How many bolts are needed to hold the TD to the trailer?

[Leon]

Mine is six 3/8 carriage bolts with fender washers and nylocks bolted to tabs welded on the frame similar to bledsoe3's. except they are in corners to act as gussets.

[diverguy]

i used the red HF trailer and well i probably went overboard. i used 20 bolts. 4 on each joist. regular hex bolts counter sunk to flush and 1" washers on each one. the camper is not comming off the trailer.. the walls and top may rip loose but the floor will still be there.

[madjack]

...we used 8 of these , they are 1/4" trailer bed screw and went thru the sides into the steel frame...and yes John, madjack has driven a few Macks...
madjack

[elmo]

...we used 8 of these , they are 1/4" trailer bed screw and went thru the sides into the steel frame...and yes John, madjack has driven a few Macks...
madjack

Madjack is that a self tapper?

[critter]

Hey All,
I used 8 3/8 bolts to hold the box on the trl....But i like to pick mine up by the roof rack and shake the dust out of it once in a while

[madjack]

...we used 8 of these , they are 1/4" trailer bed screw and went thru the sides into the steel frame...and yes John, madjack has driven a few Macks...
madjack

Madjack is that a self tapper?

...yes they are http://www.tjtrailers.com/store/rivets-screws.html
they are commonly used to secure the decking of utilty trailers and should be available from any place that sells/builds utility trailers...once again, we got them from our local RedNeck Trailer Parts distributor....
madjack

[reiltear]

Madjack, did you use Loctite or nylocks to keep these screws from coming out? Are the screws accessible for an occasional retightening?

Thanks, Ilya

[Keith B]

These are the screws I've used...trust me...they are good and they are strong. They have two bits on them prior to the threads...one is for drilling through the wood to create a pilot hole...as soon as they hit steel, two little tits break off and the second driller is exposed to go through and thread into the steel and once that happens they SINK. The key is to not put them in a 2000RPM or you'll burn the end and it wont "drill", and they do require a little downward pressure (provided by your very own arms). Personally, I have NEVER broken a new one in half..only old ones that I've "tried" to remove... and I've plowed 'em through 1/4" steel. Those are all that holds the floor down on all our wheat trucks, which each hold about 22,000 pounds...but, be prepared, as they're going to be about $1 a piece. I've also used them to screw 2x4s to steel post for fencing...you can find them at ACE if you don't have a trailer shop and you should have 3/4-1" of threads going through and past your steal. I recommend getting them prime coated or hit the bottoms with some spray paint after you've installed.


Winged Self-Drilling Screws for Decking Applications (Mezzanine Floors)
The screws are designed to drill a clearance hole in the timber and then self drill and tap into the steel. The wings on the drill point ream out the clearance hole in the timber but break off once they hit the steel, allowing the screw to drill the exact hole diameter for the tapping operation.http://www.aspltd.co.uk/floor-screws.php

[angib]

The small fiberglass trailer guys talk about having between 4 and 12 bolts holding their FG bodies to the trailer frame and many of those being rusty. No-one has ever mentioned a body coming off. I think a teardrop needs only a few bolts.

I understand Tony's concern about holding the body on in an accident, but I doubt the body is strong enough (unless it's stuck together with epoxy) - I think lots of bolts might just mean that Tony's vehicle gets hit by the complete teardrop body, but minus the floor, which is still attached to the frame.

But putting more bolts in can't do any harm that I can see.

Andrew

[madjack]

...the screws I showed are self tapping...not self drilling, they require a 7/32 pilot hole to be drilled first...we did put some locktite on them...they are located behind the al skin and there is no access to them...also no place for them to back up too....
madjack

[reiltear]

Thanks Madjack!

You just killed two birds with one stone for me. Boy, am I glad I asked. You gave me another idea and solved one of my problems!

[critter]

Hey Reiltear,
Just a thought ,I wanted my bolts where I could get to them.Im thinking maybe when I get done with #1 I can build #2 minus all the screw ups and put on frame of #1. I dont know maybe you dont screw up like me but I know how to do it right now cause Ive done it all wrong so far