# Building Sides For Flatbed Trailer



## CJ999

I have had the flatbed trailer pictured below for a while and I always intended to build sides for it but never got around to it. Yesterday morning a friend called to tell me he had a big oak come down on his property over the weekend. He wanted to know how soon I could come and get it! I am all about free firewood, but he lives quite a distance. So the price of fuel and time involved in doing laps from his place to ours makes building the sidewalls imperative!

The trailer is 18 feet long by 7 feet wide. My plan is to use 2x4's, plywood, and carriage bolts. 1. What thickness plywood should I use? 2. Do I need a bottom rail of 2x4's in the position where I have layed the 2x4 in the picture? (Might be hard to see on the left side of the trailer)

Suggestions for fastening the corners are appreciated! Suggestions for alternative methods of construction are also appreciated! (I was thinking welded-wire hog panels might work well, and offer some advantages, but I don't have a clear picture in my mind of how the whole thing would go together and I need to get it done.)










Thanks
CJ


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## PDX_Doug

CJ,

It looks like you have stake side brackets already on the perimeter of the trailer, so that will make things easier. I think, myself, I would forgo the plywood and just use three 2x4 rails. One on the bottom as you have indicated, and two more at about 14" and 28". maybe even use a 2x6 on the bottom. I would also add at least one diagonal brace per side to stiffen it all up.

Carriage bolts are a good idea. Probably at least 1/2" dia. If the stake brackets are snug enough, you really should not have to tie the side together. I would just wrap some bungee cords around the corner posts, to make for quick removal.

Be sure to let us know what you come up with!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## akdream

I too would consider the 2x4 or 2x6 rails. It would cut down on drag on the trailer. For the corners how about using 'L' brackets with wing nuts. They would provide overall stability and support but be easy to remove. You could also install tie down hooks to the 2x4's or 2x6's easier than to plywood. Send pics when you get it worked out, I have been looking into a trailer similar to yours for our various toys.


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## Thor

I would go the 2x6 route as well. If you are a good welder, choose metal or steel.

PS - Nice trailer









Thor


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## HootBob

Since you have the stakes brackets I would use 2X4 starting from the bed of the trailer 
and spaced evenly and cover it with 1/2 or 5/8 plywood and bolt the corners together
That should do it

Don


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## tdvffjohn

All that work and you need it right away. Can you just rent a dump from Home Depot for the day??

I was always going to try to put sides on my car trailer too and never did.

John


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## biga

From experience, use 2x for the rails not plywood. If it is going to stay outside, use treated lumber. 3/8" carriage bolts should work fine. 2 per rail on each post. Use a washer and locking nut. You can get corner brackets so the corners will lock together, but they may be hard to find on short notice. I would use bungies for the short term.


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## nascarcamper

I used 5/4 decking for the rails on mine and bolted them to 2 x 4 for the stake pockets. It's all treated and is now about 5 years old and in good shape. Easy to remove too.


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## CJ999

Thor said:


> I would go the 2x6 route as well. If you are a good welder, choose metal or steel.
> [snapback]126058[/snapback]​


If I was a good welder, I would be done!









Thanks for the suggestions so far. More are welcome!


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## Thor

CJ999 said:


> Thor said:
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> I would go the 2x6 route as well.Â If you are a good welder,Â choose metal or steel.
> [snapback]126058[/snapback]​
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Click to expand...

Good Point







- LOL









Another dumb question - Snowmobiles in California









Thor


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## biga

Thor said:


> Another dumb question - Snowmobiles in California
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> [snapback]126386[/snapback]​


Elvis had a "grassmobile" in Memphis.


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## CJ999

It usually snows at our house a couple times per year... never enough to ride on from home but I can easily tow them to several great riding areas within one hour of our house.

The real conundrum of owning snowmobiles in California is wondering how much longer there will be any areas left too ride... more and more areas are being declared off limits for "environmental" reasons, and I don't think the new crotch rocket mountain sleds being designed and sold now are helping the cause. It used to be a family outing type of thing but more and more it is becoming a bunch of morons with no previous experience on the snow trying to kill themselves, and often succeeding. My feeling that the entire sport is doomed in California has kept me from investing in newer sleds... Anyway, I digress...

The father in law went to the home store today while I was at work and got a bunch of 2x6 and 2x4. We are going to do rails, 2x4 struts with a 2x6 bottom rail and 2x4 intermediate rails. Carriage bolts at the intersections. Now for the corner fasteners... ????


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## nascarcamper

CJ999 said:


> It usually snows at our house a couple times per year... never enough to ride on from home but I can easily tow them to several great riding areas within one hour of our house.
> 
> The real conundrum of owning snowmobiles in California is wondering how much longer there will be any areas left too ride... more and more areas are being declared off limits for "environmental" reasons, and I don't think the new crotch rocket mountain sleds being designed and sold now are helping the cause. It used to be a family outing type of thing but more and more it is becoming a bunch of morons with no previous experience on the snow trying to kill themselves, and often succeeding. My feeling that the entire sport is doomed in California has kept me from investing in newer sleds... Anyway, I digress...
> 
> The father in law went to the home store today while I was at work and got a bunch of 2x6 and 2x4. We are going to do rails, 2x4 struts with a 2x6 bottom rail and 2x4 intermediate rails. Carriage bolts at the intersections. Now for the corner fasteners... ????
> [snapback]126690[/snapback]​


Most hardware stores have heavy duty L brackets that you can bolt or screw on the inside. For some reason they seem to hold better on the inside with past trailers I've owned. Bolting all the way through seems much stronger but I have gotten by with the screws. My current trailer I didn't even connect the corners and have had no problems with it.


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## CJ999

Lucky Me! My father-in-law loves free firewood too! He went to the lumber store yesterday and got nearly all the lumber, then tonight when I got home from work he was underway building sides for the trailer. The lumber he bought wasn't pressure treated, but beggars can't be choosers when you consider he hasn't presented me with the bill for it yet!

Here are some under construction photos. We came up short a large number of carriage bolts and a small number of 2x4's since we under estimated the number of horizontal rails we would use. The top rail still needs to be added. For reference the verticals extend 37 inches above the trailer deck and the horizontals have 7 inches of free space between them. The bottom rail is 2x6.



















By accident, this would adapt incredibly easily to the welded wire hog panels I mentioned in my first post. Those of you who aren't country bumpkins might recognize what I am talking about from the use of a common cousin in concrete. The panels look like this one left of the gate and they come in convienent 16' long sections, which is what we made the side panels:


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## HootBob

Nice job CJ looks great








That should do the job

Don


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## tdvffjohn

Looks great.

The pressure treated would probably not be worth the higher cost. The only problem is now more people will want to borrow it.

John


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## PDX_Doug

That's looking great, CJ.









I think I would opt for a high quality marine varnish on what you have, over P.T. lumber in this sort of application.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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