Replacing Trailer Wood Deck...C Purlin Instead?

[zghorner]

What are yall's thoughts on this idea? I have a really nice 16'x6'5" trailer with tandem 5k axles that the wood is rotten on. I dont mind going back with treated lumber but my father n law suggested I look into C purlin instead and it sounds like it might work. I found this thread HERE where a guy did it and claims it has held up well. I will use this trailer to haul a 7,000# skid steer + 2,000# in attachments.

good idea or bad and why? anyone that deals in metal have an idea on the cost to go with c purlin and what gauge would be needed?

thanks.

 

[harley128]

Hey, same problem on same size trailer. Waiting to hear some comments !!!

 

[MacFromOK]

Smooth metal flooring will be slicker than snot on a doorknob when it's wet.

 

[CHenry]

Slick as snot when wet but structurally I "think" it would work depending on how far of a span it is between crossmember supports.
I always used wood 2x6s, non treated, then treat it myself with a 2 gal pump up sprayer using 50% used diesel oil and cut with 50% red diesel fuel. Put the wood down and then spray liberally. Cant get too much. One treatment lasted 17 years and then I sold the trailer. One and done, but if you wanted you could retreat every 5 years and it would last forever. And no rust either.
If you dont want the deck to be black from the oil, buy new oil instead of using old oil.

 

[zghorner]

Slick as snot when wet but structurally I "think" it would work depending on how far of a span it is between crossmember supports.
I always used wood 2x6s, non treated, then treat it myself with a 2 gal pump up sprayer using 50% used diesel oil and cut with 50% red diesel fuel. Put the wood down and then spray liberally. Cant get too much. One treatment lasted 17 years and then I sold the trailer. One and done, but if you wanted you could retreat every 5 years and it would last forever. And no rust either.
If you dont want the deck to be black from the oil, buy new oil instead of using old oil.

one thing that has me concerned about going back with wood is the trailer has been redecked before and half of the screws broke off the first time AND just now...could not get many of them out with penetrating fluid and vise grips so ended up cutting and grinding them flush...so i could see it being a major pain in the butt going back in with self tapping screws from the top only to hit an old screw and have to re-drill the hole. Probably would drill holes through the bottom and up through the wood which is going to suck still as some of those crossmembers are pretty thick (in the middle).

 

[CHenry]

one thing that has me concerned about going back with wood is the trailer has been redecked before and half of the screws broke off the first time AND just now...could not get many of them out with penetrating fluid and vise grips so ended up cutting and grinding them flush...so i could see it being a major pain in the butt going back in with self tapping screws from the top only to hit an old screw and have to re-drill the hole. Probably would drill holes through the bottom and up through the wood which is going to suck still as some of those crossmembers are pretty thick (in the middle).

NEVER use self tapping screws. Drill them all and use a carriage bolt and nut. Red locktight the nuts for permanent life.
A deck on a trailer is very important for structural strength. No different than a bridge on a highway, you have the substructure and the super structure which is the concrete deck tied with steel to the beams and this increases load max a metric schit ton. The deck can move and flex with carriage bolts but not with self tappers.
Hey, if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[zghorner]

NEVER use self tapping screws. Drill them all and use a carriage bolt and nut. Red locktight the nuts for permanent life.
A deck on a trailer is very important for structural strength. No different than a bridge on a highway, you have the substructure and the super structure which is the concrete deck tied with steel to the beams and this increases load max a metric schit ton. The deck can move and flex with carriage bolts but not with self tappers.
Hey, if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it.

Gotcha thanks I’ll use carriage bolts.

 

[rickm]

Smooth metal flooring will be slicker than snot on a doorknob when it's wet.

We have one at work that they done this to and it is hard to pull any kind of equipment up on it straight if there is any moisture on the deck or wheels. Plus c perlin will bend and buckle over time with heavy equipment.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

We've used it on a trailer once. One cousin shot some stuff called Shark Skin? Lizard Skin? Some sort of skin paint, it stays grippy when wet. I was cheap, ordered a few rolls of skateboard grip tape. It's held up, but not used nearly as much as I thought I would. I use my smaller trailer mostly. We replaced the wood with extruded aluminum bleacher seats.

 

[Cowcatcher]

As far as your price question....
https://www.wheelermetals.com/store/products/cat/49/cee-purlin

However, I believe c purlin only comes in one gauge and my experience says don’t use it for your intended purpose.