How would you straighten this?
- Thread starter 56FordGuy
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Mark @ Everlast
Advertiser
A little different approach here.
Drop the jack and back it up to a curb. Get a rose bud on it and get it hot, and have someone gently back it into the curb. (Move out of the way first.) Or course you could do it cold and take a running start against the curb. Probably the reverse of how it happened any way.:laughing:
Drop the jack and back it up to a curb. Get a rose bud on it and get it hot, and have someone gently back it into the curb. (Move out of the way first.) Or course you could do it cold and take a running start against the curb. Probably the reverse of how it happened any way.:laughing:
LD1
Epic Contributor
Thats exatally what I was thinking.
In all seriousness, I doubt you will do any further damage by trying to pull forward on the bottom of the jack or backing it into something.
It is at least worth a try first before you heat it up. For one, that is going to take a LONG time to get hot, and even then, given the large amount fo area, you will have a hard time getting it ALL hot enough to even be woth it. And them by the time you kill the torch to apply pressure, it ahs cooled down anyway.
Channel is not that strong in the direction of the bend. I'd try it cold first because I bet it'll take less force than you think. Plus you dont have to worry about melting wires, catching decking on fire, or re-painting when done:thumbsup: I'd only use a torch as a last resort.
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You always pull in the opposite direction that the original force was applied to cause the deformation. Always.
It appears that the jackleg was either left down or contacted an obstruction and the leg bent the I channel back. I would hitch the unit to your tow vehicle and put a come-a-long between the hitch on your vehicle (on the centerline) and around the jackleg, as close as possible to the I channel and proceed to tighten the come-a-long prior to heating the channel (to see if it's possible to pull it back without heating at all. It may come back to almost the original position. A bit of localized heat (with tension applied to the come-a-long should make it almost perfect.
I bend metal everyday in my business and I rarely heat it and I've never used a rosebud except to arch steel trailers.
It appears that the jackleg was either left down or contacted an obstruction and the leg bent the I channel back. I would hitch the unit to your tow vehicle and put a come-a-long between the hitch on your vehicle (on the centerline) and around the jackleg, as close as possible to the I channel and proceed to tighten the come-a-long prior to heating the channel (to see if it's possible to pull it back without heating at all. It may come back to almost the original position. A bit of localized heat (with tension applied to the come-a-long should make it almost perfect.
I bend metal everyday in my business and I rarely heat it and I've never used a rosebud except to arch steel trailers.
2manyrocks
Super Member
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I suppose having the jack all the way down created the greatest leverage against the channel in the first place. It acted like a giant lever.
Except for that, it's a nice looking trailer.
Except for that, it's a nice looking trailer.
LD1
Epic Contributor
I was thinking a come-a-long as well, but as close to the channel as possible??
I was thinking at the bottom of the jack. More leverage and twisting force on the channel. I would be afraid that attaching right at the channel would want to pull the whole thing forward rather than twist??? I could be wrong though. But there is difinatally more leverage at the bottom of the jack. And I do think the jack is pleanty strong enough to un-twist the channel.
BigBoyinMS
Silver Member
I had the same thing happen to my trailer. I used one of my ratcheting chain binders to pull it back straight.
Duids
Member
Mr. Ford Guy, I have read all the previous replies and no one has mentioned that you will need to heat ( if you decide to go that route) the channel in 3 places. In the middle where the jack is and where it is welded to each of the side rails. Tough to do with just one rose bud. After having worked in the Mechanical Dept. at the railroad for 30+ years, I have straightened more bent metal than I care to think about.
It has been my experience that if the object is connected at 2 locations such as this it will be bent in 3 places, once at the obvious bend and at each anchor location. Of course there may be more bends, depending on the amount of damage. About the only time you will have 1 single bend is if there is only one or no anchor point.
It would probably be easier and quicker to replace the channel. Don't know your experience using a cutting torch or welding, but there would very little weld that would need to be cut and welded back on the replacement piece.
Just my thoughts
David
It has been my experience that if the object is connected at 2 locations such as this it will be bent in 3 places, once at the obvious bend and at each anchor location. Of course there may be more bends, depending on the amount of damage. About the only time you will have 1 single bend is if there is only one or no anchor point.
It would probably be easier and quicker to replace the channel. Don't know your experience using a cutting torch or welding, but there would very little weld that would need to be cut and welded back on the replacement piece.
Just my thoughts
David