Do you know if the interior paneling of an enclosed trailer is structural?

[cleandan]

Hello all.
I have a 26 foot, US Cargo, Phantom model, enclosed car trailer.
Due to a roof leak, (repaired) I have a little bit of interior paneling work to take care of.

This trailer is using 3/8" plywood for the interior.
I am wondering if this is structural for rigidity, or just a nice durable interior finish?

If it is not structural, I am wondering if any of you have used something different inside your trailers with good results.

[Rory428]

I am certainly no exert on trailer construction, but I really doubt the interior walls are structural.I have seen some entry level trailers with no interior walls, or very thin, chintzy looking "wood" that looks like the crappy almost paper thin material used for packaging cheap Chinese Harbor Freight equipment. My 24 foot Wells Cargo enclosed car trailer has white vinyl covered plywood interior walls, and DalePs Pace Daytona trailer has white aluminum sheeting interior walls that are so thin, that I can not see how they would really add any strength to the trailer. I have a sales brochure for my Wells Cargo, which shows a photo of the trailer skeleton, with no interior or exterior paneling, and it appears to me, that all the strength is built into the frame and the roof and wall ribs.

[gt350hr]

   +1 not structural by design .

[Falcon67]

Same - no.  You can buy enclosed trailers all day with unfinished interiors.  No wall or ceiling covers.  The structure is in the wall construction, ribs, exterior skin and floor.  Why you want .030 aluminum or better exterior covering.

1/4 ply, melamine board, masonite - just about anything works depending.  Our 24'er used 1/4 ply on the walls.  The 34' is interior skinned with seamless aluminum panels.

[e philpott]

my old trailer had like 3/4? plywood that was way thicker than what I see nowadays , I would imagine in my trailers case it had to of helped the structure some what compared to none

[BattlestarGalactic]

I would say the alum exterior is the more structural part of the trailer(though realistically it still isn't true structural).  After 25 yrs, the nose portion of mine is getting broken up/cracked and screws falling out from the constant abuse going down the road.  I can hear it "pop" when I lift the legs up when I latch onto the Mack.

When I ordered mine new in 1997, I opted for the 1/4" lauan with vinyl covering.  Ugh, if I had only known.  I should have upgraded back then to the alum walls because the vinyl is all falling off after all these years.  Looks horrible.  I want to refresh it at some point?  I'd like to reskin it also, though it typically only looks nice for about 5-6 yrs if stored outside before it all turns dull.

[cleandan]

Thanks for all the replys.
I too do not think the interior walls are structural, but I figure it is better to ask and know, than to assume and find out the hard way.

My trailer has plywood walls, and vinyl skinned luan wood ceilings.
It also uses painted luan wood trim between the plywood seams...and this part has never been very good because it is (U) stapled into place and they just vibrate/rattle out.
The rest has held up very nicely over the years.

I am thinking I might be able to take some weight out of the trailer by refinishing the interior with something lighter than the plywood.
A new looking interior, and less weight, would be a nice upgrade in my mind.

Thanks again. I always appreciate the input and helpful hints.