P500 Utility trailer floor

[Cyborg]

I've got a 2016 Pioneer 500. I haul it on a 5x10 utility trailer which has a mesh gate, wood floor, and 15" tires. Bought P500 and trailer in June 2016. Trailer is awesome and stays right in line behind my 2018 Tacoma Sport 4x4. I never have any problems with the trailer and get the bearings greased every spring before starting riding season. Only problem - trailer is stored outside. Wood was treated with water proofing but is not painted.

I have 6 D-rings mounted in the wood floor and 2 on the front rail. I park P500 against front rail of trailer and run ratchet straps over each tire to strap P500 down. That way it never moves and most of my hauling is at interstate speed. Took a lot of trial and error and stopping and re-strapping to figure that configuration out, but it works like a charm.

Last spring, I could tell the wood floor was nearing the end of it's life. Last week, I found a rotten board. I suspect others are, too. Tomorrow, I'm gonna call dealer where purchased and get serviced to check on cost of floor replacement. I'm not sure if I want to go back with wood, or get a metal mesh floor or even a solid metal floor installed. Cost will have to be considered.

If I do wood again, I can easily reinstall new tiedowns in the new floor. Mesh would be even easier - no drilling. If I go with solid metal, I'll have to mark tiedown placement and then probably have dealer drill the holes, but here's the real question - do any of you haul or have hauled your P500 or P520 on a trailer with a mesh floor with D-ring tiedowns in the floor? Does the mesh support the machine's weight ok? How does the mesh hold up under the stress and strain of cranking the machine down against it with the ratchet straps?

I'll bounce these questions off the service tech as well, but wanted to see if anyone has any real-life experience with such a scenario and how it worked out.

Thanks.

 

[Admin]

 

[WagginTail]

I would not recommend getting the expanded metal (mesh) installed for the floor. I've seen that stuff bend really easy just with small zero turn mowers on them. Go with wood or solid metal.
I do have a buddy with a trailer that has expanded metal floor and he put down two 2x10 boards where his mower tires ride on them. I think that has held up ok. But I still wouldn't go that route. I am particular with my stuff though.

 

[Keebler]

I have a metal mesh floor on my trailer and can confirm that the metal mesh flexes under load. The P500 does distribute the load better than a hand cart with a couple hundred pounds, bit in time the mesh will sag and the tac welds will likely break loose. I am getting ready to put wood planks over the mesh. I did think about deck composite boards but that is about twice the price.

 

[trigger]

Go with wood and hit it with a decent stain/sealer after dries out a bit. Keeping it outside means you'll need to hit it again every 2 or 3 yrs but it'll last a long time if you stay on top of it.

 

[WagginTail]

Go with wood and hit it with a decent stain/sealer after dries out a bit. Keeping it outside means you'll need to hit it again every 2 or 3 yrs but it'll last a long time if you stay on top of it.

I have a 14 year old trailer with wood floor. Never been sealed and still looks good. Stays outside too. Guess they don't make wood like they used too 😄

 

[wrhii]

Rumber.com

 

[The Green Goat]

I recently bought a new aluminum trailer and specifically sought out one with a wood deck. Most come with that slippery ass aluminum decking that is a joy to walk on when wet. I wanted something easily replaceable if I needed to, durable, and not slippery when wet.

I'm pretty sure mine came with treated lumber, but I went ahead and threw a couple coats of stain/sealer on it yesterday just to add some additional protection. Mine is also stored indoors, so I predict it will last quite a while.

When it does come time to replace it, I will most likely go with rough cut hardwood.

I've also seen countless trailers that have that expanded metal flooring and they are almost always bent up. People drop things in them over the years and they just get bent more and more. Or, the tack welds start failing.

 

[HiFive]

I have a trailer with a wood floor.I removed the boards and stained and water proofed the boards top and bottom. The wood is holding up much better now.

 

[Red500]

What they said. Don't go with mesh.

 

[Cyborg]

Thanks for the replies. Spoke with the tech at dealer yesterday. He recommends going back with wood as replacing with metal would not work very well due to design of trailer. He said the metal floor would sit to low. Impression I got was that if I wanted metal, it would have been better to get the trailer with a metal floor originally. So, I'll just go back with wood. The TN summer will be hot. So, once the new wood dries out some, I'll seal it. Wonder if paint might be even better?

 

[SILVER_ALERT]

Thanks for the replies. Spoke with the tech at dealer yesterday. He recommends going back with wood as replacing with metal would not work very well due to design of trailer. He said the metal floor would sit to low. Impression I got was that if I wanted metal, it would have been better to get the trailer with a metal floor originally. So, I'll just go back with wood. The TN summer will be hot. So, once the new wood dries out some, I'll seal it. Wonder if paint might be even better?

The wood seal that I have used for trailers, always had some sort of grit in in it to give you a little traction driving on and off. I don't know if that would make much difference though.

Another thought, (and you may already do this) when I park my unloaded trailer at home, I put a cinder block under the jack and then raise it up as far as it will go. It sets a high angle and the rain water runs off quickly, and does not ever sit on it and puddle up.

 

[JMynes]

Don’t paint it. Paint will peel and look like ass. Use an outdoor stain, they come in colors and go on just like paint. The finish will wear, but not peel. When it looks bad just throw another coat on it.

 

[trigger]

Use an outdoor stain, they come in colors and go on just like paint.

Just a lot runnier. I'd also recommend brushing it on so it gets worked into the grain. Rolling it generally takes two coats and it still doesn't turn out as nice.

 

[Splorin]

Mine came with PT plywood. Wound the Thompson's to it a couple times in 15 years. Keep waiting for it to fail but still going strong. The 'keeping it pitched' and snow shoveled off have probably contributed to extending the life of it. Been dealing with trailers forever and think they're all ice rinks when wet especially the ramps, no matter the surface. Lotta ways to get wounded on a trailer fall........

 

[driller]

Wound the Thompson's to it a couple times in 15 years. Keep waiting for it to fail but still going strong. The 'keeping it pitched' and snow shoveled off have probably contributed to extending the life of it. Been dealing with trailers forever and think they're all ice rinks when wet especially the ramps, no matter the surface. Lotta ways to get wounded on a trailer fall........

That's pretty much what I do with my car hauler. That said, I have replaced the wood once in the 15+ years I've owned it, but likely the OEM wood was cheap quality? It's probably due for another treatment with Thompson's sealer but I'm not sweating it.

 

[Bruce4795]

I've got a 2016 Pioneer 500. I haul it on a 5x10 utility trailer which has a mesh gate, wood floor, and 15" tires. Bought P500 and trailer in June 2016. Trailer is awesome and stays right in line behind my 2018 Tacoma Sport 4x4. I never have any problems with the trailer and get the bearings greased every spring before starting riding season. Only problem - trailer is stored outside. Wood was treated with water proofing but is not painted.

I have 6 D-rings mounted in the wood floor and 2 on the front rail. I park P500 against front rail of trailer and run ratchet straps over each tire to strap P500 down. That way it never moves and most of my hauling is at interstate speed. Took a lot of trial and error and stopping and re-strapping to figure that configuration out, but it works like a charm.

Last spring, I could tell the wood floor was nearing the end of it's life. Last week, I found a rotten board. I suspect others are, too. Tomorrow, I'm gonna call dealer where purchased and get serviced to check on cost of floor replacement. I'm not sure if I want to go back with wood, or get a metal mesh floor or even a solid metal floor installed. Cost will have to be considered.

If I do wood again, I can easily reinstall new tiedowns in the new floor. Mesh would be even easier - no drilling. If I go with solid metal, I'll have to mark tiedown placement and then probably have dealer drill the holes, but here's the real question - do any of you haul or have hauled your P500 or P520 on a trailer with a mesh floor with D-ring tiedowns in the floor? Does the mesh support the machine's weight ok? How does the mesh hold up under the stress and strain of cranking the machine down against it with the ratchet straps?

I'll bounce these questions off the service tech as well, but wanted to see if anyone has any real-life experience with such a scenario and how it worked out.

Thanks.

 

[Bruce4795]

I had a trailer similar to yours. I broke 3 ribs when the rotten boards gave way and I slammed against the angle iron rail. I had the floor replaced with star pattern steel and never looked back. You will love it.

 

[Sarbuck]

For what it's worth, I have a 6.5' X 10' trailer I use to haul our Pioneer 100-5 occasionally (I use my flatbed pickup most of the time). That trailer has composite deck boards for flooring. It has held up incredibly well for over 15 years outside with no staining required. More expensive to install but has been maintenance free in my case. More expensive than wood, but another option...

 

[Splorin]

driller, nice crap deflector! I also have 2x10's that I put on for tractor hauling because it's a plywood deck and not boards.

 

[HiFive]

For what it's worth, I have a 6.5' X 10' trailer I use to haul our Pioneer 100-5 occasionally (I use my flatbed pickup most of the time). That trailer has composite deck boards for flooring. It has held up incredibly well for over 15 years outside with no staining required. More expensive to install but has been maintenance free in my case. More expensive than wood, but another option...

Where did you buy the composite boards from? Home Depot sells it for decking not sure if it is thick enough.