Trailer coupler

[clee4020]

Is there a need in welding the under side of the coupler. The original one was and it took a lot of work to get it off. I would not want to go thru that again.

 

[yomax4]

I have never welded the bottom but you can drill a hole on each tongue tube ( about where the red tape is ) and just go deep enough to make it most of the way through the coupler.. Then burn a hot weld in each hole until full of weld. Just gives you piece of mind. Or drill through and add bolts.

 

[Shield Arc]

I would! I would put about 2-inches on each side, as close to the front / truck end as you can. It's a leverage thing.

 

[clee4020]

I put a few tacks on the under side and I think I'll drill a hole on each side and use bolts. I might use the bolts to attach the safety chains back on. Here is what it looked like when I started.

 

[Shield Arc]

I just had to go through the same thing a few months ago with a friends galvanized boat trailer. The tongue was a single 2" x 3" x .095 wall thickness rectangular tube. 8-feet before it came to any bracing. The trailer came off the ball, and buckled the rectangular tube, and coupler. I inserted into the rectangular tube 10-feet of 2" x 2" solid square stock, and plug welded it to the tube, along with a new section of tube, and a new coupler.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I've put up a couple videos on this subject. Typically, If you are welding, the bottom should be welded because that is where the weight is concentrated, and no other way to hold it on very well if no bolts are being used. The weight is concentrated and transferred to the bottom.
Everlast Trailer Project Build Part 3: Adding the hitch. - YouTube
How To Make a Plug Weld With a MIG Welder (When Replacing a Trailer Hitch Coupler) - YouTube

 

[Shield Arc]

Mark in the first video, it's obvious you don't know what you're doing when welding the coupler on! Because you did it the same way I did my buddy's trailer coupler, except I didn't weld all the way on the bottom.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Well the seam is there, and once you have the top side welded, why not weld it solid?

 

[chopped]

Great Video...thanks

 

[Shield Arc]

Well the seam is there, and once you have the top side welded, why not weld it solid?

A trailer with any kind of tongue weight I would have done just like you did. My buddy's trailer carries a 12-feet long aluminum boat, with a 40-HP Yamaha outboard on the back:shocked:, before I put the square stock inside the rectangular tube I'll bet there wasn't 40-pounds of tongue weight. I figured the plug welds were more than enough, but felt better with some weld on the bottom.