Equipment trailer flexing

[Delmer]

Black Locust heartwood or White Oak heartwood. If it's going to stay inside out of the weather mostly, then there are lots of tough hardwoods that would work, but don't have the rot resistance.

 

[Welder Dave]

Are you going to put any rust converter/protection on the frame before the decking?

 

[DMiller]

I agree on not going with Pressure treated but a reasonable hard wood or a rot resistant weatherable lumber. Pressure treatment is for bug damage more than rot and tends to be metal damaging.

 

[Ct Farmer]

There was a thread on here awhile ago where guys swore one of the best things for trailer decks was cottonwood. Goes by a few different names depending on where you live. I have yet to try it but they claimed as long as it was not in contact with the ground it didn’t rot. Claimed it also didn’t get slippery or splinter like oak. Supposed to be nasty to mill and many guys won’t cut it.

 

[DMiller]

I preferred Cottonwood when I was reflooring big equipment trailers, Posted that on that thread. Hard to find sawyers that will cut them to lumber as wet, springy and tends to squeeze down on blading causing overheat.

 

[mitch504]

Huh, cottonwood is trash here. You can slip a little in a load of pulpwood, but even they won't take much of it.

I wish I would have known, I took a bunch off a landclearing job a while back, and my brother has a Woodmizer mill.

 

[Ronsii]

We put some on a trailer here last summer.... already has some holes in the deck I think the 'How great it is' rumors around here get started by the guys that are very cheap and get the stuff for nuthin' so in that respect it is great!!!

 

[DMiller]

Different varieties of CW, the stuff here is more like Cypress, dries hard as rock but develops a patina skin like redwood, cross-grained does not like to split and stays flexible.

 

[Ronsii]

Yep, the stuff around here is more of a weed.... you could saw a board - lay it on the ground and it will start growing

 

[Ct Farmer]

We have Eastern Cottonwood. Worst firewood there is. Tons of clinkers if it burns at all. Turns to mush if you leave it on the ground. They break off high up and are a hazard to your health.

 

[HogValleyFarm]

Welder Dave: Yes I am going to wire brush it as smooth as I can get it, then spray it with rusty metal primer and then a coat of black paint.

So it is sounding like I would be better off going with an untreated hardwood... I called my local lumber yard and they have untreated Douglas Fir 2x8x16's. If I used those and put some sort of water sealant on them would those hold up pretty good?

 

[Delmer]

No, by hardwood, I mean deciduous trees, like Oak, Elm, Hickory, and yes, Cottonwood. most coniferous/softwood woods are more brittle and splintery than hardwoods, but stiffer and work better for structural uses.

I've suggested Cottonwood sometimes, that or Elm are so resistant to splitting and splintering that they are good for utility uses. Doug Fir is the WORST for splintering and sticking your finger or ankle with sharp spikes. Go with green treated SYP over Doug fir every day of the year.

Cotton wood is not oak or apitong, you need to cut it 50% thicker than the SYP you took off, when it dries it will still be lighter than the old planks. The toughness and shock resistance makes it great for scaffolding planks, etc.

 

[Tenwheeler]

Different varieties of CW, the stuff here is more like Cypress, dries hard as rock but develops a patina skin like redwood, cross-grained does not like to split and stays flexible.

I can see that. Other parts of the country love locust fence post that are good for 50+ years. The variety of locust here is worthless for post.
We prefer local oak for floors. Oil timers would drain engine oil in a bucket. Set it on the trailer and use a mop. Retreating once a year during the slow time and getting ready for next year. EPA approved no doubt?

 

[Truck Shop]

Locust

 

[Old Doug]

Locust

You couldnt use it hauling stuff with rubber tires.

 

[Tenwheeler]

You couldnt use it hauling stuff with rubber tires.

? I do not understand.

You couldnt use it hauling stuff with rubber tires.

Just a comparison of different wood types. Wood for posts not floors.

 

[Truck Shop]

A friend had what was left of a old saw mill, and he cut a bunch of locust planks for his Hyster 20 ton tilt and his lowboy 30 years ago. The wood is still there and both trailers {well both have seen better days}

 

[Steve Frazier]

Have you checked that your right rear spring is up to snuff? That could cause your "twist" too. Check out etrailer.com for parts, they're very reasonable and fast delivery.

 

[old-iron-habit]

There was untreated yellow pine on my car hauler when new. I got ten years out of it and it was still solid but I broke up it abusing it hauling 18 ft. firewood logs home and also snagged it with the log loader. I put yellow pine back on both that one and my gooseneck a couple years ago. Looking good so far. Tough life on them in Minnesota here also.

 

[DMiller]

I can see that. Other parts of the country love locust fence post that are good for 50+ years. The variety of locust here is worthless for post.
We prefer local oak for floors. Oil timers would drain engine oil in a bucket. Set it on the trailer and use a mop. Retreating once a year during the slow time and getting ready for next year. EPA approved no doubt?

We have two varities of locust here
A minimal thorn Black Locust is closer to Hedge as far as durability have one ten tear old stump shows NO signs of rot beyond some surface degradation and the Honey Locust which is thorns Ass to appetite top of stump to tip of higheat branch
Drop one of these and the tree rots like styrofoam but the thorns last seemingly forever