I have a 16x6.5 trailer with 6" tall steel side walls. I regularly carry a load of wood rounds, and I want to easily tie a canvas down. I figure I need 8 rope tie-down points, and would rather not pay up the $8 each for cheap weld-on D-rings. What else would be simple to make or cheap to by? I'm ok at welding (at least in a straight line!)
Thanks
DeanB
Premade D-rings? All the trailers and dump bodies I saw on the jobsites as a kid had those made up out of rebar sections that looked like they were formed using various nooks and channels on the trailer, and tacked in place and spray painted.
But seriously- keep in mind that they have to look 'real' to any cop that stops you, lest you get a loose load or defective equipment cite. Rather than the trailer place, I'd look at the local farm supply store- most of the regional chains keep a pretty good stock of basic ironmongery like that.
aem sends...
trailer with 6" tall steel side walls. I regularly
Not sure how I would go about bending rebar into a U, that stuff is pretty tough to work with. Heat it up and hammer over an anvil?
A piece of pipe, and something heavy with a hole in it, like a dumpster or anvil, or lowboy trailer. Stick one end in hole. Slip pipe over the other end. Manuver till the point you want to bend is between pipe and hole, and pull. No, it ain't easy, and takes a little practice. Or just look in the aisle where they sell the rebar- along with the straight sticks, they often sell preformed shapes like that. 'U' shapes are pretty common in concrete pouring, where you will be tying another pour to the first one.
aem sends...
How about eye bolts? Either bolt them on, without welding, or cut them and weld them on.
Tarp tie-down or rope hooks come to mind...
dean wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:
Buy U-bolts,weld them on.
Yeah, now that I think about it, that is more reasonable. The rebar tie-down loops I rememeber from my youth were used for big-ass chains and load boomers, not ropes or racheting webbing tie-downs. A utility trailer full of loose lumber ain't a low-boy used for hauling Cats, backhoes, and telephones poles, after all.
aem sends....
Rebar isn't stiff enough really, anyway, for that purpose -- and OP said he wanted canvas tie-downs, not load tie-downs, anyway...
weld down the end links of 8" lengths of chain
A tarp takes a lot of abuse on the highway even when tied down. The only time I see a tarp used is where the law requires it. That is for trucks carrying garbage or construction debris. Tie downs are a good idea for any trailer but I would use them to secure the load, not a tarp.
-snip-
Why 8" lengths? Seems like that would be a noisey, dangerous bunch of flails as you go down the highway.
I used 20 sets of double links. Bolted one link to the trailer frame & it keeps the other link from flopping around. Welding would be nice- but then you'd need to paint.
I got mine at lowes & used their cutter to chop it up. -- Also saved me a few bucks because I didn't pay for all the lost links. While I was chopping away 2 employees walked by and watched me- at first they thought I was just chopping every link. When they saw I was buying short pieces, they wished me luck and moved on.
Jim
Makes it convenient to get hold of the section w/ a boomer, for example, is one good reason. 8" isn't long enough to go flapping very far and wouldn't be hard to provide a storage hook for the loose end if were a concern...
Works, certainly, but an extra link or two at least would allow for alternate ways to grab it other than loop through the one link. Can't get a chain hook of same size chain into the link, for example, is one (perhaps minor depending on the actual usage) disadvantage.
Both ends are welded down, giving you about 6" to tie into between them. If too noisy you can always wrap them in tape or fish them therough some hose before welding. It also lets you slide a 2x4 across the bed through two sets.
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