Replacing snowmobile trailer deck?

[Walleyehooker]

Need to replace snowmobile trailer deck as it was getting a little soft last year. What would you replace it with. It has some type of plywood on it now not sure how thick as its still in storage. That has held up pretty well for a lot of years but due for a change especially now that I have a heavier sled.Its a Triton trailer.

[leech~~]

2 minutes ago, Walleyehooker said:

Need to replace snowmobile trailer deck as it was getting a little soft last year. What would you replace it with. It has some type of plywood on it now not sure how thick as its still in storage. That has held up pretty well for a lot of years but due for a change especially now that I have a heavier sled.Its a Triton trailer.

5/8" treated is what I would throw back on it.  What ever happen to you getting a new large enclosed one?

[Walleyehooker]

Actually I was just looking at enclosed trailers on line and still kicking that around. But even when I do get an enclosed trailer I will still keep this one. Even if I just use it to put the sleds on to put them in storage. I'm trying to figure out which trailer I want to go with for an enclosed as I also want to use it for the motorcycles in the summer. Want a drive on ramp but now that I have reverse not sure I want to spend more for or even need a drive threw.

[PurpleFloyd]

Just redid the deck on my 20 year old Floe. This is the second deck that has been put on it. About 8-10 years ago the original deck was replaced with 3/4" AC plywood and it probably should have been replaced 2 years ago but I milked it out. 

This time I used 3/4" green treated and also replaced all fasteners with stainless screws and bolts so hopefully it will be a long time before it gets done again. The rest of the trailer looks great for it's age and I put new rims and tires on it last fall so it's like new.

One thing that sucks is the channel the plywood goes into requires you to use a router/table saw with dado blade rabbet the edge down to 3/8" which makes no sense considering that is where you want strength. This is in the Mfg specs for deck replacement. They recommend 1/2 or 5/8 but I used 3/4 both times. Not sure why they can't just have a full thickness channel in there to use full thickness plywood. 

 

[PurpleFloyd]

[leech~~]

Looks like you did a nice job on her PF. I wonder if you would have had to do the routing if you would have used 5/8" ply?

[PurpleFloyd]

7 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Looks like you did a nice job on her PF. I wonder if you would have had to do the routing if you would have used 5/8" ply?

Yes.

The channels on this were like 3/8". If even .5 would have worked I would have went with that. 

Not the best engineering IMO. 

[Walleyehooker]

Nice job on the deck. I'm going to get my trailer out of storage later this month and will most likely go with the 3/4 plywood like you did.

[Walleyehooker]

Well just got the trailer deck tore off and found out it only has 1/2 plywood on it. Would like to put a little thicker plywood on it but don't want to go threw all the work to get it to fit in the side channels. This is just going to be more of a storage and utility trailer now anyway and the original deck lasted about 20 years. So just going to put 1/2 treated back on and call it good.

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, Walleyehooker said:

Well just got the trailer deck tore off and found out it only has 1/2 plywood on it. Would like to put a little thicker plywood on it but don't want to go threw all the work to get it to fit in the side channels. This is just going to be more of a storage and utility trailer now anyway and the original deck lasted about 20 years. So just going to put 1/2 treated back on and call it good.

1/2"? I have never seen a sled trailer with 1/2" sheet unless they have a lot of cross supports? I would go 5/8th at least.

 

[Walleyehooker]

Well here is the trailer and here is a pic of the old plywood.

[leech~~]

It does look like the trailer has a lot of cross bracing so maybe 1/2" was good?

[Walleyehooker]

well after rethinking this a little I think I might put 5/8 on it. Long as I have it apart and have the time I might as well make it a little better. Only a few bucks more for the plywood and a little extra time to reduce the edges to 1/2 to fit in the channel will probably be worth it in the long run.

[Walleyehooker]

Got the deck all on and just need to screw it down. Did go with 5/8 and glad I did but sure was a pain shaving off about a 1/8 to make it fit in the channel.

[PurpleFloyd]

Looking good.

[leech~~]

34 minutes ago, Walleyehooker said:

Got the deck all on and just need to screw it down. Did go with 5/8 and glad I did but sure was a pain shaving off about a 1/8 to make it fit in the channel.

 

Craap, that was fast. You must be Retired!

Do you have it all screwed down yet? The closes sheet looks a little tweaked in the middle by the lights yet?

Edited October 11, 2016 by leech~~

[Walleyehooker]

I still have to screw it down but that will be the easy part. Actually if it weren't for having to deal with fitting it in the channel its a pretty easy job. 2- 4 X 8 sheets of plywood and 1- 2 X 8 piece with a couple holes drilled out for tie downs. Used the old piece for a pattern.

[johndenver]

How did you install the 2x8 piece in the front, given the flat aluminum vertical ends are above the deck supports and block off a portion of the channel? There’s no good way to slide the full 2x8 piece in because of it? 

 

Redecking a triton clamshell trailer right now and running into this problem. I appreciate the insight! 

[Walleyehooker]

Cant recall right now and to cold to go look. But basically just used the old deck for a pattern. I did use 5/8 vs 1/2 inch plywood so I had to reduce about an inch on the sides of the sheets to fit into the channel on the sides. Same with 2x8 piece up front but other than that mine layed flat as you can see in the pics.Yours maybe different but should be able to pattern it off old deck.

[Walleyehooker]

Also glad I went with 5/8 as it was very little more cost wise and a lot more sturdy than 1/2 inch. 

[johndenver]

Thanks for the reply. I went with 3/4” and am rabbitting the edge to fit in the channel. Problem is getting that front 2’x8’ piece installed because there’s no way to slide the whole piece in the end of the trailer, and the 3/4” is too thick to bend far enough for the notched edges to both fit in the channel.

 

So it sounds like you cut the width down to less than 8’, then just spanned the gap, so each side of the trailer has same amount in the channel?

[Big Dave2]

2 hours ago, johndenver said:

Thanks for the reply. I went with 3/4” and am rabbitting the edge to fit in the channel. Problem is getting that front 2’x8’ piece installed because there’s no way to slide the whole piece in the end of the trailer, and the 3/4” is too thick to bend far enough for the notched edges to both fit in the channel.

 

So it sounds like you cut the width down to less than 8’, then just spanned the gap, so each side of the trailer has same amount in the channel?

 

Do you have any pictures?

[johndenver]

Will take some when I get home and upload

[leech~~]

2 hours ago, johndenver said:

Thanks for the reply. I went with 3/4” and am rabbitting the edge to fit in the channel. Problem is getting that front 2’x8’ piece installed because there’s no way to slide the whole piece in the end of the trailer, and the 3/4” is too thick to bend far enough for the notched edges to both fit in the channel.

 

So it sounds like you cut the width down to less than 8’, then just spanned the gap, so each side of the trailer has same amount in the channel?

 

If you look at the first picture of his frame at top. He had taken his salt shield off.  If yours is the same way you should be able to slide the first short ply sheet in the front then the to larger sheets in the back one side then the other. At least I think that's how he did it. 

[Walleyehooker]

I think I slid mine in from the front. Some pics would help