Stake/ rack side ideas

[Wayne M.]

I have a open center, open car trailer that I’d like to make sides for, so I can use it to haul cargo. I’m thinking about 4’ in height. There are stake pockets going down the sides and across the front. They are spaced approx 20”. I’m looking for hardware ideas on joining sections and corners for easy removal and construction methods.
I’m thinking about 2X4 framing with a thin plywood or even luan inner wall. I’d put a few drop in cross braces for stability and some cleats to help lash down a tarp.
Has anyone done something like this either on a trailer, or pickup bed?
For the center, there are angle iron stringers and they’re set right for 2X8 planks to be even with the ramps. This I have figured out and it’ll be simple.
Thanks in advance for the tips n tricks.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Look for stake body brackets. They come in straight and corner styles and allow for quick removal of stake sections.

 

[TFucili]

What about rack body latches?

https://www.buyersproducts.com/product/straight-side-security-latch-set-750

 

[JR]

Wayne, all I can say is plywood is temporary at best. I did the exact same thing as you with 5/8 plywood and 2 x 4 frame for hauling gravel. Made the sides modular so that once everything sets in the stake pockets I'm only screwing the corners together. With the exception of the sides, those are long enough to require two sections per side. I lag them together with a 2 x 8 cut to the height of the side wall. It all works very satisfactory with the exception of the plywood warping and cupping all to heck. Ive probably got 3-4 years out of them and when not in use I store them in my green house, so they are not in the elements to speak but they do see sunlight and humidity.

If I can't find a dump trailer in my price range by next spring I'll probably end up building another set out of 2 x 6 or 8 boards and scrap the plywood. Even 5/4 board or something similar would be better than plywood.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

When I built sides for my car trailer I used some scrap metal I had laying around.

The frame is mostly 1.5" square tubing with some pipe. I added some stubbed 1.5 square tubing on the outside to fit into the stake pockets. Long enough that they stick below the pocket. The outside edge of the tube is drilled so a tractor linchpin fits to keep it from jumping out of the pocket on rough roads.

The sides goes full length, the front fits between the sides. 2 holes are drilled - one goes through both frames and I use a 5/16 bolt and washer to keep them together. One hole is drilled through the front upright of the side AND the trailer front header. Use another bolt to keep the sides from moving backwards.

The back end of the sides have tabs welded on and the back door has slots where the tabs go through - using linchpins to hold them on.

The frames have corrugated metal on the insides of them to keep the crap in (manure, stone, gravel, etc) Only built them 2' high cause I never needed more height.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but the trailer isn't home right now so....I'll do that later.

 

[Wayne M.]

Thanks Dan. Sounds like similar to what I have going over and over in my head. As of now, I have on paper, pressure treated 2x4 in the pockets, pinned like you suggest, Dan, and 2x4 longitudes, one on deck and another towards the top, and a sheet of T1-1-1 sanwiched held together by 1/4” carriage bolts. I will fab corner brackets and connector brackets from 1” aluminum flat bar. I like the idea of positively bolting the sections together.
I may as well include other work I’ll do on the trailer. This includes chassis maintenance since it’s been dormant for about 4 years. The rubber is original, so I took a chance at these Carlisle tires @ $65 per on amazon. Who’d a thunk of buying rubber on amazon?!

 

[Dan_69GTX]

I don't remember if they are the same as my tires, but I've gotten good service from the Carlisle radial tires on the car trailer. Now, it doesn't get many miles per year, but I use it several times a month - more lately as we are moving crap from one house to another.

If we were closer I'd say come get some metal for your sides (so I don't have to move it)...but oh well - guess I'll move it. I've go at least 40 sheets of 18-20' corrugated metal sitting in a pile. Hope it hasn't rusted too bad in the middle sheets - been sitting there for at least 10 years.

 

[Wayne M.]

Oh wow, if you were closer, I’d come get it!

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Well, when I move it, it will be 13 miles farther away!

 

[Wayne M.]

Well, when I move it, it will be 13 miles farther away!

Well I’m moving about 50 mi due west ASAP so I guess we are even

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Hmmm - depending on where you live, that would put you somewhere around Asbury or Glen Gardner NJ. Move a few more miles and get out of Jersey (too restrictive/liberal for me).

 

[Wayne M.]

VERY good, Dan. That’s about correct. Maybe a few seconds south also. The taxes are VERY high on that side of 78.

 

[TFucili]

The taxes are VERY high on that side of 78.

Yup, like in "near Earth orbit"

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Here are pics of the sides. If you notice that one tab for the back gate is bent over, that is because the side was in my way and I pushed it with the tractor, which of course bent the tab... oh well.

No pic of the back gate, that is sitting on the trailer, not at home.

For attaching the back gate....the tabs from the sides stick straight out (towards the back of the trailer). On the gate the bottom has a tab too (that sticks out to the back of the trailer, that lines up with the bottom tab on the side. Each has a hole that you line up to install the linchpin. The top of the gate has a tab that sticks out towards the side of the trailer (parallel with the back gate), which has a slot in it. Slide the slot over the tab on the side and put a linchpin through the hole in the tab. Looks like a lock hasp. This allows the back gate to pivot on the top. Handy when weight is pushing on the back gate.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Wow - high taxes I'm trying to avoid. I like VA, where I live reasonable taxes.
3 acres, single wide mobile home, garage and a few out buildings - $606/year
2 acres, double wide mobile home, 12x20 shop, shed, small grean house, $820/year
20 acres, 1600 sq ft home, 36x40 shop, 38x60 horse barn, 2 sheds, $2600/year or $1950/year if used for farming.