Wabash Flabed w/ Coils/Side Kit

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

What's goin' on...

Finally this is done!!!

Other pics are in the link and a little background about this project is below.

Thanks for looking!!!

http://flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/sets/.../detail/?page=2

This trailer was started in about 04 or 05 being scratch built off of measurements and some designs of a Wabash flatbed. Instead of being a spread axle at the time I prefered it to be a tri axle.

Recently I started working on this again only putting a coil load on it following the side kit. Making this a functional side kit the steak/post pockets brought the width of this trailer to 102 inches wide. If the rub rails were added it'd be close to 104inches being too wide so those were left off.

Two coils were made from calculator/register paper rolls. The first one was painted w/ aluminum metallizer only to flake off later. This time I painted them w/ Dupli-Color "MetalCast". On the sides I wrote 20# meaning they are 20,000 pound each and Art Iron Inc. which is a local major metal/steel supplier. I used black pin stripe tape to look like banding and Bare Metal Foil to look like the band clamps. On these I could only use two chains because the rub rails were left off. I've traded emails w/ a few drivers that hauled coils in the past and they said that one chain is needed for every 10,000 lbs so routing the chains thru the steak pockets front/rear worked out!

The side kit was left as is so the coils could be seen. Only a single panel was installed (per side) to keep the tarp,steaks, and bows enclosed. The panels were bound togather as well as the steaks w/ fine black hobby wire to resemble bungee straps. The winches were scratchbuilt and the straps are ribbon 4mm wide. The tarp is actually of all things plastic picnic table cover. It was cut to size as it was folded I covered it w/ a hand towel and ironed it to create the creases. This was done until it was completely folded up.

Several months ago someone suggested to me to use rhinestone gems to make LED marker and Stop,Tail,Turn lights. I decided to use them on this and they look very convincing! Other rework done to this was a new bulkhead was made and the tires were sanded to look like a hundred thousand miles are on them.

Again

Thanks for looking!

[lonewolf]

Scott,

Awesome job on the trailer man. Your scratch-building skills are great. I often think I'd like to tackle such a project myself, so far I've been a little intimidated by it, not knowing where to start. Someday.......

[george 53]

WoW Scot, Tony's right,Thats an AWESOME build!!! I see these kinda trucks everyday goin down the E-way.I make it a point to stay a good distance from them, cause I've seen the amount of damage they can do if one of those rolls comes loose!!!Beautiful build, looks real convincing,You can actually see the time and work you put into it.GREAT BUILD!!!!!