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Looking for ideas... Rigging a new trailer


Puggz

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Picking up a 6x12 cargo trailer (enclosed with a ramp door) today and I'm looking for ideas on the best way to rig it for a snowmobile.  I'm especially interested in creative tie-down ideas.

 

So far this is what I'm thinking.

  • 2 Plastic sliders on the ramp (ski width) and a traction mat up the middle.
  • Rubber flooring throughout the trailer. 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, glue down. This stuff seems pretty expensive but should last forever and keep the floor protected.
  • 2 flush mounted D-rings (with backing plates) for tie down points (front and rear bumper)

Also considering a tie down bar (across the skis) at the front but I like the idea of the D-ring for times I use the trailer to haul other types of cargo.
 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

Trailer.png

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You might want to price getting the floor Line-X'd and adding ski glides in the trailer.  I had my floor coated with line-x in 2010 and it has held up well.

 

For the tie downs, you would want tie downs at the back of the sled as well.  You could add a couple more D Rings at the rear.

 

Nice trailer, BTW. 

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You can use Super Clamps that you can access from the side of the snowmobile and Super Glide II to line the trailer bed. Here's a link....

http://www.superclamp.net/

 

Check out the website and see if it helps.

 

I've been using the product since 2010.

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if you have a TSC near you they sell cheap horse stall mats....2 sizes...they go on sale every few weeks...very cheap option...they are indestructible....you will want a jigsaw or something to trim  them.....Also you have a steel frame trailer, not aluminum so while at TSC grab a can of RustCheck for $5 and spray the frame, axle, tongue, etc every year...will only take a few minutes and will make the trailer look like new for years

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6 minutes ago, Yamaha Fan said:

You can use Super Clamps that you can access from the side of the snowmobile and Super Glide II to line the trailer bed. Here's a link....

http://www.superclamp.net/

 

Check out the website and see if it helps.

 

I've been using the product since 2010.

I put the superglides on the sides and double up  in the middle of the ramp.very grippy ...much safer..many of the installed ski glides are like walking on ice...

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27 minutes ago, muddy tires said:

Minimum 4 tie downs - 1 in each corner.  Then you have flexibility to haul other stuff too.

 

Ski bars would probably be a pain since you would be climbing over your sled to get to the front to tie them down.

Hmm-And any other type of tie down you wouldn't have to do the same thing?Twice one for each side.

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6 minutes ago, gtserider said:

Hmm-And any other type of tie down you wouldn't have to do the same thing?Twice one for each side.

The Ski Bar in my opinion is an older design. Super Clamps are newer, sturdier, easy to release and clamp... best of all...it's Canadian.

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6 minutes ago, Yamaha Fan said:

The Ski Bar in my opinion is an older design. Super Clamps are newer, sturdier, easy to release and clamp... best of all...it's Canadian.

agreed....my new single Avalanche came with a factory installed traditional ski bar...POS...dont use it....I can use traditional ratchet straps front and back in half the time it takes to screw in that POS.....

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8 minutes ago, Yamaha Fan said:

The Ski Bar in my opinion is an older design. Super Clamps are newer, sturdier, easy to release and clamp... best of all...it's Canadian.

begs the question....could I buy a Superclamp and use the existing hole/thread from the factory installed ski bar?  would consider this if I could..

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1 hour ago, Puggz said:

Picking up a 6x12 cargo trailer (enclosed with a ramp door) today and I'm looking for ideas on the best way to rig it for a snowmobile.  I'm especially interested in creative tie-down ideas.

 

So far this is what I'm thinking.

  • 2 Plastic sliders on the ramp (ski width) and a traction mat up the middle.
  • Rubber flooring throughout the trailer. 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, glue down. This stuff seems pretty expensive but should last forever and keep the floor protected.
  • 2 flush mounted D-rings (with backing plates) for tie down points (front and rear bumper)

Also considering a tie down bar (across the skis) at the front but I like the idea of the D-ring for times I use the trailer to haul other types of cargo.
 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

Trailer.png

If you use heavy mats like stall mats you will  not likely need to glue them down...they will stay put...

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13 minutes ago, johnsazzr said:

begs the question....could I buy a Superclamp and use the existing hole/thread from the factory installed ski bar?  would consider this if I could..

Yes.  The Superclamp comes with an eye that screws into the 1/2 x13 thread for the ski bar.

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I have two Super clamps for the front.  They come with a square eye bolt that screws into a nut.  It may work depending on your bar location.  You may be able to use the hole but use a backing plate and nut on the bottom.  The lock is at one side so you don't need to get in front of the sled.   Just a note, I did break one and they replaced it free.

 

At the back , I use a D ring on each side and ratchet straps up and over the torsion spring winding and back to the ring.  I want the straps to hold the sled back in case of and unplanned abrupt stop.

 

I also changed the wiring plug to 7-pin and added a 10 ga. battery charge wire with ground, and a back-up light wire and added a sealed beam back-up lamp so you can see where you are backing into at night.

 

BP

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15 minutes ago, Big Pussy said:

 

 

At the back , I use a D ring on each side and ratchet straps up and over the torsion spring winding and back to the ring.  I want the straps to hold the sled back in case of and unplanned abrupt stop.

 

 

 

BP

that can work too, but the rear Super Clamp is just as good and will not compress your shocks. That was something I wanted to get away from.

The front and rear Super Clamps can be secured by two padlocks using one key...  sold at Princess Auto.  Is Princess Auto Canadian?

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Best price I could find for Super Clamp 2 in Canada..$197 on Amazon free shipping...ordered one

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Super-Clamp-2/dp/B003CJJVPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515774553&sr=8-1&keywords=superclamp

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On the Avalanche you'll prolly see 2 sets of nuts welded below the floor on each side for position selection.  Holes in wood floor are pretty large.  I used big fender washers to cover the hole inside and 1/2" nylok nut on the bottom of the nut  outside, to lock position of the D-ring bolt.  Other unused holes I covered with fender washers and 1/2" bolts.  Use copious amounts of Never-seize.

 

Sorry, just re-read and see your Avalanche is a single.  May be different from my 2-place.

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1 hour ago, johnsazzr said:

begs the question....could I buy a Superclamp and use the existing hole/thread from the factory installed ski bar?  would consider this if I could..

Yes, Superclamp has a threaded connector 

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46 minutes ago, johnsazzr said:

Best price I could find for Super Clamp 2 in Canada..$197 on Amazon free shipping...ordered one

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Super-Clamp-2/dp/B003CJJVPG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515774553&sr=8-1&keywords=superclamp

199 at royal, i'll be grabbing on one my way home tonight :)

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1 hour ago, johnsazzr said:

if you have a TSC near you they sell cheap horse stall mats....2 sizes...they go on sale every few weeks...very cheap option...they are indestructible....you will want a jigsaw or something to trim  them.....Also you have a steel frame trailer, not aluminum so while at TSC grab a can of RustCheck for $5 and spray the frame, axle, tongue, etc every year...will only take a few minutes and will make the trailer look like new for years

 Excellent idea.  Thank you!

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30 minutes ago, whits-end said:

On the Avalanche you'll prolly see 2 sets of nuts welded below the floor on each side for position selection.  Holes in wood floor are pretty large.  I used big fender washers to cover the hole inside and 1/2" nylok nut on the bottom of the nut  outside, to lock position of the D-ring bolt.  Other unused holes I covered with fender washers and 1/2" bolts.  Use copious amounts of Never-seize.

 

Sorry, just re-read and see your Avalanche is a single.  May be different from my 2-place.

same on the single...I have some huge washers....good advice

 

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I've used the stall mats in the trailer but never the whole floor. I'm not sure the whole floor is a good idea. The affect of moisture getting trapped under the rubber mat against the plywood floor is something I would think twice about. I say this from experience with one of my old horse trailers. We pulled the rubber mats out of the horse trailer periodically to make sure the 2X8 hardwood floor boards had a chance to dry out.

 

I used a box cutter to cut the stall mat into strips the same width as the track. I used a straight edge and ran the box cutter down it a few times. I found it gave me a straighter line than trying to cut the straight line with a jig saw. You can also use a circular saw and get a better straight line than a jig saw. I then screwed them down with stainless screws. I put mats for the track on the ramp and as far up the bed as the track would run leaving the rest of the floor open.

 

I have used the SuperGlide ski guides and yes they are less slippery under foot than other ski guides I stopped using them. I just make a conscious decision to walk the ramp on the rubber mats. I found that because the ridges were very shallow the carbides seemed to catch the screw heads too often and essentially rip them either completely out or part way and bend the screw. I use the Calibre ski guides and opted for the wide ones. I went with the deeper version and the carbides don't catch the screws anymore. I also found that with such a low profile on the SuperGlides the carbides were more prone to catching the edge of the ramp at the gap between the bed and the ramp when backing out. To address that I got a piece of ABS drain pipe and put it in the gap when loading or unloading. The ski rides up on the round edge of the pipe and over the gap no matter what the angle of the ramp is that day.

 

The reason for the wide version ski guides is that on our double trailer the ramp isn't as wide as the trailer due to the rear body frame. Using the wide ski guides I can run up the ramp and be to the far left of the guide then when I get to the bed be on the far right of the guide but still totally on it and never be off or partially off. When I get the sled half way into the trailer with the part of the rear of the sled sticking straight out over the ramp I lift the front of the sled at the bumper to ensure it's exactly where I want it side to side in the trailer since the front is much lighter this way. Then run it forward the rest of the way.

 

I also gave the floor a heavy coat of Thompsons water seal before I put anything down on it.

 

 

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another cheap thought if you have plywood walls...pick up a couple of dollar store plastic coat hooks...very handy to hang a winter coat while prepping for your ride,  a bag of tools or just about anything....

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1 hour ago, Puggz said:

199 at royal, i'll be grabbing on one my way home tonight :)

Whilst at Royal...  you may want to pick up Edge Glides. They are cheap. The allow you to ride from the snow onto the Super Glides II for a smooth transition over the metal at the edge of the Trailer.

 

 

Capture.JPG

Capture.JPG

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4 hours ago, Puggz said:

Picking up a 6x12 cargo trailer (enclosed with a ramp door) today and I'm looking for ideas on the best way to rig it for a snowmobile.  I'm especially interested in creative tie-down ideas.

 

So far this is what I'm thinking.

  • 2 Plastic sliders on the ramp (ski width) and a traction mat up the middle.
  • Rubber flooring throughout the trailer. 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, glue down. This stuff seems pretty expensive but should last forever and keep the floor protected.
  • 2 flush mounted D-rings (with backing plates) for tie down points (front and rear bumper)

Also considering a tie down bar (across the skis) at the front but I like the idea of the D-ring for times I use the trailer to haul other types of cargo.
 

 

Thoughts??

 

 

Trailer.png

Like O2 stated, moisture under the stall mats would be a problem. Line- X would eliminate that problem. Don't know the cost of doing a trailer.

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