What's the trailer look like? I've seen a lot of dump trailers and skid steer trailers with pockets welded beneath the deck where the forks can slide in from the side, and are just held in place with a pin or a strap.
Those pictures are just from Google, though we have a dump trailer with C-channels welded under the frame for forks. They're welded open side up, and just have a couple little pieces of angle iron welded across the top in a couple places to keep the forks down where they belong. They use a large quick pin to secure the forks.
That would work, or do as our trailer has in the post above. Just weld a couple pieces of angle iron across the C-channel in places to keep the forks from coming out. They do not need a solid top at all.
No, it seems to hold up just fine. We wash all of our equipment weekly, but I can't say that anybody has ever paid much attention to that channel since it's under the trailer, and it has no more rust than any other part of that trailer, and the trailer is 10 years old.
I'd like to have a few solid connections between the two pieces of angle iron, but then again, I do have a tendency to overbuild things I don't fully understand.
Probably not necessary on c-channel, but maybe with angle iron (obviously depends on thickness of material). Two straps welded at the bottom should do it still keeping it open.
I'm betting that c-channel is just tube minus the scrap value of the missing bit
It was something like $30 cheaper.
C channel is hot rolled into shape, and get its rigidity from its shape and the thicker portions of the web in the corners. Box tube is flat plate that is formed into a box and welded, it gets its strength from the rigidity of its shape, but usually weighs less than a piece of C channel of the same strength.
