Adding a removable shelf in a TrailManor
The mounting brackets are very low profile and I purchased all items at Lowes. The total stacked up width of the mounting bracket is only 0.202". This is almost 1/16" less than 1/4". I determined where I wanted the brackets at. In my case I wanted the shelf to be 16" above the lower top edge of the rubber seal on the upper shell. I slid in the bed and stood on a 3 step so I was standing inside of the open shell on the rear of the trailer. This makes it very easy to measure and place items. Make sure the trailer is level from front to rear and then take a bullet level and using a pensile scribe a horizontal line where the top of the mounting hinges will be. Next, determine the shelf size. I made mine like 12" by 8" and placed the mounting brackets so they would be about 2 1/2" in from each edge of the shelf. Mark this location and place the center of the bracket on the mark and make very light pencil lines around the bracket and then take a green pad and alcohol and lightly scour the area where the bracket will contact the skin of the trailer. Also scour the back of the bracket so it will be clean and have some micro scratches in it for the epoxy to grab onto. Drill into the trailer wall with the screw but make sure you don't bottom the screw and strip out the small threading action it has. Now back out the screws and mix the clear epoxy and smear it only on the two contacting vertical backs of the brackets. Align the bracket quickly and hand screw the screws through the epoxy covered holes and only tight enough to hold the bracket in place. The epoxy is pretty much cured in 5 to 10 minutes. Place a piece of paper towel onto the mating part of the bracket that will slide into the one you just installed and lightly push the two together until they are aligned and then remove the other half of the bracket. Keep doing this until you clear the epoxy from the slotted area of the hanger that is epoxied to the wall. If you don't do this you will not be able to assemble the two pieces later on. Does this make sense? If not let me know. Let the epoxy setup over night and then you are ready to put the right angle shelf holder in place. I assembled the mating bracket to the right angle as seen in the picture. Place the two right angles with the bracket pieces bolted to them onto the brackets on the wall. Now, Position the wooden shelf and while holding it in place use a drill driver and drive the screws up through the holes on the right angle shelf bracket and into the shelf. Doing it this way assures everything will align up perfectly when finished. Once you drive in all 6 screws into the wood then you just tap the actual bracket points and the shelf pops up and off. Any questions let me know. Cheers. PS: If installing brackets on both sides mark the shelves right and left so you will not get the sides mixed up. The fitting of the bracket is close and able to hold a lot of weight. I put some stick on rubber pads on the bottom of the right angle shelf support so it wouldn’t mar the finish on the upper shell and would prevent movement of the support after it was installed. It works great and you have no worries about this bracket ever falling off.
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