Restoring An Amazing Drop Deck Trailer!

This awesome drop deck trailer is going to be so useful for moving large machinery around! It was so much work to fix it but I definitely think it was worth it, and I learned a lot through the process.
Thanks to WD-40 Brand for sponsoring today’s video! Pick up a can of WD-40 Specialist Penetrant EZ-Reach and Specialist EZ-Pods at the links below.
WD-40 Specialist Penetrant EZ-Reach at Home Depot: thd.co/3NROFAG
WD-40 Specialist Degreaser & Cleaner EZ-Pods on Amazon: amzn.to/3H56poy
Follow my friends who helped me with this project!
/ metalmeat
/ more.than.carpentry
/ americanmetalfabricators
/ foxsakefabricated
For tools and equipment I used in this video, see below. As an amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Lincoln 215 MPI Welder, A GREAT first welder!
amzn.to/3S6KnZ0
lered.info/3NmtohK
Lincoln Ranger Engine Drive Welder:
lered.info/3po3W3f
Lincoln PAPR Powered Respirator Welding/ Grinding Hood:
amzn.to/3vroQBv
lered.info/3s5V2IZ
M18 Variable Speed Grinder
amzn.to/3MvIp0T
Milwaukee Grinders At Home Depot:
homedepot.sjv.io/1rVAJd
Variable Speed Angle Grinder Slide Lock
homedepot.sjv.io/Vm0X73
Flat Head Grinder Slide Lock
homedepot.sjv.io/ZQRW71
Ebay - Flat Head Grinder
Bare Tool
ebay.us/9Ryp7L
Battery Kit
ebay.us/sARQyv
Pferd Polifan Curve Discs
5”
amzn.to/49eWLwq
amzn.to/3Ss9HJB
4.5”
amzn.to/3QjXL9Y
amzn.to/3SzwLWy
amzn.to/3QGnL0B
Pferd Ceramic Cutoff Wheels
amzn.to/47peBuK
Pferd Victograin, CC Grind Solid Discs
amzn.to/47sl6gn
NEW Make Everything Shirts:
amzn.to/49KyJtk
Diablo Cermet 2 Metal Blade (comes in a few sizes)
amzn.to/3QMjJTf
M18 Metal Cutting Circular Saw:
Bare Tool:
amzn.to/3G8kr8C
Kit:
amzn.to/3SN4NqI
Evolution Metal Cutting Saw (Much cheaper)
amzn.to/3SOuwir
M18 Cordless Magnetic Drill
amzn.to/3SRjJnB
Fein Compact Magnetic Drill (I just got this one and its awesome)
amzn.to/40OZHfp

[@stephenellis3430]

Hands down the best trailer refurbish video I’ve ever seen. Fantastic job.

[@dabooge]

I would've repaired the cracks on that trailer. Made blueprints of the trailer and built a new one and flipped the old one.

[@georgekavrakis8575]

​@@dabooge😊

[@manuterae9377]

Jewelry work. Master! Congratulation.😮

[@garolopez887]

Awesome trailer never seen one of these before.

[@user-fc1zs1wh9g]

i wouldn't even do all this work if i got the trailer for free .... he just did this for the video ...

[@Kami8705]

Nicely done. I love this type of trailer. I recommend doing truck bed liner on the bed. It will provide enough grip when it's wet out, but not be an issue for a pallet jack.

[@MakeEverything]

I have been thinking about bedliner, I figured I should wait until the spring when things warm up, I barely got to 50 degrees to paint this as it is… I only wonder if bedliner would scrape off dragging things across it? I’ve never dealt with it/abused it before

[@unimog401]

@@MakeEverything It should survive fine I have had it in the back of my truck for about 15 years and it has held up great. (just don't go cheap get a reputable brand)

[@Joe___R]

I would go with line-x. I have it on three different trailers and my truck, and it has held up great.

[@adamdalejohnson]

I was coming on here to recommend doing something to the decking also, some type of nonskid. I have a roll back that was the same smooth steel plate, and when it rains, it is an ice skating rink. We haul forklifts a lot of times, and I have had forklifts chained with bucking bars, every different ways and the still would slide all over. So dangerous, I realize my driver could have probably had better angles with his chains, but if there would have been some type of nonskid it wouldn’t have been a problem.

[@Hawk7886]

​@@MakeEverythinghigh quality bedliner applied properly and cured fully is amazing and will withstand everything except the worst abuse and nastiest chemicals. I love the stuff.

[@thardyryll]

As someone who has done his share of rewiring, repainting, repairing, rewelding and re-everything more than one utility trailer this was a blast to watch. I suggest one small modification: round or clip at 45 degrees those two corners on the fan tail. They are viciously sharp and all too easy to run into with ankle or shin. I learned that the hard way and spent a couple hours with an angle grinder clipping all the angle iron corners on a small trailer.

[@MakeEverything]

Thank you! That’s exactly what I’m going to do! My ankles have already felt their wrath!

[@user-di4bt7qu2i]

Great tip! Thanks.

[@clementsmallengine4833]

All those gussets are total overkill... and i like it!!! You did a damn good job! 👍

[@MakeEverything]

Thanks man!!

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

Nothing is overkill when you are in the boonies. I speak from experience.

[@catgynt9148]

Overkill is better than dead on the side of a freeway with a full load. Did you add a new spare tire to the collection? One observation, not criticism; consider adding marine grade wheel bearing hubs to allow the periodic addition of grease. A friend did that on all of his equipment to prevent salty road spray and grit from entering his trailers. Wishing you and your team a great week. Cheers

[@Look_What_You_Did]

You know what a gusset does over a crack? Hides it.

[@MakeEverything]

@@catgynt9148 absolutely! I actually ordered new bearings and caps but they were the wrong size… in the spring once things warm up I’m gonna do some other little upgrades. That being said I drove 300 miles checking the wheel bearings every 50 or so and none of them even got warm

[@anthonyoer4778]

Great job. I never knew trailers like this existed.

[@dathat555]

I appreciate your presentation style. Direct and informative without extra fluff. High signal-to-noise ratio. Even the sponsor plugs were helpful.

[@The-Deadbolt-Deputy]

Wow ! Now this is a PROPER rebuild ! That’s a ton of work but the end result is an amazing trailer. I’ve loved these trailers ever since I saw my first one. I saw one being used by a safe and vault company to transport massive safes that were extremely heavy ! Well done . Thanks for sharing

[@joeallen4454]

So nice to see a build with narrative explaining how and why your taking the steps you are. Almost 37 mins of useful info without any" fluff". Great job building and narrating.

[@Alsintheshop]

I love your channel. The father of a friend of mine when I was a kid had a sawmill near Plumsteadville, PA. (Bucks County), and just listening to your mill. Brings back a lot of memories. I’m in Iowa now. (I have a small band mill of my own). My best wishes for Pete, for a complete recovery.

[@Brian-mp2mv]

Watching you fortify the joints that the *manufacturer had missed during fabrication* is a really nice needed touch! Those gussets will carry the load much better, and reinforce the stress points. Good job!

[@ronarmstrong8585]

As a lay person who has done some welding, i have to say your welding skills are spot on. Beautifully finished trailer.

[@CraftingALifeIWant]

This was great, such a great piece of equipment to have around and you did a great job fixing and improving it. It looked like a significant labor but the final product really shows all of the care and thought that went into it. Nice work Chris.

[@spocagain]

I have no need to haul heavy equipment. Nor do i have knowledge of restoration or fabrication, but I just sat and watched this entire video because it was so well done. I was thoroughly entertained and felt like i walked away knowing I learned something new.

[@MakeEverything]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching it!

[@user-dv7hb2sc9m]

I'm not a welder or mechanic but like seeing people do quality work(hard)..... lol, this trailer was unique & seeing the repairs really gave insight to the original makers. Also I appreciate the pearl of wisdom concerning the laser cutter when you have an open side of the piece. I didn't Know you'd lose the cutting arc & what you did was so kool/kewl...... I'll remember that one. peace

[@arustydodge2111]

Fantastic R&R of this indispensable workhorse. Dig all the reinforcement and corrosion resistance that you added. Really does look Brand new. Hats off, CHRIS!👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@wwtrkr3189]

Outstanding, Chris. That's a really nice addition to the kit list. Well done to the boys for helping out with that too. Many hands make the work that much more fun.

[@ron.v]

Great video. Thanks for plugging your sponsor, WD40. I enjoy hearing products mention in KZbin videos for a number of reasons. For one, it helps me hear product reviews. For another, I learn about new products. In this case, I never heard of WD40 penetrating spray or degreaser. For penetrating, I've always used Liquid Wrench. I also never heard of a trailer like this. I'll be watching out for more because I subscribed.

[@TheSpud1129]

As a trailer engineer, I applaud the design of this. Also the cig before welding is necessary. Gives you energy. Awesome video!

[@MadGunner]

Impressive rebuild for a cool trailer! Great work! Amazing. One tweak - in the future, avoid welding in-line with stress when feasible, such as the vertical welds down 90 degrees across frame members, as the vertical heat alters some of the metal and can crack through in the future. Better to do an off-angle (e.g., 45-degree or anything not 90) on those verticals. The gussets could be cut an odd shape to allow for a non-90 overlap with the horizontal frame overlap, providing a non-90 degree weld on the frame. Using an off-angle that doesn't align with the stress (e.g. gravity pulling straight down) your weld covers more surface area for greater hold and doesn't apply heat in a straight-line downward, thus the original manufactured steel remains in place for most of the original frame. There are other welders doing vehicle frame work that explain this better, if my comments aren't clear. Thanks!

[@MakeEverything]

Thank you! I see what you are saying! I never thought of it that way but will definitely keep it in my mind for the next job like this I take on!

[@MadGunner]

@@MakeEverything Love the outside projects! Keep up the great videos, both inside and outside the shop! I very much appreciate the content, as many lessons learned and great examples are demonstrated. Thank you!

[@rgr3427]

Nice job sir…. Truly a well purchased trailer. Thank you for taking us along with you.

[@andSmoky]

in Germany we dream about this kind of trailer Good Job !!

[@utilitarian]

“because who wants to see me wire trailer?” Me sir, I’d love to see that 😂

[@MakeEverything]

Well I have to rewrite, and add new brakes to another one of these trailers soon so based on a couple requests in the comments I’ve gotta film it too!

[@christerpherhunter930]

I want to watch you wire a trailer. Missed the mark on that one. Great job, nonetheless. You are doing more than I could in a lifetime!

[@MakeEverything]

Thanks! It was a pretty simple wiring job using a LED trailer kit from Amazon, the best thing I did was to redo ALL of it to a new 7 way junction box instead of trying to reuse any of the old wires. So far everything's working flawlessly!

[@gman-zm4if]

Great Job! I love these trailers. We've used one for years at my job. Handy as can be. And a real attention getter when people see it working. They are a heavy built trailer, so no doubt yours had been abused. You really did a fantastic job reinforcing. It should last a life time now. Thanks for the video.

[@warbirdwf]

Nice job rebuilding that trailer. Those are super nice and after your overhaul, it should provide years of service.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

I love trailers of all types and persuasions and always stop to admire them. You built an exceptional (and useful!) beauty! Thanks for sharing

[@jacobnoes7901]

well done! Milwaukee needs to sponsor this guy

[@MakeEverything]

Tell me about it!!!

[@colinstu]

@@MakeEverything holy crap yes!

[@taurota1554]

Awesome as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

[@johnanthony2545]

41 yr retired industrial sheet metal worker here. You and crew did an excellent job. First class. Extra gussets was smart. Always do the extra things when you can or know will be a bear to follow up on. Great trailer great job good luck in your business.

[@EvanDunville]

What a lot of work. With all the added strength its even better than new! Great job.

[@joewhitney4097]

Great rebuild, fantastic trailer to have for hauling. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[@CrusaderSports250]

A good and very comprehensive rebuild, the only thing with it is the colour, all my trailers are yellow as it makes a big difference when reversing in the dark, I am looking to revamp my 6x12 flatbed with down lighters at the rear corners (led number plate lights) to highlight the area when reversing, well worth the total rewire as trailer lights can be the bane of your life, greetings from sunny Scotland😊.

[@user-di4bt7qu2i]

Great project! Thanks for letting us see it.

[@taxi317]

Great to have good friends that will jump in and help out on a fun project like this. Hope you sprung for the pizza and beer!

[@Joe___R]

That is a great trailer style for smaller machines. You definitely made it almost as good as new.

[@aidenschwartz]

I believe this is my new favorite channel. I do stuff like this for a living. Love doing it. Definitely would recommend it to others but like they say, “there’s a heart for every type of work, just have to have that one person with the heart to make dreams come true.”

[@PeterAngelini]

Top tier rebuild and video! This was a 10/10 all around, thanks for the content - great watch!

[@GrammarPoliceInvestigations]

What a great video. I was captured and watched it in one shot. Fantastic, careful and thorough job!

[@4444design]

It's pretty satisfying to watch professionals finish a job. Those weldseams look awesome as does the rest of the restored trailer ...

[@oldnstillworkin5709]

Nobody in the world should be criticizing you for this. Above and far beyond. And all in less than ideal working environment. Nice job!

[@MakeEverything]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@AW-Services]

Nice restoration. Could you not add some external ramp mounted pieces of box tubing to add two marker reflectors so anyone behind you in traffic or when parked beside you were able to see the knife edge or the rear ramp edges

[@MarkK01]

Great job refurbishing the trailer. Adding all the gussets and flat steel to reinforce the trailer will help it last for many more years and it looks damn good as well.

[@MakeEverything]

Thanks!! I’m really happy with the results! It’s already doing its job!

[@davebauerart]

Nice work! You always do a great job providing a ton of information effectively.

[@240SSONLY]

Superb work... when you repurpose and improve a tool or something like this... there's a certain level of appreciation and satisfaction that you gain from this and future experiences. Great job

[@frederickburns1739]

Interesting project. It's a good thing you were able to do the work yourself. You saved $$$$!!!

[@tomim7187]

That is an amazing trailer. Gotta get me one! Nice restoration/upgrade, Zepp!

[@Ex3t3r]

Great attention to detail and skilled fabrication too with a little help from your friends is often the key to a rewarding and arduous job. Better then factory 👍

[@GTL77]

Nice job Chirs! Those are cool trailers! I so want to build my own trailer like that!

[@MakeEverything]

Now that Ive played around with this one I definitely considered building my own! its not that complicated once you break it down to the base components

[@richtes]

I got a single axle version maybe 10 years ago as a surplus off the Sunbelt Rental web site. At the time they had the 4,000 hydraulic outside Philly and the 2,000lb by Norfolk, VA

[@codydonovan7356]

Never seen a trailer like this. Pretty badass and there should be more! Perfect for lowered car/trucks

[@LongBeachRunner]

Great work on this purchase and rebuild!

[@steamfan7147]

Thanks for posting this. I have seen those trailers and often wondered just how they were built, now I know!

[@jjgag601]

Thanks f or sharing. I rented the same exact type of trailer and used it to haul a 1,000 pound lathe. It was so nice to use the pallet jack and pull it up on to the trailer. You are going to enjoy this for a long time.

[@leonardryan8723]

Chris you done a great job on old use trailer. 😊

[@renaissanceman7145]

Excellent work! No doubt your efforts will make that trailer last longer than you or I will. 😊 I have a "single axle" version of this trailer and I absolutely love it. Thankfully mine didn't require any of the repairs you had to do but I did rewire it adding marker lights and reverse lights. Your gussets are an excellent addition that I think I'll add in the near future. I read in another comment that bed liner is a good idea for a non-slip surface which I think I'll add when I do the gussets. Chevy 6 lug wheels are the same lug pattern. I bought a set of 4 for my trailer that match my Silverado. So I have 2 spares. Again, great job and great video. Thanks for posting.

[@cessnapilot9727]

Great job on a cool setup! Thanks for sharing.

[@petedude2lu3]

thx for the video. i was shopping one of these 15yr ago, but really needed all the details you are discussing to design a lighter version

[@abrangarcia]

Great job on the rebuilding of this trailer... Thanks

[@bestphoto163]

the best trailer refurbish video I’ve ever seen. Fantastic job

[@elpoison626]

Pretty dam good restoration and good weld stitching congratulations brother

[@jabbasan12]

Excellent job Chris!

[@georgewelford8648]

Nice job. You won’t regret the extra work.

[@pedrosmits]

Nice trailer. Many years of pleasure left after the rebuild. 👍

[@ChadfusiousSays]

"Rather be looking at it than looking for it" I liked this quote a lot haha!

[@the_chomper]

damn such a good deal, i do want to point out a little thing some people would overlook. when you took the deck off and flipped it up the first time, great idea/job securing it to that tree. its the little safety stuff that some people dont think about.

[@Satellite-Man_521]

Love it. Great job, and glad to see someone else from Massachusetts haha. Can i make one suggestion, where you put the wires thru the Dimond plate cut a piece of rubber hose and cut it inhalf and put that around the holes you made for the harness, I've used the plastic wire loom and had it still rub against a metal edge and ground wires.

[@tymz-r-achangin]

Been hauling equipment for the past 30 years and never saw or heard of a trailer like that. A lowering haul deck is certainly a cool feature to have!

[@DavidJones-smiley]

Hard work Great Reward ! Outstanding job! And the fact you did it all outside! Awesome 👍🏻👍🏻💯💯

[@charlesroer972]

Good job on reconditioning the trailer .

[@kep-kraftindustries3759]

Love the trailer rerurb and upgrade! I rented a trailer like that to move my lathe and mill to the new shop and it was a godsend! I was able to back into the shop space and roll the machines pretty much where ai wanted them. You will really enjoy using that trailer.

[@buddyreed2623]

Your video popped up on the side so I decided I would watch it. There was not much that you did not replace, but now you have a top-notch trailer. Value added should and if you ever decide to sell it. Have good days!

[@AllTheNamesWereInUse]

Absolutely beautiful rebuild! Good job man!

[@markmonroe7330]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@semurray1921]

Nice work Sir! Cudo’s to your friends that helped you with the rebuild!

[@buddymartin7923]

Really nice work. Those trailers are pretty rare and yours is REALLY nice. Those gussets made that thing reliable to the 3rd power

[@johnkruton9708]

Great job. As a hobbyist welder that wants the 360MPX air (not that I need it) it would be my emergency generator and I could get rid of my large air compressor and cause me to invest in a suitcase MiG welder too. So much fun to make useful things that are overkill but that’s sorta the point as DIY’ers. We don’t want it to fail and only want to do it once. Especially as you get older.

[@MikeMathys-mc1fy]

Great Job. I didn't see a positive mechanical lock to hold the loaded deck at traffic height. Might be a good safety thing. Again, great job and great video. Thanks.

[@FCleff]

Nice, informative video. I really admire your skill and dedication to completing the project!! It's now WAY better than it was when it was new.

[@Batti2323]

Great video! What a process! I wish I had that trailer for my skid steer. Excellent job fixing everything right the first time.

[@MakeEverything]

Thanks! I definitely don’t want to do this again!! I’m glad this was a (long) one and done!

[@mathewmolk2089]

It got heavier and lost capacity.

[@MakeEverything]

@@mathewmolk2089 it got way worse your right

[@michaelolenick4078]

Alot of extra work you guys did. Looks very nice. Job.

[@f1rstclass366]

Awesome sauce plus super congratulations. Much continued future success.

[@Badass_Rooster]

Top notch work! That thing definitely looks brand new,

[@elliothetherington8112]

Great video really enjoyed watching the restoration project, not a trailer we see over here in the uk but such a great design.

[@greghomestead8366]

Just found and subscribed to your channel. You and your helpers did an excellent job on this project. The welds you showed look fantastic. The only thing I'd have done differently was to turn the brake drums. I enjoyed the video and will be checking out your other videos. Good job young man. Have a Jesus filled day everyone Greg in Michigan

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

Nice, I like the concept of this trailer. I wonder why it's not more popular, this is the first I've seen of a drop deck trailer. I bet every old guy with a Harley would love to have one.

[@squibblez2517]

those degreaser pods are super sick, tbh. a lot of the really specific stuff WD40 makes is super handy

[@all3survivor]

another thing those are really great for is moving large toolboxes, best thing i have used much nicer then a rollback tow truck

[@mathijsalkemade87]

Hahaha I love how your forklift sounds like a little nitro car in the sped up footage!

[@henrycarlson7514]

Interesting , Thank You . A fine restoration

[@eddiecabrera1408]

Awesome job on that trailer man. The difference between night and day

[@carlhitchon1009]

Wow that was a lot of work and really thorough.

[@jimmydiresta]

More more more !! Well done

[@JohnComeOnMan]

This vid is the sweet meditation I was looking for. Nice work.

[@LAWNPRO]

Nice refurb of that trailer done several myself they are much more work than you realize but very satifying when you get finished

[@teeanahera8949]

Attention to detail is off the chart. Fabulous. I guess it doesn’t get too hot where you are, that black paint job would be too hot to touch where I live. 😊

[@bill3641]

Used one of these to bring a Bridgeport home once. It made the job a pleasure .

[@FarmerTom-bz6tn]

That was for sure an incredible amount of work and time. Really neat trailer. The only thing I could see that might have needed more support was the beaver tail for if or when a skid steer or something as wide and heavy is driven on the beaver tail. Might need some tapered /angled supports underneath and in line with the wheels of said machinery being hauled in the future. I call it a “ just in case” design feature. You and your helpers did a great job.

[@servicetrucker5564]

Trailer doesn’t have the capacity for most skid steers

[@r.a.monigold9789]

OMG - Old Metal GONE Awesome job ! ! Thank you for sharing...

[@daveyjoweaver6282]

Wow! What a beautiful job! Looks great and better than new! Thanks also Much! I really enjoyed your video. As I always say, anything worth while requires the time and skill to achieve. You certainly did so! DaveyJO in Pennsylvania

[@dwwoodbuilds]

Great job on the rebuild!! That's a great trailer!! 👍

[@LTCDRRAZOR]

Awesome job. I really need to work on my welding