure treated wood deck on my trailer that it came with in jan 1995. i have only tompson s water sealed it 1 time in the 7 years but i have hauled alot of junk rigs on it and the oil, tranny fluid, etc has gotten on it so i don't know if that helps. anyway it has lasted longer than i expected and it looks like it is still good and will last a few more years if not more. oh yeah and it has alway sat out side too.

Max width on all federal highways and interstates is 102". State routes and backroads may differ.
Is that fender-to-fender or sidewall-to-sidewall? My trailer is pushing that pretty hard -- I thought i had up to 108 by CA law?

Randii

Another options is a steel deck sprayed with the stuff they put in pick-up beds (duraliner, etc...)

PSP or PAP would be my choice.

you know, make a runway stuff. You can get it pretty cheap surplus.

Ron

Use wood, heavy equipment trailers use cottonwood. The grain is twisted and wound around its self. This makes it harder to tear up.

The legal limit on width is 102" that is from the widest point on one side to the widest point on the other. This includes any thing attatched to the side, marker lights, whatever. DOT just loves to use a tape measure. They have a reason for their job but it sure can mess up your day when they write a ticket it isn't cheap. :(

Originally posted by HarleyM
The legal limit on width is 102" that is from the widest point on one side to the widest point on the other. This includes any thing attatched to the side, marker lights, whatever.



102"

Like he said, it includes anything that is permenatly attached to the trailer. If you drag your fender across the post at the gas pump, and it pushes the fender out over the 102" limit, they can technically write you up for it. Most law enforcement won't write you up for it, but they can. Just like setting up the scales on the side of the road to weigh your rig, Weights and Measures will spend 3 hours with a tape measure if they think you are even close to the limit.

Am I the only person with a steel deck trailer here?
It was the only used trailer I could find at the time I was looking that was long enough for the Jeep and the quads.
Yes, it's loud. The neighbors LOVE me when I'm packing Thursday night for a run.
When it's wet I acutally have to use the ramps to load the Jeep.
I live in sunny southern California and I must have missed the sizzling arm thing.
Hey FYRMAN - do you by chance know how much a mid-80's Big Tex 18 foot steel deck car hauler weighs? I've heard 1900 lbs. Yeah I know - go weigh it. I will some day when I have time.

Originally posted by withamc

Hey FYRMAN - do you by chance know how much a mid-80's Big Tex 18 foot steel deck car hauler weighs? I've heard 1900 lbs. Yeah I know - go weigh it. I will some day when I have time.


Look on the VIN tag. It should have an empty weight posted on it.

You don't get the ol' sizzle arm? I am in the desert half of Washington State where it gets up to 100 degrees fairly often in the summer. I've been bitten by them damn things more times than I care to count.

correct me please if I'm wrong here, but you must be refering to
the "burning-man/arm problem because your trailer is painted
BLACK...????? because white will reflect the sun, while black paint
will absorb the sun.. hence, it RETAINS all that heat! my freinds
trailer is white, and even in 105 heat, you can sit on it with shorts
and not get burnt...........

--just clarifying some basic issues with physics and paint colors..


--Sherpa

Gear oil works great as a wood sealant, although I have not used it on a trailer deck before

I've got steel. Man that thing gets HOT in the summer. I plan on painting it white just to try and knock the temp down 10 degrees or more. If I did it again I would go with wood.

ttt

Originally posted by SHERPA
correct me please if I'm wrong here, but you must be refering to
the "burning-man/arm problem because your trailer is painted
BLACK...????? because white will reflect the sun, while black paint
will absorb the sun.. hence, it RETAINS all that heat! my freinds
trailer is white, and even in 105 heat, you can sit on it with shorts
and not get burnt...........

--just clarifying some basic issues with physics and paint colors..


--Sherpa

not saying your wrong, but here when its 95* and i lean up against a white car its enough to burn ya, why is a trailer any different?

id go wood. its cheap, durable, etc....if you really wanted it to last forever how about that plastic wood like they make decks at the beach from?

Hunter

look for a cooling tower supply company and get the CCA treated douglas fir. that is the good shit as far as treated wood goes. cooling tower guys have way better stuff than HD.

Just to reinforce what the others are saying about the heat and steel decking... Imagine this. You've been wheelin' all day long... You're caked with dust, sunburnt and tired... You drive your rig on the trailer and there's only one thing left to do... Crawl underneath and chain/strap without touching one single piece of steel on the trailer for fear of leaving 4 layers of skin from the offending appendage. That kind of situation can leave lifelong scars when it takes place in AZ. :emb4:

Steel SUCKS!!!


Wet or dry its like a slip & slide

Hot drain oil and hot gear oil sure work great on wood. Keeps it presereved and the price is right!
It is nice to be able to nail a block down for a wheel stop etc.

you guys are crazy, steel decks are the best by far. when the trails are dry and easy, we go back to camp and hose down my diamond plate steel trailor, and try to drive up on it. it provides more fun then the trail. seriously. it is a pain in my ass to get it loaded in the rain. but, we chose steel since we use it for show cars too and it looks nicer. its a 2000 year trailer and is black and have not had any rust problems at all. we carry a burn kit with us, and play paper rock scissor to see who has to lay on it to hook up the axle straps, but its cool.

correct me please if I'm wrong here, but you must be refering to
the "burning-man/arm problem because your trailer is painted
BLACK...????? because white will reflect the sun, while black paint
will absorb the sun.. hence, it RETAINS all that heat! my freinds
trailer is white, and even in 105 heat, you can sit on it with shorts
and not get burnt...........

--just clarifying some basic issues with physics and paint colors..

a black body will both absorb and radiate more heat than a white body will. You're correct in saying that something painted white while be cooler... but its cause it doesn't absorb as much heat, not because black bodies "retain" heat. At least thats my high school physics understanding of the issue...

j

a black body will both absorb and radiate more heat than a white body will. You're correct in saying that something painted white while be cooler... but its cause it doesn't absorb as much heat, not because black bodies "retain" heat. At least thats my high school physics understanding of the issue...

j

You topped a two year old thread to add that?

I've got a steel deck, don't get burned much, but I have busted my ass slipping on it. The good thing is, if I don't drive on straight, I can slide the Jeep over by myself.

I went totally different. I have steel. On top of the bare frame I put 2' wide "ladders" of steel down each side. 1 1/2" angle iron on each side with same sized angle turned so the point of the V is up placed every 8" just like a ladder. Same thing for the ramps. No slippage. Easy to clean.

I have a custom hoop in front to run the Jeep up to and chain the ft bumper to and when the ramps are up it is locked in. No possible way to come off the trailer. The Jeep is in the same spot every time.

I put wire mesh between the ladders in the front to tie down coolers and such if need be.

The rear 1/2 is open between the ladders except for the trailer frame crossmembers so I can get under it and work on it comfortably if I need to.

trailer weighs about 1050 lbs and is real strong.

You topped a two year old thread to add that?

That's funny. :D I made it all the way through without noticing. Hell, we don't need any new stuff, I was enjoying this.

As Fryman has stated, anything PERMANENTLY attatched to the trailer must have a max width of 102". But total width can be 108" including anything not normally attatched to the trailer, i.e. straps, chains, and even a tire hanging a little over the edge.
Travis

As MOG said 108" if not permanent, that's DOT's law..............My fullsize is 108" never had a problem.

We've used expanded steel which seem to have enough traction. Its also good to tie down smaller things to.

by all means stay with wood, if there was a problem with wood, then why do all the commercial traliers have wood decks, and they stay out side all of there lifes, some have the same wood even after 15 - 20 years.
use the proper wood (not pine :flipoff2: ) and treat it first,

even white will get way to hot here in the late great state of the peoples republik of klifourna, it gets up to 115 in the summer for weeks at at time, might get down to the high 90's at night.

I plan on going with plastic grate material.I have been seeing alot of companies around DFW using it on goosneck's under backhoes and etc..the people told me it is cheaper than metal and does not rust or rott out.And you can get it in cool colors also.Think of that benifit when you have a bright orange floor and someone steals it and you call the cops and tell them to look for a bright orange floor on the trailer.Also the grate material at the carwash can be cleaned up easyily if you have a muddy rig.

anyone tried the composite lumber yet? Is it as strong as real wood?

anyone tried the composite lumber yet? Is it as strong as real wood?

its very expensive. for a 5/4 x 6" peice its over a buck a foot. and its more slippery than real wood.

Well, I guess that's not an option then. How about, what's a way to get some really cheap wood in Colorado? Maybe used. How do you get a cheap axle?

102" outside-of-tire to outside-of-tire in Michigan. Maximum deck width is 96".

I'd been planning on using a diamond plate steel floor when the wood rotted out of my 18+2 car hauler but now I don't know if I'll do that with all the stories I just read. I know for a fact that my painted wood trailer is slippery-than-shit to walk on when it's wet and downright dangerous to walk on when snowy.

You topped a two year old thread to add that?

yes.

I was checking out the trailer tech faq and found the thread linked there. Didn't notice/care how old it was... just responded. Other peeps seem to have more stuff to say on the subject... so I guess it didn't work out to bad, 2 years old or not.

j

Here is a link to the stuff I am talking about.Like I said before they are loading backhoes on top it with no problems. http://www.amgrating.com/molded_grating.htm

Not sure on the price yet.

Here is another http://www.chicagograting.com/

Go with wood its cheap and very forgiving. I treated my trailer with a case of Trans. fluid, It have been outside for 9 years and still look new, I had used
CCA and then treated it worked like a champ!

i have a steel deck. its 3/16 thick and has been on my trailer 10 years, and it was used when i got it,
if i were to ever build another trailer i would use steel again.steel makes it easer to shovel gravel off. i can pull cars on it with no wheels ( winch on recever hitch mounts on tounge) as for slipery when wet, i would think an oil soaked wood deck would be almost as bad.
i have never had a problem.
i used it to haul scrap cars on for a while.
and most tow trucks and scrap haulers have steel decks.
and as for the heat im more wored about getting dirty than burned

I'm a little surprised nobody has suggested Apiton. It is a very durable, fairly
light imported wood commonly used for heavey abuse on big rig trailers.
dont know costs but I do know it works.
P.S. I load trucks for a living, and have seen all kinds of decking.
steel; material slides, and gets hot :confused:
Plywood; splinters, delaminates, worps. Looks like shiiiit. :barf:
other softwoods; worps, gouges, splinters, :eek: :barf: :flipoff2:
APITON; YEARS OF SERVICE : :grinpimp: :smokin:

anyone tried the composite lumber yet? Is it as strong as real wood?

I have it on two trailers, I managed to find some at a farm auction that was 2" thick x 10" wide for non chewable cribbing,... anyways it is slicker then shit but holds up well on my everything trailer, holds up to bobcats, dirt
scrap metal, oil and it is showing little wear, if I could get it again I would do all of my trailers with it :)

Wood, much more comfortable when you unload your rig and set your tent up on it (tent trailer)!!!! When you fart at night it does not echo like steel!!!!!:grinpimp:

What about using a bedliner material on the steel? Add a bit of sand to the mix and it will not be slippery, and it should provide some insulation from the heat.

Does anyone else find it funny that many (including myself once) have a rig that's capable of doing a ton of shit.....VW rocks....hillclimbs, grips to most anything. etc etc. And having a steel deck kick your ass when your trying to load it on a trailer?

I have a steel deck and like it. Much easier to clean than wood, not a big deal to throw a towl down to lay on when hot. I prefer a clean deck not saturated with oil & grease.

Does anyone else find it funny that many (including myself once) have a rig that's capable of doing a ton of shit.....VW rocks....hillclimbs, grips to most anything. etc etc. And having a steel deck kick your ass when your trying to load it on a trailer?


Yes. Just a little water and steel kicks your ass. :flipoff2:

I also hate laying in oil and grease to wrench on my stuff. However I also hate laying on a griddle as well. Catch 22. Must be a better way.