benish5540
New member
Anyone have some helpful suggestions or tips on redecking a trailer before I start?
redecking a trailer
- Thread starter benish5540
- Start date
I redecked a 4 place open featherlite alum. years ago. After you remove the current decking check all seams and repair and reweld where necessary. I was surpised how many cracked wels I found from years of hauling. You couldn't see these from underneath the trailer. I then used a thicker 3/4" wolmanized plywood and routered the edges to match up to the previous thinner 1/2" plywood deck that was on it before where I needed to fit into the aluminum channels that I had on the V front. I also routered the rear drive on edge for the same reason. I used self tapping galvanized tapered flathead fasteners on about 12" centers. The trailer was stronger and better than new after that. Good Luck!
the_weasel
New member
I am also looking at re-decking a Triton 4 Place. How difficult will it be to remove the current deck fasteners? I imagine a number of them will break when I try to remove them. Do you then have to drill out the old fasteners? Is it best to just install the new fasteners in new locations? How long will this project take and are there any special tools required? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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mrsrunningbear
Active member
Now I'm really laughing m8man! glad I wasn't the only one, this morning I said to Bear a guy says he's gonna be rednecking his trailer what the heck would he want to to that for...and then all kinds of visuals followed LOL, then I read it again
LOL
indy_500
Well-known member
haha you guys make me laugh i'm the only one that can make a redneck trailer! now let's see if i can find that photo again...
found it. just click on my profile, it's my profile pic. mrsrunningbear, i don't think you were on here when i made my sled shed. when i brought it home on my trailer i snapped a pic of what it looked like, it was pretty funny
found it. just click on my profile, it's my profile pic. mrsrunningbear, i don't think you were on here when i made my sled shed. when i brought it home on my trailer i snapped a pic of what it looked like, it was pretty funny
the_weasel
New member
re-decking trailer
Has anyone done this lately? any tips on how to remove the old deck fasteners? Do you have to drill the old fasteners out? Thanks.
Has anyone done this lately? any tips on how to remove the old deck fasteners? Do you have to drill the old fasteners out? Thanks.
Guilty as charged. At first, that's what I thought it said too, and I'm even wearing my glasses!
Not sure about you guys, but my triton has bolts with threads into the aluminum. It was as easy as a star bit and a cordless drill to remove the fasteners. Now if you let the trail go to h**l then maybe a little rednecking is required to get some of the fasteners off but in my experiene, I rate this job as easier than replacing the races and bearings and slightly harder than connecting the trailer to the truck - just takes time.
Good luck.
Good luck.
indy_500
Well-known member
SUCCUSS! I figured out how to post pics on another board that is the same style as this. Now there's a redneck trailer fo sho! I had to take off the salt shield before i went and picked up the shed, and i just attached the salt shield with some metal brackets instead of the stupid bungy cords a couple days before i did this!
Indy500
Indy why not paint it to match your sled? It would look cool, not so REDNECK. As for redecking a trailer, use marine grade plywood and marine self drilling self tapping screws with the large head, the more the better. While its apart, grind , weld any cracks, paint with rust oleom paint if steel, also install all new lights and wiring. I built a lightweight galvenized trailer in 1988, I can not remember how many decks and light kits I have done, 4-5 at least. But never had a light or problem with it. One more thing, Thomsons or any other brand of water seal 1x per year. Its always cheaper to care for it than ignore it
Indy why not paint it to match your sled? It would look cool, not so REDNECK. As for redecking a trailer, use marine grade plywood and marine self drilling self tapping screws with the large head, the more the better. While its apart, grind , weld any cracks, paint with rust oleom paint if steel, also install all new lights and wiring. I built a lightweight galvenized trailer in 1988, I can not remember how many decks and light kits I have done, 4-5 at least. But never had a light or problem with it. One more thing, Thomsons or any other brand of water seal 1x per year. Its always cheaper to care for it than ignore it
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Professor PC
Banned
i have the TRITON ELITE 101 4 place and also redecked it....i went to 3/4 thick marine grade from 1/2 it came with....just routered it to 1/2 on the edges where it tucks into an aluminum rail....dont worry about old screws....i just put new ones in besides the old spots....broke off ones i could not unscrew....used self tapping tek screws....hardest part is making sure the seams on the marine board lines up down the center of all the rails so each side has equal amounts to screw into rails...then i coated the wood with decking protectorant....plus it has the brakes so to change the calipers and all the bearings you just buy the entire wheel kit assembly instead of replacing parts.....each wheel assembly just bolted on with 4 bolts and was 60 dolla each.....cheaper than buying pads and drums and bearings and calipers and all of it is new then....my 2c
indy_500
Well-known member
i did paint it, i redid the whole thing. i cut out the sheet metal on the 8 foot wide side so i could drive my sled in and drive it out.
snow_monkey
New member
Have a cutting wheel and compressor close. Many of my fasteners broke off and I had to grind the head off the bolts and spray a little liquid wrench and back them out with a vise grip. You can cut the old decking and remove it in sections. Just be careful whats under the wood,"like wires". Be careful to make sure the wood matches the thickness of the wood you are removing. My triton had slide in channels and the marine board had to be under a certain thickness to slide back in. This was a very easy job and I had it done and stained in less than half a day. It would help to pull a few fasteners to make sure you have the new ones ready to install. Most of the fasteners on mine were torx bit heads and were chewed up from years of use.