Here are my first modifications to my trailer. I figured I should share them as others may also find them useful.
Fist off my tail gate is suspended by chain. Nice and strong but rattles like crazy when not held down. Plus it isn't adjustable to level out your tail gate if you want to use it as a large flat surface.
So I headed off to the local home center store and picked up a couple of turnbuckles 4 "S" hooks and 6 feet of 3/4" ID heater hose.
I used my PVC pipe cutters to make nice clean cuts in the heater hose.
I placed the turnbuckle and "S" hooks in line with my chain so I could see where I needed to cut my chain and install the new adjustable turnbuckle.
I then lopped off my chain using my 4" cutting wheel. I then tied a string to the end of my turnbuckle and started it through the 3/4" hose. Now it was pretty tight so I used my PB Blaster penetrating lubricant sprayed inside the hose to provide the lubrication to easily pull the chain and turnbuckle through the hose.
And here is the finished modification. No more rattles and because the hose goes all the way to the welded end of the trailer, it won't rub off the paint or powder coating when extended.
I may consider switching to small quick links on the very ends but the fact that the tail gate support already completely disconnects I really don't need to.
Fist off my tail gate is suspended by chain. Nice and strong but rattles like crazy when not held down. Plus it isn't adjustable to level out your tail gate if you want to use it as a large flat surface.
So I headed off to the local home center store and picked up a couple of turnbuckles 4 "S" hooks and 6 feet of 3/4" ID heater hose.
I used my PVC pipe cutters to make nice clean cuts in the heater hose.
I placed the turnbuckle and "S" hooks in line with my chain so I could see where I needed to cut my chain and install the new adjustable turnbuckle.
I then lopped off my chain using my 4" cutting wheel. I then tied a string to the end of my turnbuckle and started it through the 3/4" hose. Now it was pretty tight so I used my PB Blaster penetrating lubricant sprayed inside the hose to provide the lubrication to easily pull the chain and turnbuckle through the hose.
And here is the finished modification. No more rattles and because the hose goes all the way to the welded end of the trailer, it won't rub off the paint or powder coating when extended.
I may consider switching to small quick links on the very ends but the fact that the tail gate support already completely disconnects I really don't need to.
