Making and installing enclosed trailer escape door.

[Endangered Species]

Checked, measured and accessible on my application.

Good deal. I have a buddy who a week ago was talking about his in floor storage and the fact that he had to un load the car and Golf cart to get to it. That's why I mentioned it.

 

[Frank Mopar]

When I buy a new trailer (maybe never) it will have an escape door. Until then, I use a winch.

 

[malex]

Was poking around in FBBO tonight and came upon this old car trailer thread. I see that I never posted any further on how the door worked out so I’ve got some pictures. Since then there’s been a couple more trailer add ons in the works so check the pics for the progress on that.

So here’s the door in operation, works terrific and this was one project worth every minute.
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Door fully open, getting in and out is a snap now.

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A new project has since gotten underway, that being a Generator door and slide out. And I will say that job was a lot of work! It started off with the inside bench getting a makeover. View attachment 1322207

Once that was done it was time to make a door frame and hole.
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Next came making a platform, sliders, building a door. Sounds easy but that was all very time consuming.
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A shot with the generator in place. Sliders are 500 lb rating so there’s some overkill built in.
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Project Complete
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A shot of the inside finished up. Ended up building some more top cabinet space, relocated the radio and installed a microwave.
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With that done yet another project is getting underway, although this will have to wait, there’s 3 race weeks coming up up in the next short while. But next up is an in-floor tire storage space. 30 X 34” will slide in nicely, ample room for a tire, just one crossmember to get into. Looking forward to getting this completed.
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In hindsight I should have had these upgrades included when the trailer was ordered. Live and learn. More updates to come as things move along.

I’ve completed the in-floor tire / storage box install now. Check it out.

The hole is cut. There’s one crossmember that needs to be cut.

Crossmember is now cut out and ready to drop the box into place.

Box in place and welded in. I used a trolley jack underneath to get the height right, fit in place, and a combination of self tapping screws and plug welds to both crossmembers. After in place I added 1.250 X 1/8 angle iron for additional support on each box side between the crossmemberss, as well as under the existing floor.

Box liner spray applied. When the rubber flooring was cut there was zero adhesion from the initial glue remaining from when it was laid. No wonder it looks like a old Walrus laying there when it heats up.. I did that in 2014 and used contact cement under the advise of a flooring installer. So the plan will be to re-stretch the flooring out and use the proper adhesive next time. But that’s for another day.

Box trimmed out with 3/4” aluminum.

Spare tire, trailer aid block, a couple of bottle jacks and wheel chock have a new home. I have a number of extra ratchet straps that are going in there too.

I trimmed and used the same floor that was cut out. Trimmed it with aluminum channel. Drops nicely in place, lid is made to just fit, which allows more ledge for support on each crossmember.
The proper trim would be a hat channel for this but that stuff is nowhere to be found in my location, the channel works good.

With the box installed there is ample room to access the box with the car loaded, the front bumper is behind the box when car is strapped into place. Remove the front straps and off with the lid.
And that’s it. Will measure the ground to box clearance once hooked to the truck but it will be about 8”. The box is 9.75” deep. Edit: ground clearance is 9” (box to pavement)
And that’s a wrap. Good luck with your storage box install! .