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Driving my trailer this past winter in somewhat rural Connecticut where I live and some idiot decides to squeeze me right where there is a big boulder coming out into the road. Luckily, I was only going about 20 mph but still the damage was pretty bad. Smashed in the corner of the trailer, put a gash in the door, shattered one wheel, and then put a gash in the rear and knocked a side light off.
Got a quick quote and the guy wanted $3k to fix everything. Since I bought the trailer for about $6500 I thought this was kind of pricey.
Since all the dents and gashes are low I was thinking about screwing on some diamond plate all around about 2 feet high.
Looking at the pictures, It's hard to say if there is $3k worth of repair or not. One area that concerns me is where the door gust lock is mounted. Assuming it is mounted to a stringer or worse, the bottom frame rail, the way it's oriented would indicate structural damage. Of course that would have to be corrected before any cosmetic repairs are attempted. My other concern would be the axle/hub of the wheel that was destroyed. I would definitely check the axle location on the suspension to make sure it is square as well as the spindle, stub axle and even the bearings. If you just bolt on a new wheel and a pair of new tires, no telling what might happen the next time you're hauling your prized possession.
First step would be to remove the stone guard and affected side panel to asses. Depending on what's bent and how bad will dictate your next move. If the frame is bent, that will require some specialized equipment to remedy. If it's a stringer, you may be able to straighten it yourself depending on how well your shop is equipped. Once you get the structural part corrected, the rest is pretty easy. Aluminum plate is available from a variety of sources. I can't tell from the picture if your stone guard is one piece or if the corners are separate. If the corner is a separate piece, use a tape (cloth or similar), to measure and order a new piece cut to size. You will need a slip roll to create the radius so assuming you don't have one, take the panel to a local fabrication shop and have them do it for you using the old corner for a template. Same goes for the damaged rear corner. The fender can be straightened using a stud puller or a hammer and dolly. You will also need to replace the bottom molding and apply new reflective tape (DOT). The tear in the rear would be easiest to just replace the panel with a new anodized in color panel you can buy from Pace. If you elect to cover the damage with a 24" "modesty" panel, you'll still need to repair the damaged areas to make them smooth and seal any holes.
If you can't find the Aluminum locally, I recommend Online Metals https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=239&step=2. I use them when I need something fast and my local source doesn't have it. The corner should be 0.125" and if you decide to add the trim along the side, you can get away with 0.08". If going diamond tread plate, the alloy is 3003-H-22. if you opt for conventional smooth, I recommend 3003-H-14 alloy. It is more resistant to corrosion than others and will polish up to a mirror like finish.
I should have been clear - there was no structural damages. Only the sheet metal was damaged as hard as it is to believe.
The axle is fine and the trailer still drives straight and true. I am replacing the bearings just to be sure that everything is fine.
I have used onlinemetals.com in the past. They are a little expensive and I have a more local source but it is hard for them to do "one offs" because they are a large company.
Selling is not really in the cards - it is easier to fix and I don't mind doing a little work.
Sorry to read of your misadventure
A strip of Alum sheeting12 to 18" high (enough to cover all skin damaged areas - mirror on the opposite side), maybe as high as wheel arches. Before adhering Alum to trailer (glue, rivets, or screws), cover the ALUM accent strips with your favorite colored vinyl (or faux carbon fiber or alum plate vinyl pattern) to "match" trailer's gray color or go with a accent color vinyl. The outer Alum vertical/horizontal rails that are crunched probably need replacing. Like race cars, race trailers only need look good from 10ft away moving at 60miles an hour
You will need some replacement red/white reflector molding. Maybe 1/16 diamond plate and easy enough to roll if you have a slip roll (I do). Make sure the top edge of the plate is caulked to the skin because crap will get down in between and cause future problems. A continuous strip of 3M VHB double stick at top edge will do wonders, then caulk.
08-04-2018, 07:43 PM
Making repairs to a damaged enclosed trailer
