Front Diamond Plate Mod

[ROC-REQS]

We recently experienced some serious stone damage to the front of our trailer that required repair. Instead of re-painting the front, I decided to have aluminum diamond plate installed on the front.

The diamond plate was installed under the side molding and sized so it went above and around the front storage compartment door.


Aluminum angle iron was mounted along the top edge of the diamond plate to give it a finished look.


Completed:
Close-up view:


Full frontal view:

[Old skipper]

Looks great, what was the cost of materials?

[ROC-REQS]

Originally Posted by Old skipper

Looks great, what was the cost of materials?

Thanks for the kind words.
Material costs were under $400

[bedrck46]

Looks very nice Did you consider have the baggage door done in diamond plate also Since it appears that the material that was cut out for the Door area would have covered the door

[Jagiven]

nice, a coworker did the same to his TT, for the same reason.

[ROC-REQS]

Originally Posted by bedrck46

Looks very nice Did you consider have the baggage door done in diamond plate also Since it appears that the material that was cut out for the Door area would have covered the door

Hi bedrck46,

Thanks.

Yes, I did consider doing the baggage door, but then opted out of doing it for 2 reasons:
1. I figured I wouldn't be able to re-use the lock and latch because of the increased depth the diamond plate would add to the door depth. Though I didn't do any checking, I guessed I may have problems finding a new lock and latch to fit the increased depth.

2. From initial inspection it didn't seem to be an easy task to remove the door from its side molding for mounting the diamond plate and that there could be considerable risk on damaging the door molding and/or door if it was attempted. And just attaching the diamond plate to the door I didn't think would give a very clean or finished look. So I chose to leave the door alone.

At first not doing the door looked strange, but it's grown on us and now we're happy with how it looks.
Plus, where there is diamond plate, it has addressed our specific objective for putting it on.

Thanks for the kind words.

[MrScary]

Just a suggestion....you could cut the aluminum just shy of the outlining shape of the door, inside the trim. Then cut holes slightly larger than the lock and latches as needed. Then adhere it with adhesive... Then you would not have to remove the door or replace any other components.

[Seann45]

Cut the lock holes a little larger than the outside of the locks and you wont have to worry about length..