Bent Trailer Tongue

[ETpilot]

This is an old homemade welding trailer which I keep at the farm. I have to take it 15 miles to do a repair. First I have to repair the trailer tongue. I hit it with my tractor and bent the tongue. The tongue is a 1/8x3x4 rectangle tube. It is welded at the y joint and probably to the cross member. From the y it goes back 18 and is tee welded to a cross member. I'm thinking if I can cut the welds I can remove the tube and slide in a new one. If I can replace the tube I will make it longer as it is too short as is and makes it hard to back up. With the longer tube I will add longer y support for the tube. This is all provided I can find a replacement tube.

Anyway this is my plan for now. If anyone has a better idea for this repair, please post. Thanks

 

[Shield Arc]

Sounds like a good plan:thumbsup:. Do you have a carbon arc torch? That will make it easy to remove the welds.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Sounds like a good plan:thumbsup:. Do you have a carbon arc torch? That will make it easy to remove the welds.

What he said.

 

[Mysfyt]

I'll recommend going thicker on the wall of the tube. 3/16" or 1/4".

 

[ThomasH]

That sounds reasonable, although I would step up the wall thickness a bit to 3/16 or 1/4" wall, especially with your notion of making it longer. With a good angle grinder and a few cutoff wheels and grinding wheels you should be able to get the tongue off without cutting away too much material. I would then remove any excess welding material from the braces, grind a 30ish degree bevel on the bracing tubes in order to get a full penetration weld, and lay on 3 passes (root + side by side top coats).

 

[kevin37b]

Remove chains and latch and put a new trailer under it !

 

[ETpilot]

Thanks all for the info I will proceed as planned. I will go thicker on the tube. This is the first time I have heard of a carbon arc torch. I had to look it up. I have a plasma cutter with plasma gouging capability. I thought I'd give it a try although the I have never used the process. I will practice and see how I do. Unloading the trailer is going to be a pain. I'm making room for the equipment.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I'd be tempted to go an inch wider on the new tube. That way you don't have to be so fussy cutting out the old tube out and the extra strength would be enough so that you don't need to add any extra bracing either. A new coupler isn't expensive so just buy one the same width as your new tube. Just my thoughts

 

[ETpilot]

I'd be tempted to go an inch wider on the new tube. That way you don't have to be so fussy cutting out the old tube out and the extra strength would be enough so that you don't need to add any extra bracing either. A new coupler isn't expensive so just buy one the same width as your new tube. Just my thoughts

Thanks, that is a good point I will consider. I am thinking of using a Bulldog coupler. I have to check them out. I have another trailer with a Bulldog coupler. I made a lock for it. I took it down to Florida and parked at my Aunt's house for a week. Well someone tried to steal that trailer. They moved the trailer maybe a foot before the gave up.

 

[sdef]

Thanks, that is a good point I will consider. I am thinking of using a Bulldog coupler. I have to check them out. I have another trailer with a Bulldog coupler. I made a lock for it. I took it down to Florida and parked at my Aunt's house for a week. Well someone tried to steal that trailer. They moved the trailer maybe a foot before the gave up.

Bulldogs are all I use now. Buy a new trailer and replace the coupler with a Bulldog. However, I have never seen a Bulldog for what seems to be this lightweight of a trailer.