Deckover dump trailer build

[f150skidoo]

Like most trailers the license plate mounting location is usually A after thought and my trailers are no exception. I was struggling with the placement of the plate so that it was easily visible but won't get damaged. The only place I found that would work is to be behind the cavity of the step. So I cut some 14ga sheet metal with lots of cut outs to remove unnecessary weight then bent it up to the final shape. I also mounted the box to the frame so I can roll it out from the shop, but while it was hooked up to the gantry I weighed the trailer. The trailer as pictured weighs 2012lbs, after I install the steel floor, battery. hydraulic pump, and some other miscellaneous parts it should be between 2500-2600 lbs

 

[The Cobbler]

curious to see the fitment of the fenders, no doubt it will be fabulous

 

[f150skidoo]

curious to see the fitment of the fenders, no doubt it will be fabulous

Actually there is no fenders. The picture doesn’t show it but the body of the box is actually 2” wider then the tires. Two things I’m going to do is change the equalizer to a shorter version to lower the bed height and a mud flaps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bullnerd]

Its perfect!

I'm not a fan of the diamond aluminum.

I think you should make your own on the next trailer.

 

[mike93lx]

Looks awesome. When can you deliver it?

 

[bigguns69]

Nice trailer. I like your tilt down sides. Where did you source the cast pivot bosses from? Compared to buying a new trailer, how much do think you have in it as a percentage of new trailer cost. Any concern with the air gap between the sheet metal sides and the tube structure in regards to moisture and fine debri collecting in there and starting to rust long term? Could caulk the seam with a clear seam sealer after galvanize. Nice project.

 

[f150skidoo]

Nice trailer. I like your tilt down sides. Where did you source the cast pivot bosses from? Compared to buying a new trailer, how much do think you have in it as a percentage of new trailer cost. Any concern with the air gap between the sheet metal sides and the tube structure in regards to moisture and fine debri collecting in there and starting to rust long term? Could caulk the seam with a clear seam sealer after galvanize. Nice project.

I sourced those parts and many other parts from a trailer supply store locally to me called Cerka industries. I'm roughly half the cost of buying a pre-manufactured trailer, but I also have never seen a a small deck over dump that's galvanized. I imagine that the zinc will fill any nooks and cranny's but if not I will caulk the seams.

 

[readhead]

When ever we were fabricating pieces to be galvanized we could not have any overlapping parts. in your case I would caulk them after with a good polyurethane. The zinc will not get in the overlaps. Sounds like they already went over vent holes and look at possible hang holes. Very impressive build skills. You could come work in my shop anytime.

 

[sweetk30]

i would add in some sort of inner fender on the underside of the body . this will keep the tire spray / rocks / chips / **** from blasting the underside of the body .

i know at my old job the trucks that had some sort of full tire arch inner fender flap on the back tires would have a lot less problems than those who didnt have anything and the stuff was able to just splash all over on the underside .

as said before NICE BUILD and were is the plans ?

 

[f150skidoo]

I was able to pickup the sheet of steel for the floor at the end of last week. Once the floor got cut and welded into place I then welded 16 D rings to the floor. I was originally only going to install 8 D rings but then remembered their is no such thing as to many tie down points. Next I competently disassembled the trailer to prep it for going out for galvanizing. But first I wanted to weigh the dump bed which totaled 1286 lbs. What surprised me when I did the design of the trailer I created a material list with weights. Some things I had to guess the weights of since I did'nt know how I would design them or the thickness, I estimated the box to weigh 1276 lbs so If I deduct the weight of the rigging i'm within a pound or two of the actual weight.

 

[nsula_country]

I may be wrong. But I think fenders are REQUIRED by LAW in the States.

CT

 

[bigguns69]

https://www.hhtrailer.com/product/deckover-dump/

Here is a deck over design made by H and H in Clarinda IA. No fenders shown. They build to NHTSA rules.

 

[aczr2k]

The difference in the two trailers is the H&H trailer the tires are under the bed, this one the tires are in the open.

Nice trailer build! I would rethink the fender idea, I wouldn't want the tires chucking rocks at my truck.

 

[f150skidoo]

Here's a image of a CAM superline deck over dump which is fairly similar to mine. In my case the body of the trailer does cover the width of the trailer tires but doesn't cover down to the center line of the wheel so I then must have mud flaps/ splash guards to control the tire spray (which i was already planning on doing). A good example is when a highway tractors is bob tailing the majority don't have fenders covering their tandem duals but the all have mud flaps which control the tire spray.

 

[bullnerd]

It looks to me (hard to tell from the pics) that the box is very close to being centered over the axles?

Do you use a percentage to figure out the axle location?

Actually, now that i looked again, It looks like the box is in a different location in the two earlier pics? Post 41.

 

[f150skidoo]

It looks to me (hard to tell from the pics) that the box is very close to being centered over the axles?

Do you use a percentage to figure out the axle location?

Actually, now that i looked again, It looks like the box is in a different location in the two earlier pics? Post 41.

I use the industry standard which is 60/40 to the centreline between the tandems. The pictures are all taken at a angle so it can be deceiving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bullnerd]

OK, cool, thanks, that's what I thought.

 

[Spencer Was Here]

Another very nice build.

Two questions. First, how do you like your digital scale? I'd like to pick one up, but of course all the economical models are Made in China. It would be nice to hear a real review, as opposed to trusting the anonymous online reviews.

Second, did/does it bother you at all that the angle of the aluminum storage box doesn't match up to the angle of your trailer frame? With everything else you've designed and fabricated to perfection, I have to believe it affected you somehow.

 

[f150skidoo]

Another very nice build.

Two questions. First, how do you like your digital scale? I'd like to pick one up, but of course all the economical models are Made in China. It would be nice to hear a real review, as opposed to trusting the anonymous online reviews.

Second, did/does it bother you at all that the angle of the aluminum storage box doesn't match up to the angle of your trailer frame? With everything else you've designed and fabricated to perfection, I have to believe it affected you somehow.

The scale has been really good so far, I have owned it for a few years now and it always works. I have tested it with items with known weights and its been accurate. I would like one that reads a higher weight but my scale is a 1000 kg scale but it actually max out around 2370 lbs

The tool box angle really pissed me off at the beginning but doesn't bug me now. I built the A frame tongue to the standard which is 50 degrees and I assumed that the tool box would match that angle like every other tool box I have ever bought, but I was wrong. I searched the internet for hours for a aluminum tool box that would fit my needs. But all the ones I could find were either to small of more money then I wanted to spend on a toolbox.

 

[bullnerd]

Soo...the companies that make the tongue mounted tool boxes don't make them to match the industry standard tongue angle? lol!

That's why I said earlier, I'm surprised you didn't make your own box.

 

[Spencer Was Here]

Updates? Back from galvanizing yet?

 

[f150skidoo]

No updates yet, I don't think I will see its back from the galvanizers until late next week.

 

[f150skidoo]

My post from yesterday was wrong since the galvanizers called me today to say it was ready for pickup. My buddy is going to take his flatbed trailer tomorrow to go and pick it up.

 

[theundermount]

cant wait to see it! I bet it looks pretty slick

 

[f150skidoo]

Its back in the shop and is bright and shiny. The 2 10' doors warped from the heat which is no surprise and simple to straighten in my 50 ton press. But I didn't expect the box to warp so ill have a fun day with hydraulics trying to straighten it out.

 

[bigguns69]

Interesting to hear about the warping. Some trailer manufacturers are advertising that they powder coat paint. Given that most powder is cured at about 350 degrees f for 15 minutes, you would think they would experience warping too unless they account for it in their manufacturing processes.

What was the cost difference comparing the galvanizing versus painting if you don't mind giving out the info.

 

[joe49]

Galvanizing is done at 850 f. While sheet metal may warp above a even heat of 400f thicker sections don't warp much. The welds will produce much more warping.
https://galvanizeit.org/inspection-course/galvanizing-process/galvanizing

 

[f150skidoo]

I believe the reason for the box warping was when I welded the floor and the D rings on it pre stressed the material but the frame was stiff enough to stay straight. But once dipped the extra heat warped the box. The box warped in the exact way as it would've from to much heat from welding.

 

[f150skidoo]

Interesting to hear about the warping. Some trailer manufacturers are advertising that they powder coat paint. Given that most powder is cured at about 350 degrees f for 15 minutes, you would think they would experience warping too unless they account for it in their manufacturing processes.

What was the cost difference comparing the galvanizing versus painting if you don't mind giving out the info.

I don't know for sure but I think the powder coating ovens aren't hot enough to warp the steel. Were as galvanizing the temperature is over twice as hot and the steel structure stays in the zinc bath until the steel reaches the same temperature as the zinc

I don't know a cost of painting since I would normally spray it myself, but I would guess painting would cost me $3-$400 in material. The galvanizing was 52 cents a pound which worked out to $1026.

 

[f150skidoo]

Finally a bit of a progress update on the trailer. I painted up the axle and jack and I would normally also paint all the axle hardware since it comes uncoated. But I figured since I galvanized the trailer I might as well spend the money and buy all plated suspension hardware. Once I got the lower frame to a rolling chassis so it can be moved it was time to start fixing the major issue. I forgot to check the dump box with a straight edge to know exactly how much it warped but I would guess it was at least a inch. To straighten it I chained a chunk of 8" H beam to the box and I started to us my 4 ton porta-power to straighten it, but did'nt have enough force. Next I grabbed the 8 ton bottle jack from my shop made plate roller which straighten it to within a 1/2" but did'nt have enough force to bend it anymore. So I had to buy a bigger bottle jack and a 12 ton did the trick.

 

[chickenfarmer]

Well done on the straightening, you are a real professional. That trailer is gonna last a long time

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[f150skidoo]

After I wired up the lower frame I did the final joining of the box to the lower frame. Next I mounted the rear doors which was simple since none of the parts warped from galvanizing, I also mounted the tarp system. The side doors warped from the heat so its a pain to straighten it but I got the passenger side functioning smoothly and fitting decently. But on the drivers side I need to do more straightening for better fitment.

 

[shedfullatools]

That is a beautiful trailer I love the design and function of that rear bumper, cant go wrong with hot galvanized either should last a long time

 

[Spencer Was Here]

OP, the straightening you've showed is quite impressive. I'm probably not the only one who would enjoy photos and descriptions of your continued efforts to straighten the side.

Also, is your tarp kit from Buyers? If so, is the gear on yours perfectly symmetrical? Meaning, is the geometry (radius) of the gears identical on each side of the teeth? Mine won't lock in place very well, as the wind can actually unroll the tarp even when I have the lever in the locked position.

 

[f150skidoo]

OP, the straightening you've showed is quite impressive. I'm probably not the only one who would enjoy photos and descriptions of your continued efforts to straighten the side.

Also, is your tarp kit from Buyers? If so, is the gear on yours perfectly symmetrical? Meaning, is the geometry (radius) of the gears identical on each side of the teeth? Mine won't lock in place very well, as the wind can actually unroll the tarp even when I have the lever in the locked position.

Ya it is a buyers kit and I thought the gear is insufficient for holding, I might have to make my own gear.

 

[f150skidoo]

The drivers side door would rub the top of the posts so I had to do some blocking and rigging so I could use my porta power to square the posts. Next was to wire up the box with all the marker & tail lights. The only things left to do is get the hydraulic lines made, wire up everything in the tool box, and a few small things like installing the mud flaps, safety chains, & coupler.

 

[Spencer Was Here]

My Sure-Trac doesn't lift as much as I believe it should be, so I just added a pressure gauge to my system.

The KTI pump is rated for 3,000 PSI, but for whatever reason, Sure-Trac set it to have a maximum of 2,500 PSI. I believe that is my main issue with not being able to always lift to the rated capacity, but unfortunately it is not adjustable. I need to get a hold of them to see if they are willing to send me out a new relief valve.

I've a picture of the new pressure gauge I recently installed. This gauge states I max out at 2,600 PSI, as opposed to the 2,500 PSI Sure-Trac tried to adjust it to. Not sure how accurate the gauge is, but either way, I want to get it closer to 3,000. You may want to consider adding a gauge yourself, if you haven't already planned on it.

I'm going to be adding a relay to interrupt the charge circuit coming from the truck whenever the hydraulic pump is activated. Right now, if the battery is low, the pump will try to pull too much current from the charge circuit through my 7-way and blow the fuse in the truck. Here is a YouTube video describing the relay I'll be adding:

Since I have a wireless dump controller and an on-board 1.5 amp charger, my current wiring is kind of hard to follow. I don't like having to refer to three different wiring diagrams in various owners manuals, so I'm making my own master wiring diagram. Right now, I'm almost finished with the wiring as it is now (before I add the relay circuit). I want to make sure I have it as accurate as possible before I make it even more complicated with the relay.

Once the relay circuit has been added, I'll update the drawing, laminate it, and affix it to the inside lid of the trailer box containing the pump, battery, and all the wiring.

I've attached an image of the Visio diagram as it is today. It is not quite finished, I still have to add in a few more wires going to the down control connection on the pump solenoid.

I've also attached a photo showing all the labels I put on the wires on Friday at the same time I was installing the Blue Sea Systems ST-Blade Battery Terminal Mount Fuse Block Kit on the battery.

 

[f150skidoo]

Finished up the last few parts on the trailer. I needed to make a mount for my group 27 deep cycle battery so I drew up a design and cut it out from 1/8" steel and painted it up. When I have some 1/8" aluminum kicking around I will re cut the part. Once I got the wiring hooked up in the tool box I was able to do a test dump and I measured a 54 degree dump angle. It was nice to finally pull the trailer out of my shop so I can have room for other projects

 

[The Cobbler]

Awesome!

 

[1wook]

Very nice!

I think your going to like the back-up lights. I added a set to one of my trailers and they are so handy, no more tapping the brakes to see.