Thread: can this rusty old trailer be salvaged?

Tut, tut...
The perils of buying off ebay.

The two things that will determine whether it's worth fixing are; How much you paid for it, and how much work you can do yourself.

For me, fixing that is a "no-brainer", but it would require a fair bit of labour, and would be worth more than a new trailer if you were to pay someone to fix it.

My concern would be fixing it properly too. The last thing I want as a fellow road user, is a fully loaded trailer heading towards me and my family at 100km/h, minus its drawbar.

I would remove the floor completely, and see what other rust is in the chassis. If the rest of the sheetmetal is OK, you could make a new chassis, and use the old axle, springs, sides, guards, tailgates and coupling, and put a new floor in.
If the picture you show is the only major damage, you could just replace that one side rail, and then the floor.

I'd also have a serious look at how well the trailer is tracking now (including backing) and test how it balances when unhitched with a load.

'Cos if you do need/decide to rebuild the chassis, this'd be the best time to make any changes to axle positioning and rebuild it better than the original.

If that is the state of the floor and frame, what are the springs and axle like? Hope you didn't pay too much for it.

I have a 6x4 with 1200 removeable sides and canopy for sale for $150 at the moment, it may need tyres and a new floor, but at least it is not as bad as that one.

[quote=Yonnee;868354]Tut, tut...

The two things that determine whether it's worth fixing:
1. too much.. I paid 360 (once paypal generously gave an xmas discount). (link if ur interested) There were plenty cheaper in the trading post, but by the time u call up 2 hrs after its been published about 20 000 people have already called before you. It did however come with some nice wheels + a spare + a jockey wheel + rego...

2. Fixing would require all of my brain cells. The most welding i've done is behind my computer watching youtube how-to videos over the last few days. However I am not scared to tinker..buying equipment would be out of the question though so hiring equipment or someones services would be my only 2 options. Maybe bunnings leases stuff.... That option sounds like alot of reading.

I'm thinking of ripping up the floor as you say and seeing whats under. From what I can tell the left side rail for the chassis is wrecked. the other side looks to be in one peice although there is rust damage around the edges of everything to a lesser extent.

The other option is to resell it I guess and try again.

sensai if you have rego and the frames good u shouldn't have too much trouble selling it.

Chidman, seeing as the left suspension is poking through the floor slightly, I think the trailer is probably sitting slightly lower on that side.

The stub axles, springs, frame and hitch are worth saving. Bodies are relatively cheap and can be bent up for you at any trailer place.

Go for a galvanised body this time, and it will last you near on forever.

mmmm I found an old 10x5 trailer at the tip yesty with a similar fault... only from what the bloke dropping it there said he drove his tractor over the drawbar!! yep both sides broken through and holding to the frame by a mere couple of centremeters of metal... but the rest appeared okay wooden floor but... anyway as I only had my 8x5 trailer with the 4ft high cage with me and he wasnt happy about my idea of him putting it back on his truck and bringing it here for me to fix... its still sitting at the tip

But I think it would have been an easy fix just cut of the existing drawbar peices hold onto the hitch and other stuff and rebuild the drawbar replace the floor with the sheets of steel I nicked from somewhere or other and bobs yer uncle!

Mate I reckon you should charge those camera batteries and start crawling around under and around it taking copious amounts of snaps and then upload them to here so Yon Young Yonnee and others can give yer words of advice on how best to fix her up... cause fixable she be from what youve given

Cheers
Shane

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

mmmm I found an old 10x5 trailer at the tip yesty with a similar fault... only from what the bloke dropping it there said he drove his tractor over the drawbar!! yep both sides broken through and holding to the frame by a mere couple of centremeters of metal... but the rest appeared okay wooden floor but... anyway as I only had my 8x5 trailer with the 4ft high cage with me and he wasnt happy about my idea of him putting it back on his truck and bringing it here for me to fix... its still sitting at the tip

But I think it would have been an easy fix just cut of the existing drawbar peices hold onto the hitch and other stuff and rebuild the drawbar replace the floor with the sheets of steel I nicked from somewhere or other and bobs yer uncle!

Mate I reckon you should charge those camera batteries and start crawling around under and around it taking copious amounts of snaps and then upload them to here so Yon Young Yonnee and others can give yer words of advice on how best to fix her up... cause fixable she be from what youve given

Cheers
Shane

So what are you doing in front of the computer today? You should be down the tip loading it up, was it a dual wheel 10x5 is pretty big for single axle although I guess it is plenty strong for a farm trailer that shifts bails of hay around!

I'd be putting it back on ebay and seeing if you can find another person like you. IMO you paid too much and the effort to fix given what you describe are your skills and tools (ie: few) any effort you put in or pay for would be way more than it is worth.

Attachment 92885

This pic would have rung the alarm bells for me...

Unfortunately, I you did pay a bit much for it. If you can't do alot yourself, it'll be one expensive trailer when you've finished.

yes it turns out i'm a doofus.

Guess what I've been up to on new years day. See attached pictures.

I attacked the trailer with my heavy machinery (axe and shovel.... )

There is a welder around the corner from where I live I might drag this roadunworthy beast down there and get him to tell me that its not worth it.

Anyway have a look at my pics and point and laugh

.

Oh dear!

If you were one of our metalworking brethren (ie had the tools, time & inclination) you could still get a reasonably priced trailer out of it by salvaging the guards, hitch, axle, etc.

But paying someone else to do it...

Bummer!

I don't think its that big a boo boo. People looking to build a trailer would have paid around that for the bits and pieces. Trailers have become so expensive.

Why don't you just give it a go? Remember, it's not all loss when you develop skills and buy tools and materials to do these things yourself. You have the tools, left over materials and some new skills for the next project. Strip that thing down completely and de-rust the good bits and rebuild the bad bits and put it together. Just take your time.

I have a similar project waiting for me.

Good start, now you can easily work on the rotted sections.

I've got another trailer lined up that I'll do exactly the same thing on.