cracked trailer frame....

[MrPete]

Thanks for your post case485guy. My trailer is fairly low to the ground and that is how I load my tractor. It sounds like I better build some jacks for mine also. I love it when I learn from other peoples mistakes. God knows I have made plenty of them on my own!

 

[sandman2234]

It would seem to me, that if the frame is cracking right BEHIND the tongue, that it isn't from loading, but from bouncing down the road while being loaded. If it were to be from loading, most likely it would either bend the frame into an arch, or crack where the welds are on the tongue at the front of the trailer. The rear of the tongue area is in compression while being loaded, so most likely isn't the area that would be cracked while loading. I would suggest strengthening the tongue back to at least the center-line of the front axle of the trailer, to absorb the bouncing while driving loaded. Just my $.02, David from jax

 

[Case485Guy]

It would seem to me, that if the frame is cracking right BEHIND the tongue, that it isn't from loading, but from bouncing down the road while being loaded. If it were to be from loading, most likely it would either bend the frame into an arch, or crack where the welds are on the tongue at the front of the trailer. The rear of the tongue area is in compression while being loaded, so most likely isn't the area that would be cracked while loading. I would suggest strengthening the tongue back to at least the center-line of the front axle of the trailer, to absorb the bouncing while driving loaded. Just my $.02, David from jax

David, think of it as a teeer totter if you will. When I load the tractor the back of the trailer hits the ground, the back of pickup is lifted, the point at where my tongue ends is the weakest point and thats where it cracked. The only way to extend the tongue is to remove the axles, weld in new channel then remount axles. That would raise the trailer a good 8" or more. Instead of doing that I added bracing on the inside. Once I get my boards back in I will lose abot 6" to a point. With the boards back in there will be about a 1-1/2" difference from board height to square tube height. So that really should not effect alot of what I haul. I have crossmembers every 12" and once i get done I will have everything tied back in together, so it should be stronger than before. If I have any more problems I will rob the axles out of this and build a new one.

 

[sandman2234]

The trailer I got with my last truck purchase had a similar problem, and flatbar was welded down the bottom edge of the frame to strengthen it, it worked, but lowered the amount of clearance. I understand teeter toter, but think when the truck is being lifted, it would try to rip the welds at the front of the tongue and compress the rear of the tongue welds which would not likely crack them. David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

Got any pictures of the trailer and where it cracked? David from jax

 

[Case485Guy]

Got any pictures of the trailer and where it cracked? David from jax

Post #16 has a pic. Not the best but has arrow where it cracked.

 

[lostcause]

i'm a fan of the pads on fold up ramps. just make the pads so they don't touch ground by a few inches. then when on uneven ground the ramps will still go down. it just takes a couple chunks of a 2x underneath to get it close enough to do the trick. in the v-nose of my trailer i put a piece of expanded metal to make a basket and i always have a few chunks of 2x blocking for jacking up or blocking the wheels. this assumes that you would want fold up ramps of course. when i built mine i made it so the ramps slid back and forth on a rod for each side for width adjustment. on the occasions where i've had awkward loads i just pull one or both ramps as needed and either toss them in the truck body or strap them to the trailer.

 

[hawkeye08]

My trailer has the jacks at the back corners (just like a crank down tongue jack that folds up horizontal when not in use). I when loading I just swing them down, crank until they are on the ground, then good to go. Crank back up, pivot them horizontal and off I go. Note, they are great for changing a flat tire also since the will lift the trailer. We were moving one of our daughters and had a flat on the freeway, to less than 15 minutes to change (most of time was digging spare and lug wrench out of back of pickup). Having the flat fixed at tire shop took longer... Farm supply stores sell these as well as Harbor Freight for $20-$30, some bolt on, some weld on, get the ones that work for you. Mine are factory welded on and have a flat plate on the bottom (some of the ones for sale have wheels instead of the plate).. Good luck.

 

[flyerdan]

...going to use a spindle so I can mount bearing hub and all for spare to have in case I burn bearings up on the road.
View attachment 298186

I was going to suggest using a spare hub as a tire mount for just that reason. Cheap insurance, if you're prepared for a bearing failure chances are you'll never need it.

 

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Case485Guy
"...going to use a spindle so I can mount bearing hub and all for spare to have in case I burn bearings up on the road"

I was going to suggest using a spare hub as a tire mount for just that reason. Cheap insurance, if you're prepared for a bearing failure chances are you'll never need it.

I missed this until flyerdan pointed it out.
THAT is a really great idea! I'm surprised major trailer manufacturers don't offer this as an option.
Yes, if you maintain your hubs chances are you'll likely never have a problem but you know what they say about Murphy.
Luckily I've not had hub/bearing problems on any of my trailers but I have been riding along with two different guys on long trips where having a spare hub would have been a Godsend.
Thanks for the tip Case485Guy