# Too many rubber mats?



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My new used trailer is covered all the way around with 4ft by 6ft 3/4th inch thick rubber stall mats. I'm guessing there are at least 600lbs of mats in the trailer, not including the floor mats. Maybe another 300lbs for floor mats. 

My truck is rated for 5000lbs and the trailer is estimated at 2800lbs not including the wall mats. My plan is to get a weight distribution system installed and then go down and get it weighed. 

If i remove some of the wall mats what should I replace them with? 

I believe the weight towing limit is 5000lbs without a weight distribution system, but 7000lbs with a weight distribution system according to fords booklet, but i don't know if my truck is configured correctly for that to apply.

If i leave the mats up, would they be damaging to the walls? I believe the prior owner self installed them. If i take them down, what should I replace them with? I think i might want to take one down just to check the condition underneath and see is there is rust, in which case, they all might need to come down.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

My first thought, depending on your climate, is the moisture caught between the mats and your walls causing issues. Assuming it is steel.
And wondering how the mats were attached punching holes in the sides of your trailer. Again, assuming the worst. I've seen some ridiculous modifications to trailers that caused more problems than they were supposed to prevent.
Without knowing or seeing the trailer, my inclination would be to take them off.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

4horses said:


> If i remove some of the wall mats what should I replace them with?



Time for a look and see what you've got hiding and take care of it correctly if issue is found.

Take the mats off the wall...
To replace with something else...
Me, I would use exterior grade plywood 1/4" thick...
Horses are not going to do a direct double barrel kick you need thickness to protect from penetrating the wall...
You need something that the leg can strike in a slide motion and not tear the trailer wall with a steel shoe if that....
If your horse{s} are quiet shippers you might not need anything...
If though the animals scramble or kick during travel then I would place something on the wall to protect that trailer _regardless _of what it is made from.
That is me though...
I would leave the thicker floor mats though.
My friend has the thinner mats on her trailer floor and they "walk"...
I think her trailer has something not quite right with the mats to start with, they are thinner mats than mine for sure.
My thicker mats don't budge no matter how many horses, how many miles we travel they stay exactly where I laid them after cleaning, drying and replacing them in the trailer.







...
_jmo..._


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I took down one mat. Everything looks pretty good underneath so at least I don't need to worry about rust.

The mats are attached by lots of tiny screws. The screws are starting to rust though. They did not use washers. If I decide to leave the mats up, I think it would be a good idea to replace the rusty screws. If the screws rust too much more they will strip if I want to remove them.

How are mats supposed to be attached? My prior trailer had kick boards, not wall mats. 

At least the screws were tiny, because they didn't penetrate very deep into the wall.

I'm debating on taking both the divider and the tack room wall out so I can camp in the trailer. But if I do that, the spare tire is attached in the front of trailer. I would need a way to cover it or prevent the horses from getting too close to it. Lots to think about.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Just my opinion, if your horses trailer well, I'd do away with the mats on the wall. I've bought a few trailers where people obviously had kickers and pawers, kick boards would serve a purpose. But with decent haulers in trailers without rubber on the walls it has made no difference in the 20+ years hauling horses regularly in various ways, trailers and situations. If you're worried about weight, I'd take them off. 

If you decide to keep the mats up, I believe, how your trailer is built and out of what would help determined how the mats should be attached. Also I'd probably find something lighter than 3/4" stall mats.


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