Small dip in reefer floor

Discussion in 'Refrigerated Trucking Forum' started by slow.rider, May 5, 2021.

  1. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    Looking at a reefer, I see one looks real nice except there's a small dip in the floor near the back where the forklifts come off the docks. Looks like about 1/4 to maybe 1/2 inch deep in the middle, so there's about 6 channels that form little puddles maybe 2 feet long at the longest point instead of draining to the back and out the holes. The crossmembers underneath are straight. How serious of an issue is this?

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  3. wichris

    wichris Road Train Member

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    The wood/plastic stringers on top of the crossmember's are rotted or compressed.
     
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  4. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    How big a deal is it to get fresh ones in there? And does the aluminum need replacing? or can it be left as is or bent back into shape?
     
  5. wichris

    wichris Road Train Member

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    Not something to tackle without a least some experience.

    Two ways to do it.

    Right way, they have to cut loose all the crossmember above the slider rails, pu the trailer and put new wood/plastic. Couple of thousand.

    Cheap way, screw the floor down so it doesn't flex. Might last a few years but eventually the floor will corrode/crack. Couple of hundred.
    The floors are screwed down where the floor panels overlap, once it starts moving it pulls them through the floor and then cracks.
     
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  6. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    OK thanks. So I'm visualizing this two possible ways. Do you mean separate the slider rails from the crossmembers and basically lift the trailer off the tandem while leaving the crossmembers attached to the trailer? Or do you mean separate the crossmembers from the frame rails so they come off with the tandem?

    And when you say couple thousand, that's ballpark for a shop to do it? Cuz that's the route I'd take.
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2021
  7. wichris

    wichris Road Train Member

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    Separate from the frame rails and then lift up the trailer. About what it would cost me here. What year is the trailer? If it's 8-10 years old i would just screw it down, the aluminum is corroding by then and if it cracks then you're looking at 8-9 thousand for a floor,
     
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  8. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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  9. wichris

    wichris Road Train Member

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    Getting into that tough choice area. LOL

    Shop around to places that just do trailers. Dealer shop will run quite a bit more.

    I would try and stay inside the trailer while loading and watch the forklift go slow and see what moves/flexes. Once you start there is no turning back. LOL

    Don't let some place tell you to cut out the section and replace or plate it. You'll have cracks and water in very little time.
     
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  10. slow.rider

    slow.rider Road Train Member

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    Right on. So when you say it costs you $2k that means you'd charge 3-4?
     
  11. lilillill

    lilillill Sarcasm... it's not just for breakfast

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    If it has a dip in the floor, the wood is rotted. It'll cost way more than it's worth to fix it. I parked my 48 footer for that same reason after spending $5000 on a repair that didn't last 6 months before the rear of the floor cracked and separated from the end frame.

    The floor is the most important part of a reefer trailer. Carefully check the aluminum for corrosion, pinholes and cracks. Once the water gets in, it's like cancer and doesn't stop.

    My yard is filled up with trailers that still look pretty good on the outside, but have bad floors.
     
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