New aluminum trailer project

[Drkuhar]

Well I decided I needed to find a trailer to haul my deere 1023 and attachments and wanted an aluminum trailer. I found one being sold through an estate sale that needed work and was close. I normally think purchases through but jumped the gun on this and it needs more work than I counted on.. was told it needed tires and suspension equilizers and a couple of broken boards.

The bolt on fenders had cracked welds all over from bouncing around with the suspension messed up, the the brakes where shot.. I so far have replaced the equilizers and shackles using a wet kit that can be greased. I repacked the bearings and reset the bearing nuts. Removed the damaged brake parts for now(magnets were broke off and bouncing around in 3 wheels and shoes were contaminated with grease on 2 and liners were off the shoes on 2)..
To fix the fenders I am thinking of getting stainless bolts and bolting the backing plate to the curved fender top and putting thread zerts in the frame to bolt the fenders to..

I have found some cracks in the frame area where he had a winch mounted. I am going to get it to a shop to get welded up. I can build anything out of steel but don't have the aluminum spool gun or argon for my welder. At what price point would you say say enough is enough and try to cut your losses. I'm probably upside down in this thing. It's a 2016 10k gvwr trailer with alum ramps

 

[dcg9381]

At what price point would you say say enough is enough and try to cut your losses.

I wouldn't. I'd buy the equipment to weld aluminum... If I was lazy (and I am) I might take it to a buddy with a TIG.




That's pretty shot, but that stuff is easy to replace and needs to be gone through anyway. Honestly, I've seen that type of bushing wear out of trailers that are 2 years old and used "not much". First thing I do on new trailers is throw that **** away and go to "wet" bolt kits and brass bushings and heavy duty shackles. I've been known to completely start over with new axles if the brakes are shot and everything is rusted.

Trailer will last you "forever" once you get it sorted. That's a $10k (new) trailer around here...

 

[Drkuhar]

I wouldn't. I'd buy the equipment to weld aluminum... If I was lazy (and I am) I might take it to a buddy with a TIG.




That's pretty shot, but that stuff is easy to replace and needs to be gone through anyway. Honestly, I've seen that type of bushing wear out of trailers that are 2 years old and used "not much". First thing I do on new trailers is throw that **** away and go to "wet" bolt kits and brass bushings and heavy duty shackles. I've been known to completely start over with new axles if the brakes are shot and everything is rusted.

Trailer will last you "forever" once you get it sorted. That's a $10k (new) trailer around here...

I don't mind doing the work. Just worried I was getting upside down in this. But if your price is right I got a ways to go

 

[jhelrey]

Doesn't seem like much at this point... Mainly labor.

 

[bugnut]

used market here is $7k or so, except the welding, looks like mostly bolt on items, parts and labor. Good luck!

 

[Sweetcorn]

Stressed aluminum micro fractures and many/most times you will find that even if you do everything right, you will be chasing cracks forever.

Others will disagree but it is what it is.

 

[jack stand]

^^^ this.
I don't think that by just replacing a steel designed trailer with aluminum components is successful in the long term unfortunately.

 

[racecougar]

It doesn't sound like there is much work left to complete (brakes, fender mounting, and weld up the cracks). Whether you're going to keep it or sell it, I'd at least finish up the work.

And I agree with dcg9381, I'd use it as a reason to buy a spool gun and Argon at minimum (my inclination would be TIG).

 

[dcg9381]

Stressed aluminum micro fractures and many/most times you will find that even if you do everything right, you will be chasing cracks forever.
Others will disagree but it is what it is.

Not disagreeing or agreeing, but ATC makes aluminum RVS, A few of them have had bad welds at stress points and the seem to be fixed just fine (maybe a little reinforcement). As this is at the winch mount (a stressed component not related to trailer load) - I'd weld it up, maybe reinforce it and run it.

Wheel wells get the **** beat out of them... as mentioned this thing barely had any suspension.

Now if it had little cracks all over the frame structure, I'd feel differently.

This is an IL trailer, aluminum has a real advantage there long term.

 

[DaveAndStuff]

Be sure to drill the end(s) of the cracks before welding.

 

[denis4x4]

I have an aluminum tilt trailer that's about 10 years old that I bought new. Fender cracks have been been welded several times. I'm looking at replacing them with steel fenders from Tractor Supply.

 

[Drkuhar]

I am going to finish it. I have really been weighing options and I am going to have someone else weld the cracks in the frame vs buying a spool gun and the tank of argon. Cost balance just wasn't there.

I'm going to use stainless hardware and bolt the fenders on, and bolt on some extra reinforcement brackets. The fenders weren't factory or correct. I think bolting aluminum is best for me . Brakes will wait a bit to make sure I don't find anything else major. Just getting in my head about what I'm spending.

Being in Illinois it will be better than every rusted out trailer I kept finding and since I don't have inside storage for it won't rust away which was my concern. I would love to change out all the flooring but will probably only change the two boards that are broken.

Seeing the new wheels on it last night started changing my perception and gave me a better outlook. They are 10 ply actual trailer tires that I found on marketplace that were brand new with dexter stickers on them

 

[Drkuhar]

I did find out that when done this trailer will have an easy life with me compared to the guy that had it. The kid told me his dad went all over the US picking up wrecked cars for insurance companies with this thing. So it had a lot of use

 

[jubilee]

I owned aluminum livestock trailers and aluminum tankers in my trucking business for over 50 years.
Learned to stick weld aluminum before learning the new technologies as they became available.
A few things:
aluminum and steel can never touch. Electrolysis. Paint EVERYTHING before assembly, bolts, washers, inside of holes, ect.
Stainless seems to corrode worse than plain steel with aluminum.
Thin plastic sheeting works well between aluminum and steel plate.

Winch mount cracks could be drilled then steel plated over.
My concern with your trailer is the where the steel axle is bolted to the frame. I believe I’d unbolt that and see if any aluminum is left.

 

[glider]

My 20’ from the same manufacturer. Has been a good trailer. Gets lent out a lot.

 

[Drkuhar]

My concern with your trailer is the where the steel axle is bolted to the frame. I believe I’d unbolt that and see if any aluminum is left.

From the underside it looks really good. Even around the bolts. The is like a really thick duct tape that is on the aluminum so the steel doesn't make direct contact.

 

[Drkuhar]

My 20’ from the same manufacturer. Has been a good trailer. Gets lent out a lot.

That's my goal just hauling green lol. Is there any way you could get me pics of your fender mounting areas. Does the factory fenders tie into those 2x2 arms for support down low. My fenders are not factory so I need to get creative on mounting them

 

[glider]

That's my goal just hauling green lol. Is there any way you could get me pics of your fender mounting areas. Does the factory fenders tie into those 2x2 arms for support down low. My fenders are not factory so I need to get creative on mounting them

Yes I will take some pics today. They are held on with 1/2" riv nuts to the frame.

 

[glider]

Hear are your pictures. Front and back held on with riv nuts. The picture under the fender, you can see where the fender tucks behind bracket.
Hope this helps .

 

[Drkuhar]

Hear are your pictures. Front and back held on with riv nuts. The picture under the fender, you can see where the fender tucks behind bracket.
Hope this helps .

Thank you. That gives me a great reference point

 

[Drkuhar]

So 3 out of the 4 nutzerts that hold the fender mount angle bars to the frame for the removable fenders are spinning and have the bolts cut off in them. I used my oscillating tool and trimmed the wood back underneath and ground the head flanges off and pushed them through. I bought new 1/2 x 13 nutzerts but the holes are wallowed out some from spinning so they fit loose instead of snug. What is your thoughts on putting epoxy on the new nutzerts before crimping them. or cut a piece of flat steel , weld a nut to it and epoxy it on the inside of the frame in line with the hole. trying to get the factory mounting points back usable.

thank you

 

[DaveAndStuff]

How big are the holes?

I like rivnuts

 

[Drkuhar]

How big are the holes?

I like rivnuts

I haven't measured them for sure but the new ones I bought call for a 5/8 drill bit and it fits smooth with no play into one hole. the other 3 have roughly 1/16 of play and I dont feel the nutzert will crimp that much. so if i said 3 holes were wallowed out from 5/8 to 3/4 do you think coating them with epoxy would help or any other ideas

 

[jhelrey]

I'd go with a larger insert/bolt or use green threadlocker made for bearings.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I am going to finish it. I have really been weighing options and I am going to have someone else weld the cracks in the frame vs buying a spool gun and the tank of argon. Cost balance just wasn't there.

I'm going to use stainless hardware and bolt the fenders on, and bolt on some extra reinforcement brackets. The fenders weren't factory or correct. I think bolting aluminum is best for me . Brakes will wait a bit to make sure I don't find anything else major. Just getting in my head about what I'm spending.

Being in Illinois it will be better than every rusted out trailer I kept finding and since I don't have inside storage for it won't rust away which was my concern. I would love to change out all the flooring but will probably only change the two boards that are broken.

Seeing the new wheels on it last night started changing my perception and gave me a better outlook. They are 10 ply actual trailer tires that I found on marketplace that were brand new with dexter stickers on them

If you use stainless hardware make sure to use neversieze on the threads. Stainless likes to gall and weld itself together if you turn the nuts too quick.

 

[DaveAndStuff]

I haven't measured them for sure but the new ones I bought call for a 5/8 drill bit and it fits smooth with no play into one hole. the other 3 have roughly 1/16 of play and I dont feel the nutzert will crimp that much. so if i said 3 holes were wallowed out from 5/8 to 3/4 do you think coating them with epoxy would help or any other ideas

That's pretty big, I'd go with new holes.

How often are you going to want to take them off?

You could just through-bolt them with fender washers on either side.

 

[whateg01]

I feel like this is the perfect job for rivnuts. I also feel like this is one of the worst jobs for a rivnut. All the vibration of a fender going down the road is just going to waller out the holes again eventually. I like the rubber hooks used to pull the fender tight to whatever it's mounted to and pins for alignment. Faster to install and remove, and no fastener to lose or need for a captive fastener

 

[bugnut]

I would suggest a floating nut plate it does not matter the size of the original hole, i would buy them sized to the bolt i want to use for holding the fender. Drill a few new holes affix and the you have a steel nut for a steel bolt with neversieze and it is replaceable if needed. Just my .02$

 

[Drkuhar]

I like the idea of the floating nut plate and if this doesn't work I will try to go with that. I cleaned the inside of the hole area and used 2 part 3m panel bonder epoxy and gave the nutzert a little extra ugga dugga lol. Yo can see where the the inner part bulged out and bit so hopefully this is good.
I don't plane on taking these off and and on all the time and hope to never have to since it primarily for my tractor not cars. After seeing Gliders pics above that the factory threaded in and used set nuts instead of cranking bolts tight I think they will hold. The previous owner had drilled some bolts on the top of the angle that I will use also

 

[Drkuhar]

I also came up with an idea to add fender mount reinforcement s to the angle that bolts to the frame.
The 6 inch rises will give something to bolt my fenders to rather than having them welded solid.. I just need to get the risers welded to the angle

 

[DaveAndStuff]

Looks like it's coming along, nice work!

 

[PWC Repair]

Stressed aluminum micro fractures and many/most times you will find that even if you do everything right, you will be chasing cracks forever.

Others will disagree but it is what it is.

This is the answer. I've seen PLENTY of aluminum jet ski trailers through the years, singles and doubles. And they ALL have issues. Aluminum just fatigues and I think it's service life as a trailer frame is limited.

 

[racecougar]

I cleaned the inside of the hole area and used 2 part 3m panel bonder epoxy and gave the nutzert a little extra ugga dugga lol. Yo can see where the the inner part bulged out and bit so hopefully this is good.

You used an impact to install the rivnuts?

 

[Drkuhar]

You used an impact to install the rivnuts?

Yes I only use the hand tool on the smaller sizes. A bolt with a flat washer larger nut and another flat washer makes a perfect install tool. Hold a wrench on the larger nut to hold it in right and lightly bump the impact till you feel it grab then a little extra till it's tight.. Peterbilt and international both offer a tool like I am describing for all the rivnuts in their semi's when I worked in their body shop. This is the diy version of it.
You don't want this method on small ones though

 

[Drkuhar]

This is the answer. I've seen PLENTY of aluminum jet ski trailers through the years, singles and doubles. And they ALL have issues. Aluminum just fatigues and I think it's service life as a trailer frame is limited.

I agree and my hope is that I will be much easier on this than the previous owner so it should last for what I need it to do

 

[whateg01]

This is the answer. I've seen PLENTY of aluminum jet ski trailers through the years, singles and doubles. And they ALL have issues. Aluminum just fatigues and I think it's service life as a trailer frame is limited.

I feel like that's all awful application for aluminum, at least without building them heavier. But they are built to be lightweight so they can be pulled behind anything. Then they are still a pretty light trailer that bounces a lot which I would think would cause more fatigue.

 

[glider]

This is the riv nut tool I used to install the 1/2” riv nuts on my trailer, worked well.

https://share.google/anENeMAvXI06EYKqW

 

[racecougar]

This is the riv nut tool I used to install the 1/2” riv nuts on my trailer, worked well.

https://share.google/anENeMAvXI06EYKqW

Ditto.