The Road Ranger. 1997 SEMI

[Shran]

My PJ car trailer has pressure treated pine 2x6's for decking... it has held up exceptionally well over 11 years that I've owned it. I used Thompson's Water Seal on it once although that is now flaking off and looks terrible. I would NOT use engine oil or any used oil for that matter, that is going to be a mess. If you use wood, leave it alone and let it weather for a few months and then either do deck stain or boiled linseed oil (not raw.)

Problem with treated wood is that it is HEAVY. Untreated 1x material might be a better option if you use boards... plywood (treated right away) would be much lighter. My little trailer has two pieces of 3/4" plywood sandwiched together for a deck and it's held up very well.

 

[Rick W]

What about wood boards. Generally, oak is used for the deck but if treated properly, you might be able to get away with pine since you don't plan on doing any hauling with it. If you can get it to look rough cut, even better. Treating the wood with used motor oil might be the way to go. I hear that is a regular weather treatment for real trailer wood decks and would give the wood some staining.

I think that would be great, i’ve actually struggled with that, since I think it would be the most realistic appearance, and probably the most functional. I’ve had a lot of trailers with wooden decks, and I always loved them because you could screw down a few boards or braces to stabilize your load, and then just change it for the next thing.

As we all know, there’s nothing practical about this thing. It’s all for show and for fun. And of course I’ve talked a few times about all the diamond plate I picked up for next to nothing. It’s probably not the best deck surface for practical use, but it sure is eye candy. Also, comparatively, no matter how I did a wood deck it would add a lot of weight compared to the aluminum. It’ll match the back of the Road Ranger too. If I ever carry anything with it, I’ll probably lay down some plywood over the diamond plate to keep it from scratching. But how much damage can you do with a couple of lawn chairs and a cooler full of beer?

When I was a kid, I worked in 100 year old hardware store that had wood floors. I think they were spruce, but I’m not sure. Once a year, the owner would basically mop them with an oil to keep them in good shape. Can you imagine doing that now? All you would need is a match and the whole thing would disappear in a puff! And there would be a two man team coming in all the time, an actor to slip and fall, and his lawyer, behind him to sue!

When I did The Missing Linc, I actually bought some flooring planks and I was going to mimic a wood bed floor like back in the 60s. It’s all still sitting in the shed of miracles. I’ll probably cannibalize it for some project. I haven’t even dreamed up yet.

 

[Rick W]

My PJ car trailer has pressure treated pine 2x6's for decking... it has held up exceptionally well over 11 years that I've owned it. I used Thompson's Water Seal on it once although that is now flaking off and looks terrible. I would NOT use engine oil or any used oil for that matter, that is going to be a mess. If you use wood, leave it alone and let it weather for a few months and then either do deck stain or boiled linseed oil (not raw.)

Problem with treated wood is that it is HEAVY. Untreated 1x material might be a better option if you use boards... plywood (treated right away) would be much lighter. My little trailer has two pieces of 3/4" plywood sandwiched together for a deck and it's held up very well.

When I was considering wood, I was thinking of using some tongue and groove spruce. I would do what you suggested, to let it all dry out, and then stain it, and seal it very well before I put it together.

I have used deck boards before for light duty equipment trailers with pretty good luck. Most people don’t realize that pressure-treated still needs to be coated with something after it dries out if you want it to last a long time. And, of course, I have a passionate love affair with Rustoleum for all painting needs…

 

[Rick W]

Sooooo, I went to the metals supermarket to get one 20 foot stick of 2 x 2 x 1/8“ angle iron. Keep in mind I’ve scavenged tons of this stuff for little money over the years. Well, they wanted $130 for one stick. I drove Big Red, the F250, because I could tie it on the roof racks, but my plan was to have them cut it into two pieces at a measurement I need. They said it would be four days to get on the cutting schedule. I didn’t even ask how many hundreds of dollars that would be. I left without it and started cruising Craigslist again.

I just couldn’t do that. I have all my receipts, and I have all my records of things that I’ve scavenged in lots and turned around and sold off what I didn’t need. Example: I bought a lot of about 15 aluminum wheels to get four Ranger bullet hole wheels. The lot included four F150, aluminum mags, four 14” deer hoof wheels, and three 15” Deer hoof wheels. I paid $85 for all of them, and half the tires were OK, the guy was old like me, and just cleaning out his property. I sold the F150 wheels for $150 within a week, and the 14” deer hoof set for $100. I was scavenging for a lot of wheels at that time, so I just added another 15 inch Deer hoof to my want list. I actually found two for little money about six months later, and then I sold the five as a set for $250. All I did with any of these was to put a little soap and elbow grease, could’t have taken more than two minutes a wheel. So I have a net profit of several hundred dollars in the six that I’m going to use on this trailer. I’m also constantly scanning craigslist for the size tires I use on all this junk. I’m pretty well stocked up now, but I don’t think I paid more than 10 or $15 each for any of the tires I’ve got on any of this stuff with the exception of the Road Ranger tires. A guy inherited his mom’s mint crown Victoria from up north, put a set of milesstar 235/75/15 tires on it to drive it back to Atlanta, and then ended up changing the wheels and tires. I got the four tires for $150 with less than 1000 miles on them

On the Road Ranger, I sold the bed and the back bumper and a few other parts for 500 dollars. For his trailer, if I put $130 into a stick of steel, that would’ve raised the investment by a third. When I add up the costs and I add up the things that I’ve sold off, I have less than $500 in this thing. Not a whole lot more in The Road Ranger.

So I went back into the shed of miracles and dug a little deeper, and I actually figured out a much better way to do the upper deck on the trailer. I want it where it hinges up for access when I’m coupling it up, so all aluminum is preferable. I figured out a way to combine some steel I have and the aluminum to keep it light weight, but still strong enough to walk around on top of it or put something up there.

In the process, I also figured out how to relocate my trailer legs, so they look right, or better at least.

An evening of rest tonight….

 

[Rick W]

I got out late this evening, but I was focused and got the legs moved from the side to the front of the lower deck. I still have to make the lower legs out of some fence posts in the rafters. I like it much better.

Then I welded pivot pieces atop the riser posts for the upper deck. I want to be able to prop it up about 18-20” for access to the hitch. The sides are pretty thick 1/1/2 x 1-1/2” aluminum tube from my scavenge stock. At the pivot (1/2” bolts) I cut and pressed about 10” of oak down the inside for extra strength at the pivot.

The front side is a double layer of 2-1/2 x 1/8” aluminum angle. One piece under turned up, two 7” vertices on the corners, then another piece on top turned up, creating a tall front lip. It’s so nothing slides off into the cab. I think I’m going to run one of my 3/4” threaded rods across on top too.

With that aluminum frame in place, the first time I actually saw what it would look like. I’m liking it.

Ran out of light and did a little clean up.

Next step is I’m going to run a steel 1” x 3/4” tube I have across right at the tip of the trailer tongue for support. I’m thinking that tube will be part of the upper, and it will rest in an angle about 18” long welded to the tongue, a snug fit. I’ll make some kind of pins or bolts to hold the two firmly together so it doesn’t rise up in the wind, and to make it solid laterally so it doesn’t sink or warp if you stand on the side. A little trial and error on this cuz I’m almost out of steel and aluminum.

Then I’ll do a double check, but I’m pretty sure I move to the aluminum fender fab, then lights, then decking.

I have some graphics for the truck, seat covers and carpet, but I’m not sure I’ll make it with that before Carlisle.

I have 90% of the lights and horns and strobes, etc. mounted on the truck, but very little of it is wired. I want to do what I did in The Missing Linc, and build a Console above the rearview mirror between the visors for all the switches with the CB/SSB below it. That’s a priority over the seat covers and carpet because I actually use those things while I’m driving.

But I sure am running out of time!

 

[Rick W]

Another late evening. Damn clients get in the way of everything I do!

I pretty much have the upper deck frame put together. I leveled it compared to the rest of the trailer running strings from tip to tip, and I did the support that sits on the top of the tongue and got it welded down. Then I figured out the hold down pins and that’s done.

The aluminum frame is plenty strong enough to carry my full weight (more than average), and I was pretty happy about that. Then I realized there is nothing inside the frame to support the diamond plate in the middle when I put it up there. I used one and a half in.² tubing, so I’m thinking of getting some pressure treated 2-bys and making a little sub frame inside the frame just a hold the diamond plate from sagging. I don’t want to add a lot of weight because I have to be able to pick it up.

Next step is trim and lights and diamond plate. This thing still might get done in time.

I also have to figure out the four safety chains, and I need to do that now so I have time to get them painted. Every time I paint chain it takes three or four coats.

 

[Rick W]

Scrambling around with clients and potential tenants, I didn’t get outside again till 6:00. They were calling for a downpour, so I didn’t start anything big.

I did pick up the treated 2x4s for the upper deck deck support, but I’m still not sure if that’s what I’m going to do. It’s the first time in many many years that I didn’t have some 4-5 foot pieces just sitting around the shed of miracles.

I did a lot of little things. I swapped out the far rear spring bolts, because the ones I had, I couldn’t tighten the nut all the way down for the thread to go all the way through. One of the spare tire hangers was bent, so I used my #8 adjustment tool and got that straightened out pretty much. Then it started to sprinkle, so I just cleaned up all around, all the little pieces of metal, the drop cloths, extra nuts and bolts that fell on the ground, etc., and the WHAM, Georgia summer thunderstorm downpour. I bet it’s a clear moon and stars later.

Now is the big shift from all the steel work to all the aluminum work. I hope to get started at 8:00 in the morning, but we’ll see how the evening goes. It’s been a hell of a hot week, busy week, and I have one more conference with Mr. Pabst.

Here’s what we’ve got so far:

 

[Rick W]

I got the fender skirts installed and painted. I made the left outside and right outside light panels and got them painted. I made the fenders and got them painted. I got the side-light angles measured out and set up for drilling. I figured out how to do the decking on the upper deck and got that half done…

My 28-yr old new neighbor (remember, I’m in suburbia) brought in 16 dump trucks of dirt today to level his backyard, and I worked with him to straighten out some drainage problems, which was great. I’m completely comfortable with my heterosexuality, but these buff young guys shamed me. One of my T-shirts would cover all three of them. I’ve got to go on a diet.

Lincoln and I took the Missing Linc up to the dollar store to buy every paint brush they had.

Now I’m getting painted with Mr. Pabst

 

[Rick W]

Side-light rails drilled and installed, and I put the lights in place. The front deck is done except the actual deck, I have to wire it first. The inner fenders were finished up, and the fenders have been mounted.

Then, sweet pea came home, and I was summoned to bring some food over, after I showered, and to carry her bags upstairs.

And the Missing Linc got dirty again, but not so bad this time

 

[Snoranger]

And the Missing Linc got dirty again, but not so bad this time

View attachment 96115

That’s not dirty… Some of the Rangers on here get dirtier than that just driving down their road.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That’s not dirty… Some of the Rangers on here get dirtier than that just driving down their road.

I call that clean...

 

[Snoranger]

I call that clean...

Oh look, it’s one of the people I was talking about.

 

[scotts90ranger]

All the farmers are working on fields be it combining grass seed, wheat, baling hay or just working up dirt so washing is a futile effort, now that my '97 has new tires I'm tempted to give it a yearly bath though...

 

[Rick W]

Well, obviously it’s make or break time, considering in 72 hours I’m supposed to be on the road with this thing. When I was quitting yesterday, I took a legal pad and a pencil and went from the tip of the trailer to the back of the trailer and made a list. I took that list and double checked it this morning, and obviously I have to shift to things that I have to have, not just everything I would like to do.

Well, in the middle of that last night, I sat bolt upright in bed with an interesting thought: “maybe I need a license plate for this thing?” So I have to dig up a title today and go down to the DMV and get that done. Fortunately, Georgia is pretty easy.

I started to pop a few lights in the place, but I really haven’t started the wiring yet. I know I’m going to put a terminal strip up by the tongue and run all the trailer wires from that, and then drop my plug from the truck on the other side. Even though everything is LED these days, I still plan on running conventional wire. Except for the strobes, I use speaker wire for them, four conductor, it works out great. I’m hoping to have all the wiring done before I hit the pillow tonight.

There’s also wiring still to be done on the truck: the beacon (which I think might be wise for this trip), the airhorns, the CB radio is a must, and hopefully the air compressor and air tank (but they are definitely in the “want” category right now).

I also have new carpet and seat covers, but that may never happen.

Oh, and I do have to put some time in on the day job, I’m up against a couple deadlines.

 

[Rick W]

Oh, and I found the baby. You’ll understand later.