How to straighten this trailer tailgate?

[GLyford]

I’d put it back on and put I block in the low corner. Then push against the high corner.

Or pull. Come-along or a chain and ratchet binder.

 

[Redlands Okie]

The come-along idea or ratchet binder would allow you quite of bit of control to get the bending right. Might take a couple of tries but no big deal there.

 

[DieselBound]

Took me a while before I could complete this work, but I managed to straighten out the tailgate and get it back on. Had it straightened back in March, but it took me a while before I was able to get around to drilling out one of the broken hinge pins: really difficult; had to break down and get a angle drill.

I pinned one edge of the tailgate with my truck, with a 2x4 along the "fault line," and then used the tractor bucket to push it back into shape. I didn't get real fancy on checking square in which case I wasn't sure that it was going to be good enough until I mounted it.



Tailgate mounted back on the trailer.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I am such a perfectionist. And have tried hard to repair much bent metal. It stretches. Is there any way to get metal to contract?

 

[Redlands Okie]

Well you managed to get the trailor almost perfectly framed in the background of that first picture straightening the tailgate.

Nice work all around

 

[DieselBound]

What sorta complicated this was that this was a rental trailer and it had been pretty beat up, the tailgates, before I got it. At least a couple of the hinges had been re-welded, with the one I had to drill to remove the pin being smaller than the others. The twist was a good 3" when I started.

 

[oliver1555]

I am such a perfectionist. And have tried hard to repair much bent metal. It stretches. Is there any way to get metal to contract?

Yes. Google "Flame Straightening" and there is a wealth of information. I've done a little - by no means an expert, but it works. Here is an article that shows the basic theory by Tom Lipton. He is an expert:

How flame straightening works | Cutting Tool Engineering

I first learned about it from Shield Arc, who used to post on this site. He's CEP over on WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts
He claims to be just a hobbyist there, also!

Here is a good example, with pictures:
Flame straightening

 

[two_bit_score]

I am such a perfectionist. And have tried hard to repair much bent metal. It stretches. Is there any way to get metal to contract?

A GOOD body man can shrink metal.