Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


A new complete board is so cheap it is not worth sodding about.

On Monday, 14 August 2017 16:51:56 UTC+1, Stephen wrote:
Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called?

I don't, but something like PVC soffit board might work?

Or buy a complete new board for your friend, and sell the working lights and other bits to someone who's smashed their lights.

Owain

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Most 5x1 wood does not have holes in it for the wires to run. :-)

Breaking the board but not the lights was an achievement.


--
Michael Chare

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.

eBay?

Can you shorten the board by an inch or two and move the lights across
to match?

Would your friend notice?

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


you can buy plastic board for house guttering use in b and q.

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


By the time you've faffed around, you may find you wished you'd bought a
new one- they aren't expensive.

However, if your really want to repair it:

Solid uVPC board or hollow cladding from places that supply for facias,
window sills etc. I bought a 2.4m x 300mmx 10mm solid board a few weeks
back for about £15 as I recall (it is useful for all kinds of things).
The last trailer board bought, a year or so back, was about £20 off
Ebay- pre-wired, complete with plug etc.

If you want to go the uVPC, look under 'Building Plastics' in your are
or uVPC cladding.

On 8/14/2017 4:51 PM, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.


If you can tidy it up reasonably neatly with filler, I would have
thought that a few self tapping screws going through the board and
keying into the filler (before it sets) would have stopped it falling out.

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

Own up, and ask them what they want you to do.

If they realise later you've concealed it they'll never trust you again.

Andy

Vir Campestris wrote:

On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

Own up, and ask them what they want you to do.

If they realise later you've concealed it they'll never trust you again.

That's the most sensible suggestion in this thread.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

newshound wrote:

If you can tidy it up reasonably neatly with filler, I would have
thought that a few self tapping screws going through the board and
keying into the filler (before it sets) would have stopped it falling out.

Trailer boards are the flimsiest plastic. Filler would be absolutely no
good at all.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

On 14-Aug-17 4:51 PM, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long

only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


Do you have all the bits?

Plastic welding? A soldering iron can stitch broken thermoplastic together.

Otherwise hot melt glue gun.

I see so many people leaving easily repairable bumper skins behind at
the scene of the accident. One even had all the fog lights in it.

On 15/08/2017 08:58, Peter Hill wrote:
On 14-Aug-17 4:51 PM, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long


only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


Do you have all the bits?

Plastic welding? A soldering iron can stitch broken thermoplastic together.

Otherwise hot melt glue gun.

I see so many people leaving easily repairable bumper skins behind at
the scene of the accident. One even had all the fog lights in it.

and those can be 100 quid each.

On 8/15/2017 7:59 AM, Scott M wrote:
newshound wrote:

If you can tidy it up reasonably neatly with filler, I would have
thought that a few self tapping screws going through the board and
keying into the filler (before it sets) would have stopped it falling
out.

Trailer boards are the flimsiest plastic. Filler would be absolutely no
good at all.

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things? It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights. I am not
going to hide this from the owner but I had hoped to say here is your
trailer back, sorry I crashed it but I have repaired or
replaced...etc.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the paste
types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their fibre glass kits.
However some web sites suggest they do not stick to plastic due to
thermal effects of differences in flexibility, so I'm not sure how
permanent they would be.

Stephen wrote:

[...]

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things?

If it's a small camping-type trailer, they are a nightmare to reverse as
they 'break' so quickly.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights. I am not
going to hide this from the owner but I had hoped to say here is your
trailer back, sorry I crashed it but I have repaired or
replaced...etc.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the paste
types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their fibre glass kits.
However some web sites suggest they do not stick to plastic due to
thermal effects of differences in flexibility, so I'm not sure how
permanent they would be.

There is no filler or resin that will effectively repair that type of
plastic. If you have all the bits, try sticking it with a cyanoacrylate
('Superglue') adhesive.

Otherwise, replacement is the only realistic way to make things good.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 20:58:31 +0100, Stephen
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things?

Observation: Short trailer behind vehicles with little or no overhang
between the back axle and the tow ball do take quite a bit of effort
to reverse. It's like steering a boat where you have to correct it
*before* the turn has finished ... and you have to steer it all the
way. The easiest one for the same reason was my 14' sailing dinghy
behind the Sierra estate (with it's long overhanging load space).

It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

Being able to see it or something in it (ideally near the back) is key
to reversing a small trailer as you *have* to stay on top of it. Once
it's even slightly loose then the easiest way to recover it is to pull
forward and try again. It's very likely that even being on full lock
won't recover a jackknifing trailer (even assuming you have the room
at the front). Because I've been towing trailers (behind my cars,
motorbikes and cycles) since a lad, I can reverse our small goods /
camping trailer through a car wide gap with the Meriva (nearly no
overhang) but it does need to be set up *exactly* and 'steered' every
inch of the way.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights. I am not
going to hide this from the owner but I had hoped to say here is your
trailer back, sorry I crashed it but I have repaired or
replaced...etc.

I'd fess up first and then ask them what *they* would prefer. They
might like to get a replacement and fit it themselves and you can just
pay for it. As mentioned elsewhere, they aren't expensive and if you
find a direct replacement (with identical light fittings) they might
appreciate the lights (or the lenses and lamps at least) off the
damaged units as spares. The bottom line is I'd like to think the
owner ends up better of for loaning it to you, not worse.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the paste
types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their fibre glass kits.
However some web sites suggest they do not stick to plastic due to
thermal effects of differences in flexibility, so I'm not sure how
permanent they would be.

If you still had all the damaged bits and nothing was too distorted
you might find std plastic model or any suitable solvent cement would
work sufficiently well. However, see above.

I leant my pressure washer to a mate with the strict understanding
that 1) I rarely lend tools to anyone as I have little to gain and
everything to lose and 2) if you break / lose it you replace it.

He did the job but didn't seem to mention returning the pressure
washer and so after a couple of weeks I pushed him on it. He finally
confessed it had 'got broken' and pushing him further it turned out he
was mucking about spraying his kids (the very thing I suggested he
wouldn't do if respecting my property) and one tripped over the mains
lead and ripped the clamp out though the back panel. He had located a
replacement base tray but considered it 'expensive' so hadn't ordered
it. shrug Ok, the thing still functioned but that wasn't the point.

I just got the PW back off him and he dropped down my 'good friends'
list and was never going to be loaned anything by me again.

In contrast, another mate borrowed a pin hammer, got some paint on it
so bought me a new one (but he didn't need to as it was only paint).
;-)

Now I only lend stuff (or not) on the basis that I'll never see it
again.

Cheers, T i m

On 15/08/2017 08:58, Peter Hill wrote:
On 14-Aug-17 4:51 PM, Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

I would like to return it in the same condition that I borrowed it. As
the damage is at the end of the board, I don't think filler would
work; I worry it might fall out in the future with nothing to hold it
at the one end.

There are lots of places selling new boards but since all of the
lights etc are working, that just seems wasteful, but the only [place
I can find selling blank boards is:

http://www.trailertek.com/trailer-pa...ing-4ft-6-long


only they have a postage surcharge on long items!

Does anyone know where I can buy lengths of trailer board or what the
plastic used to make them is called? If not, would a piece of 5x1 be
just as good?

Thanks,
Stephen.


Do you have all the bits?

Plastic welding? A soldering iron can stitch broken thermoplastic together.

Otherwise hot melt glue gun.

I see so many people leaving easily repairable bumper skins behind at
the scene of the accident. One even had all the fog lights in it.

Yes. Someone left theirs behind after they hit our hire car while we
were at a removal (funeral service the night before the burial) in
Ireland. Someone got his number though and he was a bit surprised when
the Garda knocked at his door He'd been drinking.

SteveW

On 15/08/2017 20:58, Stephen wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things? It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

The main thing is that the back of the trailer or something in/on it is
high enough for you to see or that you have a reversing camera. After
that it is just practice and gentle manouevres.

SteveW

On 15/08/2017 22:24, Steve Walker wrote:
On 15/08/2017 20:58, Stephen wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things? It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

The main thing is that the back of the trailer or something in/on it is
high enough for you to see or that you have a reversing camera. After
that it is just practice and gentle manouevres.

SteveW


first practice in an empty car park. the shorter the trailer the harder
it is, get a short car and a long trailer and everything is easier.

As soon as you see the trailer is even slightly too much on the wonk, go
forward and try again.

"Stephen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:

I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall.
Any tips on how to reverse these things?

Learn how to back a trailer, it isnt that hard. Practice in
an empty carpark etc where there is nothing to run into.

It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights.
I am not going to hide this from the owner but I had
hoped to say here is your trailer back, sorry I crashed
it but I have repaired or replaced...etc.

I'd prefer to be asked how I wanted it repaired.

And maybe would prefer to do it better than
it was so the same thing can't happen again.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the
paste types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their
fibre glass kits. However some web sites suggest they do
not stick to plastic due to thermal effects of differences in
flexibility, so I'm not sure how permanent they would be.

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 20:58:31 +0100, Stephen
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things?

Observation: Short trailer behind vehicles with little or no overhang
between the back axle and the tow ball do take quite a bit of effort
to reverse. It's like steering a boat where you have to correct it
*before* the turn has finished ... and you have to steer it all the
way. The easiest one for the same reason was my 14' sailing dinghy
behind the Sierra estate (with it's long overhanging load space).

It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

Being able to see it or something in it (ideally near the back) is key
to reversing a small trailer as you *have* to stay on top of it. Once
it's even slightly loose then the easiest way to recover it is to pull
forward and try again. It's very likely that even being on full lock
won't recover a jackknifing trailer (even assuming you have the room
at the front). Because I've been towing trailers (behind my cars,
motorbikes and cycles) since a lad, I can reverse our small goods /
camping trailer through a car wide gap with the Meriva (nearly no
overhang) but it does need to be set up *exactly* and 'steered' every
inch of the way.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights. I am not
going to hide this from the owner but I had hoped to say here is your
trailer back, sorry I crashed it but I have repaired or
replaced...etc.

I'd fess up first and then ask them what *they* would prefer. They
might like to get a replacement and fit it themselves and you can just
pay for it. As mentioned elsewhere, they aren't expensive and if you
find a direct replacement (with identical light fittings) they might
appreciate the lights (or the lenses and lamps at least) off the
damaged units as spares. The bottom line is I'd like to think the
owner ends up better of for loaning it to you, not worse.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the paste
types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their fibre glass kits.
However some web sites suggest they do not stick to plastic due to
thermal effects of differences in flexibility, so I'm not sure how
permanent they would be.

If you still had all the damaged bits and nothing was too distorted
you might find std plastic model or any suitable solvent cement would
work sufficiently well. However, see above.

I leant my pressure washer to a mate with the strict understanding
that 1) I rarely lend tools to anyone as I have little to gain and
everything to lose and 2) if you break / lose it you replace it.

He did the job but didn't seem to mention returning the pressure
washer and so after a couple of weeks I pushed him on it. He finally
confessed it had 'got broken' and pushing him further it turned out he
was mucking about spraying his kids (the very thing I suggested he
wouldn't do if respecting my property) and one tripped over the mains
lead and ripped the clamp out though the back panel. He had located a
replacement base tray but considered it 'expensive' so hadn't ordered
it. shrug Ok, the thing still functioned but that wasn't the point.

I just got the PW back off him and he dropped down my 'good friends'
list and was never going to be loaned anything by me again.

In contrast, another mate borrowed a pin hammer, got some paint on it
so bought me a new one (but he didn't need to as it was only paint).
;-)

Now I only lend stuff (or not) on the basis that I'll never see it
again.

Its not that important. Hardly the end of civilisation as we know it.

On 14/08/2017 21:51, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 14/08/2017 16:51, Stephen wrote:
I borrowed a trailer to go on a camping holiday. I got there and back
safely, only to crash the trailer when I tried to reverse it onto my
drive! I broke the corner off the trailer board.

Own up, and ask them what they want you to do.

If they realise later you've concealed it they'll never trust you again.

That was my thought. A clean apology with a promise to put right says a
lot about a person.

I would probably buy another (cheap for the friendship) and keep the old
one as a spare for myself, and if need be available for my friend (just
in case!).

Stephen wrote:
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:21:04 +0100, newshound
wrote:

The OP said he was worrying about filler falling out. This implies that
it might mostly be cracking which could be supported by a "plug" of
filler in the hollow part. Boards are quite thick enough to support self
tapping screws, particularly if inserted into filler in the core space.

To answer a few replies in one go:
I reversed the trailer and it jack-knifed into the wall. Any tips on
how to reverse these things? It was too heavy top move by hand,
especially as the drive is a downhill slope.

It caught the corner of the board but missed the lights. I am not
going to hide this from the owner but I had hoped to say here is your
trailer back, sorry I crashed it but I have repaired or
replaced...etc.

I wasn't sure what type of filler to use. First I looked at the paste
types like isopons p40 and p38 but then I saw their fibre glass kits.
However some web sites suggest they do not stick to plastic due to
thermal effects of differences in flexibility, so I'm not sure how
permanent they would be.


As a lender I would not be happy with a repair. If you value your
friendship, just replace.

Maypole 251P Trailer Board 3ft with 4m Cable
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004NC78..._cJbLzbYZ5YE23

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls