Cutting Through A Weld
- Thread starter MikePA
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mikim
Veteran Member
can you reach it by taking the wheels off and pound it out with an air hammer? save cutting it off & welding it back on.
<font color="blue"> can you reach it by taking the wheels off and pound it out with an air hammer?</font>
Mike, I am going to try that when it stops raining. One of the problems I had prying the fender away from the tire (just to get the trailer home) was the only thing I had for leverage was the tire. The aluminum was too thick to muscle it away from the tire, so I stuck a pry bar between the fender and tire. Most of the force I could exert went to compressing the tire, instead of moving the fender. I think once I get the wheel off, a hand sledge might do the trick. The results wont be pretty, but she'll be able to use the trailer until a permanent fix can be arranged.
BTW, how do you attach a cut off wheel to a die grinder?
Mike, I am going to try that when it stops raining. One of the problems I had prying the fender away from the tire (just to get the trailer home) was the only thing I had for leverage was the tire. The aluminum was too thick to muscle it away from the tire, so I stuck a pry bar between the fender and tire. Most of the force I could exert went to compressing the tire, instead of moving the fender. I think once I get the wheel off, a hand sledge might do the trick. The results wont be pretty, but she'll be able to use the trailer until a permanent fix can be arranged.
BTW, how do you attach a cut off wheel to a die grinder?
Bird
Rest in Peace
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think once I get the wheel off, a hand sledge might do the trick. The results wont be pretty, but she'll be able to use the trailer until a permanent fix can be arranged )</font>
That's just what I did to the fender on my trailer a few years ago when it got badly bent by all the tread coming off a tire at highway speed. As strong as that fender metal is (mine was steel), it's amazing what a little rubber hitting it can do.
That's just what I did to the fender on my trailer a few years ago when it got badly bent by all the tread coming off a tire at highway speed. As strong as that fender metal is (mine was steel), it's amazing what a little rubber hitting it can do.
RobS
Super Member
Mike, you'll have better luck reshaping it with a porta-power. It's a hydraulic ram with different extension tubes for different lengths. Commonly used in auto body work where you need a push, not a hit. They're handy for all sorts of things and you can get a four ton model for about $80 at a Harbor Freight type store. Kind of like a come-a-long, in reverse /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Highbeam
Super Member
Since her track record tells you that you can expect this to happen again..... maybe just try to straighten it until it looks pretty good.
<font color="blue">...maybe just try to straighten it until it looks pretty good. </font>
Amen. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
She and I had a 'conversation' about these accidents. She insisted that each cirumstance was different. I replied that each of them were right hand turns close to a guardrail. Things went down hill from there. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Amen. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
She and I had a 'conversation' about these accidents. She insisted that each cirumstance was different. I replied that each of them were right hand turns close to a guardrail. Things went down hill from there. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
genelp
Silver Member
I agree with RedRocker, don't use a grinding or cut-off wheel made for steel to use on aluminum. The aluminum will build up on the wheel possibly causing the wheel or disk to fly apart. Use a cut-off disk made for aluminum.
You might take it to a local shop and have them cut it with a plasma-cutter. This would be much quicker and would be a straighter cut.
genelp
You might take it to a local shop and have them cut it with a plasma-cutter. This would be much quicker and would be a straighter cut.
genelp
Farmwithjunk
Super Member
I'm not one to attempt to re-invent the wheel, but this sounds like a time when you might want to rethink this fender.
First ask yourself this question. Is that fender worth a happy marriage? (My "fender" was the wife smoking in a new car /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif)
Next question. We move on to a remedy. Is that fender part of a/or is it a structural component of the trailer? If not, could it be made from something a little more forgiving? (Plastic? Rubber?) If it's been bent 4 times, there's a good chance #5 isn't too far in to the future.
First ask yourself this question. Is that fender worth a happy marriage? (My "fender" was the wife smoking in a new car /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif)
Next question. We move on to a remedy. Is that fender part of a/or is it a structural component of the trailer? If not, could it be made from something a little more forgiving? (Plastic? Rubber?) If it's been bent 4 times, there's a good chance #5 isn't too far in to the future.
<font color="blue"> First ask yourself this question. Is that fender worth a happy marriage? (My "fender" was the wife smoking in a new car </font>
Thanks for your concern. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I apologized soon afterwards. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
<font color="blue">If not, could it be made from something a little more forgiving? </font>
The front and back of the fender provide support for small running boards, but that's it. The one good thing about a sturdy fender is that the sound of it being crunched gives the wife plenty of warning that she's too close to something. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The more that I think about this, the more I think that once I pound out the fender so it's drivable, I'll leave it alone. If we decide to have it fixed, I'll have the local manufacturer replace it.
Thanks for your concern. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I apologized soon afterwards. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
<font color="blue">If not, could it be made from something a little more forgiving? </font>
The front and back of the fender provide support for small running boards, but that's it. The one good thing about a sturdy fender is that the sound of it being crunched gives the wife plenty of warning that she's too close to something. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The more that I think about this, the more I think that once I pound out the fender so it's drivable, I'll leave it alone. If we decide to have it fixed, I'll have the local manufacturer replace it.