trailer wood replacement

[rytre]

I"m putting new 2"x10"x 20'green treated on my trailer. What have you used for securing the wood to the metal support beams? any advice please. thanks very much, Marc

 

[wd45diesel man]

mine are held down with 1/4" bolts. screws will some times work lose because of the twisting of the trailer frame.

 

[ericlb]

i used grade 8, 1/4 x 2 3/4 bolts with 2 flat washers, and locknut on each bolt each board got 2 on each end and 1 on every crossmember in between lots of drilling but have had 0 problems

 

[rytre]

would you use a carriage bolt with flat washer and lock washer? would you use galvanized? thanks marc

 

[ScottyHOMeY]

I haven't used them, but I've admired a friend's trailer. He used 1/4 or 5/16 ribbed elevator bolts, also called reliance bolts. Wide pan head with ribs underneath to bite the wood to keep them from spinning. Some makers also put a slot in the head. There's also a fanged elevator bolt, with a head that resembles the fangs on a drywall molly that accomplishes the same thing. I'd take either of those over either a carriage bolt, or what's called a Norway elevator bolt which has the same square under the head as a carriage bolt. That square "underhead" won't hold the bolt when it comes time to tighten or remove it if your wood has shrunk or deteriorated any.

 

[Vernon in Ks]

Go to http://www.redneck-trailer.com/ and order the self tapping Torx head deck screws. You do have to drill a pilot hole, but it is quick and they dont back out. I use an impact gun to drive them and they work great.

 

[Oldmax]

I use 5/16 carrage bolts on ever other stringer.
On my 16' I just bolted in middle and back the front had a plate welded to hold board down.

 

[toolz]

Take a look at a semi trailer. Flat or box, they pretty much all use torx head self tapping deck screws. I've used them on all my trailers, and they are fast, easy, and never back out. Most guys use an impact gun, but you will tear up a few torx bits. I use a heavy duty 1/2" electric drill. You gotta hold on, but the bits will last a lot longer. I get the screws at a semi trailer shop. They don't cost much.

 

[keh]

I would not use carriage bolts. Someday the floor will need replacing, the nuts will be rusted, and the carriage bolt head will turn in the wood. The self tapping bolts sound better to me.

Be aware that the green wood will shrink as it dries and leave gaps between the boards, probably 3/4 inch gaps at a guess.

KEH

 

[Anonymous-0]

If using treated lumber you"ll have to make sure that the screws you use are compatible with the ACQ treatment on the lumber otherwise it"ll just eat through the screws

 

[Gchase24]

I put mine down with flat bar and capped the ends with a angle iron with carrage bolts. Keeps the boards from splitting.You can groove or dado the flat bar in so it will be flush with the top of the boards.