Trailer Question: Carpet or Checkered Plate

newer trailers sometimes come with the diamond plate - your 87 would have come with carpet.

Just started taking some measurements. The wood on my trailer is 9ft long. Thought that I could get it all out of a 4'x8' sheet but I might not be able to. Will probably end up with two joints on each side right there where the brace is that goes back to the main frame.

Was thinking about using 3/16 thick diamond plate. Should be thick enough, right? Prime the underside with self-etching primer and paint black. Mount it all with stainless bolts with locking nuts.

SNobsessed wrote: Kirk - I did not use the diamond plate behind the fender, just forward & to the rear. For the area behind the fender, I used some glassed plywood, painted black. I used 1/8inch aluminum dia plate. Are you using steel? 3/16 steel plate will add some weight!

Thread plate gets confusing with thickness since different manufacturers have a tendency to measure thickness different. Most include an average height of the diamond portion in the base thickness. So, 3/16 may not be as thick as you think. BTW, it does come in 10' sheets. Unless you have a plasma torch, I suggest aluminum for the ease of fabrication. It cuts with a carbide blade in the hand held (Skill) saw.

Kirk,
Fantastic you have access to the laser. After my previous post, I was still confused a little about you wanting to go aluminum or steel tread plate. I guess the painting of the bottom is what trough me off. The picture of the trailer I posted was an old MC trailer that had been jack knifed and I did a rebuild on to haul my X55. I bedded the tread plate down to the steel with silicone. Yes guys, this was 30 years ago before I learned that the stuff is c**p. However, it's still holding!!

I feel you'll get better protection of the aluminum by bedding it to the steel frame with some 5200 rather that going the paint route. I learned along time ago with a land Rover aluminum body against a steel frame you WILL get electrolysis. The aluminum is sacrificial!!

karthur wrote: I was concerned about corrosion, but you are probably right about using the 5200 instead of the paint. If the paint/primer rubs off, then the corrosion would start. Dont have access to a laser (that would be sweet). Where I work has a Hypertherm plasma that works pretty well on the thin stuff.

Sorry, I said laser and not plasma! Still, cool. You'll get the needed cuts without lots of work.

As long as you are doing this project, do you have any press breaks at work? You may want to consider turning the edges down and up like I did.

Don't expect the tread plate to be as bright and hold it's shine for very long (as evident by my trailer). All the tread plate on the fire trucks you see has MANY man hours of detailing with the Flitz metal polish. Of course, they have the time to do it!!

The aluminum does brighten up a bit when washed with Vinegar solution (I use this on the boat occasionally). FYI.

karthur wrote: I did notice how you broke the edges. That looks nice.

I did all that with the Skill saw and a hand break!! I didn't have the luxury back then like I do now working for a metal stamper fabricator.