Gooseneck Coupler

[bindian]

Yours is the first I have seen with a crank height adjustment.

When I bought it 12 years ago, it was the first one I had seen.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Looks like I lucked out with my coupler. Was ready to drill a drain hole, only to discover that a sloppy weld had already done the job for me.

 

[bindian]

I sleep on it and realized my crack started back in April. I was going home after digging all day with my 7.5 ton CAT excavator. I was hot and tired and turned too early leaving my friend's driveway. I felt the truck slowing down and looked in the left mirror to see the CAT and trailer tipping way over. All I could think of was floor the pedal and the Cummins pulled the trailer onto the pavement.

I talked with my local industrial welding shop foreman and he (and I) don't think the freeze back in Feb. 2021 could have done it.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I don't understand how that would make it crack where it did.

The set bolt being over tightened at some point probably didn't help, much like the regular round couplers tend to fail in line with the bolts.

 

[bindian]

What do you mean by.... set bolt being over tightened? Mine was factory set.

 

[4570Man]

What do you mean by.... set bolt being over tightened? Mine was factory set.

I don’t see how it could be anything besides freeze damage. It looks like the whole tube is swelled from freezing.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

What do you mean by.... set bolt being over tightened? Mine was factory set.

Most likely it was tightened by the dealer. And I've seen them over tighten couplers more often than not.

Now the bolt has created a weak spot, which I think is why the (most likely) freeze induced crack started in line with the bolt.

 

[bindian]

The bolt is on the forward left corner. The crack is on the aft left corner.

 

[Topzide]

To me, that looks like a pipe seam split from freezing. Most pipes are welded seam and not drawn. Until it's pulled from the trailer, you won't now for sure. Just glad it didn't turn ugly when towing a load!

 

[Too many Kubotas]

My mistake.

To me, that looks like a pipe seam split from freezing. Most pipes are welded seam and not drawn.

Except that the weld is always in the center of a flat part, not along an edge.

At least I've never seen tubing that wasn't welded that way.