Trailer/Frame seperation

[Ebag333]

So about a year or so ago I picked up an old Allstate trailer (sold by Sears). Guessing it's 1940's or 1950's vintage.

It's a light duty trailer, but at some point someone put an actual frame under it, so for the size it's actually quite beefy. It's nice and small too, measuring only 48" wide for the box (not including tires which are on either side) which means it'll be easy to pull.

It looks pretty close to the one attached below (sorry, don't have any pics on me). The big difference is there is an actual frame under mine, while the one in the pic doesn't have that.

The goal is to turn it into a camping trailer with all the comforts of home.


Anyway, the problem I have is that the bed is held on by four very large bolts. When I got the trailer, it had carpet on the inside of the bed which was wet and had been wet for quite a while. The bolts are essentially welded to the bed in a mass of rust.

There's not really any rust on the trailer anywhere else, which isn't surprising for the PNW. Even most of the bed isn't bad, and the underlying metal is still strong. As it stands now I'm not worried about trailer/bed separation or anything like that.

So, my choices are:

1. Spend umpteen hours grinding the (very large) bolt heads off, then pounding them out to remove them completely.
2. Grind the bolt heads (relatively) flat with the bed and leave them, weld the bed to the frame for added security.
3. Clean up the rust, call it good.

I guess basically the question is....what does the ability to remove the bed gain me? Why would I want it bolt on instead of welded on?

 

[greentruck]

To remove these, I would determine the threaded diameter of the bolt. Then get a drill, centerpunch the head of the bolt to get a good starting point, then drill down through the bolt head. The bolt head should detach once you're drilled through it, then you can take a punch and drive the threaded portion out the underside.

That is if the rust has not totally frozen it in place. At least the inside of the bed will be smooth and since you've got the bed otherwise fastened, no sweat if you can't get it all.

 

[kilo]

I would grind them off/out or take the torch to them. The more rust you can get rid of the better off you'll be. Trust me.

 

[Ebag333]

Good suggestion on drilling them out, but I'd rather not.

These are very large bolts. I haven't measured them, but we're talking like 3/4" here.

The head of the bolt is recessed slightly, and is just one giant chunk of rust as the water pooled around them the worst, so they're basically welded to the body.

As far as I can tell, only these 4 bolts are holding the bed to the frame. So if I pop the bolts out (yeah, I make it sound so easy) the bed will come off.

I guess I'm trying to justify removing the bed as opposed to just grinding the bolts smooth with the bed and welding the bed to the frame (as I would no longer trust the bolts to hold it together). That'd be a heck of a lot quicker than going through the hassle of drilling or grinding the bolts out, and then replacing them with new.

Plus it'd keep the bed interior all flat, rather than having 4 raised bolt heads for stuff to catch up on.

Is there any really pressing reasons for being able to separate the bed from the frame?

I would grind them off/out or take the torch to them. The more rust you can get rid of the better off you'll be. Trust me.

All the rust will be removed, but there's a big difference between removing the rust and removing the bolt.

 

[Ebag333]

Guess I'll be welding the bed to the frame.

 

[kilo]

Guess I'll be welding the bed to the frame.

I would. Clean and grind down the bolt heads smooth and you should be good to go.

 

[Brentbba]

To confuse you even more...the American M416 tub is bolted to the frame and the Canadian M101 is welded.

 

[Ebag333]

To confuse you even more...the American M416 tub is bolted to the frame and the Canadian M101 is welded.

Dang. I'm gonna be like those Canadians?

Guess I gotta start talking funny and drinking milk out of a bag, eh?

 

[Brentbba]

Dang. I'm gonna be like those Canadians?

Guess I gotta start talking funny and drinking milk out of a bag, eh?