Reflooring a Rice trailer

sychnant

sychnant

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What would you use, and why? So many options, I think I have decided what would be best - but am always open to suggestions :)

I am not doing this on the cheap as safety is obviously paramount, but keeping the cost down to a sensible level would be nice :)

Thanks for any responses!
 
I was considering phenolic ply with rubber on top, but marine ply looks like a fairly good option to me too :) Have been offered free scaffold planks but I'm worried they may be too heavy.

I have also considered asking IW if they will fit an Ifor aluminium floor, but not sure if they would do this on a Rice?
 
In all honesty I would spare no cash (within reason) and as you said, try IW. If you don't ask you don't get.

My dad did our old trailer around ten years ago, aluminium floors weren't financially viable and in all honesty, I don't think an Ali floor came to mind.

I'd give IW a try (let me know if you don't feel Cheeky enough, I'll ask if you want) failing that have a look around for a coachbuilder, I'd imagine this is something they regularly undertake.
 
I used scaffold planks once with patio decking planks on top going in opposite direction. Was a good solid floor ! (Of course I say 'I fitted' but in reality OH fitted lol )
 
Did it last ginge? If you don't mind me asking, was it expensive compared to maybe marine ply? I only ask as I've been offered an old 3.5t Bedford that I may need to do this with.

Sorry to hi-jack thread op
 
I posted this a while ago, but be careful about changing the way the trailer is constructed. The floor on Rice trailers is part of the strenth of the trailer. They were not designed for ply floor, there is too far between the supports.

I have done a few, I always used tongue and groove floor boards front to back first. You can then add thin ply on top. I always treat the wood first and seal the edges of the ply. They were designed to be double floored. I would then add thin trailer matting.

The advantage of this is you can lift the ply every year and replace easily when necessary, this allows you to check the condition of the underfloor.

I never had a seconds worry with my floors, they were much less bouncy than the aluminium which I have now in a new IW.

Your choice, but check it out first.

Oh and while you have the floor out, I always wirebrushed and hammerite the chasis.

Watch when you take the old floor out, all the wiring is attached along with the ramp springs.
 
Brilliant, thanks guys!

The chassis needs a couple of pieces replaced, and everything will be thoroughly rubbed down and painted before the floor goes in. I'm feeling pretty cheeky so will phone IW tomorrow about an ali floor - I just think I would feel safer with it. If not, thanks for the ply info - not having seen the chassis myself I hadn't realised that the gaps were too big for ply. Will look into boards if IW say no :)

Thankyou, and at some point I will try to post photos of the work in progress, if it's not too boring. Will also be asking for colour suggestions at some point as it will need a bit of prettyfying :D
 
Doubt they will say no, what they are likely to say is £500+ :D

Which tends to make an old Rice a very expensive trailer.

I could change one of my wooden floors completely for just over £100. I used the second hand timber yard. Obviously good indoor wood not anything which had been outside.
 
I've recently done my rice floor. I added a couple of extra supports then t&g from front to back then added I think it was 18ml ply board and painted all the wood.
Then I used some rubber matting honeycomb sought so it wouldn't hold the water underneath.
My horse travelled a lot better after I had done the floor because the spring has gone out of it.
I think it cost nearly £200 in wood/sealer/paint and second hand mats.
 
Well my trailer isn't a Rice but its an old Sinclair, I sent it off to a local trailer/horsebox servicing centre to have a new wooden floor which cost me £400, obviously can get it much cheaper if you do it yourself. It took them less than a week to do so if I ever had to have a new floor in anything else I'd do it again, at least you know its been done professionally. Then again you might be good with things like this and I am definately not haha :p
 
abracadabraxo said:
Well my trailer isn't a Rice but its an old Sinclair, I sent it off to a local trailer/horsebox servicing centre to have a new wooden floor which cost me £400, obviously can get it much cheaper if you do it yourself. It took them less than a week to do so if I ever had to have a new floor in anything else I'd do it again, at least you know its been done professionally. Then again you might be good with things like this and I am definately not haha :p
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Wimps, I could do one in a weekend :D :D :D
 
omg. Have just read out this thread to my best mate/trailer helper, who said, "bailer twine is great, I fixed the throttle cable on the 110 with it, it got me home."

Think I may do the floor myself. With no help. At all. lol
 
rockysmum said:
OMG !!!!!!!!! Nails and glue

Your not coming anywhere near one of my DIY jobs, next you will be talking about bailer twine :D :D
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Hahaha bailer twine, what do you think of me! Its all about the cable ties :D

Actually cable ties have saved me on a few occasions (not on the trailer I hasten to add :D) but when the zip fell off my gaiters at a show! Thank god it was only a local show I didn't look very glamourous with cable ties holding it on my leg..getting them off was the problem :o
 
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