What is the best and most cost-effective material for a trailer?

[Monument]

Hi everyone,

I am buying the trailer in the attached picture. As you can see there is no surface on either side of the central channel. I need advice as to what material will easily bear weight 100kg+ and be able to withstand weather. I wish to achieve a balance between budget and effectiveness. 

All help would be very much appreciated.

Cheers.

[Monument]

A Lot of info to take in there!! Thank you.

The trailer is made of galvanised tubular steel and to amend earlier info the load capacity is 240kg not 300kg. So I only have 40kg to play with to provide surface areas either side of the channel and mount a toolbox (not essential).  If welding was necessary I could only afford a chep Arc welder and I have never welded before. 

I don't know what rivet nuts are.

I am likely to receive the trailer 2 days before I need to make a 4 hour round trip for a race day so need to be clear in my mind which material I should use and fit. I think the welding option is just a bit risky for a novice. I don't want a large toolbox flying off at 100km/h!!!

Narrowing the best option down would be great.

Cheers.

[TedBear]

@Monument , Now, I just revisited your original photo and see that the trailer already has all you need to carry the bike, it is just the toolbox that you need to accommodate. The trouble with adding a toolbox is that it would have to mounted on one side and that would upset the balance of this lightweight trailer, that is purpose built just for the bike. Is there a possibility of getting a saddle bag that the tools could go into and place that over a central bar on the bike itself? That way you could load it evenly for the journey. Otherwise I would recommend not tampering with the original design of the trailer.

[TedBear]

Thanks @r23on  for that link on nut rivets. I haven't seen those, so that's something I will look into for my own interest. (As you may see from a further comment,  having re-examined the situation, I now don't recommend tampering with that trailer design.)

[Monument]

I don't need the toolbox but I do need flooring. Loading a 200kg bike down the central channel without being able to walk along next to it at the same level is very awkward. So I will have to choose one of the options put forward in that respect. 

[r23on]

from what i can see in the photos there are some holes in the frame work for some flooring. the flooring shown on the web site shows a long strip of possibly wooden flooring approx 500mm wide???? the full length of the trailer bolted to the frame work, so I am assuming by the photos the holes are in place, but as stated there is no clear closeup. with what I have seen I would be still going down the rivet nut track if the mounting holes are not in place as you do not have to drill through both sides of the tube.

plus I am assuming the flooring shown in the photo is optional. i think a phone call to the supplier is in order for clarification. 

The checker plate or mesh would be the better options having a more non slip protection in the wet.

I can only find one supplier and they are in Perth  WA

[Monument]

Thanks @r23on I talked to the supplier about the photo showing flooring and he said the buyer added that but he didn't know what material it was other than wood. I have ordered the rivet nuts and tool. Can you pass on the name of the supplier of the checker plate/mesh please? Cheers.

[r23on]

any aluminium supplier can help you what state are you in and there are a few that I know off 

i gave a link to action aluminium catalog which has all the location and phone numbers at the back of the catalog 

capral aluminium  are in all states 1800258646 give them a call

I think Bunnings carries the mesh but not 2mm checker plate and cutting to size may be an issue at Bunnings. But I am sure one of the Bunnings people will come up and advise correctly 

[Monument]

@r23on I'm in Perth.

[r23on]

action aluminium is out of the question then try capral 1800258646 other than that you will need to do a search for a local supplier

best of luck when you get the rivet nut send me a pm I will give you a bit more detail on using the nuts the size of nut is important to the size of tube

[r23on]

when you send the pm I will need to know what the out side diameter of the tubing please have that info so i can give you the best size nut to use