# Wall fix on older trailer



## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

Got me a steal deal of a trailer, but now I just need to repair these walls and floor, but lookin at the walls, I'm not sure how to go about it? They're held on by the bolts holding the wheel fenders(?) on? You can see in the inside the arc where the bolts are also. Pictured. How can I go about this without having to risk ruining the bolts? I know they're rusted, so they'll probably have to be sawed and removed and replaced if this is the only answer


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Hard to get a context of exactly where we're looking at with such closeup pics - perhaps a few more from a further distance would be good. 

Presuming this is inside....consider reskinning the entire trailer using what appears to be the existing inside framing as a base? It's weird that there's exposed framing like that anyhow vs having an inside skin - the horses ideally shouldn't have any exposure to framing and bolts etc - perhaps there was interior skinning at one point in the past and it was removed?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If you do have to loosen those bolts, try coca cola - the real thing. That sheeting has been applied incorrectly. It should be between the animal and the metal. I'd remove the old stuff tho, just bash it if you have to. Wire brush the metal, clean with turpentine or paint thinner then apply Rustoleum which helps prevent further rusting. Then apply the new skin.


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

PrivatePilot said:


> Hard to get a context of exactly where we're looking at with such closeup pics - perhaps a few more from a further distance would be good.
> 
> Presuming this is inside....consider reskinning the entire trailer using what appears to be the existing inside framing as a base? It's weird that there's exposed framing like that anyhow vs having an inside skin - the horses ideally shouldn't have any exposure to framing and bolts etc - perhaps there was interior skinning at one point in the past and it was removed?


The bolts are on the outside of the trailer by the tires, the inside is a rounded end.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

Saddlebag said:


> If you do have to loosen those bolts, try coca cola - the real thing. That sheeting has been applied incorrectly. It should be between the animal and the metal. I'd remove the old stuff tho, just bash it if you have to. Wire brush the metal, clean with turpentine or paint thinner then apply Rustoleum which helps prevent further rusting. Then apply the new skin.


_Posted via Mobile Device_
So from what I'm understanding, there should be wood in front of the framing? IF so, I'm afraid that leaving the old wood inside would cause more rust.. But if I knocked it out, to place the new skin IN FRONT of the framing- so the horse has no contact with the metal framing at all? Example of layers: trailer metal, nasty old wood, framing, new wood replacement, and horse.


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

I'm not sure how to put more pictures on here, but I'm almost positive the wood is in the right place inside the trailer, just applied incorrectly 
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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

Here's a photo


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

Another of the other side


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

There should be a complete skin on the inside of the trailer, the horses should have absolutely no way to touch any part of the frame...and all interior metal hardware should be carriage bolts with the smooth (head) side in so that there's nothing for them to catch or cut themselves on. 

That wood is definitely not in the right spot. If you can post a more generalized photo of the entire inside of the trailer we could help you more. 

As for removing old and rusted bolts and nuts etc.... If you can't hack saw them off you're probably going to need an Oxy-acetylene torch to cut it out. Replace it all, it's not expensive and WAY less frustrating vs trying to work with old rusty crud hardware.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

i don't know what else you guys are wanting.


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

This trailer was made in '81


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

The other side


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I disagree: the wood is correctly installed. The construction is so that the wood sits under the metal framing portions and it should be a tight fit. There isn't necessarily another layer over that. 

All the wood needs to be taken out and then the metal assessed. Really look at the floor framing and base of the walls. Its more likely than not that some steel repair is required. After the metal repairs, sandblasting will 1. expose any other possible week areas missed and 2. prep it for paint. If you choose to paint the inside before putting on wood, use the thinnest layer possible as the wood will fit tightly.

You may get away with blast and paint. It also depends just how much you expect from the trailer. The better the job, the longer it will last, although that type of construction is likely more prone to rust than some other styles.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

OK, now that I've seen the bigger pics...yes, it looks like this is the way it's designed - the missing bumper pads and such is what makes it look odd.

Honestly, if it was my trailer I'd forget about that plywood and put a new skin on the inside of the existing framing - 1/2" plywood (3/4 if it won't overly negatively effect the width of the stalls against the sizes of the horse you want to haul in it) and then replace the bumpers onto the new sides. Leave what's there alone honestly as it looks to be mostly cosmetic and protective - inside wood is never structural aside from the floor obviously.

I would also echo the suggestion to completely inspect the frame before you worry about the inside walls whatsoever. You're looking at a ~35 year old trailer and the floor and the frame under it is where I'd focus my attention to start - you don't want to cosmetics before structural - the latter is far more important.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

PP - I would not put the wood on top of that framing. There would then be probably almost an inch of space between the wood and the steel. If a horse kicks the wood directly against the steel, it will not penetrate; with a space behind, it probably would and then you have a hoof caught, splinters...


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

NorthernMama said:


> PP - I would not put the wood on top of that framing. There would then be probably almost an inch of space between the wood and the steel.


You might be surprised at how much space there is between the inside sheeting and the outside structural steel on many horse trailers then. 

Personally, I wouldn't like having that framing exposed, even once the bumpers are back in place. That's the sort of thing you see on very old trailers, but there's a reason you don't see it on new trailers - much more potential for injury vs a smooth wall.

Is there a risk for plywood to break and splinter...sure, but a horse doesn't have a lot of strength laterally and although they may scrape and dent side walls (my trailer has plenty of such) as long as you use adequate thickness wood it's highly unlikely they're going to go through it especially in such a small trailer where movement is very limited. If this was a slant trailer where they can potentially get a good wind up and kick directly to a side wall I'd feel differently (or use thicker wood), but this isn't a slant trailer. 

As a compromise I'd look at doing something like the picture below where the wall has been "built out" to the same thickness as the framing.


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks for the tips! Looks like first step is going to be gutting it and seeing what we have to deal with. From crawling around underneath she seems to be solid, but it's hard telling really what we have going on until we get everything out and cleaned up.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

PrivatePilot said:


> As a compromise I'd look at doing something like the picture below where the wall has been "built out" to the same thickness as the framing.


If the OP does it "right" the plywood does come to the same plane as the framing, less of course the 1/8" thickness of the steel on the framing.

OP - many people do a little blog on trailer redo's. Looking forward to yours. Good luck.


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## Tylorjeanwagner (Nov 20, 2013)

NorthernMama said:


> If the OP does it "right" the plywood does come to the same plane as the framing, less of course the 1/8" thickness of the steel on the framing.
> 
> OP - many people do a little blog on trailer redo's. Looking forward to yours. Good luck.


I'm taking the trailer to the power washer today to clean the mud out of the base, I'll start taking pictures and open a new thread.


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