Replacing decking on 015 Doonan Stretch Step Extendable

Their is an outfit in Beaumont Tx and that is all they do.
Only problem is I can not remember the name.

 

He replaced only a couple broken boards here, but atleast it might give you an idea of what your getting into. As mentioned above, you definitely need to mark where the old screws are otherwise you'll be going through tons if drill bits, as he also notes that in this video towards the end...

 

Another tip that helps the drilling process is to drill thru the wood and pull the bit out to expell the wood shavings from the bit when you hit the crossmember.

If you leave the bit packed with wood the metal cannot move up thru the flutes of the bit and the bit will overheat and have a short life. A 3/8 air impact works best for running the screws and get some quality bits. Use 5/16 screws vs 1/4.

That apitong is hard stuff compared to laminated oak even.

 

All I know about replacing decks is what little I learned the hard way. We replaced the decks on both of our Murrays and two forty eight foot flat beds. We did all the work ourselves in what we thought was a well equipped shop. Never again.
A good professional outfit that stands behind their work is expensive but how much is your time worth?
This is a case where cheaper is definitely not better. We put full dimension oak on the Murrays and doug fir on the flat beds. No complaints there.
Cutting and measuring the wood is a tedious process and if you're using apitong a mistake can make you weep. Not measuring every single board and having a scrap pile of hideously expensive and useless measuring mistakes will try your patience and eventually pulverize it.

Trips to the hardware store for more drill bits, for more cutoff wheels, for more hardware and even more trips after that for other supplies can kill your day. Don't forget knee pads. Wire brushing the cross members along with painting them top and bottom and flush cutting the old fasteners...and more trips to the hardware store...will have you hating life and wondering if your knees and hips and lower back will survive.
It took two guys all week and a weekend that should have been devoted to deer hunting and beer drinking.
That's just our experience. You might be more organized, more highly skilled, and better prepared than we were. For the sake of your sanity if you do it yourself I hope so.

 

Yes, with my first trailer. 48' GD combo. It was high when I was getting quotes myself and that was pre-scamdemic.

It's all labor unless apitong has risen abnormally in cost. You don't have to use apitong either. Any hardwood will get it done as long as you don't let it dry out.

I still don't think the job should be more than around 4k. I have not seen the itemized materials list from your quote obviously so that's a wild card here.

 

Yeah— if I had the F you money you got I’d definitely drop it and pick it up— just kidding Blair — don’t start fizzing from the bung

 

Definitely not environmentally friendly but when I replaced the wood decking on the trailer I pull with my pickup with just regular pressure treated lumber I parked it out in the sun and rollered used motor oil onto it. Good ol preservative.

 

We used to treat cedar fence posts with used motor oil. Lots of it.
After the first couple of rains that crap would move up and kill off all the weeds in the fence line. Those days are gone forever...mostly.

 

I don’t have any experience redecking a trailer, but I do have lots of experience pulling trailers that should have been redecked. And I think that counts for something!

with what you seem to do with that trailer, if you have 12” crossmember spacing, what about an aluminum floor? You would
Never have to do this again.

also there’s a company in Jackson, ga that redecks trailers and they use clips that go next to the crossmember and a carriage bolt through the wood. No drilling of the crossmember at all.