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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Canberra
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    288

    Default How to flip a box trailer over upside down?

    I've just rust-converted and painted all the upper surfaces of my cheapo 6x4 box trailer.

    Now I want to do the same underneath; there's rust along everywhere the metal tray contacts the tube frame.

    I'm not really keen on crawling around underneath it especially for the first stage where I attack it with a wire brush on my angle grinder.

    So is there a way to flip it over that:
    a) doesn't involve using a front end loader or similar (I don't have one)
    b) doesn't involve a chain hoist and a big tree (don't have a big tree, nor a gantry)
    c) I also don't have a footy team to turn it over manually

    Surely someone's done this before -- any clever thinking?

    - Ian -

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Near Bendigo, Victoria, AUS
    Age
    72
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    3,102

    Default

    I've certainly tipped a trailer over sideways - with the help of two other fit people. But you have to put supports in the right places - and ideally have someone else on hand to adjust their placement as the three of you try and control the trailer position as it goes past vertical. Going back on its wheels seems easier, because it seems reasonable to let it drop quite a way
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Gunna, you should have done the underside first, cos now that you've painted the topside as you turn it over it'll get scratched.
    This how I've turned the trailer over, requires two people minimum, take the wheel of on one side, the side you want on the ground, that helps not having to lift that much extra. With one each side of the mudguard, lift it up till it sits on the mudguard. You can leave it there and do the bottom or turn it over the rest of the way, again one each side of the mudguard. If you have access to an engine crane, this helps also.
    Hope this helps,
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Horsham Victoria
    Posts
    113

    Default

    Ive flipped them over the back. Using a chock you can get it up in the air and have easy access to the underside without going all the way over.

    It could be done with a rope to and achor point and a rope to a car too. Just lowering it to the ground softly might be an issue

    Dave TTC
    Turning Wood Into Art

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Ok, there's some great and encouraging ideas here - all of them in fact. Thanks, brains trust!

    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    Gunna, you should have done the underside first, cos now that you've painted the topside as you turn it over it'll get scratched.
    Kryn
    - First up, this is of course a prime consideration after all the painting effort and the sparkling results - I'm now thinking of buying a second trailer to use, then just keep this one under a tarp, to have an admiring peek at every now and then.

    Can I get three people? Possibly. I do also have an engine crane. And a car with a rope (and can get my hands on a chainblock) . So I might just play around a bit out there with these thoughts and devices in mind, and see which seems the safest, least scary and least back-straining way to go.

    -Ian-

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Progress so far ...

    Trailer flip - lores 01.jpg

    I've used metal pegs driven into the ground to restrain the tailgate from shifting or dragging along the ground, and a safety rope in case anything goes wrong with the engine crane.
    The nuts are very rusted onto one of the wheel hubs, but if I get the wheels off (maybe after using an air impact wrench at the local tyre shop on the stubborn one?) then I'll be tempted to flip it fully over, either with a chain block and rope, or else if it's not too heavy, just two people. In the mean time I can get to a lot of the rust. Won't be a perfect job, but in Canberra nothing rusts. All the rust happened when the trailer was down the coast for a year.

    PS - got the rusty nuts off with WD40 repeated applications over a couple of hours, and a length of RHS as a lever handle on the wheel brace. Lifting the trailer up as far as I did in the photo allowed pretty good access. I pressed on and got the loose rust off and rust converter on. Will repeat the lift in the same way again in a couple of days for priming and topcoat. Looks like I won't worry about completely flipping the trailer after all.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Horsham Victoria
    Posts
    113

    Default

    Yep. I like it

    Dave TTC
    Turning Wood Into Art

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    429

    Default

    one thing to remember with light trailers is that they get a hell of a lot ligher when you remove the wheels ... and lighter again when you remove the axle and springs.

    you may find that once the axle and springs are removed you can flip it around quite easily on your own.

    cheers
    Any thing with sharp teeth eats meat.
    Most powertools have sharp teeth.
    People are made of meat.
    Abrasives can be just as dangerous as a blade.....and 10 times more painfull.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Bungama SA
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    52
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    960

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    Soundy is correct I did this with the old mans trailer when I did it up for him although I wouldn't consider a 1980s Kessner a light weight and I had a mates help
    We undid the axle assembly then we just flipped it up on to the tailgate and then over.(make sure you have the height clearance...)
    ....................................................................

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Canberra
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    288

    Default

    It's been too hot the last couple of days for the paint, but tomorrow's forecast is cooler. But here's two questions following on from Soundman's advice -

    1. To get the axle off (to lower the weight), I have to undo nuts on two U-bolts per side (see pic below). I hesitate because when I go to put them back on, I don't want them coming undone on the road. What torque do these nuts require? (it's a bog-standard little box trailer)

    2. The springs have been put on with a spot of weld that holds the nut to the bolt, to stop them coming off (see pic below). So if I grind that weld off, what is the best practice for reassembly to ensure that they won't come loose?

    Trailer axle mount - lores.jpg Trailer spring mount - lores.jpg

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    godwin beach
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3

    Default

    You could fit spring washers like there is under the axle U bolt nuts in pic 1 or replace the nuts with nyloc nuts (self locking). I would not remove the axle from the springs but undo the spring hanger bolts & remove the axle & springs as an assembly. If you do undo the U bolts holding the axle & don,t have a tension wrench just make sure that they are F ------ tight.
    pker

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Job finished. Taking the springs off was just too many extra steps, but I appreciated the info, and the advice you all gave is here now for anyone else.

    It was quicker to just use the engine crane again, and this time I got the trailer up higher, almost vertical, giving very good access for painting. I did have to get under the tailgate after I let it down, and touch up a few 'blind spots' at the back before washing the brush out, but that wasn't hard.

    Moving on to the next project now - gotta fix up the side fence.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Bungama SA
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    52
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    I reckon we could come up with a few tricks for the side fence too.
    ....................................................................

  14. #14
    jatt's Avatar
    jatt is offline Always within 10 paces from nearest stubby holder
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    Aug 2008
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    One can see why they tack weld the spring hanger bolts. The vibration factor seems to shake the crap out of things.

    If you do undo the U bolts holding the axle & don,t have a tension wrench just make sure that they are F ------ tight.
    On mine there is 2 nuts on each U bolt thread. An axle letting go at speed would not be pretty. On this particular trailer it has, (slow speed fortunately) thus the apparent overkill.
    Frisky wife, happy life. ​Then I woke up. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.
    From an early age my father taught me to wear welding gloves . "Its not to protect your hands son, its to put out the fire when u set yourself alight".

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    If a crane is not to hand, a gin pole can be made from 3 lengths of pine log or similar, bolted together into a triangle.
    This gets the lifting point high off the ground.
    The weight of the gin helps lift the load, as it goes over centre.
    I saw Tarzan flipping a Land Rover back on to its wheels in a movie using this technique!

    Jordan

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