Chaps/Chapesses.
Just acquired a reasonably clean length of 80x40 box for the latest project, as per the photo:
Apologies for the photo being a bit dire, there’s no good way to take it.
Basically, the acquired box that’s across the trailer and pushed up to the side pins will form a moveable bolster that I can load cabins and containers up against to stop them moving forward in the unlikely event of me hitting the brakes. Anything overwidth has to be loaded back from the headboard or it becomes very embarrassing when you make a tight turn and the corner hits the side of the cab... (And it’s something that the DVSA chaps like to see, as forward movement of loads is a big no-no in their eyes.) I need this because I always pull different trailers, not all of which are fitted with container twistlocks, so it will be a simple matter of putting it behind the side pins, which are 80x80x5 box, then loading cabins tight up to it from the off.
The plan is to cut the box to just shy of 8’ 4”, the trailer width, then weld a piece of 80x80 angle under each end which will project down either side below the trailer bed and act as sideways stops, and while I’m at it I shall weld a 12” length of 1x1-ish box longitudinally on top at each end to fit slide out marker boards for wide stuff. When it’s done it will spend the rest of its life either in use or strapped to the tractor unit, so the question is what is the best method of protection for it?
It will get banged and clanged, so painting it will be a Forth Bridge job, as was, or would I be best off having it galvanised then giving it coat of paint on top to keep it nice? I appreciate the cost of galv, but I’m currently making 4 slide out marker boards, the frame of which are box section, a bit like this:
(Image copied from Google)...so I can get them all done at the same time to make it more cost effective. The other question is what effect will galvanising have on hollow box? If it will come back as bent as a 9/- note, it looks like painting will be the way to go.
Thoughts are appreciated, as ever. And don’t ask me how I attached the last shot, I have no idea , but it shows it from another angle, the tape measure being where the 1x1 box for the markers would be welded.
Just acquired a reasonably clean length of 80x40 box for the latest project, as per the photo:
Apologies for the photo being a bit dire, there’s no good way to take it.
Basically, the acquired box that’s across the trailer and pushed up to the side pins will form a moveable bolster that I can load cabins and containers up against to stop them moving forward in the unlikely event of me hitting the brakes. Anything overwidth has to be loaded back from the headboard or it becomes very embarrassing when you make a tight turn and the corner hits the side of the cab... (And it’s something that the DVSA chaps like to see, as forward movement of loads is a big no-no in their eyes.) I need this because I always pull different trailers, not all of which are fitted with container twistlocks, so it will be a simple matter of putting it behind the side pins, which are 80x80x5 box, then loading cabins tight up to it from the off.
The plan is to cut the box to just shy of 8’ 4”, the trailer width, then weld a piece of 80x80 angle under each end which will project down either side below the trailer bed and act as sideways stops, and while I’m at it I shall weld a 12” length of 1x1-ish box longitudinally on top at each end to fit slide out marker boards for wide stuff. When it’s done it will spend the rest of its life either in use or strapped to the tractor unit, so the question is what is the best method of protection for it?
It will get banged and clanged, so painting it will be a Forth Bridge job, as was, or would I be best off having it galvanised then giving it coat of paint on top to keep it nice? I appreciate the cost of galv, but I’m currently making 4 slide out marker boards, the frame of which are box section, a bit like this:
(Image copied from Google)...so I can get them all done at the same time to make it more cost effective. The other question is what effect will galvanising have on hollow box? If it will come back as bent as a 9/- note, it looks like painting will be the way to go.
Thoughts are appreciated, as ever. And don’t ask me how I attached the last shot, I have no idea , but it shows it from another angle, the tape measure being where the 1x1 box for the markers would be welded.