Sign on back gate.

[MudslinginFX4]

I just had some signs made for the back of my trailers this week, they are metal and are 3feet by 4 feet aprox. How do you mount them on your trailer gates when the angle irron is facing out? I have never really had signs on my trailers before, just my trucks but I wanted to try something new. If anyone has pictures and can tell how they mounted them it would be great!

[Barkleymut]

I have seen some guys with the metal signs on the back gates. I think they look really nice, the only problem is that you want your customers neighbors to call so you have to raise the gate everytime after you unload a mower.

But back to your question. Drill through the angle iron and put bolts and nuts through it. Paint the nut to look like the rest of the sign. This would be the most sturdy option that I can think of.

[Eric 1]

Bolts but...BE SHURE TO USE LOOK WASHERS OR NUTS or the vibration will make the nuts work lose and the sighn will fall off!!!!:blob4:

[MudslinginFX4]

Thanks Barkley and eric for replying.... the sign was going to be more for people riding behind me on the road instead of neighbors, I've still got lettering on my trucks for neighbors etc...

Also, the only problem with using nuts and bolts is the angle iron isn't the right way for that. It is vertical but its facing the wrong way. The best way for me to explain it is it's like looking at the side of a piece of paper... the width of it that is. (its prob. only about 1cm thick.

[Eric 1]

Oh

well, get a pice of angle iron welded to the corners will the sighn will bolt on.

[Barkleymut]

Can you take a pic?

If the angle iron is like on most trailers you might be able to use a 2x4 to place up against the gate. That should make the sign flush with the back of the gate. Then put the bolt through the angle iron that is parallel to the sign, then through the wood and then through the sign. Hope that makes sense.

[MudslinginFX4]

That makes sense.... I will try to take a picture tomorrow. I was actually thinking the same thing you are.

[littlenic]

I made a frame for my signs with ¾” iron channel and cut a piece of ½” PT plywood to go behind the sign for strength. I then placed plexy glass over the sign, all of this fit inside the channel. I attached the frame to the back gate with 1½” angle welding the angle to the angle of the gate. Then welded the frames to that newly attach 1½” angle. I used the plywood to keep the wind from messing up the sign when driving 60-70 mph and provide additional strength. I welded the side signs on the wire box up front. I cut the corners at 45's and welded top, bottom and one side together making like a horse shoe, I then cut small pieces on angle iron the same width as the channel and welded them to the side I didn't weld together yet. I then drilled a hole through the angle iron into the channel of the horse shoe piece and tapped the channel so I could used a screw to attach the forth side of my frame where I could remove that side piece of channel where I could remove the sign if needed. I would show you a pic but don't have a dig cam. any longer.

Hope this helps,

P.S. Drill 3 or 4 weep holes in the bottom of the channel to allow the water to drain out and make sure you primer and paint after you drill the weep holes.

[MudslinginFX4]

Thanks littlenic!

[ProLandscapes]

Where did you get the metal sheets for them to do the signs on?

Josh

[MudslinginFX4]

They got them for me. I had Signsbytomorrow make them for me. They did an excellent job!

[ElephantNest]

Here's mine, but I'm guessing yours will look a bit more professional. If you don't mind me asking, what are the costs with metal. I'm sure it would hold up longer than this will, but this was only $25.00, and it's waterproof with six reinforced eyelets.


http://www.lawnsite.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=578872

[ProLandscapes]

Do they have a website?

JT

[MudslinginFX4]

http://www.signsbytomorrow.com/

ElephantNest, I paid $80.00 for a 24 inch x 36 inch sign and I paid $40.00 for 1000 new business cards to be made. I also had 2 magnets made for my personal truck for $75.00 but i'm not sure if I am going to use them yet.

[littlenic]

I was looking today and the channel that I used to build the frames for my signs was 1" not ¾ ".

The inside distance between the channels was ¾ "

Good luck littlenic

[CNE]

No signs, I get too much road rage. Maybe I'll put some of my competitor's names on the truck so when I flip or cut somebody off, they'll think it was them and not me. Yeah, that's the ticket.

[ManleyLawn]

i agree with eric 1 needs some nuts and bolts but the main thing is washers! mine has vibrated off many times.

[Carolina Cutter]

HAve a welder weld some angle in between the upright supports on the gate and space them for the sign. Drill them and mount the sign to that.

[just Cuts]

Take a 2x4 and rip it down. Drill a few holes through steel on gate that sighn will cover(two in middle of gate). Place the wood you ripped against steel and mark and drill holes. bolt wood to steel,now you have a place to mount the sighn.

[Ray & Karen]

I just put a piece of 2 x 4 in there with some button head galvanized bolts...threaded part out. I painted the boards to match my trailer.

[Blades of Steel]

I have had trouble with this in the past. I took my trailer to a friends hous and welded 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 " square tubing welded in replace of the angle iron to have a flat surface to bolt to.

Tim

[MudslinginFX4]

OK guys, I got it done finally! I ended up having a steel plate cut the size of my sign. I then had a welding shop weld the steel plate to the back of the gate, then I screwed my sign to the steel plate. The reason I did it this way was to protect the sign againt wind and other things hitting it.