Bunk support questions

[Colbyt]

I am in the process of converting an old Holsclaw roller trailer into a bunk trailer and I've hit a minor snag. Due to the trailer frame design I pretty much knew I was going to need to cut my own bunk brackets since nothing I have seen online could be adapted to work.

In looking at images without dimensions provided I can not really figure out how high the brackets rise on the boards. I sorta figured the the closer the bracket matched the board the stronger it would be for preventing shifting or twisting. The 2 x 6 (nominal) boards will be resting on 3 flat cross members and due to the fact that I only have enough height in two of the cross pieces for one bolt, I plan to put a piece of angle on each side. Initially I intended to come 4.5" above the cross member.

Due to a minor miscalculation (darn math anyway) only rising 3" on each side would save me another trek to metal store. So my question is how far up a vertically mounted board do most of them rise?

Just as additional comment question, in viewing images of trailers, am I being excessive using 3 sets of brackets for 8-10 foot of bunk run? A lot of images look like the bunks are only attached at each end and just resting on the frame in the middle?

 

[nlittle]

I would be interested in these answers also.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Can you post some pictures?

 

[JMichael]

From the trailers I've owned and ones I've seen, the common distance for spacing between brackets is around 4', and the bolt hole is a little above middle of the bunk. If you're using a 2x6 (actual 5.5" wide) the hole would be somewhere between 3-3.5" up from the bottom edge of the 2x6. And for 8-10' length, I'd say 3 brackets would be about right.

 

[Colbyt]

I will post some pictures. I may upload some of the before images tonight. The conversion is going very well. I have all the metal cut and the frame portion is finished.

I found a scrap piece of 2" angle that I could sub for two of the bunk brackets so I avoided driving back to the metal store.

 

[Colbyt]

This image shows what I had to begin the project.



This image is the stripped frame.



And this final one shows the frame mods that will support the bunks.



I chose to use the lighter weight, old cross member on the front and the newer more heavy and wider one on the rear for taillight mounting and tongue weight considerations.

Today I primed the bunks and drilled the holes in the bunk supports. Pictures if you want them.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

We love pictures.