Bought a trailer... Hope this wasn't a mistake...

[MnTom]

Trying to do this keeping the costs down is not easy.

Yea, seems like the more you try the more you go back....... Hang in there Russ. Things will improve.

[flagmanruss]

She had put the trailer tightly in between an old steel welding table (outside work table) and a low stone wall which had already broken the new Left LED taillight.  We pulled it forward by hand 6" and broke the new Right LED taillight.  Seems like a lot of my work will have to be done over.  She says, I guess it wasn't a good place to put it.  (Then why did you put it there!  AAARRRGGGHHH!!!) Note:  this is Friday the 13th! 

We've got a serious snow storm coming tomorrow & where she had put it was even worse than where I had it as far as places to push snow.  It's unlikely I'll be able to get back to it.

I wanted to get my big electric mobility scooter out to move the trailer, but she insisted we must use the ATV...  which she has in the furthest barn beyond my reach.  Then proceeded to put the chains on while waited for her to come back.

I put the hitch over the snow plow on the ATV, hooked on the safety chains & pushed it (much easier to park trailers with front hitches.)  I tried to explain it to her but she would listen so I got on the ATV myself & pushed it mostly under the gooseneck of the horse trailer. (I moved boat trailers with front hitches at our boat marina for 17 years...  before she & I were married.) 

 

I ordered different LED tail lights but again they were cheapest in pairs...  cheaper than a single light...  so I will have the 2 on the shelf when I get a chance.

 

edit  I have figured out she must have pushed the trailer in at an angle which allowed the first light to rake the low stone wall, then she straightened it...  which put the edge of the other light behind the steel bench leg.  Doomed to failure from the start. 

Edited April 5, 2014 by flagmanruss

[flagmanruss]

OK, hopefully any snow will melt away quickly.  Before I mount the new LED lights (keep the wife away from them)...  I am questioning my plan.  I went to the extreme of trying for a deluxe renovation.  Example:  running the wiring through tubing, soldering & shrinking all the splices.  So the solder splices on the tail lights are about to be re-done.  Am I naïve thinking it's worth while doing this up "nice" or do I just crimp connect figuring it'll not last anyway...  or why am I using LED lights??   

[Mopar1973Man]

I would still solder and shrink tube all of it. LED light are more durable to shock and bouncing that a trailer does and won't blow out LED...

[MnTom]

Russ, just for the safety factor I would recommend you use the LEDs you have. Besides, you already have them, right? Anyhow, have you noticed how much easier it is to see LEDs especially in inclement weather? I just put some on the rear of my fiver and my son was following me. We stopped (it was dark) and I asked him what he thought of them. His reaction was "They sure are bright!".

[flagmanruss]

Yes, I already bought the replacement LED lights...  so I have them.  I also have a replacement set of old bulb lights that could be repurposed (I once had a portable set of lights for moving a trailer with a large covered wagon on it.)  I will use the new LED lights this time. 

 

It looks like a nice day today.  I will pull the trailer back up to the work table today, get it set up & see how far I can get.  This trailer is quite low & hard to work under...  worse now that the deck planks are on.  I might be able to get the outside planks back up or maybe splice the wires further out this time**. 

 

It is challenging working mainly with one good hand but I'm not ready to give up yet.         

Edited April 6, 2014 by flagmanruss

[MnTom]

Ya, don't give up! You can't let a simple trailer kick your butt! Just keep plugging away at it and one day it will be like you want!

[flagmanruss]

I got the trailer up to my work table, unbolted the busted lights.  We must have a storm coming because it was quite uncomfortable (knees/legs) to sit on my step stool to work. 

I got the new LEDs out stripped the leads & tinned, soldered the ground eye on.  I had bought a new small size wire stripper for working on the LiFePO4 battery pack for my TravelScoot...  came in very handy.   I remembered a trick...  to pull the insulation off 3/4 and the use the insulation as a handle to twirl the wire strands together.    

I was very through in securing a loop of wire "for future service" at each light...  zip tied underneath.  I'm going to getting down to clip the ties & hopefully will give me enough slack to work with without going fully under.  I'd like this to go easy. 

[MnTom]

It should go easy, but not always. Sounds like you have a good handle on the project!

[flagmanruss]

After snipping the ties on my "future service" wiring loop, I had enough length to get the splice beyond the frame.  Sweet!  I slipped on my shrink tube & held away with a forceps, stripped back insulation extra long & wrapped on my pre-tinned leads very nice.  Solder then position shrink tubes.  I loosely mounted the lights before quitting for the night, just ahead of the rain.  The off side can just get tightened up but on the left side the light needs to come off to dress the wires so they are protected & zip ties. 

 

Now all this is on & off (kneeling) & fighting my legs...  on the gravel drive...   So, I'm eating dinner & see a dark spot on my light shirt.  Nope, no crumb...  a d*mn deer tick.  Lyme is rampant around here.  Now I have to go search myself.  Can't feel 'em.  

 

Anyway, I feel good for the progress. 

Next I have to spot the crossmembers (chalk line) & drill for hold down bolts.  I want to add enough weight to the rear so the tilt will work.   

[MnTom]

Hopefully there are no more ticks. My niece is fighting Lyme Disease. Hers has progressed to where she had some sort of brain test to see why she was loosing some cognitive abilities.

Your trailer sounds good! I wish I could get my trailer out to get it ready to go! I need to wait for more snow to melt and the ground to harden up so I can pull it out without burying my truck.

[flagmanruss]

Deer ticks are so tiny, I can't usually feel them crawling.  We seldom get bigger ticks anymore.  Lyme can cause big problems if left untreated.  The problem is once you get a positive titer it will stay positive for years.  BUT it the actual level is looked at, it should be going down.  If it's going up, the person needs to be retreated.  (Wife is a retired lab tech...  used to do this testing.)   BTW, mice carry the deer ticks.  It's not just deer.        

 

Rain has stopped.  I'll see how wet things are.  Might be able to get the lights tightened down. 

 

I sent away for coated decking screws...  torex drive, supposed to be self tapping.  Not many screws on a 6x8 deck...  might be worth while using a real tap.  Judging from the screw holes this is the third deck on this frame...  I have Cuprinoled the PT decking.  Over kill?  I don't want to do it again.  I'm thinking I'll Cuprinol the screw holes before I screw it down.  "PT" really doesn't go through... at least not what they are doing now.  Quite apparent when I saw cut it. 

So even if I can't work out there, I can get ready.      

Edited April 8, 2014 by flagmanruss

[MnTom]

No rain here! Problem is there is still about two FEET of snow on the ground that is melting slowly so the surface of the ground (where plowed) is real slimy but there is a lot of frost in the ground.

[flagmanruss]

I have the lights wired, installed & the extra wire zip tied up. 

I would have backed the truck up to it to test but my sweet wife decided to turn the trailer around when I wasn't here, so the plug is away from the driveway.  Her explanation is that she's afraid she back into my car which is nosed up to the trailer (where the truck was all winter so we could plug it in) with her Hyundai.  (Funny, she thinks I can levitate cars, trucks, trailers but she can't seem to drive them.)   Think she's becoming lazy or an air head?  All winter, she's been driving through the truck's normal space so she can drive through hers.  

  

The big space we normally park the truck is a straight shot backing out, so I swapped the truck into her space until the trailer is done.  (When I use the truck, I'll have to park my car someplace else.)   I have to have the trailer up by the house so I don't have too far to lug tools...  or it doesn't get done. 
The first set of LEDs were working so I hope the new set will. 

 

I'm going to start marking for the deck screws...  the only tricky thing is to reach under & measure where the wiring conduits are & mark on top.  I'm thinking I can drill down through the wood until the (clearance) drill tip touches the steel frame...  soak Cuprinol in the holes good before drilling through into the frame....  Tap drill size for 1/4-20.  May be tedious but not difficult. 

I found the last holes I drilled in this frame went hard...  hard steel...  It's been a while but think I ended up with cobalt.        

 

[MnTom]

If you look around you could probably find some deck screws that drill their own hole and thread themselves it. something like this is what I am thinking of:

[flagmanruss]

I had sent away for some "special" trailer deck screws with coating which are supposed to be self tapping.  They are black coated & look like the illustration.  We'll see how they work.  The next snag was the decking planks had shifted & been sitting on the trailer all winter.  The front edge had to be forced (driven) into a channel in order to get the back edge to drop (I had used an intermediate block of wood so I didn't mash the carefully Cuprinoled edges.)  The thing is, the boards don't quite make a solid deck...  there are or should be small gaps between the boards.  They were carelessly positioned & now swelled in place.  Some I was able to shift with a pry bar.  Others, I drove in carpentry shims...  decided that'll be my spacing.  I got down to one at the front...  The pry bar was flexing the angle iron frame side but board remained stuck.  I used an old pipe (bar type) clamp that was my Dad's.  I couldn't get it into the slot but was able to insert the pry bar & was now pushing against the other side of  the frame & I moved it.   

So now I have all the boards spaced & ready for my chalk lines.  I just have to check where my wires are, so I don't screw through them! 

 

While I was working on it, I noticed the axle dust cover has a dent with a hole through...  when removed it doesn't appear any water got in...  yet!  The seller claimer to have repacked the bearings for me & I do see new grease.  I'm going to pull the outer bearing & fill in between with new grease before installing bearing buddies.  I've seen cases of inner bearing failures with bearing buddies where insufficient  grease had been able to work it's way through to the inner bearing.  Filling the center, helps to eliminate the air bubble.    

Edited April 20, 2014 by flagmanruss

[MnTom]

I'm glad you are getting somewhere with the trailer. If the screws are like the picture they should be fairly easy to install. They are the ones used on a semi trailer too. I want to see pictures when you are done, Russ.

[flagmanruss]

I was ready to install the bearing buddies & needed to be sure the bearings were packed properly.  I jacked up one side & worked the outer bearing out...  the pretty new grease was a decoy.  The bearing had a few traces of slimy brown mud that might have been grease at one time.  There were water signs & rust in the outer hub .  I tried to pull the hub wheel & all.  When it came off, the bearing (same brown mud traces) & what was left of the seal stayed with the axle (pulled out of the hub).  The bearing is stuck to the axle.  I smeared a bit of new grease on the bearings & reassembled this first hub because I can't move the trailer if I don't.  I'm thinking I need to send this out...  probably a job for my wheel & brake shop.  Wouldn't do to loose a wheel & wreck it on the way there.  

 

I'm going to pull the other wheel & see the condition of that side. 

 

It might be better to replace the hub with new bearing & seals as an assembly. 

 

I haven't screwed the deck boards down yet.  I can't send the trailer out with the deck loose so I need to proceed with that.     

[MnTom]

Dang, you are having all manners of 'fun'. Have you tried to use a punch and hammer to see if the bearing just might come off without to much trouble? Might save you a few bucks.

[flagmanruss]

OK, yas all talked me into it.  I bought 2 news sets with inner, outer bearings & seals.   (ARF, ARF...  that's a couple of seals!  LOL!!)   The kits were on sale for just $12 each.  I picked up a set of pullers.  Now I'm expecting the inner bearing to pull apart.  I can only hope the center race will come off the axle.  I don't suppose the original assembly of the axle used Never Seize on that race.  Once the bearing breaks apart, I will lose the ability to tow the trailer.  I can winch it up onto my other trailer to take it to a shop...  not seeming like a good use of time.

 

If I can tow it, I can take it to my inlaws who has a big torch...  of a wheel & brake shop.