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Lowboy Refurbishment Project

Metalman 55

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,301
Location
Ontario
We purchased this 5 year old 55 Ton Lowboy a year ago with the realization that it needed a new paint job. Some of the main structural members were starting to get quite pitted from the winter salt on the roads. We pulled it off the road a few weeks ago & stripped it down, removing the old planks, air reservoirs, hyd cylinders, loosened all air valves, air lines etc & went to work blasting the frame. We took it to a local company that has a 60' long spray booth for priming & painting. They did a great job on the painting for us. Just got things back together & on the road 20161020_135031.jpg20161026_085310.jpg20161102_082100.jpg20161102_082118.jpg20161102_082134.jpgyesterday. A lot of work, but it should be worth it in the long run.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
Looks great. Trailer looks wider than 8'? Looks like its got a lot more tie down points than my talbert does. I've got a paint job on my list of near term projects also.
 

Metalman 55

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,301
Location
Ontario
It is actually 9 1/2' wide. It was not so evident from the outside but the trailer had considerable corrosion on the inside & underneath. The previous owner bought it new & it ran steady all the time, so he had no time to strip it down like we did & paint it.
 

movindirt

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
672
Location
under a shady tree
Looks good! Your trailer neck's top 2 pins are the same style as my Rodgers trailer, looks like you've got some shims under them to keep the front of the trailer up a little higher? If so could you post a picture of them? I need to do something similar for mine.
 

Metalman 55

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,301
Location
Ontario
Looks good! Your trailer neck's top 2 pins are the same style as my Rodgers trailer, looks like you've got some shims under them to keep the front of the trailer up a little higher? If so could you post a picture of them? I need to do something similar for mine.

Trailer Shims.jpg

A while back I had made this sketch up for some new shim plates & we got some additional ones cut out. There are small tabs on the gooseneck that fit the little cutouts on either end of these plates to hold them in place & you just add more shim plates as required to raise the front portion of the bed. A real simple concept that really works well. If you want a close-up picture of the plates in place, just let me know & I can do that.
 

JoshA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2007
Messages
51
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
Excavation contractor
Trailer looks great, I have a pet peeve of guys doing a "quick" repaint, but it's not cheap to do it right !

What's the reason for no fenders on truck or trailer?
 

Metalman 55

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,301
Location
Ontario
Actually the tractor does have fenders on it now (over the wheels), but the trailer I prefer it without. If the rear wheels are enclosed with fenders over them, I think it is harder to keep them clean inside, under the fenders, thus more rust. Also, harder to deal with when blasting & painting I think. Around here there is a lot of road salt used.
 

JoshA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2007
Messages
51
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
Excavation contractor
Actually the tractor does have fenders on it now (over the wheels), but the trailer I prefer it without. If the rear wheels are enclosed with fenders over them, I think it is harder to keep them clean inside, under the fenders, thus more rust. Also, harder to deal with when blasting & painting I think. Around here there is a lot of road salt used.

Looking again I can see the fenders on the truck now, great! I haven't gotten them put over my rear axle yet, unfortunately, it's driving me nuts.

On my scissorneck I put axles on all 3 axles, steel on the front two and removable aluminum on the rear. I need to get something for my tandem lowboy, which will likely just be rubber.

I agree it's harder to clean in the fenders, but it's better than chipping up the paint, windows, and covering with road grime all the equipment you're hauling!!
 

Bls repair

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
1,612
Location
S E Pa
Occupation
Equipment operator,mechanic
It's nice to see someone do a little preventive maintenance .Most companies I've worked for run their stuff into the dirt then complain about price to repair or replace.
 
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