Trailer bed material?
 

Picked up an old Thule (I think) trailer that I think was originally a kid-hauler, but has all the fabric removed. Now it's a bare frame. I could carry plenty as is, but I'd like to put some kind of light, weather-proof floor on it capable of supporting my two, 35 pound dogs. I could just seal up a piece of plywood, I expect, or some particle board, but I want to explore my options and make sure I'm not missing a better choice.

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may not be much help, cause i never knew what it was called, but at one time i brought something that was made like coroplast, but the outer sheets were a real thin aluminum (with a kind of plastic honeycomb sandwiched between). i got it at a peddlers mall type flea market so the actual seller was never there to ask the name of it.

Aluminum diamond tread deckplate? and there is a Polycarbonate Coroplast , Stiffer than the regular stuff ,
& Hexcel ..

and I like Baltic Birch Plywood, .. coming .. from Sweden, all plys are birch, and thinner ..





...

Well, definitely not any kind of pressed board, with particle board being the worst of them. Birch plywood or marine-grade plywood would be your best bets. You'll only need 1/4" or 7mm. I would also then recommend sealing it, and covering with marine carpet, corrugated rubber mat, or astroturf, unless you want two dogs sliding around like hockey pucks.

Yeah, there will be something for traction for the dogs. Will probably put some kind of pad down so they lie down.

For the base, what the others said. But if I had 1/2" or even 3/4" I would use that for the base. A carpet rem works for a cover, gives the paws something to grip also easy and cheap to replace. I had a burley flat that i made into a trailer for my girl in the day. Sides, front and back were plywood cut to a height just above her shoulders so her weight wouldn't let her fall out. I never had any issues in some 13 years but I did read a story where a dog in a trailer got rather unfortunate eye injury that turned costly by some road dirt flying up off the back wheel. So maybe some fenders or a design feature on the front of the trailer to prevent any possible crud flying up into you dogs eyes.

Awesome to read you want to take your pack with you riding. I once heard your dog is part of your world but you are the whole world to your dog (s). Such a true statement.

I'd probably go with the 1/4" plywood + carpeting as above, but you may well be able to just do carpeting, turned back over on itself at the ends and sewn.

:foo: Tension for the fabric would be nice.

It would take a little fabrication, but you could take 2 aluminum plates to sandwich and bolt together at the ends of the carpet. Then punch holes for ropes either through the plates or just beyond the plates and tie it all together under tension. Allow tightening as needed.

Would it stretch better wet?

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This is my trailer. I rebuilt it last year to see if a friends dog would get in. I made it about 6 maybe 8 inches higher this time. I ziptied the sides and front to the floor section then ziptied it to the trailer so i wouldnt need to drill any holes in the trailer frame. It also made it easy to break down flat if i traveled anywhere and brought it with. It was easy to reassemble. One thing i forgot to do the time was to get something inbetween the wood deck and aluminum frame. Cuts the noise

The trailer is the burley flatbed, back when it came with 20" wheels. Ziptieing the deck to the trailer also allowed me to leave the canvas on the trailer and not damage it if I wanted to restore it back to the original condition . All this wood is 1/2" ply of something I had laying around. If I had your trailer I would try to turn the frame around. My girl almost always was standing.

Good luck with your build. Post some pics of the "after" trailer.

Quarter inch luan plywood, paint/varnish and seal the edges. Tack an old piece of indoor-outdoor carpet on it for comfort and traction. Then get some heavy nylon and mesh for the sides. Possibly plywood low on the sides to give it bedsides to keep stuff out of the wheels.

I lucked up on a gently used Burley Tailwagon a while back. My dog tolerates it but is getting better at riding along.


Aaron :)


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