I Need to put new wood on this trailer deck. Advice please.

I just use trailer floor screw. Drill a pilot hole and they are self tapping.

I personally prefer to remove the old wood, and just drill holes from the top, putting on one board at a time. But I'm lazy and not much for crawling around and doing a bunch of overhead drilling.

I have stumbled upon these. What do you think? Lowboy Flooring Deck Clip 50491025 TAL38DC Lowboy Flooring Deck Clip 50491025 TAL38DC is available at ILoca. Order online and have it shipped to you or visit us in-store! Call or click today. semitrailers.net

I think anything other than these, is just making time.

Lowboy at the office has the washer set ups, is over fifteen years old now, has had one deck replacement due to grouser or impact damage to the wood and rot from not removing mud. Steel has no damage from having screws driven threw it. I was impressed.

HarleyHappy said: I just use trailer floor screw. Drill a pilot hole and they are self tapping. Click to expand... I sold a trailer to a buddy with some box of screws he gave them back to me said he wanted to use carriage bolts . I need the screws now but were did I put them?

clydesdale6 said: Sorry to revive this old thread. But, I am finally putting wood on this trailer. I have re-read the thread and I am wondering if the method Dmiller mentioned in post 35 is the way to go. Can anyone comment and also, if it is, what grade and size hardware is suggested? Thank you. Click to expand... "The perfect is the enemy of the good" -Voltaire You already made a decision in post #16, three years ago, on what method you were going to use. Nothing was wrong with your decision, except your indecision to follow through. You could have had a usable trailer for the past three years. Worrying about the perfect cost you three years of opportunity. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but making a decision and following through on that decision is a critical part of success in all facets of our lives. I'm not perfect either, but I've learned to make a decision and follow through. Waffleing on an idea costs time and opportunity. Make a decision, follow through, learn from the experience. I'm better today than I was in the past, and I'll be better in the future, than I am today. In regards to trailers, I've done three decks in the past 5 years. I used white oak for the rot resistance, and 5/16" trailer deck screws to get it done. From tear off old decking to install new on the biggest trailer was only 8 hours. (20ton tag trailer, 24ft long) Having use of the trailer was more important than having a perfect system. All of the previous decks lasted 15 years +/- in a constant use farm environment, and in 15 years from now, I probably won't own the same trailers as our operation evolves and changes.

Colson04, I hear you. But, in this case, there is no issue. I did not loose any opportunity. I had no major need for the trailer and I had way more other important things to deal with. It is not used for business. Your situation sounds way different. The stuff I rely on gets addressed immediately. I will finally have a need for this trailer in the next 45 days and it is just to help a family member move something. I think the bearclaws may be the best way to do the washer method. Thanks.

I would sell the trailer you have, as is, since it's a lot of work to install the deck in your case. I would then look for a used trailer that fits your needs. I bought a used Hertz equipment trailer that I really love. The brand and model is Best Trailer Inc, model TB82x16T The decking is not wood! Not sure what the material, but they call it "Rubberized" on their web site. Super durable, but can be slippery when wet, but then wet moldy wood is also slippery. This is a 14 gvw tilt trailer. Image is of my trailer, with my lousy rattle can Bk spray over the yellow. But hey, no one will steel it.

Aluminum or galvanized steel decking with a rubber coating?

I have a friend with a wood mill. I am dropping it off at his house and he it making the white oak decking. Unfortunately, the suspension will need some work too, but I have already painted it, redone all the wiring. We finished the brake wiring yesterday. So......I plan to see this through. Thanks.

Those lowboy deck clips look good, if you could get them in heavy galvanized they would last several generations. I have a trailer to re-deck, might make a bunch of them.

Well, it took a while to finally get to this point. But, I picked up the 7.75 inch wide, 2 inch thick and 16ft long white oak boards. If you are in the CT area, I highly recommend E.R. Hinnman and Sons Saw Mill in CT. It was about an hour and 15 minute drive for me. The customer service was top notch, polite and the price was very fair. The whole experience was excellent. I highly recommend them!