Trailer d-rings

[JonB]

I picked up some weld-on d-rings for my open auto trailer today.

I'll be using four of them, and tying down a roughly 3500lbs car for the most part.

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions/warnings that I should know about before I start working on getting them welded to the trailer?

When I get home I'll post some pictures of the rings, trailer, and approximate mounting locations.

The trailer appears to be constructed of primarily 3/16" thick angle and the retaining bosses for the rings are somewhere between 1/4" and 3/8" thick.

I'm planning on using my PM200. Since I'll be working outside in the driveway, should I step up to some .045 flux core wire, or will my usual .035/C25 setup work ok assuming I can rig up some sort of wind shield? Or possibly a shielded + flux core setup?

I will have an experienced welder on hand during the work--this isn't the type of thing I want to take any chances with.

[Shade Tree Welder]

Plain flux core should work fine with your machine 0.045 is a good choice. Remember when running straight FC to switch your polarity to Straight (electrode negative). Since FC wire is pricey you may want to wait until a calm day and crank up the 75/25 mix to 30-40 cfh. Your call.

As far as location on the trailer. Just keep in mind you should not across structural members alway run you weld parallel to the long axis of a structural member.

Welding across a structural member will induce a stress riser and may result in failure of the member.

[Franz]

I weld outside all the time with gas, and unless the wind is really blowing, it isn't a problem.
Damn, I never knew people buy D rings, all these years I been makin em out of burned off U bolts and angle iron.

[JonB]

Originally posted by Franz
Damn, I never knew people buy D rings, all these years I been makin em out of burned off U bolts and angle iron.

I'm one of those young'uns that never builds anything he can buy. :D

Well, not really but I haven't really lived long enough to establish much of a scrap pile!

Anyway, it's raining so pictures of the trailer will have to wait until tomorrow morning.

[Sberry]

Thats "stock pile"

[Sberry]

I buy that stuff when I can anymore if its available, priced right and can get it when I need it. I spent my time building crap I could buy cheaper. Some stuff you cant get what you want or is priced higher than the wages to build is different. I try to plan ahead and have delivered from jobber or order or pickup when we are flying by. I have generally found it proffitable to reman trucks as my uses is seasonal and limited but if they were on the road 40 or 50 hrs a week with paid drivers in them I would buy new.

[Shade Tree Welder]

One man's scrap pile, anothers stock pile, I see it as profit.

[JonB]

The promised pictures!

First, the d-rings. Despite the labeling, they sure don't seem to be made out of porcelain! ;)

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20001.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20002.jpg

[JonB]

Proposed location of the rear d-rings. My only issue here is that I'm going to have to put them where the tires on my "race" car will roll over them, otherwise I won't be able to get the thing on the trailer!

Another option would be to put them all the way outboard, but I think I may run into issues with the straps hitting the tires on the car if I do that.

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20003.jpg

Closeup showing the relatively thin material the trailer is made out of:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20005.jpg

And the backside:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20006.jpg

[JonB]

Proposed location of the front d-rings. I'll be mounting them a little higher than this since I'll need the room to get the MIG gun in there. I'm hoping once I pull the wood decking out I'll have enough room. If not I may need to notch the thin strap of metal (it's only purpose appears to be holding down the decking) for clearance and then weld the piece back in.

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20007.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20008.jpg

[JonB]

And as a bonus, a repair job I made for myself this weekend:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20010.jpg

That's what happens when you try to knock down a fence with the trailer :blush2:. I'd say it was a draw (the fence was pretty fubar as well).

The impact was hard enough that it cracked the welds:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20011.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20012.jpg

And flaked the paint off the back of the angle:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20013.jpg

My plan for the repair is to heat up the backside where it's buckled (once I get the decking out and the light removed) and use a comealong on the "ear" to pull everything back into alignment. Then I'll grind out the cracked welds and re-weld.

[JonB]

After looking at all of these pictures more closely it seems that the thin metal strip at the front of the trailer is going to need to come out to get the decking off anyway.

I'm not at all familiar with trailer construction--the decking is held down with 3 rows of torx bolts as well as being captured at the front and rear.

Any ideas? I don't mind cutting/grinding the short weld beads off to get that strip of metal out at all if it gives me better access for welding the bottom of the front d-rings.

[JonB]

Well, my wife and I got the ear fixed and the d-rings installed tonight.

First, the turn signal ear:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20014.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20015.jpg

I just *cannot* get the hang of vertical position welding. This lovely pile of metal was done in vertical up:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20016.jpg

It's not a structural weld so I'm not horribly worried about it, but if anyone can give me some pointers I'll go grind the thing back out and give it another shot.

[JonB]

Next, the d-rings. These turned out very well IMO:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20017.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20018.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20019.jpg

And a picture of the trailer with all the decking off:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/trailer/Trailer%20020.jpg

I also discovered that the trailer company never bothered to hook up the wires for the driver's side trailer brakes! :eek:

I'm going to spend some time this weekend re-wiring the entire trailer. The stuff on there now is just a mess of crap wire and scotchlocks.

[Franz]

Porcelain, RIGHT, they have China stamped right into them, and porcelain is china, right? Certainly speaks well of the writer who did the catelog description.

Let me start with a little suggestion, put some angle from the frame to the light tabs, in a fashion that will allow the angles to act as skid bars when you shortcut a turn. You'll get to replace a lot less trailer lights.
As far as the D rings, WHY do they need to be on top of the deck?
While they might interfere with the ramps on the back, I'd definitely have the front ones on the front of the trailer, not on the deck.
The way those boards are installed will give you a nightmare putting them back in place. The nose and tail strips were welded down over green lumber, probably, and when you cut one loose, that decking usually corkscrews all over. They are built that way to cut costs for the builder. Generally, it requires a hydraulic clamp to get the decking back on.

[JonB]

Originally posted by Franz
Let me start with a little suggestion, put some angle from the frame to the light tabs, in a fashion that will allow the angles to act as skid bars when you shortcut a turn. You'll get to replace a lot less trailer lights.

Not a bad idea. A better idea would be for me to start making it into the driveway instead of smacking into the decorative fence. :D :D

Originally posted by Franz
As far as the D rings, WHY do they need to be on top of the deck? While they might interfere with the ramps on the back, I'd definitely have the front ones on the front of the trailer, not on the deck.

No particular reason--it just seemed like the easiest place to put them. We ended up putting the rear d-rings all the way outboard where I don't think they'll end up interfering with anything.

Originally posted by Franz
The way those boards are installed will give you a nightmare putting them back in place. The nose and tail strips were welded down over green lumber, probably, and when you cut one loose, that decking usually corkscrews all over. They are built that way to cut costs for the builder. Generally, it requires a hydraulic clamp to get the decking back on.

Actually, we got the decking back on with only minimal fuss. A couple heavy deadblow hammers and an impact wrench for the decking bolts and it only took about 30 minutes to get everything back together.

Now--getting the decking OFF was a different story! My wife spent about an hour trying to get a cutoff wheel in the corner to cut the welds out before we broke down and brought out the torch. I'm thinking of welding some tabs and bolting down a piece of flat steel instead of welding one back so when I eventually go to replace the decking it's not such a major hassle.

[atucker]

Originally posted by JonB
I'm thinking of welding some tabs and bolting down a piece of flat steel instead of welding one back so when I eventually go to replace the decking it's not such a major hassle.
That's how my "store bought" trailer was done. The front strip is welded and the rear one is simply screwed down through the decking and into the angle frame with the same Torx bolts that are used to hold the rest of the deck down.

Allen T.

[JonB]

Well, they work! Just drove 1400 miles to Waxahachie, TX to attend the Pontiac Southern Nationals this weekend. I'm posting this from my hotel.

Some pics of the car on the trailer:

http://www.offline.org/~burch/psn2004/001.jpg

http://www.offline.org/~burch/psn2004/002.jpg

[rshelton]

Good Job! Thanks for the update!

[Hickey]

Looking good. I meant the car, your trailer is kinda ugly;) :D

[JonB]

Thanks guys. We made it back to San Diego ok as well, for a total of 2800 miles of hauling. In August we'll be doing an even longer haul to a race in Norwalk, OH (east of Cleveland).

In preparation for that haul I'm going to be building some sort of toolbox and a tire rack for the trailer so we have more room in the bed of the pickup. I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get around to it (probably some time in late June or so).

[Antman]

Only thing I don't agree on is the way you have it tied down in the front. I'd have crossed the tiedowns. Also I think you can find better tiedowns here http://www.talcospecialties.com/web18.htm

I need to put some more "D" rings on my trailer too. Thanks for the info on yours.

C U :D