I'm looking for suggestions on the wood floor in my trailer. I only haul my Arab gelding, usually no more than 1 hour trips, but usually just locally a few miles.First of all the wood slats run front to back, which strike me as odd. Don't most slats run side to side? The mat seam in the middle of the stall allows urine to run through to the wood. Would bed liner work under the mats? The spacing of the slats probably lends to road noise. I've even considered the soft cushion pads under the mats.Lastly, several exterior seam areas are rusting. Any suggestions on repair.
Posted 2014-11-18 5:11 PM (#161660 - in reply to #161652) Subject: RE: Wood floor & rust Q on 2002 Featherlite STL
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Kingston horse trailers ran their floors in the same fashion...you need to crawl under the trailer and examine the cross supports under that floor...:)
Posted 2014-11-18 10:23 PM (#161671 - in reply to #161652) Subject: RE: Wood floor & rust Q on 2002 Featherlite STL
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
The flooring runs end to end because the steel framing is located side to side. Rusty steel has to be mechanically cleaned and best treated with a phosphoric acid (rust converter) variant (Ospho is one) before the area is primed and repainted. Wood flooring can last decades, if it is often flushed and allowed to dry before replacing the mats. Our trailer mats are oriented from side to side with two seams on the over all length, necessary for three stalls. The actual exposure to leakage is small, just the areas under the butts of the horses. A truck bed liner material can be added to wood, but with proper maintenance, this is not necessary.
Posted 2014-11-20 8:29 PM (#161705 - in reply to #161652) Subject: RE: Wood floor & rust Q on 2002 Featherlite STL
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
Featherlight steel trailers have been prone to rust. Have "heard" of a lawsuit against them for paint warrenty, but don't think it got very far. In our country (northern great plains), I would say most if not all Featherlight steel trailers have premature rust issues. Local dealers really discount trade in values due to that.
Repainting is always an option, but might be cost prohibitive as Gard pointed out.
Would agree with the direction of slates--most all newer model trailers run front to back due to several reasons-as Gard said framing support, also, they are easier to clean, easier to replace boards, less "ends" being exposed to livestock wastes, less labor to install due to less cuts, etc. Good luck!
Posted 2015-01-01 1:09 PM (#162209 - in reply to #161652) Subject: RE: Wood floor & rust Q on 2002 Featherlite STL
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489 Location: CA
I have a '92 Featherlite with treated wood floors that run the length of the trailer. I bought it new in '92 and each year we inspect the wood and braces for damage, but so far it's fine. Whew! I've never had a horse who regularly peed inside, so maybe that's a reason why I've been lucky, but what Gard said is true about it lasting for decades!
Wood floor & rust Q on 2002 Featherlite STL
