Weight Distributing Hitch Weld failure

[Sodo]

I wouldn't say no penetration, steel tears along a 45 degree shear line, it looks normal to me. Agree with LD it may have broken because the bottom weld was forgotten. And the corner wasn't "wrapped" very well (prob because it was unfinished) that's where it started. Poor welding job. That's all I can say from the pics, need more pics for a better diagnoses.

Steel is very repairable, pretty easy to make that much stronger than the one-peice and be done in less time than it takes to box it up and mail it. Thats for people with no welder.

What maneuver tore this tab off - jackknife?

 

[LD1]

Steel is very repairable, pretty easy to make that much stronger than the one-peice and be done in less time than it takes to box it up and mail it. Thats for people with no welder.

While I agree, and have made many hitches and inserts for the tractors and what-not....

For liability reasons I wouldnt use a repaired hitch on the road.

 

[Sodo]

Thats for people with no welder.

Sorry this is kind of a joke. Obviously any repair must be a quality repair.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Nothing is designed to last forever. Isn't it up to the end user to conduct regular inspection of equipment? Welds don't usually fail without warning. Most often it's a progressive event that is not noticed, starting with a hairline crack.

 

[Sodo]

IT, even though the pic is not so good, I can tell ya thats not a fatigue crack, its torn metal. Trailer hitches should have (basically) zero deflection during use, thus never fatigue, never start hairline cracks.

 

[Industrial Toys]

OK. Just sayin that unless welding is of some very high (and expensive) standard, cracking and weld failure are a common thing in demanding applications. The way I see it anyway.

 

[bspeedy]

Are you sure that the sway mount wasn't welded on by some previous owner? I've only seen the newer style. If I were the original owner and knew it was a factory weld, I would junk the whole thing. Not safe.

 

[Sodo]

OK. Just sayin that unless welding is of some very high (and expensive) standard, cracking and weld failure are a common thing in demanding applications. The way I see it anyway.

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

 

[bspeedy]

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

I'm with Sodo. Unless you bought it new and know differently, weld that sucker. No risk to towing safety (other than the possible loss of sway control, which is not critical).

 

[showcattle]

It's not a demanding application, it's just a mount for a sway damper. The trailer does not cut loose if the sway mount breaks, the trailer simply resembles 99% of the other trailers that have no sway control damper. BSpeedy yes it looks like the sway ball mount was added on. Harbor freight has sway damper kits for $29.99. It bolts onto the trailer tongue but you have to weld a ball mount on the hitch. Then in high side winds the trailer is more stable.

It looks like this damage occurred because the trailer was backed, and jackknifed too far to the right, the damper topped out and something had to give. Probably best that the sway tab was not any stronger, or something else could have busted, something not so easy to fix. This repair would not affect the integrity of the load-carrying part of the hitch, looks like an easy fix. Just vee it out then pound the gap back closed and weld it up. And check the adjustment of the damper, make sure it's set to allow the proper angles for maneuvering.

This is the best advice I've seen.