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Anybody converted a wood deck car trailer to steel deck?

Big Bad Dad

Big Bad Dad

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My trailer is a 7 ft by 16 ft with an additional 2 ft dovetail. The decking is 2x8 lumber. After all the rain and nasty weather last year, and me letting wet leaves lay on it way too long, some of the boards rotted to the point of being unsafe. I need to fix it. The current cost of lumber is unbelievable. I just bought two 2x8x16ft boards for $65!! OUCH. Anyway, I am wondering what it would take to convert to steel decking. The crossmembers are approximately 2 ft apart. I would need to space the new steel up 1-1/2" with angle to bring it up to the level of the current wood decking so could weld it to the perimeter frame. I just don't know what thickness steel plate would be required. I would assume a lot would depend on the spacing of the 1-1/2" angle spacers. I think 1/8" might be too thin, but wonder if 3/16" would be enough, or if I would need 1/4" plate. And also wonder whether to use smooth plate or checker plate. Any of you guys ever done this? Got any good advice? Thanks
Feb. 14 032.jpg
 
Personally I would replace the wood as needed and weather proof it. All the steel and time is not going to be cheap. Price a 4 x 8 sheet of 1/8 tread plate?
 
Honestly it also depends if you want to add some built in rabbit ear tie downs or additional tie downs and maybe a winch. You could build in a nice solid anchor for a deadman ( used for doubling up winch cable) and also a snatch block anchor to tie onto in various places. It would make a winch work easier and better. Got something that won’t roll it could change the game !! As far as thickness goes , what is the max weight that trailer is capable of? You need to factor that in as you don’t want to overload it. I would have to say figure out the weight of the material needed but thicker would be better. I ran a flat bed and wrecker for decades the more useful you make that bed the better you will like it and now is the opportunity . 3/16 min, add plenty of bracing and make sure they are sitting flat with weight on them before welding so you don’t get oil canning on the deck.. The snatch block is ideal to part the lines to make the winch work better and easier. If you have a tie down in the center for the block you can pull at angles if needed and keep the cable in straight line with the fair lead and winch.. Food for thought !
 
Big Bad Dad said:
My trailer is a 7 ft by 16 ft with an additional 2 ft dovetail. The decking is 2x8 lumber. After all the rain and nasty weather last year, and me letting wet leaves lay on it way too long, some of the boards rotted to the point of being unsafe. I need to fix it. The current cost of lumber is unbelievable. I just bought two 2x8x16ft boards for $65!! OUCH. Anyway, I am wondering what it would take to convert to steel decking. The crossmembers are approximately 2 ft apart. I would need to space the new steel up 1-1/2" with angle to bring it up to the level of the current wood decking so could weld it to the perimeter frame. I just don't know what thickness steel plate would be required. I would assume a lot would depend on the spacing of the 1-1/2" angle spacers. I think 1/8" might be too thin, but wonder if 3/16" would be enough, or if I would need 1/4" plate. And also wonder whether to use smooth plate or checker plate. Any of you guys ever done this? Got any good advice? ThanksView attachment 1112715
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lets see some more pictures of that panel truck :thumbsup:
 
I have a 14ft. open bed steel deck trailer, with 1/8x22"wide rails. Works fine, but the rails do have a strengthening flange on the outside, and 2x3 steel tubing under each side.
I had to add a fill-in panel to support the inside part of wide slicks on a narrow car. I used 1/16 steel panel. No problems, did what i needed it to do.
I would bet my trailer is 1000lbs lighter than a wood bed trailer, its thirty years old, and still tows like a dream. Carried a 7000lb dually ,no problem.
 
I'd replace the wood, I've used both and hate steel... Slippery and hard to hold certain things down to! Steel once it rust requires blasting then refinishing where wood is either treated or replaced, either way wood makes a better surface.
 
I was going to replace my wood with steel plate, but after figuring out the extra weight I decided against it. Its too heavy. For your size trailer 3/16 would add 860 pounds. If you use 1/4" it would be 1150 pounds. So I just replaced the wood.
 
65AFX said:
I was going to replace my wood with steel plate, but after figuring out the extra weight I decided against it. Its too heavy. For your size trailer 3/16 would add 860 pounds. If you use 1/4" it would be 1150 pounds. So I just replaced the wood.
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Are those figures factoring in the weight of the wood being removed also?
 
Can you find a local rural sawmill and get some cured oak cut like you need. Even then it will srink but so what. After completely dry oak it with used motor oil.
 
barbee6043 said:
Can you find a local rural sawmill and get some cured oak cut like you need. Even then it will srink but so what. After completely dry oak it with used motor oil.
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I work at a sawmill and get request for white oak for trailer decks every once in awhile, I believe it holds up better to the weather than red oak. People would be amazed if they knew how cheap lumber is fresh from the sawmill.. lots of value added processes once it leaves here, drying, sizing, plaining, packaging, shipping, etc.
 
747mopar said:
I work at a sawmill and get request for white oak for trailer decks every once in awhile, I believe it holds up better to the weather than red oak. People would be amazed if they knew how cheap lumber is fresh from the sawmill.. lots of value added processes once it leaves here, drying, sizing, plaining, packaging, shipping, etc.
Click to expand...
That would be a good option. Find someone that would sell a couple Oak logs and bring them to a mill and have them cut to size.
 
Back home in Missouri there were numerous country mills that did oak.. Thats where railroad ties and pallet wood and furniture wood comes from.
Over the decades I have had car trailers with steel tread plate or wood. Never seen any real difference. Some say the steel is slippery, I had no issue. Cost of steel is up but nothing like increase in wood, seems to me.
 
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