Waterproofing plywood for trailer floor/deck use

[sako243]

The man that taught me the basics, always said a bigger trailer is easier to reverse.

What matters is the hitch to turning wheels vs hitch to trailer wheels. Longer the trailer distance relative to the turning vehicle the easier it is.

 

[redlig]

You're a very bad man.... That said, I've done similar with folk driving rental motor homes in the past.

I know a chap who managed to get a tree between a tractor and big trailer. Took some extricating as the trailer was loaded with tons of riddled topsoil and the tree was against the drawbar - to this day I still have no idea how he did it..... Seems like a special kind of skill.

Taught by his wife perhaps?

 

[addjunkie]

The man that taught me the basics, always said a bigger trailer is easier to reverse. Little car trailers, ones like Halfords sell, are awkward things. You can’t see them most of the time. Night time reversing can be a pain, most pickups only have one reverse light, we’ve added two reverse/ work lights to my pickup and the new trailer has reverse lights on it.

I agree here. Though I stuggle to-reverse my hay trailer into the shed, just cant see, and only a few inches either side. So I lay a rope straight from the door frame. And just reverse parallel to that!

 

[bricol]

I can reverse the trailer, carrying my Caterham, down my narrow drive, better than I can reverse the Caterham on it's own - the tapered sides of the Caterham play havoc with trying to parallel park!

 

[atomant48]

I struggle with our kart box trailer. Short drawbar and quite a complex turn to get it in the driveway. I’ve wondered about getting some sort of camera or sensors to put on the back of it so I know when to stop to have space for opening the doors.

 

[8ob]

Most trailer reversing problems are speed related, just need to slow things down to give enough time for correction, go to fast and it’s all knotted up in the blink of an eye.


Bob

 

[addjunkie]

I struggle with our kart box trailer. Short drawbar and quite a complex turn to get it in the driveway. I’ve wondered about getting some sort of camera or sensors to put on the back of it so I know when to stop to have space for opening the doors.

We use a magnetic blue tooth camera inside our stock trailer, but it also works outside too, yes it lets you see behind, but still need to use the mirrors for the corners. Think it was about 60 quid…

 

[Islander71]

Think the shorter the wheelbase of the tow vehicle and the further back the wheels of the trailer, the easier it is to reverse. The same 4 wheel indespension small plant trailer was a piece of cake to reverse with a SWB Terrano, but a nightmare with a Navarra pickup especially with restricted visibility through the rear canopy. Current Mk1 Sante Fe is midway between the 2 for ease of reversing it.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Taught by his wife perhaps?

No, definitely not. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, sadly.

 

[lexi]

I don't mean driving or reversing them. I mean storing, them , maintaining them, insuring them for driving and the calamities that can happen should something fall off, or you have the breakdowns or an accident. I know scores of people who have had those woes. I have had it myself with caravans, boats, building trailers the lot in last 40 yrs. I tow to the minimum now.

 

[Red'n'Black]

When I cleared out my parents' place, one of the many rusting bits of junk was a huge trailer with a steered front axle moved by the drawbar, forget the proper term for them now. Think it was ex MoD, huge balloon tyres, no brakes, definitely not road legal.

Anyway I dragged it out of the undergrowth with the MF35 ready for the scrap man to collect, then realised too late that I'd blocked the driveway with it.
I'm normally not too bad with trailers but I couldn't get this thing to reverse for love nor money, everything I tried just jacknifed it.

In the end I gave up, went and fetched the other MF35 and dragged it out of the way with a tow rope from the other end.

What my step dad wanted with the **** thing I'll never know, it never moved once he brought it home from the sale. He had a lot of stuff like that...

 

[redlig]

When I cleared out my parents' place, one of the many rusting bits of junk was a huge trailer with a steered front axle moved by the drawbar, forget the proper term for them now. Think it was ex MoD, huge balloon tyres, no brakes, definitely not road legal.

Anyway I dragged it out of the undergrowth with the MF35 ready for the scrap man to collect, then realised too late that I'd blocked the driveway with it.
I'm normally not too bad with trailers but I couldn't get this thing to reverse for love nor money, everything I tried just jacknifed it.

In the end I gave up, went and fetched the other MF35 and dragged it out of the way with a tow rope from the other end.

What my step dad wanted with the **** thing I'll never know, it never moved once he brought it home from the sale. He had a lot of stuff like that...

Don't we all.

 

[redlig]

I agree here. Though I stuggle to-reverse my hay trailer into the shed, just cant see, and only a few inches either side. So I lay a rope straight from the door frame. And just reverse parallel to that!

Provided you are really sure that there is clearance then you only need to see the offside 'gap '. Theoretically !

 

[MetalMonkey]

When I cleared out my parents' place, one of the many rusting bits of junk was a huge trailer with a steered front axle moved by the drawbar, forget the proper term for them now. Think it was ex MoD, huge balloon tyres, no brakes, definitely not road legal.

Anyway I dragged it out of the undergrowth with the MF35 ready for the scrap man to collect, then realised too late that I'd blocked the driveway with it.
I'm normally not too bad with trailers but I couldn't get this thing to reverse for love nor money, everything I tried just jacknifed it.

I used to have to shuffle and shunt a lot of those type of things around. Often with siezed on brakes for added fun.

Once you get good at reversing a trailer with a steering axle, reversing fixed axles is a doddle.

 

[Smouser]

I like having the sides on my trailer, especially for the type of things I transport (lots of smaller items). While I am aware everything should be strapped down, it is convenient placing some smaller heavy items in the trailer loose.

However, with the sides fitted, it is a real PITA to strap items down.

Here is an example of one of the loads I transported.

You can either try and get the straps underneath the side panels (which makes ratcheting difficult and getting the strap underneath the side panel in the first place) or you can strap over the sides (which then pulls on the side panels/bending the side panels).

The better solution in my mind was recessed tie down points.

I bought 20 tie down points from eBay. The ones I bought did not come with a backplate nor did they have drain holes.

I drilled some drainage holes in all the tie down points and I established that an 86mm hole saw was about the correct size to make the cutouts. I even had a 86mm hole saw

My happiness was short lived, the hole saw I had was a cheapy from years before and only suitable for wood. All the teeth stripped on the alloy plate before I even got one hole drilled/sawed.

I bought a Starret branded 86mm hole saw and off I went.

Unfortunately, I did not take any photos during installation but here is the finished article.

I installed 18 tie down points in total and all but the front centre two are fixed to the frame with at least 3 screws/bolts.

The screws/bolts that did not go into the frame have got big penny washers underneath the bed which should be plenty strong enough.

The next problem was ratchet straps everywhere in my pickup. A underside tool box/ratchet box seemed like a good idea.

I picked this up on eBay for £100 delivered.

Today it arrived and I quickly fitted it.

The box holds about 6 large/long straps. Arguably a bit overkill for my trailer/tie down points but that is what I have got.

Maybe I should have gotten two, one on each side....

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Been playing about with this stuff with good results over the last 6 months.

Wood Hardener Penetrating Epoxy

Smiths Epoxy Wood Hardener was designed for the harsh marine environment. You can achieve lasting repairs to exterior timber with it. Repair not replace.

www.makewoodgood.co.uk