STEEL SIDED FLAT BED TRAILERS

[bobhenry]

There has been some talk on how to attach the sides to the floor of a steel sided flat bed trailer here is my attack.



Here is what I started with !



Here is where I am going !

Note all the front rails are gone all I left was the wheel area and the little rear stub to reinforce the rear door area!

Here is a fuzzy pic of the attachment but I think it shows how I bolted thru the "v" left after cutting the rails to the floor.

[kennyrayandersen]

what's up with that warping on the lower rail? Is that an optical illusion?

The siding is what gives that whole wall stiffness -- when it's gone, so is the strength... just saying

[planovet]

what's up with that warping on the lower rail? Is that an optical illusion?

I was thinking the same thing

[McBrew]

Wow... that looks like a big barn to tow behind that xB... or did you have another tow vehicle in mind? I'm all about towing things with small cars -- got a Scion xD myself... but what did those 1st gen xB's have... 106 hp and about zero torque? You probably won't have much of a top speed with that sail behind you... but that's just my guess.

[bobhenry]

Wow... that looks like a big barn to tow behind that xB... or did you have another tow vehicle in mind? I'm all about towing things with small cars -- got a Scion xD myself... but what did those 1st gen xB's have... 106 hp and about zero torque? You probably won't have much of a top speed with that sail behind you... but that's just my guess.

It's as aerodynamic as a barn

[bobhenry]

what's up with that warping on the lower rail? Is that an optical illusion?

The siding is what gives that whole wall stiffness -- when it's gone, so is the strength... just saying

Ol' whats her name can do some strange things with a camera !

It really is straight believe me actually for being built in place on the trailer it is one of the truest barns I have built.



HERE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE ! No it is not really that crooked it's just ol what's her names photographic talent. I dug this one out of the recycle bin on the computer it was going out with the trash .

[bobhenry]

The siding is what gives that whole wall stiffness -- when it's gone, so is the strength... just saying

I will beg to differ with you on that point Kenny after the let in wind bracing was all in place (all glued and screwed)and the end posts at the open end was bolted to that little stub at the rear there was NO give in this frame ANYWHERE and this was without a single sheet of flat stock yet applied. This was by design because had it not been rock solid I was prepared to triangulate the wood frameing even further. The siding is now glued and nailed with 2" finish pneumatic nails and the roof sheating is glued and nailed also. I will be going back and screwing down the roof decking also.
The wind pressure at 60 to 70 mph on this flat nosed monster will create strange loads on the frame and I wanted it to be prepared to take it. The wall cavities will be fit with 3 layers of 3/4 blue foam and believe it or not the foam stuffed in each of those little 14 1/2 by 2'3" stud bays will further add strength against racking. It will also be paneled inside ( glued and finish nailed) which will, as you have said , add yet more strength.





In this last pic the let in wind bracing had yet to be installed on the drivers side. It is now in! What I wanted to show was the front wind bracing!