Uncovering a covered wagon

@650cat425 @jamespmack

 

The 2nd electrical connection is probably for a dump valve.

 

Well, I'm not sure where to start. I don't mean to come off as a prick, but if I were you, I'd run fast and far. At 20 years old, that trailer is probably pretty close to used up. I just got rid of my 99 last year because the suspensions were trashed and no matter what I did, short of buying all new and replacing it all, it was never going to stop breaking. My wife to be just had to buy a new trailer this spring because her 2000 broke right at the front axle. From the bottom of the flange all the way up to the center row of bolts, the frame split.

That being said, if you aren't afraid to travel a little, there are tons of really nice reitenour to be had for 10-15k.

As for the good, if that's a Big Bubba with the 100,000lb rating, the frame rails will probably be ok. Being down south, it may not have seen much, if any road salt or calcium, so the suspensions may be ok if you just take the time to clean them all up and paint them. I'd personally do the bushings at the same time as cheap insurance. The 5th wheel plate doesn't look bad, but they can go from decent to horrible pretty quick... just keep an eye on it.

That extra plug may be for the dump. It could also be the abs plug, in which case your center pin of the regular 7 way would most likely be the dump valve.

Everything else is cosmetic. You can easily buy those rear panels, add or subtract lights, and get everything cleaned up rather well. Sidekits are not universal though some will say they are. Once you get one made by a reputable shop just for your wagon, you'll realize how nice things can be.

In the end, it's up to what you want and how much work and money you want to put into it. I'd honestly buy a little nicer wagon even if it cost s few bucks more, but you may have something different in mind.

 

I'd keep looking. That one's had a hard life. 5 grand trailer and it'll still be beat up after you spend 5 to patch it up. A lot of the early abs equipped trailers had a 2nd plug. If its still original it'll have a bigger post at the 12 o'clock position. There's lots of trailers sitting just not actively for sale. If you decide to go with an old aluminum get the heaviest spec you can find and look out for corrosion especially at the suspension mounting points. Good luck on your hunt.

 

Late to party, nothing to add what @special-k and @650cat425 had said.

 

Look at the bolster plate and kingpin. Get a welding chipping hammer and test it. It is probably thin and rusted through. The grease will cover up some holes that the fifth wheel may have already broke through.
Buddy of mine had a 1990 Reitnouer 48x102 spread that he put around 2 million on. He had to replace the whole plate back in 2008. The pin just about pulled out. Lots of crud gets trapped up in between the plate and the floor and being dissimilar steel and aluminum it naturally corrodes anyway. He had no problems with that trailer other than that. It was a great trailer still in great shape. Sold it in 2012 when he retired to another friend who is still running it. He hauled forklifts, crates of roofing slate, and walking floors and axles for a trailer manufacturer up in Texarkana, and heavy things of that nature. Always ran max weight and that trailer still has the arch in it today. The new owner still hauls prefab concrete products of all kinds that will fit on it.

 

My guess is it would look something close to this?