Anyone use Aluminum tread plate for their steel framed utility trailer build?

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Well I've been planning my trailer build for the last few weeks for all my welding equip.   Its going to be steel framed. And will have 2x2" side rails about a couple feet high around the perimeter.  I'll need to enclose the flat bottom and sides with some sheet metal to complete the "bed".   I'm having a problem right now with deciding which material to use for the sheet metal.  1/8 diamond plate for bottom, 16ga for the sides if I use steel?Or if I use aluminum, maybe go 3/16 diamond plate for the bottom deck and sides. Or go lighter aluminum diamond plate on the sides if needed.Theres a thread here somewhere where one of the active members here built a bad *** "miller" blue type welding trailer and I think he used aluminum diamond plate for the sides and deck.  I really like this look. If I did this the trailer would be powder coated black, and the bare aluminum diamond plate would show between the 2x2" square tube sides.     If I went aluminum tread plate, whats the best means of bolting it down to the steel frame?   Corrosion issue? The steel frame will be powdercoated. But the holes I will need to drill will then allow the possibility of moisture to get into the steel 2x2"s and frame 2x3"s ??Another issue I'm having is deck width of the frame. I want to be able to carry 4' wide "materials" in this bed if/when I re purpose this trailer as a dedicated utility trailer down the road.   The 2x2" square tube uprights (for the sides) I'm planning on mounting to my 2x3" frame rails (which will also have my spring perches mounted on beneath) will have a 51" center to center spacing.  Other words: spring shackle spacing is 51". This leaves me with 49" of usable space once the trailer is built.    My decking would probably be bought in a 4x8 or 4x10 lengths. So Mounting that 48" wide deck on there means that I'll have a half inch on both sides where the decking isn't even touching the side frame rails.  That aint good.Have most of you just bought 5x10 sheets and cut to fit?Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:no one?Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:If your in the salt belt aluminum against steel is not good. You will at least need something between, I use stainless most of the time but have also cut strips from plastic 5 gal pails as well. For you I think the plastic will work best. I've had real bad luck using paper or tape between as they soon rub through. I would deffinately use a 5x10 sheet so you get it done right. Don't forget to drill drain holes in your tubes. If I was asked for advice I would say your choice of materials is not the best, you could get by for less money and weight with a redesign, but that is just me. For instance, since you want sides anyway a formed sheet side would do both jobs and there would be no need for the tube frame. One 5x10 sheet will build a complete 5x10 trailer frame and if you go 8' long you get fenders out of it too.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Originally Posted by welderjIf your in the salt belt aluminum against steel is not good. You will at least need something between, I use stainless most of the time but have also cut strips from plastic 5 gal pails as well. For you I think the plastic will work best. I've had real bad luck using paper or tape between as they soon rub through. I would deffinately use a 5x10 sheet so you get it done right. Don't forget to drill drain holes in your tubes. If I was asked for advice I would say your choice of materials is not the best, you could get by for less money and weight with a redesign, but that is just me. For instance, since you want sides anyway a formed sheet side would do both jobs and there would be no need for the tube frame. One 5x10 sheet will build a complete 5x10 trailer frame and if you go 8' long you get fenders out of it too.
Reply:Originally Posted by outdoortThanks for the advice. I've been searching around and haven't seen too many people use a aluminum deck on a steel framed trailer so I'm beginning to think it may be a poor choice to go that way. I plan on using the steel 2x2" tube on the sides so I can use that as a material rack above everything.  I'm not into over or under building anything. I just want a durable and safe trailer, while keeping the weight as low as possible.
Reply:Ya I would have no problem using a wood floor if this was a straight up utility trailer build, but as I'm gonna be mounting all my gear to the bottom floor and/or frame Id like to have a metal floor.Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:Originally Posted by outdoortYa I would have no problem using a wood floor if this was a straight up utility trailer build, but as I'm gonna be mounting all my gear to the bottom floor and/or frame Id like to have a metal floor.
Reply:Thats a pretty sick utility trailer by the way. I would love a aluminum one but everyones got me all scared with all the reports of cracked frames and such. I was looking at the xventure trailer by schutt industries and the aluminum frame they use isn't welded at all. Huck fasteners used all throughout the frame.   Pretty cool trailer: http://www.schuttindustries.com/Consumer.aspxI want to build something similar (off road style) because I know that this trailer I'll be putting together for all my welding gear will be just temporary untill I can save enough money to get a truck.  So Id like to have a nice camping/off road trailer to pull through the backcountry after I get a truck and move the gear.Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:Aluminum is great for the Space Shuttle, and other applications with mechanical fasteners......airplanes, rail cars, etc. (And those are rivet connections my friend, not bolts)Also good for enterprises with deep pockets to pay for continual maintenance. For road equipment, it sucks.  Fatigue life is short, repair incidence is high.  And it's hard to find a skilled welder to put it together."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammAluminum is great for the Space Shuttle, and other applications with mechanical fasteners......airplanes, rail cars, etc. (And those are rivet connections my friend, not bolts)Also good for enterprises with deep pockets to pay for continual maintenance. For road equipment, it sucks.  Fatigue life is short, repair incidence is high.  And it's hard to find a skilled welder to put it together.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammAluminum is great for the Space Shuttle, and other applications with mechanical fasteners......airplanes, rail cars, etc. (And those are rivet connections my friend, not bolts)Also good for enterprises with deep pockets to pay for continual maintenance. For road equipment, it sucks.  Fatigue life is short, repair incidence is high.  And it's hard to find a skilled welder to put it together.
Reply:Welderj:  Ya I'm prob just going to go with steel all the way. I just like the look of the aluminum diamond plate sides (and weight savings). Seems like too much of a hassle figuring out how to bolt/rivet the aluminum decking and sideing to the steel frame.   The things getting powdercoated anyway so rust issues should be minimized by that. I'll prob get my *** handed to me here, but I'll be posting a build thread once I get further into the project (I'll prob need some guidance as I get into it).Dynasty 200DX   (2014)Millermatic 211 (2015)Optrel 864   (2014)Smith Medium duty MBA 30510 (Xmas 2014)Tennsmith 16ga 4ft finger brake (2015)Trailblazer 325 EFI and excel Thermal dynamics Cutmaster 82Miller maxtron 450
Reply:If you look back at the trailer threads the wall done ones get good support, it's only the poorly done ones that get trashed. One bit of advice on that is if your not sure ask before you cut. It's frustrating to have to point out problems after they are done, harder to fix them too.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Originally Posted by welderjYou probably forgot that most over the road semi trailers are aluminum, all vans and a good portion of flatbeds too. I've put over 100 aluminum trailers together over the years with few problems with warranty. If your such a trailer expert post up the pics of a bunch of yours so we can all see just exactly how much experience in this area you really have?
Reply:Do I need to show the welds?"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:http://www.aluminium.matter.org.uk/c...eid=2144417130"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:What's wrong with that? You and your butties ever figure out what the problem is? Or you still just passin gas on that? I never said steel was not good, just that you are a moron for saying aluminum is bad when you know nothing about it. Just exactly how much aluminum welding have you done in your life? Or are you just passin gas on that too? I forgot it's beer night again, gotta say I've kinda missed you on your more idiotic night of the week.Last edited by welderj; 02-15-2016 at 08:50 PM.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Oops, beer night.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:All I've said is that aluminum sucks when it comes to cyclical loading.  Fatigue.  Which is an important consideration when considering the design of rolling stock"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammDo I need to show the welds?
Reply:Why your trailer will fail, or why aluminum will fail in the long run.  Clarify"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Aluminum is generally a choice for light weight, all other things considered (longevity being one of the things considered)It's not rocket science, it is just plain fact.Durability is not a factor when choosing aluminum for high cycle bending"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Doesn't matter that there a lot of aluminum flatbed trailers out there on the road.  It's a matter of good sales brochures.  People actually believe the hype"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Read the stuff in the links moron, it ought to penetrate you thick skull"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I don't care what anyone here does with any kind of material.  It's not my thingI just like to point out that the self appointed guru's aren't always right.  And mostly really off courseTo be realistic.  An aluminum deck, over a steel frame, wouldn't fall apart within even a decade.  There will be some electrolyte stuff goin' on, but it won't be a total fail.  It's like treated lumber in contact with steel..........takes a long time to see the problem"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/Originally Posted by farmersammRead the stuff in the links moron, it ought to penetrate you thick skull
Reply:I'm doing a similar thing, wondering what is the best way to fasten the floor down, to prevent or minimise galvanic corrosion.  My flat top trailer is all steel framed, but i want to put an alloy checker plate floor down.  Tape or thin nylon between the frame and floor is easy, but actually fixing to the frame is a different story.  Steel screws negates the whole point of separating the materials, stainless is even worse with the alloy, which i just found out, might go with lighter steel to solve it.I was going to go with either 5mm or 6mm alloy, but might use 3mm steel now.  The weight saving would've been nice, as my trailer is 7m long and 2.4m wide
Reply:I'm good with that Jon.....aloooooominum is bad..............steel is gooood.  Glad you agree.  And it's time to nuke a coupla slices of pizza in the microwave (another Commie plot to subvert the American Way)  (Well known fact..........microwave ovens contribute to Alzheimers)"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by moose2367I'm doing a similar thing, wondering what is the best way to fasten the floor down, to prevent or minimise galvanic corrosion.  My flat top trailer is all steel framed, but i want to put an alloy checker plate floor down.  Tape or thin nylon between the frame and floor is easy, but actually fixing to the frame is a different story.  Steel screws negates the whole point of separating the materials, stainless is even worse with the alloy, which i just found out, might go with lighter steel to solve it.I was going to go with either 5mm or 6mm alloy, but might use 3mm steel now.  The weight saving would've been nice, as my trailer is 7m long and 2.4m wide
Reply:I had thought of that, but i don't think it would last over here in Australia, especially on some of our badly corrugated roads, 10's of thousands of kilometres of them.  Might just go with the 3mm steel.  As i have 21 removable 16mm eye bolt points on the deck, which when not being used will have steel button head cap screws in them, so there will always be steel touching it.Bit of a highjack, anyone know the weight difference in alloy checker plate to steel? Alloy 5mm and 6mm compared to steel 3mm.
Reply:Isolate the aluminum from the steel with strips of zinc.
Reply:Originally Posted by Sharon NeedlesIsolate the aluminum from the steel with strips of zinc.