Extending a 22ft deck over trailer by 3-1/2 ft.

[D2Cat]

I bought four 6"x5/8"-11 Grade 8 bolts, four lock nuts and eight washers today from ACE Hardware. The cost was close to $60! Buy once, cry once I guess.

Wait until you need some high strength metric bolts!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Grade 5 would probably have been fine...and 1/3rd the price ???

 

[mcmxi]

The Hougen mag drill proved useful again, but I did manage to break a 9/16" cutter. Drilling holes was a bigger pain than expected, mostly due to clearance issues.

I've spoken well of PJ in the past, but no more. PJ really sucks at welding up these trailers! The C-channel cross members that span the deck are only welded down the web of the channel with no welds on the flanges. Basically, they're making flat bar out of C-channel, and we know that flat bar doesn't have the torsional rigidity of C-channel, it's not even close. I don't know who is to blame at PJ Trailers, but it's a disgrace on a trailer that cost $13k.

I'll be fixing this trailer for sure and adding welds that should have been put there by the welders that built this bloody thing. I probably shouldn't be surprised given that PJ is based in Texas and no doubt their workforce consists of mostly useless individuals who wouldn't know the first thing about making stuff properly.

I'll pull the boards down both sides of the trailer and weld the top flanges from the top, and the bottom flanges from the bottom. This would have added little time to the build and no doubt I'll find more missing welds when I'm on my back under this thing.

I have three PJ trailers but this is the last PJ I'll ever buy. I'm done with these ignorant, lazy, clueless, greedy, lying POS.

 

[Moose7060]

Excellent job! I certainly enjoyed the photos and description as you proceeded.

 

[mcmxi]

Excellent job! I certainly enjoyed the photos and description as you proceeded.

Thanks .... and apologies for my rant in the previous post. I worked as a welder for many years and took pride in what I did so it sucks to spend a lot of money on something only to discover missed welds all over the place. They might have been omitted intentionally as a way to maximize profits, or some lazy welder and a lousy QC phase allowed this stuff through.

PJ states on their website " 3" Channel Crossmembers on 16" Centers" but fail to mention that they're not fully welded to the side rails. What a joke! PJ trailers should come with a label saying "SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED".

Regardless, I'm getting close to the end with this project and should be able to test it out Thursday or Friday.

 

[Kennyd4110]

Incredible project @mcmxi

 

[mcmxi]

Incredible project @mcmxi

Hey thanks! That means a lot coming from you. It's a ton of work, and as I get older everything seems to take longer to complete. I try not to think too far ahead, just focus on solving the next task in front of me.

 

[mcmxi]

It cooled off a bit so I went back out to test fit the deck and figure a few more things out. I wish I had a brake press so that I could fold the end of the plate over, but I'll most likely cut the end of the deck off flush with the tubing.

Here's a preview of what this deck extension will look like. I placed the D-rings for the photo but they'll most likely get welded to the outside of the side rails.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

possible options ?
option 1
cut the 'extra length' off, then weld back on vertically( as if it was bent ), SOLID weld the seam then grind down so it's a smooth and rounded

option 2
leave long, weld an angle iron to it(upside down and backwards as a stiffener. doubles the extended lip thickness,making it stronger

 

[mcmxi]

possible options ?
option 1
cut the 'extra length' off, then weld back on vertically( as if it was bent ), SOLID weld the seam then grind down so it's a smooth and rounded

option 2
leave long, weld an angle iron to it(upside down and backwards as a stiffener. doubles the extended lip thickness,making it stronger

We're on the same page since I thought of both of those options. I like the angle idea.

 

[Russell King]

I probably shouldn't be surprised given that PJ is based in Texas and no doubt their workforce consists of mostly useless individuals who wouldn't know the first thing about making stuff properly.

As someone who was born and lived in Texas my whole life: Bless your sweet little heart!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Coming along very nicely sir!

I agree that those C channels should have been done at the factory.

I am envious of that Mag Drill though.......

Are the bolts going entirely through the stake pockets on both sides?

 

[mcmxi]

Another hot day and I'm done being out in sun. I got a lot closer to being finished with this project and it's often the last 10% that takes as much time as the first 90%. I had to notch the deck plate to fit around the 1-1/2"x1-1/2" tubing that I'm using to strengthen the side rails. So then I had to add in some angle to support the plate.

I got the D-rings where I want them, finished up cutting and fitting the deck, and now everything is ready for finish welding. I'll use the off-cuts from the deck plate to plate over the ends of the rails for a finished look.

It's hard to tell from the photos, but I decided to have a "dog leg" at each end corner of the deck rather than run the rear perpendicular to the sides all the way across. I did this more out of necessity than anything since that's the way the cookie crumbled. I like the look and it softens that sharp corner.

 

[mcmxi]

Coming along very nicely sir!

I agree that those C channels should have been done at the factory.

I am envious of that Mag Drill though.......

Are the bolts going entirely through the stake pockets on both sides?

Thanks! Yeah, a mag drill is a very useful tool.

The two forward most bolts go all the way through the pockets and the trailer frame. I had to notch the C-channel to get clearance for the nut on the backside but didn't think it through and removed more of the top flange than I needed. I'll be adding in a piece of steel to that C-channel to make it stronger than it ever was. Even if I only welded the bottom flange of the C-channel and the thick web/flange at the top where I cut it, it'd be 10x stronger than the way PJ did it with just a vertical down weld on both sides of the web.

The rear most holes go all the way through the stake pockets and through the outer wall of the trailer frame. Once again there's an obstacle on the inside of the frame that will make it near impossible to get a nut on the end of the bolt. I might convert that bolt into a pin and call it good.

By the way, I had to drill through 5/16" of flat bar (rub rail), 3/16" of stake pocket, 3/16" of the outer wall of the tubing sitting inside the pocket, then another 3/16" of the inner wall, then through both walls of the rectangular tube rails but I don't know the wall thickness. Needless to say, there's a lot of wall thickness that these bolts are passing through.

 

[mcmxi]

I raised the deck up this evening to see how much I need to cut off the two pallet fork tubes to allow the deck to sit flush on the ground.

I also calculated that the original deck angle when the end of the deck was on the ground was around 11° and the new deck angle will be around 8° which is a significant reduction i.e. around 27% less angle.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

nice...!!!
an observational query...
can you 'cut back' the pallet fork pockets, so the end of the bed extender touches the ground ??

the real challenge would be to 'taper' cut the pockets. Extra points will be awarded !!!

 

[mcmxi]

nice...!!!
an observational query...
can you 'cut back' the pallet fork pockets, so the end of the bed extender touches the ground ??

the real challenge would be to 'taper' cut the pockets. Extra points will be awarded !!!

Tapering out the pockets is what I intend to do.

It's raining today so I get a day off from hammering, cutting, grinding, welding, lifting, swearing and sun burn.

 

[mcmxi]

So here's the cut line (taper) on the pallet fork pockets to allow the deck to sit flush with the ground.

A couple of months ago when I did a flail job, after I was done and loading up the tractor and flail on the trailer I noticed a 12" or so piece of angle on the ground. I figured it fell off the trailer and it turns out that it's one of four pieces of angle that support the diamond plate over the wheels. The angle is "welded" to a C-channel and then to the underside of the plate. PJ and others want to have the deck height as low as possible without it contacting the tires under load so they use plate over the wheels.

The piece that fell off was only tacked on in two places! $13k for a trailer that I have to do a bunch of work to. What a disgrace! I would advise anyone thinking of buying a trailer get something other than PJ (and I have three of their trailers). Whatever you buy, take the time to crawl around under the trailer to see whether or not it's welded up properly.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

that could have been tacked in place...coffee time.....next.... guy FORGOT to weld it ??
NOT making excuses for PJ....

Nissan dealer installed Nissan remote starter system in wife's BNIB Nissan. seemed ok...then acted weird....still running with ignition key IN THE KITCHEN ( last year for real keys..), I actually drove it in front of garage ,was going to pull battery cable. Great ,where's the friggin battery? NOT in the 400+ page manual. Engine stops. OK, that is 'weird'. THREE tows to dealer...no fix...even AFTER I TELL them what IS wrong(even used THEIR 'tech bulletins', still couldn't fix it.....sigh
I am NOT impressed with the 'quality' of the highly paid skilled techs in the shops today.......

ok, my rants over, still LOVE the view past the trailer !!!

 

[mcmxi]

still LOVE the view past the trailer !!!

Well, I can't take any credit for that!