RGN Decking Maintenance

That weld looks like someone already tried before. It is not a good weld. You need to take it to a qualified welder. That is a stress point if not done right it is going to crack again. Quality hard wood for the decking all wood is not the same. It's the nature of the business of hauling heavy. It just has to be replaced over time.

 

Use quality wood for the decking and of you want to prolong the life of the decking you could use linseed oil or some other all weather sealer.

My personal experience with a step deck that i pull, is that if the boards are cracked it compromises the integrity of the metal or aluminum that surrounds it. I've had a couple small cracks form in the aluminum plate above the first axle and a couple small cracks in the metal where it steps at the bottom deck. Hope that helps

 

A lot depends on what you haul. Loader and excavator tracks are less abusive than dozers. Wheeled machines are easy on the deck. Pad foot or sheep's foot rollers are bad landfill rollers are the worst. Be careful sitting things on the deck if the center is floored , like the bucket link. Where I work we have a 50 and a 55 ton RGN , we haul pretty much anything that comes along. On average we'll get 3 to five years on floors. Sometimes we do recovery loads on damaged equipment that is likely to destroy a floor , when we do the price will include the cost of a new floor. We refloor our trailers with white oak boards. Hope this helps.

 

There is oil for the decking. Go to trailerdecking.com

 

When you do your oil change take your used oil and dilute it half and half with diesel. Take a roller brush on a long handle and use that to stain your deck. Fuel helps to thin it so those boards soak it up good. Depending on how dry they are you'll be amazed at how much it takes.

 

Wood defender is also a quality product for your Decking.

 

last wood deck 48 flat i did took 16 gallons of straight used oil. Couldnt hardly brush it in fast enough.