Nov 26, 2020 – You have been asking for robust Deck-Over Trailers, so that is what we are working on. Now they are here, and we are not talking about another “Me Too” trailer. Though they are similar to many, because they fit the needs, yet the details and all the options are what set these deck-over trailers apart.
Like all the trailer plans from Mechanical Elements, these designs are done by the engineer, and fully analyzed for superior service and a long life. And, like most of our plans, these come with a bunch of things for you to choose — ways for you Customize (we call them options) — all in the plans.
Admittedly, this has not been quick. With a ton of work going into both design and analysis, the new trailers take a while. For us it is all about making sure they go together well, and perform at the highest level. We will get into some details below, but we will start with the easy stuff.
What Are Deck-Over Trailers?
The standard Deck-Over trailer has a flat rectangular bed, continuous over the wheels – hence the name “Deck-Over”. There are other descriptive names too, but Deck-Over is a pretty common description, so we say it too.
With the deck extending out flat over the wheels, it means the deck is usually higher than those of typical utility style trailers. That does not mean they are any less utilitarian, it just means the trailer deck is a bit higher, so the full width is a broader load space. They have Utility, in a different way, for a different cargo.
While we sometimes think of Deck-Over trailers as large, they actually come in many sizes. Check out this trailer rebuild story for a smaller one. And, he did a great job with it. While the smaller ones are an exception, most Deck-Over Trailers are large. Legal limit width is common, and often they are pretty long.
At 16′ length, this is one of our shorter deck-over trailer plans. Some options are shown.
Robust Trailer Plans
The standard at Mechanical Elements is a sturdy build, with both strength and functionality. We believe the trailer needs strength, for sure, but also robustness for the many ways trailers see miss-use and sometimes even abuse. Of course, we discourage abuse, and we hope you do not accidently back into a tree. However, our trailer designs will take a certain amount of “Oops”.
Like our Tiny House Foundation Trailers, and our Car Hauler Plans, we took a long look at things Deck-Over trailer owners expect. We considered common options and ways the trailers are built. We spoke with owners and examined existing trailers. So many good things to see, as well as some eyebrow lifters. Then, out of it all, we have a good balance of features, functions, and options. And, of course, a design that works for DIY.
Well, it is not ALL about features for Deck-Over Trailers – the engineering is an absolute, too. All our plans have Full Engineering, at Synthesis, including FEA (computer stress analysis) to assure a tough, robust design. After a lot of analysis and thinking, the next step is creating the most complete trailer blueprints available. That’s the way we roll, and that is why Mechanical Elements is the place people trust for DIY Trailer Plans.
Engineering Design For DIY
There are several differences between a trailer design for mass production and one with a design for DIY. And, a few – some which are very important. We keep these always in mind throughout the design and engineering.
For more detail about the engineering in our plans, please read What Goes Into The Plans. And, we price plans for a DIY builder – 99% discount compared to a custom trailer design. Yes, we keep you in mind.
Here are some more things we always keep in mind when designing for DIY.
First – Available Tools
The DIY builder does not usually have access to big equipment like a 500 Ton stamping press. For fabrication, we use easily available materials to cut and fit. Some light bending is OK, but DIY cannot ponying up $80,000 for dies to form a beam, for instance. Big companies justify it with high production (because it can save time and money over the long haul), but for one trailer . ? . Not so much.
That is not the whole story. We do use flat metal bending because it is good for DIY. Or, if a bar is too thick for you to bend, then cut it, and weld it together at the proper angle. DIY can handle that.
Shapes also work. It is easy to get fancy shapes cut from sheet steel with CNC cutting – I prefer Water Jet, but Laser Cutting or Plasma also work. The fun shapes are not essential, but they do add a bit of class to a trailer. Deck-Over trailers like the ones above have a shaped tail plate, with holes for lights and ramps. That and others are easy parts to cut from sheet.
To get the sheet parts made, take the files (included in the plans) to your local supplier for CNC cutting. Or, internet companies like Big Blue Saw (now Xometry) will cut them for you, and ship them to your door.
Second – Materials Of Deck-Over Trailers
With a ton of available possibilities in production, it is easy to use special materials. However, for DIY, that is not convenient. So, our designs accommodate materials that are widely available and can be purchased in small quantities. Standard angles, rounds, bars, c-channel, I-beam, tubes, and sheet for example.
Going one step further, we think it is nice when you don’t have to buy 20 different beam shapes just because the plans call for a foot or two of a particular material. One focus with our Deck-Over Trailers is keeping the total count of different materials down. The goal is to minimize the material left over. While it is not possible to design a trailer with no scrap, we try to commonize materials to reduce leftovers.
These are just some of our philosophies with respect to designing for DIY. That is how we design trailer plans for Mechanical Elements, including our Deck-Over Trailers.
The trailers are USA standards, inch dimensions, in structural steel. For more on this topic, please read these articles about modifying plans for metric, and why we do not offer these trailers plans for aluminum.
Options, Choices, and Customizations
Our Deck-Over trailer plans include many variations – we call them OPTIONS, or CUSTOMIZATIONS, but they really boil down to choices for you to make the trailer uniquely fit your needs and preferences.
One big differences between Mechanical Elements trailer plans and those of our competitors is the options. We build stuff too, and our idea of the perfect trailer is not likely the same as yours. So, we give you a lot of choices and encourage you to build your trailer the way you want it. This is a pretty simple concept that gets lost with many of our competitors.
For you it means we give extra information to help you build the trailer you want. For us, it means a bunch of extra work to coordinate so everything works. That is OK. We do it because you are worth it.
Customization options are ever present in these Deck-Over trailer plans. There are a bunch of ways to customize and hopefully we have hit on a few cool things for you. It is not just the pictures here, because there is a lot more information in the plans. We can’t show everything on these pages. Plus, we encourage you to add your own extras. When you finish building the trailer, we want you to be super excited, and glad you built it.
Deck Over Trailers Load Capacity
The “Deck-Over” concept works in a variety of trailer sizes. Here is a good example where the original trailer was a deck-over in small size.
While the concept of deck-over trailers can apply to any size, our plans generally have a larger size focus. And, with a spread in load capacity. We offer trailers with tandem axles starting at 7,000 lbs capacity. We then have sizes available at 10,400 lbs total trailer capacity. And Gooseneck versions at 13,000 lbs capacity.
We offer two trailers with a choice of 14,000 lbs or 16,000 lbs total capacity. (Plans give details for both.)
If a single axle trailer is more your style, we do offer a 7000 lbs capacity trailer. Or, if a gooseneck is more to your liking, we have some of those too.
See the list of plans below sorted by total load capacity, and by deck size.
For all of these trailers, please make sure your tow vehicle and all the towing hardware meet at least the minimum Class Ratings for the full trailer load capacity. We want you to be safe.
What About Ramps?
Funny, but this is a question people ask a lot. Do the ramps hook on the trailer back? What about on the sides? Answer: Of course they do.
And, we are one step further. Like many deck-over trailers, the ramps slide in the back for storage. On ours, on the way out, they catch at just the right point so you can set the end down, then just lift up the caught end to place it on the trailer hook bar.
As mentioned, we do not tell you exactly how you MUST make the ramps. We have a base design, yes, but we also tell you what can change if you want longer or shorter ramps. Also, what to change if you want stronger or lighter ramps. Changes to the length affect the load capacity, so we tell you the limits. With the included loading capacity chart, you can make the ramps stronger, lighter, longer, shorter, or whatever. We also tell you what else on the trailer needs to change if you – for instance – change the length.
However, if you want more, we also sell ramp plans separately. They include a bunch more engineering info, including longer ramps, aluminum ramps, and options for making them even stronger.
Plans For Our Deck-Over Trailers
Blueprints (or Plans, whichever you prefer to call them) from Mechanical Elements are all top notch. They include the drawings (with lots of notes and dimensions), plus instructions with lists of material and components, step by step direction and more illustration. These plans for deck over trailers are no different. They have about 50 pages of illustrations, directions, dimensions, hints, tricks, lists of materials, and advise to successfully build. Much more complete than any of our competitors. (Oh, and our gooseneck deck-over is many pages more!)
Well, enough about the design of our deck-over trailers. Here are the plans. They are available for purchase now, then you can immediately save them to your computer right after payment. Seriously, you can have the trailer plans in a few minutes.
All our deck-over trailer plans feature 8′ 6″ Width (102″), and many options (so you can build it with the features you want. Most have Tandem Axles.
Available Deck-Over Trailer Plans
- 7000 lb. Capacity:
- 12′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 12′ – 7000#, Single Axle, Trailer Plans
- 16′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 16′ – 7000# Trailer Plans
- 20′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 20′ – 7000# Trailer Plans
- 10,400 lb. Capacity:
- 20′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 20′ – 10,400# Trailer Plans
- 24′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 24′ – 10,400# Trailer Plans
- 36′ Length Deck, Truss Frame — 8.5′ x 36′ – 10,400# Trailer Plans
- 13,000 lb. Capacity:
- 20′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 20′ – 13,000# Gooseneck Trailer Plans
- 24′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 24′ – 13,000# Gooseneck Trailer Plans
- 14,000 lb. or 16,000 lb. Capacity (Option in the plans):
- 20′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 20′ – 14,000# / 16,000# Trailer Plans
- 24′ Length Deck — 8.5′ x 24′ – 14,000# / 16,000# Trailer Plans
Get your plans by selecting one of the links. We have the Deck-Over Trailer plans, so pick what you need, then build the dream. Build it to take the loads without complaining, and keep on doing it as long as you ask.
More Reading And Trailer Info
Gooseneck trailers have some special considerations to think about. For a great article about Gooseneck Trailers – specifically comparing the engineering of Deck-Over trailers – read the article about engineering gooseneck trailers. We compare the bumper-pull with the gooseneck for learning. Both are excellent for their purposes, but the engineering for each is a little different.
If you prefer something a little lower, we also have Equipment Transport / Car Trailer Plans including designs for drive-over fenders for wide vehicles. Read this third article for a lot more information about Trailers with Drive-Over Fenders.
To learn more about another option for beams of long Deck-Over Trailers, try this article about Stiff and Lightweight Truss Beams.
Best of Luck with your Deck Over Trailers Build!
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