Flatbed Trailer Sides

[stg2500]

I have a 18' flatbed trailer that I would like to add sides to to increase its uses. The sides would need to be strong and easily removable. What would you suggest they be built with. The trailer has stake pockets along the sides and back with a square tube rail in the front. I was thinking of either plywood or 1 x 6 decking attached to stakes. Any suggestions?

 

[Ray Torresdal]

trailer sides

Find a local trucking company with flats or drop decks. See if they have any old "side kits" for sale. Use the aluminum stakes in the pockets, and then buy your own plywood for the sides. I bought the side kit, bows, good used tarp, and a couple light chains and binders for $200 for my 20' gooseneck. I like the setup a lot, although it pulls like an anchor with the sidekit and tarped load! If your trailer is 8' instead of 102" the sidekit won't pull as hard.



Ray

 

[stg2500]

Other thanpurchasing used stakes are their any suppliers that they can be purchased from new? I did a search last night but did not come up with a lot of information. The used idea may be the best way to go.

 

[Ray Torresdal]

side kits

I don't know off hand who supplies the stakes new for side kits. Find a heavy truck dealer, or someone who sells semi trailers. I could name half a dozen sources locally, but we're a long drive for you! I'll be talking to the folks I bought mine from, perhaps they will know where to find them new. Ray

 

[Okie-Go]

I built mine. I used treated 2x12's. I have a 4" space between them which gives me about 28" high. I have them in 10' sections to remove and put back on. For a tailgate I did the same pattern and it just slides inbetween two 2x4's to keep from going backwards or forwards. Lumber and galvanized bolts about 180. 00 Trailer is 20' long and 82" wide.

 

[stg2500]

Okie-Go,



I wasalso considering the treated 2 x12's, but was concerned about the weight. Are the 10' sections too heavy too move around? I would be taking them off quite a bit and don't want to have to around up a crane to remove them.

 

[Okie-Go]

They are not light but I wouldn't call them heavy either. In the 10 ft sections there is the 2 2x12's with two 2x4's that go in the stake pockets. I can put mine in and out by my self. My trailer also has the pipe rail so I just lean them up and they slide right in. Make sure they are straight and you can trim the bottom of the 2x4 which will actually be your stake. Mine are stout enough I can stack wood to the top and have had no problems so far. I left the wood the natural color so I wouldn't have to be touching up the paint.

 

[Loren]

I built mine too. I have a 16' Corn Pro flatbed. The stake pockets are arranged so that there are pairs close together in spots. It was obviously meant for the side sections to meet at these spots.



I used some lumber I had on hand. The stakes are mostly oak, and will hold substantial loads, like logs. I put a 2x2 along the bottom. This acts as a stop to prevent the stake from dropping too far into the pocket.



I then spaced 2x4's and/or 2x6's every so often up the stakes until I got the height I wanted. On my trailer, there are three rails with about 4" between each rail. This gives sides about 28 to 30" tall. (I don't want to go measure it in the shed. )



The longest, and heaviest, section extends over the fenders. It's about 6' long. The others are all about 3-4' long. None are very light, but one old guy (me) can lift each one alone.



I wanted to use proper stake-side hardware, but I couldn't find any. Instead I connected the sections with hinges. I bought galvanized (or maybe cadmium plated) gate hinges and ground the swage off one end of the hinge pin. I replaced the hinge pin with a bolt. Each bolt had a hole drilled through it at the end where I inserted a spring hitch pin to prevent the bolt from rattling out of the hinge. The problem with this arrangement is that in order to remove a section without starting at one end, you have to slide each section sideways so that the hinge pin holes are out of alignment. Otherwise, the hinges will catch on each other and prevent lifting the section.



Two things I recommend if you make your own. First, label each section so that you will put it back where it came from. They will be easier to install if you have labels.



Second, be sure not to fit the stakes too tightly to the stake holes. I didn't want mine to rattle, so I made them tight on purpose. I found out later that they were very difficult to remove, and the hinge overlap was also a problem. Some work with a belt sander took care of that, but it would have been better to do it right the first time.



Good luck.



Loren

 

[illflem]

I built mine out of the channeled aluminum floor of a enclosed semi trailer with oak stakes from old pallets. Picked up the flooring from the local Alcoa aluminum recycling plant for 3¢/lb. These sides are about as strong and light as you can get.

 

[stg2500]

Illfem,



That sounds like a good solution. To bad there aren't any Alcoa plants nearby. probably will look into using plywood.