Adding Baseplates to DLS

I am adding some baseplates with D rings to some Bridger No. 4 DLS. I was going to weld them but thought about bolting them instead. What do y'all think?

Thanks in advance.

I welded mine and I guess bolting never really crossed my mind.

I welded and bolted mine, I know overkill

I was just thinking of how they are bolted to my coil springs. Three holes, three bolts and three nuts and you would be done. And it would look a little nicer. I know, who cares? But I am weird about that kind of stuff.

I do the overkill thing too.

Hope you can see bolts

I can. Is that a PIT pan? And, which long spring is that?

Thanks for posting.

Bridger #4, pit #2 pan

Perfect both the trap mods and the pad catch. Nice job!

You can barely see it, but i just run a j-hook through the bottom.
(But to each his own haha)

While either will do the same outcome I would trust a weld done right more then a bit and bolt. Of course that comes down to personal preference as the MB and many other very well made and highly used trap models have nuts and bolts. While I have done the base plate on longs and it did work of course I leave the chain on the spring do to how the mechanics of the trap. More of a friction lock then a Constant Spring pressure that gains and loses power depending on the spring tension if that makes any sense. But again either one works and go with maybe some with a bolt and nut and some welded and see what you like better. The j hook through the frame with a good j hook is also not a bad option to try as show above.

Some of the traps that had bolt on baseplates from factory are because cast jaw traps need to have a two piece frame as you can't really flex the jaws to install them.

I was thinking about just leaving the chains on the spring too. Your reasoning makes sense.

I moved my chains to the bottom from the spring because I occasionally catch wolves and I didn’t think the smaller hardware on the spring attachment was up to the job. I can’t speak for newer traps, but the victor and b and l #4’s have plenty strong baseplates stock. No need to add another baseplate. It just makes them heavier…. I have added some baseplates to some traps just because it was an easy way to move the chain attachment. I have also used lap links welded shut and also the j hook setup shown above. I like to keep it off to the side to make it easier to set over my knee, but I can still set them over my knee with the attachment in the middle. I wouldn’t use nuts and bolts and welds…. Then again, modding traps is not an activity I look forward to…..

Haven't baseplated mine but I did center mount and swivel with better chain. At some point I would like to laminate the jaws on all of mine.
Someday....

I laminated the jaws on a couple of #4 traps a few years ago. It really slowed them down. I’ve never actually seen a need for the laminations so I quit doing it.

Those are nice looking traps btw.