Looking to make a set of removable sides for my skid steer trailer to allow me to haul brush, leaves, mulch and debris. Figured I'd just use 1/2" plywood, and 2x4's in the stake pockets. If I ran them from the front of the deck to the rear of the fenders, I'd have a 16' run. Two 8' sections per side. Only thing is, the two panels would have to share a stake pocket, unless I make another pocket on there.

Any other ideas on how to make side panels for it, about 4' high and 16' long that one man can still handle alone? I'd also thought about using some metal grating, like you see covering the ramps on some landscape trailers, but don't have a good source for that. Might be too heavy.

Also trying to think of ways to make unloading that type of stuff from the trailer easier, or faster anyway. They make those load handler deals for pickups, where the debris sits on a tarp, and the roller is strapped to the tailgate. You just roll up the tarp, and the debris is moved out of the truck bed. They don't make one big enough for the trailer, I'd need it like 7' by 20', but maybe mounted across the trailer? Anyone made anything like that? Trying to avoid buying a landscape trailer if I can help it. Just landed an annual maintenance contract with a condo association, and there's gonna be a lot of clippings & stuff to haul out of there.

 

2x4's and 1/2" plywood in my experience is just ok, if your not really going to put anything that has much weight. If your looking for more of the long haul effect I would try some kind of setup using 2x12's vs the plywood. They get heavy but I am assuming you have a skidsteer for the skidsteer trailer?

T398

 

The guy up the road, that is in the tree-trimming business, has an entirely metal trailer.

When he comes in with a big load of brush, he douses it with diesel and sets it afire.

When he heads back down the road, the wind blows out the ashes.

 

I just use all 2 X 4's on my trailer.....if you use 16 ft 2 X 4's you won't need 2 sections or even 2 X 8's

I had a bunch of left over 2 X 4's from a building I put up so the cost was Zero to build my sides

 

I've got removable sides that came with my 20' gooseneck. 2-10' sections for each side and one for the front. They are made of 2x2 angle for the frame with expanded metal covering them. They used c-channel vertically at each pocket. There is not a pocket at the middle of the trailer so they don't share a pocket like you were talking about, don't know if you have a pocket right in the middle. For connecting them they used some round steel about 1/2" and put a pin or bolt through them. In the front corners the pins run vertical and on the sides the run horizontal. I can get some pics if you want them if you want, they aren't on the trailer but you can see how they are made. It will take me a day or two to get them on the computer. Let me know if you want them.

They are about 5.5' tall and 10' long so they are a bit heavy. I weigh about 130 and my wife and I can put them on and off so they aren't terrible but they are ackward. It's also a deckover so I have to lift them a little higher as well. I wouldn't want to move them alot but if you have a skid steer it wouldn't be hard at all. I might suggest you make a way to chain the skid steer down with the side on it though, it would save some work and time in the long run.

One more thing, I don't have a back for them and they will flex back and forth when it's empty and I've thought about takeing some scrap steel and making braces to go on the back. It doesn't matter if there is dirt or brush on the trailer, that pushes out and stops the flex but if I haul something like funiture i'm not sure I would like it flexing and hitting important things.

I think that is about all. I will say that it does make the trailer more versatile. I will also note that the first owner had a landscaping business and would load this trailer up with mulch or what not and pulled his skid steer trailer behind it.

 

I see some other folks have dealt with the same issues. You crazy Kentucky hillbilly. I'm not setting my nice trailer on fire, but that does sound like it could be fun with someone else's trailer. You'd need some beer and some aerosol cans to throw at it. Those little teeny shaving cream cans that they give away in college dorms are awesome. But anyway.

I'm going for sturdy enough but not killer strong, I don't need to use them too often. Metal would be great, but I think I'd have a lot of expense in fabbing them. Maybe 2x12's would work. I've got one set of 2' tall, 10' long sides that I made out of 2x6's. I can handle them OK by myself, but I hate changing them out, and look for ways not to have to deal with them. 2x12's would be heavy SOB's. You'd have to be pretty careful lifting them out of the stake pockets with the loader, if they don't lift evenly you could break off the legs pretty easy.

I'll definitely make some braces for the back and a couple to go across the tops, I know what you mean about flexing. I might check into having someone make me up some metal sides, but most likely it'll be 2x12's, two eight foot sections down each side with some lifting points for the loader. Have to cut some access holes through the bottom so I could run my chains through to tie the loader down. Thanks a lot for the ideas yall.

 

Talk about steel belted radials.....

 

My dad has a ~16ft dumping trailer that he hauls his skidsteer in. Sounds like you need to upgrade

 

I used a wood called apitong it's very strong and it's what everybody uses on stakebeds

 

If your making the sides one continuous piece with 2x4's and 16ft 2x10's or 12's good luck hoisting them up there! I put a floor in mine and it has 2x10x16 and loading them by myself at the home depot was some work....as the employees walk by looking at you and your three kids?? I'd say maybe for an idea, if you ran one back to the middle hole and the other with longer ends so they would meet up together. Then get some of those heavy duty barn door latches, the ones that slide and you could bolt them onto the sides. Put up the long one, then the short one, slide your latches in to lock them together. You'd have 4 total sides, but shorter and easier to handle. Less expensive than steel and welding, could be moved by one person and would not require your skid steer, which to me would be a pain if I had to depend on a piece of equipment to get my trailer sides on and off....just an idea. If we were closer I'd come over and we could bang around some ideas....I love to fab things up and stuff like that...should have been an engineer, but just to dumb....make a great farm boy engineer though!

 

Why do they have to be removable? Won't your skid steer fit in the trailer with the sides on??? If so why not make a more permenant solution that will be stronger in the long run... just a suggestion, I know I find myself in this kind of things only to realize that, making it simple and permenant is a easier, cheaper and better solution.

If not I would have to also suggest a dump style trailer, they are VERY useful and have no problem hauling your equipment, clipings, and dumping...

 

They have to be removable because I usually haul a harley rake and the loader bucket on the front of the trailer. Load them from each side facing eachother and strap them down. I'm trying to get by using this trailer, but I may end up having to get another trailer that's more suitable for landscaping. Just hoping to avoid the tags, registration, insurance etc of owning another trailer. Plus 4 new tires, brakes, lights etc to deal with.

I keep thinking about these sides, metal might not be as expensive as I thought. A buddy said he bought some of the metal mesh panels, like you see on landscape trailers and ramps, for about $70 for a 4x8 sheet. 3 of those and some angle iron might do it. I gotta check with a couple local places for that. With my superior welding skills (wooo, that's a good one!) I think I could manage to put something together that would work.

 

Hmm... shaving cream cans in fires. Sounds like Maryland has some hillbillies too! Proving once again... it takes one to know one!

 

Overhead door sections work good. The steel insulated are the best ( foam injected, steel both sides) light, strong, bolt to a 2x4 for stake pocket and away you go. You might have to butter up the warehouse guy with beer to dig in their scratch and dent pile but most door company's should have a scratch and dent pile(discounted doors)

 

Wow, You are a genius. I would never have thought of that. Of course looking at your name I can see how you may have come up with the ideal.