Is there a trick to my landscape trailer?

jayhaitch · Jul 24, 2007

I'm trying to remove the mesh gate from my Continental Cargo 7x12 aluminum tandem axle landscape trailer. I can't

It flips up and down just fine. I even gave each of the 3 hinges a shot of grease. I pushed, pulled, jiggled, pry-barred, hammered, and sweated: not a millimetre did it budge. I even called the trailer dealer and asked if there was some trick I wasn't aware of. He said nope, just jiggle it with 2 guys. Well, I'm only 1 guy, and my wife has a bad wrist, so she can't help. But still......

As I'm looking at the hinges, it seems the hinge cylinder welded to the mesh gate is the same diameter as the hinge cylinder welded to the trailer frame, so it rubs on the frame. It would seem to me the gate cylinder should be a bit smaller to not rub, which would ease removal. I'm about to give the gate a nudge with my FEL, and go at the gate hinge cylinders with my belt sander. Does anyone have a more refined, ie more knowledgeable plan of attack?

firemanpat2910 · Jul 24, 2007

dumb question, but are you sure you are sliding it the right way? I had some one try and get the ramp off one of my work trailers and he was going the wrong way

jayhaitch · Jul 25, 2007

Not a dumb question at all. I thought the same thing, and triple checked which hinge was welded where. Also, the bottom flange prevents sliding until the gate is about a third open, so I propped it up on my car ramps to it's even with the floor of the trailer, and went at it with all my tools. I'm at a loss. It's less than a year old, not been abused, and looks like it should slide right off.

Do you think sanding down the gate-hinge would make further removal easier?

MrJimi · Jul 25, 2007

Jay, with your gate down on the ground, can you lift and move/jiggle it up and down a little? you should be able to. And do you have perfect straight alignment all the way across ? you mentioned it rubbed, it could be cocked a little making it hard to remove.
Try and shake gate in the full up balanced position, it should move a little up and down at the hinge point and your dealer is correct with 2 men, it will get heavy and could bend something else, be careful
and do NOT put your machine on it
best of luck
Jim

radman1 · Jul 28, 2007

Use some lubricant such as wd-40 on all the hinges. My guess is it is rusted in some spots or the hinges are out of alignment and binding. Could try a little heat on the hinges but that will destroy the paint. Can you get another, slightly smaller, round piece of iron/pipe on the other side and then hit/drive the pin out with a hammer or sledge.

jayhaitch · Jul 28, 2007

I like the heat idea. Thanks! The hinges are aluminum, nothing painted, the pins look like steel. The trailer-side hinge is closed, so I can't drive out the pins. Each hinge has a Zerk, so lube isn't a problem. No rust either.

If memory serves, doesn't aluminum expand more with heat than steel? If so, heat just may be the trick.