Echoing that common spots for rot are the back, side edges (especially near windows or escape doors), where the floor touches cross members, and anywhere there are drainage holes. The hammer and screwdriver test works well - Brenderups can be done with a hoof pick (sans hammer) if needed.
Rumber is great floor material and is what we put in our 2007 Brenderup when we redid the floor.
I bought my 1997 16’ aluminum Stock in 2017.
The wood floor in the angled nose was rotted, the rest was fine.
I replaced the entire floor with treated 18’ boards.
I have yet to pull the mats, but do sweep them out after every use, being sure to sweep clear the gaps.
Are you guys lifting/jacking up the trailers to look underneath, or just pulling mats and looking from above?
I always had my new trailer serviced and checked, but not observed how they are checked. Now I bought an older one and want to get it serviced, just-in-case, but I am not curious how these mobile trailer service guys would actually check the floorboards.
Crawl underneath.
My trailer has a good amount of room to crawl underneath. We’ve also raised it before.
Speaking of raising, make sure you get a “Trailer aid” or similar ramp/device in the event that you need to change a tire. Keep it in the trailer.
I’d also repack wheel bearings if I weren’t familiar with the trailers service history.
I had to replace the floor in my first trailer, a Circle J that I bought new off the dealer’s lot in 1981. This was in California, then I moved to Wash. state in 1986. I don’t remember how many years it took, but it rotted (near the middle) almost to the point a hoof could have gone through it. It did have rubber mats.
I am dropping it off for service on Monday. They will check flooring, ramp, electrical, brakes, axles, repack wheel bearings and paint over some cosmetic rust chip spots so they don’t get worse. He warned me that parts have gotten expensive and take a long time, but I don’t think I need anything new.
Fingers crossed. He serviced my former GN, but had semi-retired and I feel lucky to have found him again!
Thanks for all your input!
Both
Back in the 90’s we knew a guy that knew a guy that had a 1 horse trailer that he didn’t take care of. He hauled a horse in it and the floor blew and the horse had nowhere to go. Very very bad. The trailer was junked on the property we were at so we could see it. We were young but horse people and the conveyed knowledge was huge to us. We’ve always checked ours like little freaks since then.
When I moved to Virginia from Montana, the farm I worked at hauled everyone in the big gooseneck, so my bumper pull Linville two-horse was relegated to the gravel lot at the edge of the woods. The gravel grew grass as my trailer didn’t move for almost a year. Went down to check it, not only had the boards started to rot between the wheel wells and ramp, it had gotten a carpenter ant nest developed!
Needless to say, it got new oak floor boards at its inspection.
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