Posted 2008-10-30 10:41 AM (#93945) Subject: Horse trailer restoration?
Veteran
Posts: 100 Location: Arkansas
Hello to all,I am trying to restore my 1987 WW 2 horse trailer (or at least what needs to be done) and have ran across something aggravating to say the least. I am wanting to re-do the tongue-n-groove paneling on the side walls and the rear doors. Getting the old ones out are somewhat hard but I've mainly been tearing those out. But how to get the new ones in, I have no clue. How do you get the new ones in? My trailer has the 4 side lips and I could slide so many in there at an angle and work them in but when you get to the bottom rows that is no longer possible. How do you do this? Does anyone know of an illustrated site or DIY site on how to do these?Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Posted 2008-10-30 11:00 AM (#93947 - in reply to #93945) Subject: RE: Horse trailer restoration?
Member
Posts: 29 Location: Okla City, Okla
You have to cut the rear vertical lip out on each side and slide the new wood in and then weld it back. Only way to install new tongue & groove or plywood. Good luck
Posted 2008-10-30 11:09 AM (#93948 - in reply to #93945) Subject: RE: Horse trailer restoration?
Veteran
Posts: 100 Location: Arkansas
I was afraid someone was going to say that I'd have to cut into it and re-weld. I could see how that would work for the rear doors. But what about the side walls? They have a thicker support beam running from the floor up in the back (by the doors) and I have escape doors up front with support beams/frame around them? What do I do about that? Thanks again.
Posted 2008-10-30 11:59 AM (#93952 - in reply to #93945) Subject: RE: Horse trailer restoration?
Veteran
Posts: 100 Location: Arkansas
By the rear doors, the support beam is over the wood paneling. And on the front the frame/support for the escape doors is over the wood paneling there.
Posted 2008-10-30 12:39 PM (#93958 - in reply to #93954) Subject: RE: Horse trailer restoration?
Member
Posts: 29 Location: Okla City, Okla
The other way to do this is if you are using tongue & groove, put in all the panels that you can and then split in the center the last panels so they can be put in from each end. Then add flat strap from top to bottom in the center to hold them in place.
Posted 2008-11-01 11:27 PM (#94081 - in reply to #93945) Subject: RE: Horse trailer restoration?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
I replaced the boards on a similar trailer. The hardest part was removing the old wood. First I measured the length of the boards, then cut them across to make it easier to pop the rusted screws that held them to the frame supports. Once the wood was out the new pieces slipped into place fairly easily. So I would remove the wood and try slipping the new wood in before cutting any metal.
If you are replacing with tongue and groove you might try setting the wood up and putting it in as one piece.
Horse trailer restoration?
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