I found its cheaper to buy them, I think I paid about $15 each side for a set of tandem fenders from the local trailer store

 

Where are you shopping? I can't find them for less than $80 each.

but I've got the stock that I suggested on hand and it was given to me so if I build them the cost to me is just the cost of the consumambles.

 

I get them from Layton Truck http://laytontruck.com/lte/its a local company If I recall the fender backs were under 10 bucks each

 

I would assume this is a typical tandem lowboy with 12" high side rails?

I have seen quite a few built with a diamond plate about 3/32" thick. They all were built with 5 pieces with a 1" lip on the outside edge. They have a front and back vertical edge about 6-7" high and then a 45 degree piece front and back and then the top horizontal piece that covers both tires. The trailer side of the fender is a single piece that is welded all the way around and supports the fender as well as keeps debree from being thrown from the tires onto the load.

I am getting ready to flip my little tandem lowbow and replace the tongue with a heavier 4" channel. I will probably pull the fenders and replace them with the heavier duty diamond plate as well. Mine are bent up from removing sand/manure/gravel/ag lime using the front end loader. The grill guard on my tractor bends the stock fenders pretty quick.

 

Chuckhole, you can see my trailer build under the "Trailer Revamp" thread. The walls are removable and the fenders sit approximately 7"-8" above the deck. I think I'm going to raise them up just a bit more to maybe 9" above the deck at the top of the fender just to give the tires a little more space while the trailer is fully loaded. The height difference can be fixed with just a 4x4 on the deck for loading/unloading the ATV. though that might not even be needed because the ATV is 4wd.

 

I read through the Trailer Revamp thread. I think that trailer started life not as a camper (no jack plates) but as a covered box trailer. Nice rework of the deck.

I am not at all crazy about the way the tongue was designed. I would replace that with a wrap tongue that uses 4" channel and attached UNDER the bed frame and goes all the way back to the sides and then along the bottom of the sides to the front shackle on the axles. I have come to despise the use of angle for the tongue on tandem lowboys. That is why mine (with a slight bend skyward) is slated for a replacement.

Not at all suprised it was bent up with 4 yards of wet sand. Dry sand is about 2200 lbs per yard and wet is about 2500 lbs per yard. My previous truck was sooooooo weak, it couldn't tow it's own shadow.

The axles look like they might be 3500's. You can tell by counting the springs and comparing that to other 3.5k axles. At least they are electric (front axle?) brake. But the hitch looks like a 2" and that is rated at 5,000 lbs anyway.

 

I build my own out of 10 ga. treadplate, 12" wide use the press brake to bend it at the ends

Nice and strong!

 

Ive used 12'' Jr. channel

 

This. Sturdy enough to put ratchet straps to but not too heavy.

 

If you're talking about my trailer, the axles are 3500 lb, and brakes on both. I agree with the tongue change, but that's not a priority at this point. The tongue on mine is boxed channel. not angle. when I do do the tongue it will be 4" or 5" channel. wrapped. but again, not a priority at this point. The Fenders are more so because they will need tobe driven over soon. with summer coming and another ATV being added to the mix in the next month or so, and a third at the end of the year.

 

how about removable fenders so you can drive over the tires instead of the fenders?

 

thats an option. and it wouldn't take much to do that with what I have, but like I said, what I have is pretty beat up and I think I just want something perminant (less hassel when loading/offloading). I will not ever need to drive over them with anything but the ATV's so it's not really worth the hassel to me. as it stands I'm going to end up having to trade up in the next 3 yrs or so to make room for all the ATV's we're going to need so just something that looks decent is enough.

 

I have built them before without a press brake. Take 11ga sheet, layout your bend lines, and score about 1/2 way through with a death wheel. Bend and fit then weld the score lines. Not the quickest or easiest route but it gets the job done.

 

I built a new utility trailer last year and I always build my own fenders. Kind of did an experiment with these. Built them out of 12ga diamond plate. Cut the inner panels to size and then fit one fender to it without pre bending or rolling. Yeah it is a little work. I rolled the other one in my plate roller and fit to the panel. Of course just rolled the ends as the middle is flat. They came out exactly the same and now even I can't tell which was which. I only did that to show a kid that was helping me that you don't have to have a lot of equipment to make stuff.

 

well, my usual supplier doesn't carry Junior Channel. and infact looked at me funny when I asked for it. and suggested that they have 1" and 1.5"x1/2"

 

Really, I've bought a lot of it over the years. In different sizes from 8-12

 

I know my earlier description of what I was trying to say about the fender was not that good so I did a drawing (attached). I am going to build my next trailer this way with diamond plate. The inside panel and outside lips strengthen them such that I was able to drive my Kubota RTV 900 on them. You can't have too many trailers.

 

http://www.metalworldinc.com/structural steel junior channel.htm

 

Thanks millwright, I'm not set up for mail order. I'm sure I can find somewhere semi locally that can get it. It's just my local supplier that I usually go to (more of a hardware store than a metal supply store but they carry full lengths) doesn't carry it.I'll be checking around more. and may even be able to find a place closer to home.

 

Chuck, that's the shape I'm looking for, but will more than likely forgo the back plate as I've got post holes and tie down points that are inside the fender area. Nothing that would interfear with the tires, but there none the less, so closing in the back of the fenders wouldn't be what I'd want. I need to find some prices on Jr Channel before I commit to anything. but right now I'm leaning towards the 2"x2"x1/8" angle with sheet metal over it and support in the middle. Just because I have that and it wouldn't cost me anything.

 

I posted the link to give you an idea what it looks like

 

Our local welding shop slices .120 rectangular tubing (2x10 I think) in half and then notches the 1in "flanges" and bends the ends down. Seems to work pretty well.

 

Chehalis Steel would have it.

 

Thanks Raptor. thats about an hour and a half from home for me. I'm going to see if I can't find any place that's closer that carries it, but I'll try them if I can't find anywhere closer.