boat trailer to smoker trailer

[CWCW]

Im going to start building a smoker trailer in the near future. Before i start working on the smoker, i have to make some modifications to the trailer i have. I have an old ski boat trailer. It held a 15-16ft fiberglass Sea King outboard ski boat. I have already changed out the bearings and races in the hubs and packed them good with grease and put new tires on the wheels. Im going to try and figure out the whole photobucket thing this weekend so that i can post a picture of the boat trailer on here for yall to see.
I havent measured the size of the metal frame of the boat trailer but judging from my photos it looks like 4in "C" channel on the main ouside frame. The top of the "C" channel looks to be about 2 inches wide. There are two main cross members that go arcoss the middle portions of the trailer that the carpet bunks were attached to that held the weight of the boat. Obviously these two cross members are bowed to fit the shape of the "V" hull of the boat. These two cross members are welded to the inside of the 4 inch "C"channels.

I was thinking about building a flat base on top of the 4 in "C" channel so that i didnt have to mess with the pre-existing "V" shaped cross members. This trailer will not travel much at all, i just wanted it on wheels so that i could move it if needed. I dont know that i want to tear out the pre-existing "V" shaped cross members and trust my newbie welding skills and putting in my own flat cross members in and hope that they handle the weight of the smoker going over a bump in the road, lol.
Thats why i was thinking of keeping the original structure of the trailer in tact and just adding on to make a flat floor in it with my own frame. When i start to make my own flat square frame on top of the trailer, what type of framing material should i use? 3 inch angle iron, box iron, or channel?

[CWCW]

Nevermind, just saw the other post in this section about how a boat trailer was turned into a smoker trailer. Couldnt tell that it was a boat trailer at first because my work computer wouldnt allow the photos to show but at home i can see and it really helped me visualize how im going to do it.

[rlmax02]

hey CWCW...my trailer build started just like yours. hope what you see in the king cooker post will help you. trailerbuilder. tom and frank and many others will help you along with out a doubt.

[Smoker Tom]

Hummmm....I'm gonna watch for a minute or two. Just wanna wait and see whats better, tube or angle????

But I would say for sure that if your adding to whats already there then the 3 inch is way to big. Maybe 2" would be more fitting, like 3/16 or so.

I would also advise that you check out the existing square tube really well since alot of the old boat trailers get a little rusty after time. Thats the only down fall I see with a square tube frame. The other thing I can think of is that at least with an angle frame its easier to see what the quality of the welds are. And the back side can be ground out and rewelded if needed. A beginner with a wire welder can cover up alot real fast and still look decent on top.


Cant wait to see some pics.

[k.a.m.]

Hummmm....I'm gonna watch for a minute or two. Just wanna wait and see whats better, tube or angle????

Tom, no need in waiting Troy knows that my angle iron is superior to his tubing that is why he has not posted.
Seriously though, either tubing or channel for the outside frame for a cleaner look then you can use angle iron for the cross members or either the tubing or channel for cross members.

[TrailerBuilder]

k.a.m. wrote:

Tom, no need in waiting Troy knows that my angle iron is superior to his tubing that is why he has not posted.

Have you stopped taking your meds again Kevin, living as close to the Gulf as you do, you know exactly what they do with your angle iron

[Smoker Tom]

HEHEHEHE sorry guys I couldnt resist.

[CWCW]

Hummmm....I'm gonna watch for a minute or two. Just wanna wait and see whats better, tube or angle????

But I would say for sure that if your adding to whats already there then the 3 inch is way to big. Maybe 2" would be more fitting, like 3/16 or so.

I would also advise that you check out the existing square tube really well since alot of the old boat trailers get a little rusty after time. Thats the only down fall I see with a square tube frame. The other thing I can think of is that at least with an angle frame its easier to see what the quality of the welds are. And the back side can be ground out and rewelded if needed. A beginner with a wire welder can cover up alot real fast and still look decent on top.


Cant wait to see some pics.

Well, its funny you said that 3in seems big, because i realized that myself over the weekend and went ahead and bought some 2in X 2in X 3/16in angle for the cross members and box frame for the flat bed. I have decided that i am going to leave the current structure in place. I decided Im not gonna use metal tubing, especially on a trailer that has a current structural frame. I dont need to check out the pre-existing tubing frame on the trailer because it isnt tubing, its 4.5in "C"channel so there isnt any area for water to sit and rust through on like there is on a tubing frame boat trailer. This trailer is very old but has been in a barn almost its whole life so no water has touched it. Im going to do a more thorough check though to make sure all the current welds are secure.

Kinda funny that you mentioned a wire welder. My grandfather has a wire welder that hasnt been used in 10 years or so. He had an anchient stick welder that was becoming contrary so i bought a new Lincoln AC 225 stick welder a few months ago for use on the farm and projects like this. I might have to go get some new wire and see how that wire welder works compared to the stick welder that i am used to using. I have used that wire welder once, right when my grandfather bought it 10 years ago but i didnt get much practice on it. I guess i just havent really experiemented with it at all because im used to using a stick welder and most things i have to repair on the farm need the bulky weld of a stick welder.

[Frank_Cox]

sounds good, I think you will like using the mig

[CWCW]

sounds good, I think you will like using the mig

Well, i got to looking online at the MIG welders on Millers webpage. I think the one we have a the farm is a Miller because its blue. Anyways, i got to thinking, i think it is only a 115V and the one i see online that looks like the one that we have out at the farm only welds up to a maximum thickness material of 3/16". That would be maxing it out for some of the angle iron welding on the trailer but most of the smoker will be 1/4" stuff. I will have to look this weekend but i would bet that it is just like the Millermatic 140, if not the same unit.