I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks

Maybe I just need better clips? It seems the good** trailers use
clips too, right?

**Not to say the Harbor Freight trailer is bad. So far it's fine.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:03:38 -0500, mm
wrote:

I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks

"mm" wrote in message ...


Maybe I just need better clips? It seems the good** trailers use
clips too, right?

**Not to say the Harbor Freight trailer is bad. So far it's fine.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:03:38 -0500, mm
wrote:

I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks


I sure wouldn't drill in to the frame, they already use the thinnest walls
possible on them to keep their costs down. How about simply tie wrapping the
wires to the tubes? There's should be a few spots where you can slide them
thru.

mm wrote:

I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

Mine stayed on. . . for a year- then they pretty much oxidised.

-snip-
Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

I replaced them with self-drilling screws holding these guys-
http://www.itw-fastex.com/catalog/in...c/20/p/49?m=no

I found them at a boat place I happened to be going past the day I
needed something.

Jim

The wires under my trailer are secured by paper clamps from
the office supply store.
http://www.dinodirect.com/32-x-19-x-...ps-12-Pcs.html
Works, for me!

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"mm" wrote in message
...
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight
kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor.
Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't
hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've
pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how
they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars
that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through
the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on
its side.

Thanks

On Jan 13, 8:45*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
The wires under my trailer are secured by paper clamps from
the office supply store.
* *http://www.dinodirect.com/32-x-19-x-...Binder-Paper-C...
Works, for me!

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

"mm" wrote in message

...
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight
kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor.
Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't
hold the
wires well either. *The clips fall off, even when I've
pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how
they do
it. * *What do they do? *This one has square-U shaped bars
that make
up the sides. *The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through
the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on
its side.

Thanks

good local hardware store will have plastic clips that screw on, use
stainless screws and nuts and washers...

i rewired a friends trailer years ago and thats what i did. use
conveient holes to mount clips

The plastic and stainless route does work. Paper clamps are
inexpensive, and work for a while.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
...

http://www.dinodirect.com/32-x-19-x-...Binder-Paper-C...
Works, for me!


good local hardware store will have plastic clips that screw
on, use
stainless screws and nuts and washers...

i rewired a friends trailer years ago and thats what i did.
use
conveient holes to mount clips

mm wrote:
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

I just used wire ties on mine, no need to drill holes. You're just
supporting the wire every few feet to reduce fatigue and keep it from
dragging.

Jon

On Jan 13, 8:02*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
The plastic and stainless route does work. Paper clamps are
inexpensive, and work for a while.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

wrote in message

...

http://www.dinodirect.com/32-x-19-x-...Binder-Paper-C...
Works, for me!

good local hardware store will have plastic clips that screw
on, use
stainless screws and nuts and washers...

i rewired a friends trailer years ago and thats what i did.
use
conveient holes to mount clips

What happened to using good old-fashioned duct tape????

"mm" wrote in message
...
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks
I helped a neighbor wire his trailer. Used wire mold to cover wires. Google
wire mold if you don't know what it is. If you don't want to use screws put
base part on with JB Weld. WW

On 1/13/2011 4:03 AM, mm wrote:
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks

Two of mine have steel conduit from the front to the axles where the
wires for the brakes come out, then short 2" pieces of conduit welded on
every couple feet to run the wires through to the lights.

I'm not sure if they allow bolt together trailers here, maybe if it's
commercially made, but they will not pass a home made trailer that is
bolted together, it must be welded. Surprising since they let just
about anything else go down the roads here.

I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.
I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.
Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

A couple years ago I rebuilt my similar kit trailer (not Harbor Freight)
that is approximately 20 years old now.

I used black plastic "zip" ties to secure the new wiring every foot or two.
In most cases, there was already something I could secure the wire to, like
the predrilled holes that are already there for securing the decking. But,
I did drill a few extra holes for passing wires through cross beams and
whatnot where I wanted them. As long as they are the same size (or smaller)
than the predrilled holes, and centered on the beam, you won't weaken the
structure any. Make sure to remove any burrs before passing wires through,
ideally using grommets to protect the wires (I was cheap and opted not to).

Good luck,

Anthony

On Jan 13, 5:03*am, mm wrote:
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. *The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. * *What do they do? *This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. *The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks

Several years agp I had a trailer that I was constantly ripping the
wiring up on. I was taking it into some rough places. I finally got
tired of rewiring it and ran a conduit front to rear. No more problem.
If I build another trailer this will be included from the beginning.

Jimmie

On Jan 13, 4:35*am, mm wrote:
Maybe I just need better clips? *It seems the good** trailers use
clips too, right?

**Not to say the Harbor Freight trailer is bad. So far it's fine.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:03:38 -0500, mm
wrote:



I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. *The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. * *What do they do? *This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. *The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"It seems the good trailers use clips too, right?"

Not my Haul Mark enclosed trailer, which I consider to be pretty darn
good. ;-)

The wires are enclosed in flexible wire tubing (conduit?) and secured
to the wooden bottom of the trailer with cable clamps

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/PAN...gement-_-1LEV8

When I had a trailer similar to the one you have, I used tie-wraps
through any (and all) available holes once my clips fell off and
disappeared.

Dries out, after a while. But, WD-40 removes the left behind
sticky from duct tape.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"hr(bob) "
wrote in message
...

What happened to using good old-fashioned duct tape????

Change your name to Miguel Jose Garcia, and
they won't be able to arrest you for anything!

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Tony Miklos" wrote in message
...

I'm not sure if they allow bolt together trailers
here, maybe if it's commercially made, but they
will not pass a home made trailer that is bolted
together, it must be welded. Surprising since
they let just about anything else go down the
roads here.

Hmm. Wire mold; conduit. Some excellent ideas. Great to use
building wire methods on trailers. That's thinking.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"JIMMIE"
wrote in message
...

Several years agp I had a trailer that I was constantly
ripping the wiring up on. I was taking it into some
rough places. I finally got tired of rewiring it and ran
a conduit front to rear. No more problem. If I build
another trailer this will be included from the beginning.

Jimmie

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:00:50 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Jan 13, 4:35*am, mm wrote:
Maybe I just need better clips? *It seems the good** trailers use
clips too, right?

**Not to say the Harbor Freight trailer is bad. So far it's fine.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:03:38 -0500, mm
wrote:



I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. *The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. * *What do they do? *This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. *The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"It seems the good trailers use clips too, right?"

Not my Haul Mark enclosed trailer, which I consider to be pretty darn
good. ;-)

The wires are enclosed in flexible wire tubing (conduit?) and secured
to the wooden bottom of the trailer with cable clamps

I actually first stored the trailer at a friend of mine's, then gave
it to him, and he'll make fun of me if I go to the trouble of putting
in tubing or conduit. (I'm helping to fix it up a) to make up for
storing it there when I hadn't given it to him, b) to better warrant
borrowing it in the future, and c) because I still have a harness.
Harbor Freight only included half a harness when they sent it, not the
car half. I bought one at Harbor Freight, but it was much flimsier
than the one included, and third, the one they sent me arrived 2 or 3
weeks later, and it's not flimsy either. None of the 3 plugs fit any
of the two sockets excpt the one it was sold with, even though they
were all from Harbor Freight!

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/PAN...gement-_-1LEV8

When I had a trailer similar to the one you have, I used tie-wraps
through any (and all) available holes once my clips fell off and
disappeared.

LOL.

This thread I'm not going to reply to everyone. I just want to say
thank you for all the good ideas.

It's still too cold here to do this outside, plus he has no outdoor
electric outlet, so I have to wait until he is there, to solder the
wires. (I once tried that thin strip solder that wraps around the
connection and melts with a match, but I couldn't get it to work.
Plus I used to have a 12 volt car soldering iron and that didn't work
much either.)

So I'll try to let you all know who this turns out.

Thanks again.

On 1/13/2011 3:03 AM, mm wrote:
I have a 4x8 flatbed trailer built from a harbor freight kit, and the
method they provided for attaching the wires is pretty poor. Metal
clips that don't really stick to the suare U-bars and don't hold the
wires well either. The clips fall off, even when I've pushed them all
the way on, the wires fall down and get broken.

I've never seen a good trailer up close so I don't know how they do
it. What do they do? This one has square-U shaped bars that make
up the sides. The 3rd, open side points in.

Do I have to drill holes and put plastic wire ties through the holes?
The trailer has got sides now and is too heavy to turn on its side.

Thanks

Several options here. First off the "square-U shaped bars" you mention
are called channel iron.

1. You can tack weld thin conduit to the inside
2. You can tack 1x1 angles (about 2 inches long) in the inside corner
of the channel every so often
3. You can use silicone gasket sealer and glue the wires down with that.
4. If it is a wood deck, you can staple the wires up to the underside.
5. There's a multitude of self stick devices available that you can then
use a zip tie on.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email