Alpenlite Trailer Fender Skirts

In 2004 I wiped out a fender skirt on a spruce tree that attacked me in the back country. I tried to find a replacement skirt and could not find anything that matched. Various RV supply shops indicated that they could order "close" replacements, but that I would have to buy a pair of them. The prices were exorbitant - around $200, so I decided to make my own.

A quick trip to Metals Supermarket netted some nice aluminum diamond plate.  Metals Supermarket is a little more expensive than the scrap yards, but they have clean metal, know their products and can custom cut almost anything. 

I did not take photos of the fabrication process, but it was easy to do, and anybody with basic tools can build a nice set of skirts in an afternoon. 

1)  I laid the aluminum sheet out on sawhorses and used a Sharpie pen to trace the outline of the old skirt on it.  The skirts were mirror images, so it was easy to do this.

2)  I then used a saber saw with a fine metal cutting blade to cut out the new skirts.  The saw easily cut the aluminum.

3)  I then dressed off the edges of the cuts with a fine file.

4)  Next I used the old skirt as a drilling template to drill mounting holes.

5)  I mounted the skirts to the trailer using stainless steel screws and washers.  On the bottom edges I drilled additional holes and bolted through the skirt of the trailer.