Thread: Trailer add ons share them here

Hey there are some great ideas flowing in here..
I do like the one by Bazzmate and how that jockey handle snuggles up on to the hitch.
POR15 looks the go will give them a ring and see what there got to say.

Bottom of the trailer is still sound only has one rust hole showing. It does have drainage holes and is left on a incline but the paint that was on it when bought was very cheap.
joe greiner; did the same when I rebuilt the gate on my trailer. Just being able to remove it out of the way has been very handy at times.

Keep them coming............

Probably not the most popular add on, but all my trailers have a towbar on the back of the, and light socket for the attached trailers.
Cheers,
Wahoon.

Here's a few add-on's for safety, looks and practicality. I bought this old second hand trailer and did some 'add on's' . . . to at least give the impression that I am a responsible trailer owner


The list of items for this trailer were . .

1. Replace the worn out 'dog chain' that was a poor excuse for a safety chain,
2. Sand and paint a section of the mudguards and the rear end to allow me to add on new yellow and red reflectors (as per the regs)
3. For looks I painted the rims matt black and added on new wheel covers. (Should add a few bucks to the sale price when I go to sell it?$?$)
4. There were only two nuts holding on the tailgate when I bought it so I added on a pair of hinges and chain so that the tailgate is now attached to the trailer and works like it should.
5. To top it all off and not go to too much trouble, I added on some 'no spanner' locking nuts using some threaded rod and connectors. Hand tightening is all that is required to keep them from coming loose.

That's about it. Hope it inspires a few of you to get out and do a bit of maintenance on your old trailers to make them a bit safer for the roads.
Cheers.

Too late for pictures but can get them later. I built a jocky wheel from scratch then converted it to pivoting lockup. The handle sits on the A-Frame. The wheel is about 250mm diameter and I also leave it resting on the frame. I have always thought that the wheel should not be left hanging to get bent on a gutter or stump etc.

I built metal boxes to fit at front sides and hold tie downs etc.

Tailgates front and rear as mentioned before with different length pins. Chains added for holding level on rear. My rebuild will have front and rear tailgates which will sit perfectly level with bed of trailer.

Number plate on hinged plate underneath.

Small 50w halogen light inside a length of 100 x 100 x 3mm RHS with a hole cut out for the beam to exit as a reversing light. This is positioned out of reach of the tailgate swing.

LED lights.

Tie rails full length of all 4 sides.

Stock crate made of 4 pieces that are pinned together. The rear gate swings the whole width and also has a slide gate half the width.

I have a ramp that hooks to the top of the tailgate in lowered position. This ramp has channels to match my trolley wheels so I can wheel big chunks of firewood into the trailer

I also use it for rubbish carting and I use 3 X 200 litre plastic drums.

My rebuild will be bigger, dual axle and tipping from the end of the A - Frame. 4 wheel disks. Hilux wheels disks and hubs. More and better boxes and a bigger single piece slide off cage with top mesh. I am also considering a slide on/off horse float attachment.

The only problem is that I don't know when I will have time to do all this. I live on a 43 acre farm with a lot of repairs needed. Practically everything either has been or needs to be replaced/rebuilt. Even the fence erected to seperate our property (house area) from the rest of the farm when we bought the place needs replacing. The wire part anyway.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Stock crate made of 4 pieces that are pinned together. The rear gate swings the whole width and also has a slide gate half the width.

Dean, Sounds like you've been busy. Yep, wouldn't mind seeing some photos of what you've done to your trailer if you have time . . . especially the four panel cage.
With Russell's clever crossbars and your 'flat pack' cage, I'm getting some great ideas. Thanks, Cheers

Russell

Have a look at a product called "penetrol."

The Flood Company Australia

It can be used neat and completely protects against rust. Just bear in mind you will only be able to use oil based paint over the top. (No water based and no acrylic.) However I would suggest in your case you won't be painting anyway. It isn't expensive, brushes on easily and can be bought at Bunnings and other hardware stores.

Also try to park your trailer so the tray slopes backwards. It may at least stop the water ponding.

Regards
Paul

Agree with using Penatrol. Sold at Bunnies but may not be in large cans. I bought 500ml from Mount Gambier. Other stores may have better range.

One hint I was given years ago with T bar type tailgate closers is to put the T Bar on off centre so if it comes loose gravity will stop it undoing. I don't use them myself but could be useful for some.

It so happens that I put the cage on today to do a can/bottle run into town. I have just taken some photos and hopefully should resize them and upload them tonight.

I realised when I took the pictures that I have also fitted RHS around the number plate light (LED) which is mounted on the same hinged steel plate next to the number plate.

I love this type of thread although I am still waiting for something I can use. One of the reasons for enlarging my trailer and having the tailgates hanging level with the floor is to enable the carrying of sheets up to 5ft X 10ft without hanging over the edges and totally supported all over. (Except for the gap at the hinges) My sizes are going to be oversize as well so a 5ft wide 8ft long item will fit easy.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Agree with using Penatrol. Sold at Bunnies but may not be in large cans. I bought 500ml from Mount Gambier. Other stores may have better range.

I love this type of thread although I am still waiting for something I can use. One of the reasons for enlarging my trailer and having the tailgates hanging level with the floor is to enable the carrying of sheets up to 5ft X 10ft without hanging over the edges and totally supported all over. (Except for the gap at the hinges) My sizes are going to be oversize as well so a 5ft wide 8ft long item will fit easy.

Dean

Dean

Bunnies sell Penetrol in 4 litre tins. Around about $70 give or take a few. Just be aware that once opened it does not have a long shelf life. Six months is about the max so buy accordingly.

My two pennyworth on tips is for carrying sheets of corrugated iron ( or it could be sheets of anything where they protrude front and back of the trailer).

Yoy need two timber battens a little wider than the sheet material you are transporting. The battens are clamped across the sheets with either threaded rod or suitable length bolts. This can be placed just in front of the trailer body. It gives a positive stop for the sheets moving backwards and also a convenient place to attach ropes etc. I normally put a second pair of battens at the rear too, just for ease of tying down.

I once sent SWMBO to collect some corrugated iron. I gave her the battens and instructions as to how to use them including bearers to sit the iron up off the floor as the sheets were shorter than the trailer (3.6m). The man at the steel suppliers was so impressed I think he offered to take her home with him. SWMBO wouldn't confirm or deny. Perhaps if I had given her three pairs of battens..............

Regards
Paul

Some bunnies might sell in 4l tins, not Mount Gambier.

Perhaps if I had given her three pairs of battens..............

Note to self. Send SWMBO with 3 battens in future!

My SWMBO gets a lot of comments as she has been taught to use ratchet straps and to reverse trailers by me. A lot of people are surprised a woman that is capable of loading and reversing trailers.

Attachment 185282

Left hand side box. Both the same except this one now leaks from squashed top. Someone stepped on it. Poked a hole in bottom in town today with pocket knife. Showed this side because it has clip to hold closed. The other side one has gone missing. Got heaps of them just lazy. Will make new ones when I rebuild the trailer as they can then be bigger, I think. EDIT New boxes that is

Attachment 185283

Home made jockey wheel. Cost about $2.00 max.

Attachment 185284

Cage join. This shows the top bar which has 1/2 in rod to pin rear panel to side. This pin passes thru all 3 tubes. At the other end of bar, to the right side the pin only passes thru 1 tube at top. This enables rear panel to pivot from left. The bottom of the panels have same tubes with a simple pin slid thru.

Attachment 185285

Except for the right side of rear panel which has these slide bolts to close gates The right one closes the whole rear swinging gate and the left one closes the sliding section of same panel.

Attachment 185286

The pivot gate hard back against side panel and clipped into place. I can travel with the gate clipped like this if I need to.

Attachment 185287

The sliding section mostly open. Great for loading stock. They cant jump out while you pull trailer forward to shut gate. Tailgate is dropped for loading.

Attachment 185288

Reversing light in protective enclosure. Will not survive a stump hit etc but will survive most impacts in the bush.

Attachment 185289

Hinged number plate with protected LED light. The backing plate is 2mm thick and the hinge parts are all stainless steel. Another benefit of working in a winery.

Attachment 185290

LED light, tailgate chain and tailgate catch.

Attachment 185291

The tailgate in level position

Attachment 185297

Another view of tailgate.

Attachment 185298

Detail of front tailgate catch plus other stuff.

Attachment 185299

Front tailgate open. If I need a flat bed I remove this tailgate.

Attachment 185300

Not very clear but shows orange piece of plastic pipe, washer and spring clip which holds the side panels on to the trailer. There are pins on bottom of the side panels which fit in holes in the trailer sides. You can see the bend from the side panel being allowed to fall over til pin jams in hole. It is only 3mm angle. The next one will be different. Solid cage, not in pieces. I have room for storage now unlike when this cage was first built.

Attachment 185301

Overall view.

Dean

Wow... this thread is powering along, no surprise with the great ideas that are coming to the surface. When some solve a problem for them self then put it here it solve many peoples problems. How great it that

Penetrol I have used it in the past with very good results just did not think of it. That what I like about this forum it my personal brain trusted.. but it all right you can use it too

Bazzmate You are correct we all should give our trail the once over for roadworthy it only takes a few minutes once or twice a year
Oldneweng lost count of the bit and piece you have on one trailer sound like that old add "wait they's more" brilliant mate.

Have you done something to your trailer.... put it here and some one might just thank you for it.

Russell

Russell I am pleased you are going to allow the rest of us members to use the brains trust.

I took the cage off and put it away today so I took a few more pictures. I have to say that my trailer looks used. That is because it is very used. On the farm it gets used constantly.

Attachment 185371

The cage panels hanging up in the shed.

Attachment 185372

Another view

Attachment 185373

This is a trailer add on that also gets constant use. Well maybe not an add on.
Attachment 185374

This was an add on, or was it a subtraction? I don't know.

Dean

That tipping trailer looks very handy and is something I've been meaning to make up for our property as we have a couple of ride-on mowers that do a lot of towing duties.

Well it is done now, got the Penetrol in 4 a litre tin from bunnings for $60
Now just need the time and place.
Should I give the metal a quick wire brush first? Got one that fits the small angle grinder.
Any other tip before coating?
I will start with the floor then the inside walls. If still got any left over I will do any metal joints where the rust is hidden, then any rust on outside. Will be interesting to see how far it will go. I do some before and after shots.

Russell