Wheel wells inside the TD

[Kody]

G'day guys,
I am designing my trailer frame for my new TD. The steel I will be using is 35mm x 65mm x 3mm Grade C350. I will be using "off the shelf" axle and hubs. However, we would like to build a little wider TD and make it 73" wide. This entails building an enclosure for the wheel wells on the edge of the cabin.
How do you guys seal and protect the timber paneling that forms the shroud around the wheel? It seems to me that this timber (ply) must cop an enormous beating from the stones and water that are flung off the wheel. Do you apply a super thick coat of "goo" or do you install a sheet metal guard or both? How do you maintain the integrity of the plywood? I will post the drawings of the frame when the drawings are completed.
Thanks for any info and help,
Kody

[mikeschn]

We used 1/2" plywood for the wheelwells.




Mike...

[NathanL]

I did what Mike did above with 3/8" MDO with the good/resin paper facing the wheel. I built mine on a harbor freight trailer and left the brackets that hold the factory fender on and put the top plywood piece for the wheelwell on it and screwed it to it.

[rowerwet]

I read of one guy who made his wheel wells from a plastic barrel he cut up, they cut easily with a circular saw and should be plenty tough.

[danlott]

I am making mine out of 1/8" plywood laminated together to make 1/2". I will then use fiberglass and epoxy on the roadside, followed by a coating of rubber undecoating. Here is a picture of my floor with the plywood fender wells.



Dan

[droid_ca]

my wheel wells are going to be on the inside as well I was going to make them out of wood to help keep the weight down and then use diluted epoxy after a few coats use a rio guard or rock guard spray and try for a fey coats of that should hopefully be all sealed tight and durable