Squaring up a HF Trailer

[markhusbands]

So I went to dry fit my solid 3/4 sidewalls, and I found that one fit just perfect along my dowel-mounted cleat, and the other stuck up practically an inch on the galley end, sending me into an instant uncontrollable rage! (just kidding).

So I stacked the sidewalls and indeed, the factory edge on one of my nice sheets of plywood had some rocker to it. Router time! Now the walls had identical, presumably straight base edges. Back on the trailer - still had a 1/2 inch gap back there in the galley, where I plan to be cooking and drinking beer and not tolerating substandard conditions.

So I placed some other presumably straight materials along the sidewall and it did seem like that corner of the trailer just drooped a little bit behind the wheel. So I jacked it up (in the automotive, not the LAPD sense). Still didn't seem quite flat. So I jacked up the other corner on the same side. Now it seems sort of flat.

So I still haven't made it back to dryfit the walls. Do I lower it off the jacks and see if that corner unslumps itself? Do I attach the slumpside wall first, and hope that the nonslumpside wall doesn't have a new orientation? Do I try the nonslumpside wall first and then lower the jacks and....the trailer didn't come with instructions for this step.

[KCStudly]

Sight along the side rail like you are aiming a gun (or bow and arrow, if you prefer). Your eye can tell you a lot. If in doubt string a string line to check for straight. You can also string across diagonals, but that is not as important as the frame doesn't have much strength in this direction. The cabin should be stiffer than the frame and should "win" when attaching.

Is it a bolted trailer? If so you may need to loosen some of the bolts and refasten with it jacked up straight. You could also clamp a straight piece of angle iron, tube of lumber under it to hold it flat while you secure the bolts and attach the walls.

A four foot level wouldn't hurt. Shim up all four corners and any mid span joints with everything level before you tighten all of the bolts (assuming yours is a bolted frame).

Consider building the cabin by itself so that you can make it square, then when you attach it to the trailer frame it will have the strength to pull the frame square to it. Also easier to flip the cabin around to do finish work, etc., before attaching it to the frame.

Just some thoughts.

[markhusbands]

It is bolt together. I think I'll sight it up, and if I can get the squirrelly side leveled enough to attach the side, I am going to assume that will be stable enough to get the other side and the bulkhead in order before anything goes out of alignment.

[markhusbands]

I beat it into conformance with jackets and mallets, got the walls and bulkheads installed, and it is all square.

[KCStudly]

Good!

[Rolly]

All concrete floors are not perfectly level. Check to see if one spot is high or low. You can make a water level for a few bucks worth of clear plastic tubing.

Rolly