And what should I do with this (lawn and garden) trailer????

[LEAKYSEALS951]

And what SHOULD I do with this little tetanus infested trailer that darkens my yard with a constant shower of endless rust?

I got it from my dad's house when he died. It WAS a durable as hell John Deere trailer. Constructed from depleted uranium, and built to last- years of neglect, storing fertilizer, and general abuse STILL haven't completely killed it. Even my dad's dementia and hoarding issues couldn't kill it.

He tried. He tried his best. I think he about 80% succeeded. (if he was here, he'd be laughing at this thread.. so there...)

It is rusted through the bottom and STILL has more metal heft than my cheapo harbor freight cart.

And there lies my conundrum for the Hunley.

I "could" buy new tires for it.
I "could" spray several bottles of PB blaster on it
I "could" pay someone to sandblast it (but there might not be anything left)
After Sandblasting, I "could" even patch in some sheet metal.
I "could" toss it... and probably "should" toss it, but it is still larger, sturdier, and stronger than my cheap chinese POS trailer.

Anyhow. Enough blabbering. Thoughts?

Behold, The old JD cart :






The HF cart: (so lightly built the grass crushes the side and the pulling arm is broken)

[cabmandone]

2 used tires from CL that hold air (based on the pic it's a standard riding mower front tire), 3/4" treated board for the floor, scuff and rustoleum the sides and frame and call it a day.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by cabmando

3/4" treated board for the floor

YES!!!
This is why I love PP. I was thinking sheet metal. Wood would be great. Hell. I'll do it in TEAK!

And yes... Its a 16x6.5x8- very common

[cabmandone]

I'm a big fan of "easy"! And done right it would look pretty cool. Then you go buy and old Coke metal cooler that you strap in the trailer, put your beer on ice, and never again think Man! I could go for a beer while I'm mowing.

[wdfifteen]

Man, you guys are hard on trailers! I’d get two new wheels and tires, thrown in an exterior plywood floor, and use it.
If you sandblast that green paint off and brush on some good Farmall red it will add another 10 years to it.

[Tobra]

POR 15 and wood floor. Take the wheels off the blue trailer

[LEAKYSEALS951]

So now I'm thinking of the thread where one of the pelican regulars made Ebony wood floor panels for the singer.

Yes. A "bespoke" dumpcart. Whatever the hell that is...

I should probably stick to plywood for function, but I'm suddenly envisioning slats like the back of a custom pickup. If I go bolts, they need to be sunken not to mess with shoveling stuff out.

I did though think of swapping the HF rims to the JD, but the through axle on the JD is 7/8 and the holes on the HF rims are 3/4 I.D. The through axle on the JD is permanently rusted into place.

More importantly though is the OFFSET of the JD rims.

That trailer has the right stance.

Thanks guys, now I'm really inspired on my next needless project.

edit- I think the HF was a farmall red (or some type of red). I sprayed it FORD blue and that gave it a good 18 months!

[wdfifteen]

You need to start a “while you are in there” thread for dump cart restorations!
Just an FYI, the “pulling arm” is more commonly called a “tongue.” It took me a bit to figure out what you were talking about.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

And so with the search for a wood liner, the rabbit hole begins:

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/preserved-patina-mark-parham-s-1961-chevy-apache-10/

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

So now I'm thinking of the thread where one of the pelican regulars made Ebony wood floor panels for the singer.

Yes. A "bespoke" dumpcart. Whatever the hell that is...

I should probably stick to plywood for function, but I'm suddenly envisioning slats like the back of a custom pickup. If I go bolts, they need to be sunken not to mess with shoveling stuff out.

I did though think of swapping the HF rims to the JD, but the through axle on the JD is 7/8 and the holes on the HF rims are 3/4 I.D. The through axle on the JD is permanently rusted into place.

More importantly though is the OFFSET of the JD rims.

That trailer has the right stance.

Thanks guys, now I'm really inspired on my next needless project.

edit- I think the HF was a farmall red (or some type of red). I sprayed it FORD blue and that gave it a good 18 months!

If you use a 5/16 bolt just drill the hole for the bolt then take a larger bit close to the size of the bolt head and it will draw right in as you tighten the nut. If you want the nut on the inside do the same as above but hammer the nut into the hole then thread the bolt in. Done it this way several times.

BTW, I think I might have created a monster!

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by cabmando

If you use a 5/16 bolt just drill the hole for the bolt then take a larger bit close to the size of the bolt head and it will draw right in as you tighten the nut. If you want the nut on the inside do the same as above but hammer the nut into the hole then thread the bolt in. Done it this way several times.

I'd recommend the use of a carriage bolt so that the domed head of the hardware won't stand too far proud of the wood decking.

Or, my suggested method (similar to yours) is to first drill a recess into the decking (preferably with a forstner bit if you have a set) which closely matches the bolt head size but drill a depth of slightly less than the bolt head height, then second, drill the whole for the bolt shank diameter all the way through the decking and the trailer floor.

[porsche930dude]

Nice cart late 70s id say. Well worth fixing up even if its just a little bit to get it working.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

I'd recommend the use of a carriage bolt so that the domed head of the hardware won't stand too far proud of the wood decking.

Or, my suggested method (similar to yours) is to first drill a recess into the decking (preferably with a forstner bit if you have a set) which closely matches the bolt head size but drill a depth of slightly less than the bolt head height, then second, drill the whole for the bolt shank diameter all the way through the decking and the trailer floor.

Was going to suggest carriage bolts but they still rest on the top of the wood rather than really countersinking in. If you pull them too far in you end up with a spot for water and dirt to stand. I found the trick I used when I did some decking on an old semi trailer I use as a dock. Works great.

Good call on the forstner bit but a lot of guys don't own a set of those... I do.

[wdfifteen]

I recommend construction adhesive. Clean the steel well and get it good and dry, spread the better part of a tube of liquid nails on it, and drop your new 3/4” treated plywood floor in place. Adhesives work great on large flat surfaces like that.bonus is you can caulk the seam between the floor and wall with the rest of the tube of liquid nails.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I recommend construction adhesive. Clean the steel well and get it good and dry, spread the better part of a tube of liquid nails on it, and drop your new 3/4” treated plywood floor in place. Adhesives work great on large flat surfaces like that.bonus is you can caulk the seam between the floor and wall with the rest of the tube of liquid nails.

I'd cut the floor out leaving a flange and then do as you say.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I recommend construction adhesive. Clean the steel well and get it good and dry, spread the better part of a tube of liquid nails on it, and drop your new 3/4” treated plywood floor in place. Adhesives work great on large flat surfaces like that.bonus is you can caulk the seam between the floor and wall with the rest of the tube of liquid nails.

Be sure to use the liquid nails for projects because that is definitely a project.

[rusnak]

Sand blasting and powder coat is really cheap to have done by a pro. I would do that and as the rest say, wood floor. Throw out the El Cheapo dump cart.

[Rusty Heap]

turn it into the backyard burn pit, for hot dogs and steaks

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Sand blasting and powder coat is really cheap to have done by a pro. I would do that and as the rest say, wood floor. Throw out the El Cheapo dump cart.

You can use it to haul the blue one to the curb! Take THAT Harbor Freight!

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

You can use it to haul the blue one to the curb! Take THAT Harbor Freight!

Bravo, Good Sir! Well done!!