Where to buy metal for car hauler?

[mustangguy289]

I am thinking of getting brave and converting my wood floored car hauler. I want to use diamond plate and then get it sprayed with bedliner.

Where is a good place to get the metal and what is an estimate on cost?

Without measuring:

I will need a 18' x 8' sheet of diamond plate ( any suggestions on thickness)??

I will need some 2" inch square tubing to add the frame for support and to also take up the gap that was there for the wood. ( I will weld this in between all of the current frame rails and the diamond plate floor.

Instead of paying someone else to do it I would rather take that money and buy a welder and do it myself.

[racrguy]

I doubt youll find a sheet of diamondplate that large, plan on 4x8.

[mustangguy289]

I doubt youll find a sheet of diamondplate that large, plan on 4x8.

That is fine... I did not know what size they sell... any ideas of where to get it at? I live near Cedar Hill.

[racrguy]

No clue, I used to live in Waco. Be prepared to get raped though, id venture a guess that it's as high as giraffe pussy. You may be better off going with some plain mill finish instead of the diamondplate.

[Sean88gt]

Any trailer supplier should be able to get 'floor plate' it is 4' x 82.25". It is more expensive but saves you from cutting with a torch.

A pretty crucial thing to think about are your crossmembers. I'm willing to bet your's are on 24" centers. 12" is minimum while 8" is ideal, so get some 1/4" angle and start welding.

[mustangguy289]

If the weather is ever nice on the weekends I will pull the rotten wood up ad see how the frame was built.

[Sean88gt]

I apologize, I didn't even read the majority of your first post. The tubing is going to be pricey. At that point you may be better off with a new trailer.

[TENGRAM]

Speedy Metals is off of 360 in the Grand Prairie/Arlington area. they can do the square tube for sure. Pricing is listed on their website. Not sure if they have diamond plate though.

[mustangguy289]

Speedy Metals is off of 360 in the Grand Prairie/Arlington area. they can do the square tube for sure. Pricing is listed on their website. Not sure if they have diamond plate though.

Thanks. They have what I need and will even offer it in cut sections. However, the sheets ( whether diamond or cold rolled) are only offered in small sizes. I will call and get an estimate on a large sheet once I get all my measurements.

I may just put wood back in it if it gets too pricey. The wood floor did well for me for 7 years before it started to rot.

Anybody have a suggestion for thickness for the floor sheet ... I can't decide between 14 ga and 1/8" thick. The trailer will haul a 3000 lb car and I will make the frame beefy especially at the 4 points that the weight will be distributed. So for weight and cost i would rather go with the 14 ga unless anyone has experience making trailers and can tell me otherwise.

[Sean88gt]

Mine has 1/8th inch and is pretty well flexed but i've also had some pretty heavy equipment on there.

[8mpg]

Westex in Ft Worth
Garland Steel in Garland