NEW to me Enclosed trailer, but needs some attention. Anyone ever fix a trailer?

[junk]

Ok I picked up this 8'x30' bumper pull enclosed car trailer. It has a/c and a bathroom with a shower and sink in it. It was tipped on it's passenger side denting the roof and side up. It needs some roof supports and side supports replaced along with part of the side and part of the roof getting reskinned. There is some other work to fix the interior plywood walls and get the plumbing back in order, but the roof and side wall are my two major concerns at this point to get it water tight and looking good. Interior will go back together really quick.

So has anyone ever fixed a trailer like this? It has fastner free sides so it's smooth and I would like to keep it that way. Same way with the roof. The structure is just square steel tube so that's easy to find, but the sheets for the sides are what is throwing me.

Any help on places to buy the parts would be helpful! Also any recommendations on a weight distributing hitch? Truck pulled it OK, but it did buck some and I want to make sure I'm ready to use it when it's loaded.

Thanks,
Jeremy

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[kc0stp]

Hitch wise I use the equalizer and it seems to do a pretty good job, part wise look for trailer specfic shops nearby, should be able to provide the materials. IMHO that trailer needs the whole side and roof replaced and reskinned (cut the beams out, weld new in) as far as keeping it fastner free pretty sure they just glue the skin on.

 

[junk]

Yeah I was wondering if the skins were glued on. I'll have to play with them to figure out how to remove them. I have a windshield cutting tool that can probably cut them loose from the side beams. On the roof and side structure I was planning to cut out all the structural steel members that are bent. They appear to be around 1.25" square tube. Then weld the structure back in to get it all square before reskinning it. Truthfully the skins and the roof bows with the special bends are the only two things I'm really worried about. The rest of it I should be able to fab pretty easy.

I've contacted a couple trailer dealers and no body has been able to give me much information about getting skins or roof bows. The hunt is still on!

 

[spg]

Contact the Trailer manufacturer for the roof bows. PM me and I can provide you with the information on the proper trailer hitch for your application.

 

[GOOSE]

You may be able to replicate the bows with this.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200437693_200437693

 

[OLDBULL8]

Don't know how I missed this thread. There is only one place Im have referrence to is in Spencer IA, United Commercial Corp 800-798-9313 if there still in business. Been tenn yrs ago since I was in the RV service business. I can tell you one thing, you've got one hell'va project on your hands. Course it's been almost a year ago since you posted. I'd like to know how you came out if you have it repaired.

 

[junk]

Spencer IA is about 35 miles from me. I ended up buying most of the parts from the manufacturer. Their prices were about as cheap as anything else I was coming up with.

I got the trailer fixed to the point of being usable. I was short a couple windows and some trim. Once i get those done I also need to fix the sewer system and supply waters for this so the bathroom is functional. I figure we had like 60hrs in rebuilding it to this point. We did most of it in about 2-3 weeks on nights and weekends.

Check out the link in my signature to Flickr. It shows a bunch of pictures of this thing being fixed. And at the tractor show we attend.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Looks like you guys did a hell'va good job on it so far. So Spencer is still in business, I bought quite a few parts from them, when in the RV business. It you need some 12VDC lites for the inside, let me know by PM. I'll see if I have pics yet. They would be 30 watt fluorescent twin bulbs. Those retail for $54, I'd sell for $20, I paid $30 for them, they are flush mount. The small ones 2nd pic is a single bulb, $2, they retail for $6.50. Plus shipping.

 

[junk]

Oldbull thanks for the offer on the lights. As it stands I don't need any, but my 12v system isn't working either. Not sure what's up there.

This week I'm starting to work on the sewer for this. We plan to take it camping over the 4th and need a working bathroom to make it more enjoyable. All the 3" and 1.5" waste lines were ripped off the bottom. I think I've got most of the parts now to fix this. The black water tank was also damaged when the 3" spigot pulled off of it. I found a product called Plasti-mend that says it can reinforce the cracks in the tank and make it better than new. I've got a batch here and will give it a whirl.

I also have to figure out the supply water, but I think a few Pex fittings and maybe a new pump head and I'll be in business.

I'll post some pics once i start patching it back up.

 

[junk]

Started patching up the tanks last night. The Plasti-mend stuff I bought seems to be working well. It's super think and appears to be patching up all the cracks very nicely.