Trailer Re-Furb. Where to get replacement sides?

nic85

nic85

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Hi all,

I recently bought a richardson treble trailer which is need of some TLC. WE are in the process of gutting it and have discovered the sides of the trailer are pretty rotten so we want to replace them.
Does anyone here know of a company that sells trailer sides? Its corrogated (sp?) and we would like to keep it as close to original as possible, I am going to contact Richardson on monday to see if they can help.

I will post pictures if anyone is interested in our refurbishment? :D

Thanks!!
 
Yes you have to contact Rice Richardson direct on this one.....the sides are ONLY available from them.
We are a trailer repair/refurb business and get asked this question quite often.
The sides are not cheap and can take 1/2 days to replace depending on the degree of damage etc.
The whole job is not for the faint hearted although we do know people who have done it themselves.
There are some older trailers where it is no longer possible to replace some of the chassis parts...i.e wheel hubs/backing plates/axles...simply because they are no longer available.
So before you go to the expense of replacing the side/s make sure you can carry on with the total refurb.....the cost can be very high....budget in the region of £1000 +
 
wytsend said:
Yes you have to contact Rice Richardson direct on this one.....the sides are ONLY available from them.
We are a trailer repair/refurb business and get asked this question quite often.
The sides are not cheap and can take 1/2 days to replace depending on the degree of damage etc.
The whole job is not for the faint hearted although we do know people who have done it themselves.
There are some older trailers where it is no longer possible to replace some of the chassis parts...i.e wheel hubs/backing plates/axles...simply because they are no longer available.
So before you go to the expense of replacing the side/s make sure you can carry on with the total refurb.....the cost can be very high....budget in the region of £1000 +
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply!
I had a feeling we would only get them from Richardson and I expected it to be expensive. The trailer itself is about 20-30 years old so if they DONT have any panels for it is it not possible to replace with straight panels rather than corrugated from another source?
We are at the moment tossing ideas about, we have taken up the rubber matting and were discussing if we should replace the floor but to be fair the panels are in worse state than the floor and since we have taken the matting up the floor has dried out. I will make a seperate post with pics when I have uploaded them so you ( or anyone) can see.
Thanks again!
 
Have you checked the struts under the floor, and the axles? I ask because I also bought a Rice as a project, and although we had checked, once we got the floor out most of the support struts were rusted through in places. So were the axles, which looked as if they were solid and just needed a rub down - but on the top, which you couldn't see until the floor was out, were some significant holes.

I spoke to RR to ask about replacement axles and were told that they were not made any more. They could possibly get some to fit but would need a serial number, which my trailer didn't have.

This, coupled with the significant welding that the chassis needed, dictated the trailer's fate - I sold it on Ebay, completely honestly, to a man who wanted the panels to do his own trailer up!

Hope yours is in a better state than mine :)
 
sychnant said:
Have you checked the struts under the floor, and the axles? I ask because I also bought a Rice as a project, and although we had checked, once we got the floor out most of the support struts were rusted through in places. So were the axles, which looked as if they were solid and just needed a rub down - but on the top, which you couldn't see until the floor was out, were some significant holes.

I spoke to RR to ask about replacement axles and were told that they were not made any more. They could possibly get some to fit but would need a serial number, which my trailer didn't have.

This, coupled with the significant welding that the chassis needed, dictated the trailer's fate - I sold it on Ebay, completely honestly, to a man who wanted the panels to do his own trailer up!

Hope yours is in a better state than mine :)
Click to expand...

My OH and his friend build rally cars and all sorts, they had a look around it yesterday and have discovered that both axles have been replaced at some point, as has the hitch and there have been extra supports welded in under the floor.....after we have finished I dont think there is going to be anything original on this trailer!! Oh I tell a lie, probably the roof!!
 
If the axles have been replaced....make sure you know what make they are so that you can purchase brake parts......most cables need replaceing every 2 years as they stretch. If a made up axle has been used, you might find that the trailer is actually no longer legal for the road !!!!!! Because a lot of the regulations have either been changed/uprated.... the rated weight for the axles must match the gross capacity for the trailer.
The axles very often have their rated weight stamped on the beam.

The reason why this is all so important....... if you are stopped by a VOSA team at the roadside and they believe that the trailer is not correct.... they are allowed to put a Prohibition Notice on you there and then, which means your trailer can not turn a wheel unless being loaded onto another trailer to take it home. VOSA are very active at present with horse trailers... they see them as a soft option.
BE careful...is my advice.
 
wytsend said:
We are a trailer repair/refurb business
Click to expand...
Off topic and a little cheeky .... :D

Could you compile a list of things to look for when considering purchasing a second hand trailer as many ask that question on this site ?

There is a youtube video which shows a service being done by a trailer mechanic already doing the rounds but perhaps you could add something else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqXL-6ORBA
 
wytsend said:
If the axles have been replaced....make sure you know what make they are so that you can purchase brake parts......most cables need replaceing every 2 years as they stretch. If a made up axle has been used, you might find that the trailer is actually no longer legal for the road !!!!!! Because a lot of the regulations have either been changed/uprated.... the rated weight for the axles must match the gross capacity for the trailer.
The axles very often have their rated weight stamped on the beam.

The reason why this is all so important....... if you are stopped by a VOSA team at the roadside and they believe that the trailer is not correct.... they are allowed to put a Prohibition Notice on you there and then, which means your trailer can not turn a wheel unless being loaded onto another trailer to take it home. VOSA are very active at present with horse trailers... they see them as a soft option.
BE careful...is my advice.
Click to expand...

They are Avonride axles. My OH knows more about this than I do having built, used and maintained many a trailer :P I just need to know where to get replacement panels.

Thanks for your help.
 
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