Taking tongue jack apart

[flyerdan]

I'd cut out a rectangle of the damage with a skinny wheel, turn it around and weld it back with the dent facing outward.

 

[jcummins]

I'd cut out a rectangle of the damage with a skinny wheel, turn it around and weld it back with the dent facing outward.

Not a bad idea, I was thinking along those lines.

Once I cranked it pass the dent, the jack turned with one finger. So I'll be cutting on it, in some manner.

 

[flyerdan]

If you have a press with enough oomph, maybe cut a smaller hole on the backside and put a piece of heavy flat stock inside and press it out. Heating it a dull red will help on the oomph requirement but will take off the galv.

 

[npalen]

I know that it would be easier to buy a new one but I'm the guy that finds a challenge in fixing the old one. It helps, of course, if you're retired with nothing better to do.

 

[jcummins]

I know that it would be easier to buy a new one but I'm the guy that finds a challenge in fixing the old one. It helps, of course, if you're retired with nothing better to do.

That would be me. Lack of money is a motivation.

 

[GLyford]

If you have a press with enough oomph, maybe cut a smaller hole on the backside and put a piece of heavy flat stock inside and press it out. Heating it a dull red will help on the oomph requirement but will take off the galv.

I wonder if a 6 or 8 lb. sledge and a piece of round stock (I would be tempted to start with a 1/2" hole and pin/bolt/whatever) would be enough to get it out of the way? Start centered, then maybe add one up and one down from there closer to the ends if that wasn't enough...

 

[frugalangler]

I wonder if a 6 or 8 lb. sledge and a piece of round stock (I would be tempted to start with a 1/2" hole and pin/bolt/whatever) would be enough to get it out of the way? Start centered, then maybe add one up and one down from there closer to the ends if that wasn't enough...

If you just pound on metal flat, you're likely to spread it and cause it to expand across the surface, but if you provide support around the dent then you'll push it out and not compress the metal nearly as much. Think about the last time you stepped on a packet of ketchup/catsup and how it expanded horizontally.

 

[jcummins]

Cutting and weld back...in progress. Heat plus other duties stops me for now.

 

[Stimw]

Nothing wrong with what you are doing just be careful not to get boogers inside from the welds.
Back in the 80's a company that I worked for bought rebuilt semi legs from a local guy.
He would cut, patch, straighten or what ever was needed and we got a good leg for about 1/3 the price of new!
I have heated a dent red hot like that and ran the leg up and down past the bad spot and straightened it enough to work.
Sometimes a loaded trailer had to go!

 

[flyerdan]

Just slide a chunk of pipe (pvc ok) over the acme thread before you weld it up to keep any berries from sticking to it. Chances are only one would get through but it will stick and gall everything. One thing I've learned over the years is that it's better to take a couple extra minutes to protect against the unlikely that wish that you had later.