Enclose Trailer: Has anyone ever converted the swinging doors to a ramp door?

[skorum03]

Hey lawnsite community. Something I've been thinking about for a while now but don't know if its worth it. Here is the scenario:

My operation is expanding. I have a continental cargo 7 x 12 double axle enclosed trailer that I am going to use It is in decent shape but part of the back steel bumper has rusted out and the back doors are pretty beat up. They will need some serious fixing to be in good working order again. I am wondering if anyone has ever converted the swing open style door to a ramp door before? I am probably going to go for it once it gets a little warmer out, I will post pictures as I go. I don't really want to just use ramps since I will have to put a decent amount into fixing the doors anyways, it seems as if it might just make more sense to build the ramp door since I plan to use the trailer for a while. I got the trailer for free from my dad. He used to use it for work but no longer has any use for it and it just sits so.. I thought it could be useful to me. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks Fellas

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com

[Landrus2]

That will be a nice project keep us posted

[skorum03]

I will. I've been searching the web somewhat hard the past couple of days trying to find someone who has done the same thing, but I actually think I might be the first haha

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com

[skorum03]

Just waiting for it to warm up outside to get started, which probably won't be for another couple weeks. Hopefully by then someone will come forward and say they've done what im trying to do and offer their advice haha

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com

[Woodman1]

There was a guy near me who had done something similar, but he left the barn doors on and then built a ramp gate off of the back. I have not seen him / the trailer in the last couple of years or I would go get you some pics.
It looked good. I think he welded a piece of two inch channel onto the steel base and then hinged the gate off of the channel.
Are you going to make it a solid door like what would come on the ones that you buy with a ramp or is this one going to be out of expanded metal?

[bwhuntr40]

Last year, I was in the same position needing a bigger trailer, and my dad and I had an 8x18 enclosed with barn doors that had been just sitting for a couple of years with no use. I decided to do the same thing that you are proposing, removed the barn doors and built a ramp door that hinged off the rear frame. Works great and I love it. Sure beats going out and spending $4,000.00 - $6,000.00 on a brand new enclosed. I will try to get some pictures posted later.

[skorum03]

Originally Posted by bwhuntr40

Last year, I was in the same position needing a bigger trailer, and my dad and I had an 8x18 enclosed with barn doors that had been just sitting for a couple of years with no use. I decided to do the same thing that you are proposing, removed the barn doors and built a ramp door that hinged off the rear frame. Works great and I love it. Sure beats going out and spending $4,000.00 - $6,000.00 on a brand new enclosed. I will try to get some pictures posted later.

That would be fantastic if you could post some pictures of how you did it. I figure if I spend even $500 fixing this trailer it will still be a much better move than if I were to buy a new open trailer, which is what I originally thought I was going to do. Thanks in advance for the pictures.

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com

[skorum03]

Originally Posted by Woodman1

There was a guy near me who had done something similar, but he left the barn doors on and then built a ramp gate off of the back. I have not seen him / the trailer in the last couple of years or I would go get you some pics.
It looked good. I think he welded a piece of two inch channel onto the steel base and then hinged the gate off of the channel.
Are you going to make it a solid door like what would come on the ones that you buy with a ramp or is this one going to be out of expanded metal?

I had originally thought about doing it the way you had mentioned the other guy did it, but I figured since the doors aren't in great shape that I would just make a whole new door like you would get with one that you would buy.

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com

[Armsden&Son]

What a coincidence! I just went to look at a 8 by 16 enclosed today! The guy failed to mention the barn doors and I pretty much just left because I have no idea how to do it either but then this thread pops up! Serendipity! I think the only difficult thing would be winding the cables but my old boss had one that the cable had snapped(scag walk behind + rookie) and we just left it..... wasnt even that heavy to lift up....

[skorum03]

Yeah I wasn't even sure I'm going to do the cables, I can't imagine the door will be that heavy... I'll have to figure that out later though I guess

YardBros Outdoors
www.yardbros.com