YotaOnRocks
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2007
- Location
- Madison
About to put a new deck on our old 10ton Hudson trailer. Any recommendations on the best screws to use? Any installation tips? TIA
I used these on my last deck. They went down easy using a impact driver. I predrilled the wood where it was near the edge to prevent splitting but it general it just went right through the wood and crossmember. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Teks-14-x-3-in-Phillips-Drive-Sheet-Metal-Screws-40-Count/3327744
Another trick is to look at the end grain on the board, and make sure the grain is curved down in orientation to prevent cupping.
Just for a contrarian point of view.
When we built our homemade trailer 20 years ago we used carriage head bolts with the square shank. predrilled the board to just under the thread diameter, drilled the cross member to actual diameter and drove them through and sucked them down with nylocks.
I probably wouldnt do it that way again, but its been 20 years and the OG boards are still on there and they are still holding and no cupping.
We also just used lowes treated lumber
Just for a contrarian point of view.
When we built our homemade trailer 20 years ago we used carriage head bolts with the square shank. predrilled the board to just under the thread diameter, drilled the cross member to actual diameter and drove them through and sucked them down with nylocks.
I probably wouldnt do it that way again, but its been 20 years and the OG boards are still on there and they are still holding and no cupping.
We also just used lowes treated lumber
Not really.That sounds like it took forever.
Just for a contrarian point of view.
When we built our homemade trailer 20 years ago we used carriage head bolts with the square shank. predrilled the board to just under the thread diameter, drilled the cross member to actual diameter and drove them through and sucked them down with nylocks.
I probably wouldnt do it that way again, but its been 20 years and the OG boards are still on there and they are still holding and no cupping.
We also just used lowes treated lumber
If I had to guess the whole process probably took about 2.5 beers. (thats also how I told time back then)
Related question: my gooseneck was redone by the PO with new treated wood. He didn’t screw the boards to the cross member, it just has metal slats holding them by the ends in their respective place. Trailer is pretty flexy, I imagine it would give it quite a bit more rigidity if I screwed the boards down correct? Should I even bother?
I imagine it would give it quite a bit more rigidity if I screwed the boards down
I would think a goose neck would be twisty. I watched a few You Tube's on re-decking, & 1 guy had a real cheap trailer. Without the boards screwed down, it Really twisted! But a well built trailer I don't think would.Probably not.
I would think a goose neck would be twisty. I watched a few You Tube's on re-decking, & 1 guy had a real cheap trailer. Without the boards screwed down, it Really twisted! But a well built trailer I don't think would.
From watching 1 video, I used torx self tapping deck screws. Don't know the brand now, but this guy said they would tap & drive into the crossmembers. I ordered them through Fastinal, & they let me order 50, I think it was. They look like the Teks sheet metal screws per Paradise Wolf, but with torx head. Them SOBs, didn't self tap into My cross members! After I wore out a couple & broke a couple, I Did pre-drill the holes. And still I used a impact to drive them! Good luck!
Or a steel deckIf you think about how a trailer is designed, the only thing that is going to keep it from twisting is a torque tube. When you strap a vehicle down to it, the rigidity of the vehicle stiffens it up a good bit.
Meh... no section depth in an 1/8" sheet.Or a steel deck
Torsion is all about the shell. Depth dont matter much.Meh... no section depth in an 1/8" sheet.
Torsion is all about the shell. Depth dont matter much.
I used these on my small trailer this summer, replaced the deck on it (about 16 years old).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3NJYNW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used these on my small trailer this summer, replaced the deck on it (about 16 years old).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3NJYNW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You predrilled the holes, I assume?