correcting bent trailer tongue

[2manyrocks]

I just bought a light 5x8 trailer realizing that the tongue needs repair. The trailer tows straight as an arrow even though someone put too much weight in the front and bent the main tongue channel. It's a 2x3x1/8 U channel, and someone evidently tried to fix it by chopping off part of it, and welding a 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 square tube into the channel without addressing the obvious bend in the channel itself.

I laid a piece of 2x4 on top of the floor so you can see the extent to which there's a bend. I'm also going to have to get the rails pushed back up or cut them out and reweld them, too.

Before tearing into this, I'd appreciate some input.

I'm thinking the whole tongue/channel/angles (bent too) need to be replaced. Probably go back with 2x3 11 gauge tube if I can find it.

I was sort of thinking about cutting out the entire channel with a metal blade in an old circular saw and/or a cutting disk in my angle grinder. I don't have a torch. I am hoping the circular saw will have enough depth of cut to get most of it out.

How much extra aggravation would it be to try to weld the new tongue back in from underneath instead of flipping the trailer on its top and laying the new piece in that way? It's a relatively light trailer, but I'd just as soon not have to remove the tires and try to flip it over if I can avoid it. If it needs to be flipped over, I'd probably have to do it with an engine hoist as that's what I have to work with.

 

[Shield Arc]

You realize they don't turn those battle ships over to weld on them.

If you really think about it, over head is no different than flat. It's just a mental block by some.

 

[Omar08]

I do agree on your point.

 

[rrrkkk]

Looks like you need a bottle jack and a log chain, to me.

 

[2manyrocks]

So I would connect one end of the chain to the front of the tongue and the other end to the back and then use the bottle jack under the bend to straighten this?

 

[whiskywizard]

to weld the new tongue back in from underneath instead of flipping the trailer on its top and laying the new piece in that way? It's a relatively light trailer, but I'd just as soon not have to remove the tires and try to flip it over if I can avoid it. If it needs to be flipped over, I'd probably have to do it with an engine hoist as that's what I have to work with.

If you decide to avoid the overhead weld, and do want to flip the trailer, don't try to roll it sideways. Instead, block the rear of the frame up and lift the tongue up high. You can easily get to a point where your welds are vertical instead of overhead.

 

[rrrkkk]

So I would connect one end of the chain to the front of the tongue and the other end to the back and then use the bottle jack under the bend to straighten this?

Yes i think you said it is a channel iron tongue, you may need a support or filler inside the channel. I have fixed many this way.

 

[tcreeley]

I think you said it pulled straight. Why not just leave it?

 

[deereman75]

Have you considered bashing it into shape with a big sledge hammer.:laughing:

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

You realize they don't turn those battle ships over to weld on them.

If you really think about it, over head is no different than flat. It's just a mental block by some.

Until the slag rolls down your back and into your buttcrack.:laughing:

 

[Shield Arc]

Until the slag rolls down your back and into your buttcrack.:laughing:

Better than in your ear!:shocked:

2manyrocks if you can post more pictures, especially from the side I can tell you where to heat it to bring it back in line.

 

[ray66v]

That is a quick and easy fix for a body shop.

If you have a local shop you deal with, you could ask them about bending it for you.

We did a lot of work like that, cheap, for goodwill.

 

[2manyrocks]

Have you considered bashing it into shape with a big sledge hammer.:laughing:

I couldn't figure a way to lay on my back under the trailer and get that much swing on it.

Will have to see about making some more pictures tomorrow during the daylight.

 

[crazyal]

I'm a cut it out and replace it kind of guy. A couple of cut off wheels for your 4 1/2" grinder and it no time you have the old one off. I've never had much luck with the skill saw type wheels, they seam to wear too quickly for how much they cost.

 

[MillWeld]

Looks like you need a bottle jack and a log chain, to me.

Either the above or a low-end body shop. My experience with the latter on a sawmill with bent 3 x 6 box beams was very successful. Your trailer is not that big but if accessing the bent members with a jack and chain is cumbersome the the body shop route might work.

 

[Renze]

Have a front loader ? put a jackstand under the bend, load the trailer, and push the front loader down on the tongue.

If you dont have a front loader, hook it up to tractor or truck and use bottle jack to push under the bend.

I have a torch since 2 years, and i absolutely love it. With proper heating, you can align frames without excerting mechanical force on it by using the thermal expansion, weakening at high temperatures (which forces the local material to compress between the surrounding material) and then cooling down, when the redness is off, the material has regained its strength but is still thermally expanded: so once cooled down, it has shrunken and will pull back the beam into the direction you want.

Just be patient, i usually drink half a beer between two heating sessions, to make sure i dont heat again too soon, to find it pulled the other way the next morning

 

[Shield Arc]

Use water to cool down the heated areas, but then again that will cut into the beer drinking time! :laughing:

 

[ayelvington]

Looks like you need a bottle jack and a log chain, to me.

This is what I'd do, and then weld in a sister piece behind the cross piece that bent to reinforce it.

 

[deereman75]

I couldn't figure a way to lay on my back under the trailer and get that much swing on it.

Will have to see about making some more pictures tomorrow during the daylight.

If unlike me, you have a tractor (and better yet a loader), lift the trailer up, and start smashing it with a 8lbs sledge. Or you could rent a big cutting torch or plasma cutter for a day and hack it off and build a new tounge.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Better than in your ear!:shocked:

2manyrocks if you can post more pictures, especially from the side I can tell you where to heat it to bring it back in line.

That depends on where the slag stops rolling I guess.